I'm trying to pin down the approximate date of a photograph. The photo was taken in the United States and this very poor quality partial image of an auto in one corner of the pic is about all I have to go on.

Any ideas?

Late 30s, early 40s (?) and I'm leaning towards the Dodge Brothers.

Either that or a concept Volkswagen Potato Bug.

Could be a '39 Dodge 4-door:

I took a look at quite a few, that trunk seems like it was popular in 39 among a few makers. Those before and after aren't as blunt.

I'd guess the vehicle is a 39, likely a Pontiac 2 dr Sedan based on the thickness of the C Pillar, rear window, straight line down the body below the windows and the blunt trunk. Pic could be early 40's.

This is a 1939 Dodge


39 Oldsmobile


39 Pontiac

The trunk looks more like a 1936 Buick to me. Rear window does look like a Pontiac perhaps.

I think 1936 Buick, Pontiac or Oldsmobile, but photo doesn't show enough detail to narrow down exact year or make. A real expert on those years could do it, possibly by the wheels.

Edit: Seems little difference in rear end treatment between 1936-1939 Olds, Buick, Pontiac and Cheverolet 2 door sedans. The posted picture appears to have a prominent left side tail light with a plate mount and a less prominent right tail light. I'll surmise more upscale cars with the same body had two similar tail lights. So my guess is 1936 Chevrolet 2 door Town Sedan. Like this one:

https://64.media.tumblr.com/1f...a896bfddde57adc3.jpg

This message has been edited. Last edited by: pbslinger, April 20, 2021 09:18 AM

I don't know. Could it be a Plymouth?

How about this? Detail from a different photo, almost certainly from a slightly different time period than the first one.





And this. These last two are details from a third photograph, possibly shot on the same day as the photo above:

That one with fins like a longhorn steer is a 59 Buick, I think. Maybe a LeSabre.

Bottom photo I think, right to left, Buick,Oldsmobile & Dodge or Plymouth. I am not a vintage buff, just was 15 at the time.

I believe the one in the top photo is a 1950 Chevy

Top pic looks like a 1952 Desoto Firedome with that giant C pillar.

In case it might help our pros, (I am not enough of a car buff to help with the ID) I used Photoshop to brighten and contrast the heck out of Para's first photo to highlight some of the body detail:

Bottom pic, white car on left sure looks like a late 50s Desoto

Bottom picture looks to be (right to left): 59 Buick, 59 Ford and a 57 Plymouth

Thank you for the cleaned up image. Paras first photo is definately the '39 black Olds posted by Rightwire. Its rear roof line to the trunk, rear bumper details and most telling are the 2 chrome thingys at rear trunk lid flat. '39 Olds boss.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:

Look to be (right to left): 48 Plymouth and a 57 Chevrolet

quote:

Originally posted by Sig Marine:
Bottom picture looks to be (right to left): 59 Buick, 59 Ford and a 57 Plymouth

Here’s my guess at the row of parked cars, R-L:
59 Buick, 59 Ford, 57 Dodge Regent, 58 Ford wagon.

Well, I had some evidence to suggest the photos in question were taken in 1939 and 1959 and it appears that's likely correct.

For anyone curious, these cars show up in photographs of the Edison laboratory in West Orange, NJ.

I'm doing a bit of investigative work- archeology, really. The grounds at tht site have changed over the years and I'm trying to pin down the location of certain buildings (no longer standing) on the site in West Orange, which is now a national historic site.

First one is probably late 30's to early 40's, pinning down the date the picture was taken is made a bit more difficult when based on the vehicle. In that time frame WWII came on, and we saw civilian vehicle production halt as the US used GM, Ford, etc to build planes, tanks and Jeeps.

A 39 Plymouth could have been used through 45-46 easily since there were no replacements being made. That being said, production of the car likely 39 to 40 but it could be any year from 39 to 46 or later due to the war.

Arsenal of Democracy'

Within two months of the Dec. 7, 1941, bombing of Pearl Harbor, the last civilian cars rolled off the assembly lines, and auto plants were frantically converting to military-only production of arms, munitions, trucks, tanks and planes. By December 1942, Detroit had become the "Arsenal of Democracy" and didn't resume civilian production of automobiles until the war ended in 1945.

The others have cars that had no gaps in production, but back then some folks just kept cars longer, IE the 57 BelAir and a late 40's Convertable, perhaps a Plymouth... So you know it's at least 57 or later...