Saturday 1 November 2008

1952 Chevrolet Styleline Deluxe 4-door Sedan



"More beautiful than ever with Brilliant New Color Harmonies inside and out."

From the covered rear wheels to the original steel-rims, this 1952 Chevy Styleline posing at the "Parque Jose Marti" in Cienfuegos is in an very original condition. Even the small "DeLuxe"-plate on the rear fender made it through the years.

New for 1949, Chevrolet's lineup saw some small cosmetic changes with the fourth and last revision in 1952: sharper sculpted rear fenders, a new chrome trim and of course the obligatory restyled frontgrille were the most distinguishing features. Technically there were no news either: the construction under the hood was about the same as in Chevrolet's prewar-models. The sales-catalog focused on "Exciting new exterior colors" and "Harmonizing color-matched interiors" rather than technical progress. But with a successful construction, Chevrolet didn't have much reason to change anything as long as the customers were eager to buy.

In Cuba, Chevrolets are a common sight since the 40s and 50s: their unparalleled balance of quality and low price made them the first choice, especially for the new-wealty middle class. The "cubanitos" were dreaming of a life that the Hollywood movies were promising, and of course the own car was one of the most desired dreams. Budgets were low but the prices considerably higher than in the U.S.. Economy models like a Chevrolet or Ford naturally became the cars of choice, but then with as many extras as possible, because some "show-off" is an essential part of latin culture...

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