1949 Dodge Wayfarer Two-Door Roadster
After years of wartime production, Detroit’s Big Three hadn’t offered a true roadster since the 1930s, making the 1949 Wayfarer Roadster a noteworthy return to open-air motoring. Dodge built just 5,420 Roadster examples during the first production year, compared to approximately 49,000 sedans and 9,000 coupes, positioning it as the sporting choice in the new Wayfarer lineup.
The Roadster’s exterior featured a removable soft top with detachable plastic side curtains for weather protection. Power came from a 230-cubic-inch L-head inline six-cylinder engine with a single Stromberg carburetor, producing 103 horsepower at 3,600 rpm.
Power was sent to the rear axle through a three-speed manual transmission with optional Fluid-Drive coupling, while independent front suspension and four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes handled the driving dynamics.
Sharing bodywork design elements with other Chrysler Corporation models but riding on a shorter 115-inch wheelbase, the Wayfarer represented Dodge’s first all-new postwar platform. The model helped reestablish Dodge’s presence in the civilian market and remains notable today as the last true American roadster built by a major manufacturer.
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