The 1945 to 1950 period must have been the best of times and the worst of times for automakers. On the one hand, technology was beginning to improve the driving experience. On the other hand, companies had to recycle pre-war designs for a couple of years before they could focus on new designs. On the one hand, demand was through the roof, thanks to a strong post-war economy. On the other hand, the major automakers experienced worker strikes through the mid-40s, and for Chrysler, a devastating 104-day strike in 1950, which throttled production. During this time, Dodge somehow managed to bring out the Wayfarer, an economy model with the company’s first postwar styling. The top-down version was originally a true roadster with plastic side curtains. California rules around hand signaling for turns made it difficult to continue without roll-up windows, so the roadster gave way to a more conventional convertible called the Sportabout. Here on eBay is a 1951 Dodge Wayfarer Sportabout for sale, with an asking price of $29,995. The car is located in Brewerton, New York. We have Larry D. to thank for this tip!
The Wayfarer’s motor is a 230 cu. in. six-cylinder with a single two-barrel Stromberg carburetor making about 100 bhp. The motor is mated to a three-speed manual transmission with Fluid Drive. The Wayfarer wanders from zero to sixty in 17 seconds. Its top speed was about 85 mph. This car’s engine bay, in keeping with the spiffy cosmetics elsewhere, is in near-show condition. The seller indicates that the car runs and drives very well.
The interior is very sleek, with great colors complementing the exterior. The dash paint shows some orange peel, but I’m being picky. These Wayfarers were offered with barely any accessories, but some options were available. This car has three of those – a radio, a clock, and a visor. The trunk is finished adequately; the underside of the trunk lid is quite nice. This restoration is ten years and just 3900 miles old.
While sales of most Wayfarer models were strong in its first couple of years, the convertible gradually lost favor. So while the seller mentions that only 1002 Sportabouts were sold in 1951, that’s largely because this body style was about to be terminated. In fact, the entire Wayfarer line lasted only until 1952. This car is a lovely example if you hanker specifically for a Wayfarer, or a 1950s convertible cruiser generally. The price is probably on the hefty side, but what do you think?
1st, I want to apologize to the author for my view on horses, sorry, “horse on”,,,just not my thing. Your knowledge is impressive and BFs is lucky to have you. I’m not backpeddling,,,well, maybe a little.
2nd, a great image of post-war economy, not that I was there, but heard my parents and grandparents bitxx about it growing up. I believe material shortages and rebuilding the countries we decimated, also played a big part in development. By ’51, things were just getting going again, when WHAMMO,,another stinkin’ war, but not near the impact WW2 had, but still lost a lot of guys, seemingly, for nothing. Can’t forget that.
A minor correction, the 230 here had a 1 barrel carb, and as mentioned, not many were sold, when GM was clearly the convertible to have then. Dodge had a lackluster following, more of a “cheap” Dodge/Plymouth (Plymouth cheaper yet) image, as they seemed to lagging behind the others. The hemi obviously changed everything,
Then, it was “just a Dodge”, but today, it’s a fantastic “old car”, although, the shifting, of any kind( not familiar with the fluid drive) will limit interest some. There’s enough of us old farts around that can still drive, and someone will get a sweetheart. Next time around? Not so sure.
Peace, Michelle,, :)
Forgiven! Massive affection for you Howard, you have complimented me more than I deserve. And, the Wayfarer IS an attractive convertible option, for sure.
The Dodge Fluid Drive combined a torque converter with a clutch. You could shift it like any other three speed or you could shift to 3rd, dump the clutch and drive away without any shuttering. Driving this way had a slower take-off than my ’52 Buick Super with Dynaflow!
Taxi drivers put them in second, and drove all day without touching the clutch pedal.
Didn’t Kaiser also have a “Wayfarer”?
They had a Vagabond, which is much the same ‘thing’.
Memories…… dad had a ’51 Dodge 2 door, not a convertible. He ended up slightly damaging the front end one night, so the bumper came off and he pounded out the dents to the hood and fenders. Eventually he got another $100 car to replace and I got the Dodge. I was probably around 12 years old. We had quite a large property plus a private road so I could go practically anywhere.
Now for the good part. I took off the rear taillight lenses and put in red bulbs. Same for the parking lights, with yellow bulbs. Cut the steering wheel to look futuristic, cut the top and bottom leaving the curved sides. Then I talked my father into helping me cut the roof off. I loved convertibles, although this was just an open concept, we cut the roof off. It was the mid sixties and “flower power” was big, so, guess who painted flowers all over the car? Yeah, I was 12.
But I had fun with it driving up the private road to my aunt and uncles house and back again, all over the fields. I would say most kids now a days can’t do the crazy things we boomers did in our youth.
Not me, I was a good boy,,( cough),,proof positive, God looks out for fools and little children. :)
Love the car but not $30k worth of love (for me). I’m sure that taking a barn find and trying to get it up to this level would leave $30k looking like a bargain though.
This is my car. Its maginificent, the pictures did not come out the best. It has a make an offer option. Considering a paint job it 10k plus these days the number Im asking is not crazy.
They actually used a fluid coupling, pre torque converter. Torque converters added a stator which was mounted on the stator support of the front pump with a one way clutch (sprag) When there was a difference in the speed of the impeller(engine) and the turbine (attached to the trans) the oil exiting the turbine is redirected by the now locked stator ( Due to the one way clutch) back at the impeller actually helping to turn the engine adding torque actually. Some engine specs will show higher torque on identical cars with an auto as compared to a standard trans. When the impeller and turbine start to turn at the same speed the stator then unlocks and they all spin together. If that one way clutch messes up and does not unlock the power is terrible. Runs like it has a plugged exhaust the harder you push it the less power it has. Goes ok off the line and then very sluggish.
Fluid couplings had no stator.
17 seconds to 60? Sounds wildly optimistic for an over-3000 pound car with 103 gross horsepower and Fluid Drive. Just don’t see that happening given the power to weight ratio. My late aunt had a ’48 Dodge with this engine and Fluid Drive back in the ’50s and it was certainly no powerhouse so a 17 second 0-60 figure looks highly doubtful to me.
I agree, sources I found list 0-60 times more like 22 seconds, and 26 second 1/4 mile, so on par with VW Bugs. Introduced in 1942, the 230 may not be a powerhouse, but its WW2 history more than makes up for it. It powered most military vehicles and stationary units, and one could say, it helped win the war. Apparently, it was the lubrication design that met military specs.
While some mention the simplicity of this unit, like I said, shifting gears, of ANY kind, is just so unusual, and aside from the modern rocket sleds, I don’t think a manual transmission is even offered today.