The last full-year of Buick production before the U.S. entered World War II was 1941. In that year, Buick was the fourth best-selling brand behind Chevrolet, Ford and Plymouth with sales of 374,196. The owner of this 1941 model found in Kinston, N.C., apparently thinks it has some life remaining with a For Sale price of $3,795. Prices for a new Buick in 1941 ranged from about $1,300 to $1,800. (Photo by Jim Meachen)

This 1951 Chevrolet was found in the woods in Door County, Wis., apparently parked by its owner after its driving life was over. Chevrolet had a banner sales year in 1951 with 1,229,986 cars and trucks sold. Chevy outsold Ford by more than 200,000 units. (Photo by Ed Meachen)

This 1959 Imperial dwarfs a 1960-era Sunbeam in an Arizona salvage yard. Chrysler marketed the Imperial as a separate luxury marque in 1955. It was built through 1975. The '59 Imperial came in four body styles and with the choice of three V-8 engines mated to a three-speed automatic transmission. The Imperial brand sold 17,269 vehicles in 1959. (Photo by Jim Prueter)

Tailfins were all the rage at Chrysler in the late '50s and early '60s and the Dodge division was not short-changed. Here are two examples from a Texas scrapyard — a 1959 Dodge Custom Royal (top) and a 1960 Dodge Phoenix (bottom). The Phoenix, built by Chrysler Australia, was all-new for 1960. The Custom Royal was produced from 1955 through 1959. (Photos by Peter Hubbard)

This retired late-1940s-early '50s  Chevrolet-powered fire truck from the American Fire Apparatus Company of Battle Creek, Mich., was found in the small town of San Isidro, N.M. The American Fire Apparatus Co. dates back to 1937 and was closed in 1993. (Photo by Jim Meachen)

We think the 1957 Lincoln was one of the best designed luxury cars of that decade with well-proportioned lines. The abandoned car pictured here is a Premiere model introduced in 1956. It and ran  through the 1960 model year as an upscale version of the Lincoln Capri and positioned below the Continental Mark II. It came in two-door and four-door models. (Photo by Peter Hubbard)

The so-called Advance-Design was Chevrolet's first all-new pickup built following World War II. It was introduced on June 28, 1947,  and remained until March 25, 1955, with various changes along the way. This copy, converted to a flatbed, lives by the side of the road in South Carolina. (Photo by Ralph Gable)

This hulk of a 1950 Packard was found in a Texas salvage yard. The 1948–1950 Packard styling was polarizing. To some it was sleek and blended classic with modern; others nicknamed it the "pregnant elephant." Perhaps the styling fell ourt of favor between 1949 when 116,955 copies were sold and 1950 when sales tumbled to just 42,627. (Photo by Peter Hubbard)

Dodge started its successful "Job Rated" advertising campaign in the 1940s, and Dodge trucks through the 1950s were "Job Rated." This 1954 Job Rated pickup truck — lacking most of its original paint — was found in a salvage yard in Texas. (Photo by Peter Hubbard)