1939 La
Salle Series 39-50 (L-Head 90° V-8)
Bore : 3 3/8"
Stroke : 4 ½"
Displacement : 322 cu.in.
Compression ratio : ???
Brake HP : 125 BHP @ 3400 rpm
Wheel bases : 120" and 156" (commercial chassis)
Total units built : 22,001 (one source), 23,002 {Van
Gelderen), 23,028 (Ackerson)
Price range : $1240-up
Introduced : ???
 
Principal styling features, 1939 La Salle
Instrument panel, 1939 La Salle
Body
styles
All Fisher bodies on 120" wheel base
[in ascending order of rarity]
 
 
 
Style #5019, five-passenger, 4-door Sedan, 3,740lbs, $1,320 [15,935
built, 252 of which were exported]
[ Photo at left: © 2002 and courtesy J. Scott Harris ]
 
  
Style #5027, 2-4 pass., 2-door Coupe, 3,635lbs $1,240 [3,531 built]; above,
right: a period ad for that model
Lower row, left: auxiliary fold-down seat;
center: adjustable front bench seat; right: spare tire location
A fine survivor
 
Rear views ... from 1939 (left) and
2009 (right)
 
Style #5067, 2-4 pass., 2-door
Convertible Coupe, $1,395 [1,044 built of which 24 were exported]
Directly above: a fine survivor
  
Style #5011, five-passenger,
2-door Sedan, 3,710lbs, $1,280 [977 built]
Style #5019-A, 5-pass., 4-door Sunroof Sedan, 3,740lbs, $1,320
[ 404 built, of which 24 were exported ]
[image: similar to above, but
2-door model]
Style #5011-A, five-passenger,
2-door Sunroof Sedan,
3,710lbs, $1,317.50 [23 built]
   
 
Style #5029, five-passenger,
4-door Convertible Sedan, $1,825 [185 built]
Immediately above: two survivors
Bare
chassis [5 built], costing $985 each
Commercial
chassis [874 built], costing #1,020 each
Unidentified:
24 units
Total
production [23,002 units]
Easy ID and Principal features:
New, long, very narrow, rounded grille with "La Salle" script. Thin,
horizontal-mesh grille. New, hood side louvers (thin horizontal ribbing). New,
front fender apron [cat-walk] grille. New, streamlined
headlights with horizontal ridge moved back to radiator sides. Column-mounted gear-shift
lever. One-piece, "alligator-jaw" hood, hinged at rear. "LaS"
medallion in center of front bumper. Gold-colored "V8" symbol at upper RH side
of grille. Fisher, "Unisteel, Turret Top" roof. Running boards now optional on
request. Split-V windshield, and 27% increase in glass area all round. Sun roof optional
[later dropped owing to leak problems]. Streamlined, "bullet" tail-lights.
Independent "Knee-Action" front suspension. Hydraulic brakes. Optional,
fender-mounted spare wheels. Disc wheel covers. Redesigned piston rings. Redesigned rear
suspension. No more rumble seat on convertible coupe (two interior opera seats instead).
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