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Split image: Left, four people sit in a vintage car with a transparent bubble roof. Right, four men ride a tall, stacked bicycle, each on a different level, in an open area with bare trees in the background.

20 Vintage Photos Of People’s Cars And Bikes In The 1940s

Vintage Photos History Nostalgia May 29, 2025 by Matt Staff

Last Updated on May 29, 2025 by Matt Staff

Take a step back in time to the 1940s. This was a time when the world’s chrome-trimmed coupes and also war-era motorbikes outright ruled America’s many roads. Gasoline at best was rationed, but that never stopped the inventive gear-heads from squeezing out every mile and style out of their rides. This collection of 20 vintage photos captures people’s various cars and bikes during the 1940s.

1. December 1940, a couple of men cook outdoors by their Cadillac automobile

Two people wearing caps sit by a campfire in a grassy field next to an old, weathered green car with a yellow license plate. Trees and a dirt road are visible in the background. — anamarcorporate

2. Fixing the family car in the 1940s

A woman leans over the hood of an old station wagon while pointing at tools on the ground, as a young boy in striped shirt and shorts examines the tools nearby. — diealtimesofold

3. In 1948 you had to be very careful when getting into your automobile

A woman in a mid-century dress steps out of a vintage car parked on a steep city street, with buildings in the background and sunlight casting sharp shadows. — otherwisetackle52819

4. A 1940 Deluxe Ford Coupe Police Car

A vintage black-and-white photo shows a uniformed police officer standing next to an old police car labeled "Greece Police Dept. Radio Car 231," with a siren on the roof and gas station signs in the background. — smokinjoe29

5. A young couple with their 1949 Pontiac Chieftain 8 Convertible

A smiling couple stands beside a classic convertible car parked on the street, with trees and shrubbery in the background. The photo is in black and white, giving it a vintage feel. — gagator43

6. Bodybuilder Charles Atlas hanging out with a car during the 1940s

A muscular man in a leopard-print swimsuit lifts the front of a small car with two women inside, while a crowd of people in suits and hats watches in amazement. — electricalaspect13

7. All set in a new 1947 Ford Bubble Top

Four people, two men and two women, sit smiling in a vintage convertible car parked in a lot with classic cars. The photo is black and white, and the car has a visible California license plate: 55V 496. — giaguaro2023

8. A solid 1930 Ford Model A

A shirtless man with short hair and rolled-up pants stands with one foot on the running board of an old car, parked on a grassy area near a street and houses, on a sunny day. — midwestbest

9. The year was 1942 in Montgomery, Alabama

A man in a white shirt and slacks leans against the front of a vintage car with an Alabama 1948 license plate, outdoors in a residential neighborhood. — siren99000222

10. Perhaps the most dangerous bicycle made yet in the 1940s

Four men ride a tall, stacked bicycle with three levels in an open area. Each man sits on a different tier, one on the lowest bike and three above, with leafless trees and buildings in the background. — eaglemaze

11. The legend goes that this was but his second car during the 1940s

A man in a suit and hat leans confidently against the front fender of a vintage car parked on a residential street, with a two-story wooden house in the background. The image is in black and white. — paulblaarted

12. The legend goes that this was indeed the first car that he ever owned

A man in a white shirt and high-waisted trousers leans against a vintage car parked on a street. Trees and houses are visible in the background. The photo is black and white, evoking a mid-20th century feel. — deleted

13. Someone’s grandmother and her track bike in the early 1940s

A woman in a vintage cycling outfit stands outdoors on grass, holding the handlebars of a classic bicycle, smiling at the camera; trees and bushes are in the background. The image is in black and white. — mikestifle

14. Now that’s the kind of car to break some hearts with

A young man stands with one arm resting on the hood of a vintage black car, likely from the 1940s, parked in front of a white picket fence and house. The photo appears old and is signed in the corner. — ornannda

15. Now that’s a nice ride for the Norwegian airport

A woman wearing a helmet and goggles sits on a vintage motorcycle with bags strapped to the back, smiling at the camera on a wide open airfield under a partly cloudy sky. — moreperf

16. A sharp suit to go with an even sharper car

A young man in a suit poses with one foot on the bumper of a vintage car, likely from the 1940s, outdoors with trees in the background. The photo is black and white. — minivan2

17. Someone’s grandfather next to his 1940 Chevy Special Deluxe

A man in work clothes stands beside a vintage 1940s car parked in front of a house. The photo is black and white, giving it a nostalgic, historical feel. — forzafuego23

18. A nice car to drive around in out in Maryland in the ’40s

A woman in a light-colored outfit sits on the back bumper of a vintage car with a Maryland license plate, parked beside a light-colored building, likely taken in the mid-20th century. — clemmson

19. Someone’s grandparents in 1947

A black-and-white photo of a man and woman sitting on a vintage motorcycle outdoors. The man is in front, holding the handlebars, while the woman sits behind him, smiling. Trees and grass are visible in the background. — Screenshot

20. Hollister, California, 1947

A group of people, including bikers in leather jackets, gather around a motorcycle parked on a street corner with vintage cars and storefront signs in the background. The scene appears to be from the mid-20th century. — Screenshot

Explore more vintage content:

Still revved up for more old-school horsepower? Cruise a decade ahead with 25 Vintage Photos of People’s Cars and Bikes in the Fifties. If that didn’t fill your tank, check out 21 Vintage Photos of People’s Cars and Bikes in the Sixties.

Tags: '40s 1900s 1940s

About Author

Matt Staff

Matt has spent over the last 8 years as both a writer and editor, working in Seattle and Brooklyn, where he is now based. He loves escaping the tirelessly fast pace of the “Mad Apple” that is NYC by taking walks and runs through parks where he’s able to catch up on the latest tea about society from the city’s ever chatty, always hungry, occasionally maniacal, pigeons. They always have a lot to say. When he’s not taking his urban nature strolls, or dutifully combing the deepest rabbit holes of the internet to find the content that’s worth sinking your mind’s teeth into, he’s likely holed up at a dark-lit dive bar with a new book and/or some friends, or just as easily he could be on the hunt for the next addition to his steadily growing plant family.

These days Matt's caught up in trying to provide folks as many vivid glimpses into the days long since passed as he can, through fun and engaging collections of hand-picked vintage photos.

View all posts by Matt Staff

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