1949 DESOTO SUBURBAN CARRYALL

Make: DeSoto

Model: Suburban Carryall "Woody" Bus

Year: 1949

Color: Red and Cream with Natural Wood Body

Configuration: Passenger bus / woody wagon, wood-bodied coachwork, multiple passenger seating, wide whitewall tires

A National Treasure. A Historic Survivor. The Legendary "Guagua de Jayuya."

Few vehicles carry the historical significance of this extraordinary 1949 DeSoto. More than a beautifully restored classic, this remarkable wood-bodied passenger bus—known as the Guagua de Jayuya—occupies a unique place in Puerto Rico's history, serving as a preserved artifact from one of the island's most defining historical events.

Finished in striking red and cream with handcrafted wood bodywork, this DeSoto combines elegant postwar American styling with the craftsmanship of traditional passenger coaches. Its distinctive "woody" construction, expansive passenger cabin, and beautifully restored details make it one of the rarest and most historically important vehicles of its kind.

Highlights:

• Authentic 1949 DeSoto Suburban Carryall / Woody Bus

• Beautiful handcrafted wood body construction

• Historic passenger transport configuration

• Red and cream exterior with natural wood framing

• Extensive chrome brightwork

• Wide whitewall tires with factory-style wheel covers

• Professionally restored presentation

• Historically significant Puerto Rican vehicle

Beyond its exceptional craftsmanship, this vehicle is recognized as the Guagua de Jayuya, the bus associated with the events surrounding the Jayuya Uprising of October 30, 1950, one of the most significant moments in Puerto Rico's modern history. According to the accompanying historical documentation, the vehicle was commandeered during the uprising and has since become an important surviving artifact of that period. Today, it stands as both an exceptional collector vehicle and a piece of Puerto Rican cultural heritage.

Originally built on DeSoto's dependable postwar commercial platform, vehicles of this type were widely used for passenger transportation throughout the Caribbean and Latin America. Very few survive today, and even fewer retain both their original character and documented historical provenance.

Whether displayed in a museum, exhibited at prestigious concours events, featured in documentary or film productions, or preserved within an important private collection, this DeSoto represents far more than a classic automobile—it is a tangible connection to Puerto Rico's history.

A truly irreplaceable historic vehicle where American craftsmanship, Caribbean heritage, and Puerto Rican history come together in one extraordinary automobile.