My first car was a 50 Champion 4-door. I liked it but my high school 'buddy' thought it was hi-larious to open the rear door at 45mph.
It never closed right after that.
Studebaker considered rear-engined cars in '46.
SIA Flashback – Stude Graveyard and Before the New Wore Off | Hemmings Daily
Also there are some interesting Loewy design studies.
It would be interesting to see your mod on a 1946-51 Starlight coupe.