Pontiac Chieftain 1949 - 1954
In 1949 GM brought out new A-body and B-body cars, largely imitating the bigger C-body cars brought out in 1948. The 1949 Pontiac Chieftain, Star Chief, Super Chief and Bonneville were given a GM A-body along with current Chevrolet models. Common wear for the Pontiac Eight range was the Silver Streak 8 engine, a straight eight unit of 4395cc (enlarged from 4079cc on the 1949 models), although an L-head 6-cylinder engine was also offered. In 1950 Pontiac introduced a new Hardtop model named 'Catalina' (similar hardtops were also offered as the Chevrolet BelAir and Oldsmobile Riviera), and eventually the Catalina became a model in its own right. For the 1952 model year the Pontiac Chieftain was built on a 2inch longer wheelbase, and in 1953 one-piece windscreens were given to the Pontiacs. In 1954 a longer Star Chief model pushed the Chieftain down to entry level Pontiac. For 1955 a new chassis, body and engine was given to the Chieftain.
aa Pontiac Chieftain 1949 Silver Streak 8 badgef
aa Pontiac Chieftain 1949 Silver Streak 8 badgef
Pontiac Chieftain 1949 Silver Streak 8 - badge on doors. The badge refers to the Straight 8 L-head 4079cc engine as an option in this 1949 Chieftain, there was also a 6-cylinder option.
aa Pontiac Chieftain 1951 badgeb
aa Pontiac Chieftain 1951 badgeb
Pontiac Chieftain 1951 Convertible - badge on bootlid. The 5 chrome bars are the 'Silver Streaks' given by Frank Hershey in 1935, and which ran down the centreline of all Pontiacs for about 20 years marking the brand out from lesser Chevrolets.
aa Pontiac Chieftain 1951 badgec
aa Pontiac Chieftain 1951 badgec
Pontiac Chieftain 1951 4-door Deluxe Sedan - Chieftain badge on rear wing
aa Pontiac Chieftain 1951 badged
aa Pontiac Chieftain 1951 badged
Pontiac Chieftain 1951 4-door Deluxe Sedan - badge on doors
aa Pontiac Chieftain 1951 ornament
aa Pontiac Chieftain 1951 ornament
Pontiac Chieftain 1951 4-door Deluxe Sedan - bonnet ornament. The chief's head lit up when the main lights were lit.
aa Pontiac FB 1940 Silver Streak badgess
aa Pontiac FB 1940 Silver Streak badgess
Pontiac FB 1940 Silver Streak. The name 'Silver Streak' was coined by stylist Frank Hershey who gave the 1935 Pontiacs five silver streaks running down the centre line of the car. Underneath Pontiacs were merely Chevrolets but this styling aid helped to push the Pontiac brand upmarket and it lasted 20 years. Eight cylinder Pontiacs were badged 'Silber 8 Streak' in 1949
aa Pontiac FB 1940 Silver Streak ornament
aa Pontiac FB 1940 Silver Streak ornament
Pontiac FB 1940 Silver Streak, in fact there were FIVE silver streaks running right over the centre line of the car, and the Silver Streak engine.
ab Pontiac Chieftain 1951 grille
ab Pontiac Chieftain 1951 grille
Pontiac Chieftain 1951 4-door Deluxe Sedan - grille. Behind this grille was an inline 8-cylinder 4395cc engine which dated back to 1933, and was sometimes known as the 'Silver Streak' engine. In fact the Silver Streaks were the 5 chrome bars running down the bonnet (and boot) first given in 1935.
ac Pontiac Chieftain 1949 Silver Streak 8 head
ac Pontiac Chieftain 1949 Silver Streak 8 head
Pontiac Chieftain 1949 Silver Streak 8. Having a Straight 8 L-head 4079cc engine, this engine started in 1933 at 3661cc and ended in 1955 at 4335cc when it was replaced by a V8. The body was new for 1949 with lower lines than the outgoing 1942 design.
ac Pontiac Chieftain 1951 2-door Sedan head
ac Pontiac Chieftain 1951 2-door Sedan head
Pontiac Chieftain 1951 2-door Sedan. The Pontiacs had to put up with the split windscreen until the 1953 revamp.
Pontiac Chieftain 1949 Silver Streak 8 Convertible front
Pontiac Chieftain 1949 Silver Streak 8 Convertible front
Pontiac Chieftain 1949 Silver Streak 8 Convertible. The body was new for 1949 with lower lines than the outgoing 1942 design. It was the new GM A-body shared with the Chevrolet Styleline and Fleetline and also the Oldsmobile Rocket 88.
Pontiac Chieftain 1949 Silver Streak 8 Convertible rear
Pontiac Chieftain 1949 Silver Streak 8 Convertible rear
Pontiac Chieftain 1949 Silver Streak 8 Convertible. The new GM A-body was given to Pontiac in 1949 (along with Chevrolet), and Pontiacs were offered as 2-door and 4-door sedans, Sport Coupe, Business Coupe in conventional 'notchback' styles as 'Chieftains', or a 2-door or 4-door fastbacks as 'Streamliners'. The convertible was badged 'Silver streak' in 1949, but afterwards was known simply as 'Deluxe'
Pontiac Chieftain 1951 2-door Sedan front
Pontiac Chieftain 1951 2-door Sedan front
Pontiac Chieftain 1951 2-door Sedan. The 2-door sedan was one of a range of 'notchback' (booted) bodies supplied as part of the Chieftain range (and shared with the Chevrolet Styleline); there were also fastback 2-door and 4-door sedans marketed as 'Streamliner'.
Pontiac Chieftain 1951 2-door Sedan rear
Pontiac Chieftain 1951 2-door Sedan rear
Pontiac Chieftain 1951 2-door Sedan. The 'notchback' (booted) Pontiacs were marketed as Chieftains and had their equivalent in the Chevrolet line up as the Styleline which shared the GM A-body. The five chrome strips running over the bootlid are the famous Pontiac Silver Streaks first given to the brand in 1935.
Pontiac Chieftain 1951 4-door Deluxe Sedan front
Pontiac Chieftain 1951 4-door Deluxe Sedan front
Pontiac Chieftain 1951 4-door Deluxe Sedan. Give or take 5 inches in the wheelbase, the Pontiac Chieftain shared its GM A-body with the contemporary Chevrolet Styleline models.
Pontiac Chieftain 1951 4-door Deluxe Sedan rear
Pontiac Chieftain 1951 4-door Deluxe Sedan rear
Pontiac Chieftain 1951 4-door Deluxe Sedan. The 4-door notchback body was very similar the Chevrolet Styleline 4-door, and in fact they were both GM A-body cars, although the Pontiac had a 5 inch linger wheelbase. The Silver streaks running over the bootlid were a Pontiac hallmark.
Pontiac Chieftain 1951 4-door Deluxe Sedan side
Pontiac Chieftain 1951 4-door Deluxe Sedan side
Pontiac Chieftain 1951 4-door Deluxe Sedan. The 1949-52 Pontiac was available with conventional 'notchback' (booted) marketed as 'Chieftain', or as 2-door and 4-door fastback sedans marketed as Streamliner; the equivalent of Styleline and Fleetline Chevrolets.
Pontiac Chieftain 1951 Convertible rear
Pontiac Chieftain 1951 Convertible rear
Pontiac Chieftain 1951 Convertible. The Convertible was actually not badged as a Chieftain, but simply known as the Deluxe Convertible, there being no Streamliner convertible.
Pontiac Chieftain 1951 Convertible side
Pontiac Chieftain 1951 Convertible side
Pontiac Chieftain 1951 Convertible. Launched in 1949, the Chieftain replaced the Pontiac Torpedo, and used the sportier GM A-body in 2 Coupe versions, a sedan, station wagon and convertible. 239cu six cylinder and 268cu in 8-cylinder engines were offered, most people choosing the 8.
Pontiac FB 1940 Silver Streak rear
Pontiac FB 1940 Silver Streak rear
Pontiac FB 1940 Silver Streak. This 1949 Streamliner uses a GM B-body, whereas the notchback 'Chieftain' cars were built on a GM A-body; both were on a 120-inch wheelbase.
Pontiac FB 1940 Streamliner 2-door front
Pontiac FB 1940 Streamliner 2-door front
Pontiac FB 1940 Streamliner 2-door, This 1949 Streamliner uses a GM B-body, whereas the notchback 'Chieftain' cars were built on a GM A-body. Power comes from a 3,926cc straight six in this car
Pontiac Sedan Delivery 1951 front
Pontiac Sedan Delivery 1951 front
Pontiac Sedan Delivery 1951, based on the Pontiac Chieftain sedan, the Delivery was introduced in 1949 with basic trim but was given deluxe chrome from 1950. Around 8,000 Sedan Delivery vans were made 1949-54, compared to 80,000 for the Chevrolet edition. Most Pontiacs had an inline 8-cylinder engine.
Pontiac Sedan Delivery 1951 rear
Pontiac Sedan Delivery 1951 rear
Pontiac Sedan Delivery 1951, based on the Pontiac Chieftain sedan, the Delivery was introduced in 1949 with basic trim but was given deluxe chrome from 1950. Around 8,000 Sedan Delivery vans were made 1949-54, compared to 80,000 for the Chevrolet edition. Most Pontiacs had an inline 8-cylinder engine.
s Pontiac Chieftain 1956 Catalina 4-door hardtop side
s Pontiac Chieftain 1956 Catalina 4-door hardtop side
Pontiac Chieftain 1956 Catalina 4-door hardtop. There was a 2-door Catalina hardtop version of the Chieftain and in 1956 a 4-door Catalina hardtop (this model) was added and shared with the GM A-body cars such as the Buick Century Riviera Sedan, Chevrolet BelAir Sports Sedan and Oldsmobile 88 Holiday Sedan.
Pontiac Star Chief 1954 Catalina Coupe front
Pontiac Star Chief 1954 Catalina Coupe front
Pontiac Star Chief 1954 Catalina Coupe. Top of the range for 1954 Pontiacs with 4,078cc (249) 122bhp straight eight engine.
s Chevrolet Styleline Deluxe 1952 4-door sedan side
s Chevrolet Styleline Deluxe 1952 4-door sedan side
Chevrolet Styleline Deluxe 1952 4-door sedan.. Built on a 115-inch wheelbase.
Oldsmobile 88 Club Coupe 1949 front
Oldsmobile 88 Club Coupe 1949 front
Oldsmobile 88 Club Coupe 1949. The '88' was a new model for 1949, utilising the platform of the cheaper '76' and the brand new 303 cu.in (4965cc) 'Rocket' V8 ohv engine which was designed for development up to 12.7 compression ratio, and lasted almost 20 years and was enlarged to 6.5-litres.
Vauxhall Velox 1955 rear2
Vauxhall Velox 1955 rear2
Vauxhall Velox 1955. The EIPV Velox was demoted in 1954 by the launch of the more luxurious Cresta model which sold above. 1955 was the final year for smaller rear window. The EIPV model was produced from 1952 with the new 2,262 cc six cylinder engine.