Projects Project Street Snail: '50 Pontiac Silver Streak 8

I just picked up a Silver Streak with no interior, one seat, 4 bad tires, and an almost functional original drivetrain. Just for common knowledge: I'm 24 and just learning how to be a car guy, so let the games begin!
Things learned so far:
1. Dont lean on the spark plugs for a better connection.
2. Dont forget the hood is a rusty fish hook waiting for the back of your head.
3. Mosquitos are some punks and only seem to come out when actually trying to get things done.
4. If you check the trunk, you may find a gold mine of trim!
But all in all, i feel like i got a decent deal. I had some buddies come over and it seems like with a carb rebuild and a battery we'll be on the right track. I'll figure out the rest as i go, most likely tires after that. The goal is to have it ready to drive (somewhat reliably) by the second saturday of October for Springfield's Cruise Kearney. Let me know what you guys think and i'll keep on posting.
Viva la HAMB!

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Cool, looks pretty solid for its age. Another seat would be nice for passengers, though.

 

Agreed. My wife wants a bench seat to ride with me in October, so i'm pretty roped into that one already lol.

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Congrats on your project! Keep us posted on the progress.


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Good deal, lots of possibilities after installing that bench seat

 

That sure looks different without the front bumper and the tube grill.

 

Lerenzo... you cracked me up, starting with the title. Thanks for the laugh this morning LOL.
The Pontiac looks decently solid and straight. It's a two-door. And the drivetrain is intact. And it's an 8-cylinder rather than the 6.
I like your down-to-earth attitude and realistic approach. Good that you have friends to join in. You guys are gonna have a blast.
Welcome to the HAMB.

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May I suggest...
An original type bench seat always looks better in these old cars. But if you have to use a modern bench seat, maybe remove the headrests. I'm pretty sure an original Chevy seat of the same era... 49 through 52... and maybe even later... would bolt right in.

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Or Oldsmobile

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This may seem obvious, but don't forget...
A four-door seat will not fold forward (for rear passengers entry).

 

So we had previously assumed that the block was cracked, because thats what the craigslist posting said, and everything on craigslist must be true. After we wiped off the spot coolant was running down from, the "crack" is a perfectly round hole. Is that a spot for coolant flushing or is that even a thing? There is something in it thats recessed so it seems like thats a broken bolt/plug and we may just need to find a new one to plug in there and a grommetvto seal it up. Let me know what you think, ill post a picture of said hole after breakfast.

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So this is the hole before and after wiping it off. Its on the driver side about 4/5ths back on the block towards the firewall.

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Looks like a drain hole for draining the coolant. There is another one a few inches to the left. Probably takes a standard plumber's pipe plug. Is the hole round and threaded?

Maybe you are lucky and the last owner drained the water so the block would not crack.

 

Your first four lessons learned are good ones, they will serve you well.

 

Welcome,sounds like a good plan you have there.

 

I think Rusty is right.
I see a petcock in this picture. I think it's in the location you're showing. In other pictures I see, I thought it may have been the mounting hole for the little plate at the top of the dipstick.



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you're right, Rickybop, there is a drainhole, was locked with a screw from factory.

 

Well guys, i got her started and tooker around the block a couple times. It helped a lot when i found out what a manual choke was lol.

Thanks Rusty. I'm pretty sure it is, that will help a lot. Learning every day! When i sind a plug, can i put in auto store coolant or should i just stick to water?

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In my experience, if it's not anywhere near freezing outside even at night, I'd use only water for now. If you have a problem with the radiator or some other things, you'll likely be wanting to drain the coolant. Maybe more than once. After you've driven it some and you're pretty sure you won't have to drain it anymore, go ahead and put coolant in it.

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Or if you think you might be wanting to flush the coolant system... which is always a good thing to do with an old engine and radiator. Especially if it hadn't been run for a while.

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Man, to be 24 again....

 

Consider taking the thermostat out and hooking up a garden hose to the top of the engine, and removing the lower radiator hose and just run a shitload of water through that engine to hopefully carry any old dirt and gunk out of the engine. One or two heat cycles first might help loosen up old junk before the flush, but don't run it for more than a minute or two without any water or coolant in it. A trip around the block is too far to go without any water or coolant in the engine. Plug the hole, fill it up with water, drive it around the block until it's warm, then once it's cooled again, do your flush.

That car has some unique radiused wheelwells done to it, it looks like the front openings were raised, and the rears maybe got a set of wheel openings from a pair of front fenders to match. Neat work, gives kind of a sectioned look.

 

Somewhat reminiscent of Ray Goulart's Olds.

 

I'd get a pipe plug at the hardware store and put it in with some teflon tape. Fill it with water and try it out, if everything checks out ok (no leaks, water pump ok) I would flush it out and fill with antifreeze. You do not give your location but if you ever get freezing weather don't bet on remembering to drain the cooling system in time. Invest in a gallon of antifreeze.

Or, if it never freezes where you are at least toss in a can of water pump lubricant.

 

I agree with this. Water is good for getting it flushed out and checking for leaks, but I would not leave it in there for any great length of time. Antifreeze also has some anti-corrosion and lubricating properties and will cool better than regular water.

 

Yup, and a damn fine custom to take inspiration from.

 

Those are some beautiful cars. Is that an indian hood ornament?

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Street snail......pretty funny. I had a '48 with the straight 8/hydro like yours and I drove it all over the midwest after swapping out the stock 3.90 third member for 3.23s out of a 55 Pontiac. Did the same trick with a black 41 coupe with a 6 cylinder/3 speed. I drove them on the interstates at 60-65 mph with no ill effects.
With 103 HP it's no wailer but they're a blast to drive..........slow. Gotta put the light-up amber indian head on it.

 

Rusty is right again. It's absolutely so easy to forget that you only have water in the coolant system. And all of a sudden it dips down to 23 degrees at night and cracks your perfectly good engine.
I ruined a perfectly good 320 straight 8 Buick engine that way. One of the many many times I've had to kick my own ass.

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Thanks guys. Glad you told me to flush it, doing that process right now. Looks like it needs it! Side note, I forgot to grab the plumbers tape.

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