Projects Project Street Snail: '50 Pontiac Silver Streak 8

Nice job getting her going.
Maybe eventually you can go solid enamel dark red with a silver metallic roof, and chrome reverse wheels! Vinyl wrap for the roof part?

 

Hadnt saw this but commented on your post in the photoshop thread basicly asking or wondering why they did those fenders like that? custom? but anyway,
I like these threads best! Good luck with it. I will probably be chiming back in
....What kind of seat did you wind up using? also a more simple overflow bottle placed discretely in the engine compartment, maybe beside the radiator would work as well, but do as you please

 

I have no honest idea lol but thats the way i bought it. Didnt think id see anybody from that thread over here, but thats the general direction i'm thinking of going with! Also, i found the coolant drain plug, it was securely tucked behind some wires. Found it as i was pulling out the radiator to get to the water pump!

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I thought i'd go a liitle more patriotic with it, as war turd won't quite fit when it looks nice. Is there a universal harness that would work for this sort of thing? Thanks for the help guys.

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Its an s10 bench seat by the way!

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Rebel wiring harness would bail out the wiring issues. They are a vendor here and easy to talk to for support. Would be a good challenge for you if you have never rewired a vehicle but taking your time you can do it.Lots of threads here on rewiring and many members that are well versed in wiring and electrical issues.

 

2 cents, this car needs to be lowered all the way around, Pontiac Tail lights, rear wheel wells put back with skirts a nice stock looking bench seat, shaved hood and trunk and some good pipes with steel or glass packs. This kind of car isn't a gasser, its a custom, Oh ya a Olds 1 piece windshield and one full paint job of white or black primer. Well that's probably 10 Cents worth and only one mans opinion

 

Thats one thing i'll probably buy then. I got the tail lights working today, but couldnt figure out the blinkers yet. Even with the instructions, thing didnt line up with the way its been rewired in the back half. But hey, this is a learning experience and i'm learning o ill just call the tail lights a win for today!

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I do like the black and white idea, along with the glass packs, but lowered just isnt for me. I'd rather be up in the air all day than dragging ass, thats just me though. Ive never minded being a little different than the rest, why start now? Who knows, maybe i'll change my mind though. Yet again lol

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Well, we changed a few things, mainly got rid of the shark mouth and number, it really does look better without it. We had it out running last night for the cruise we were hoping, so i'm calling it a win! I have some ideas i'm hoping to do in the near future, and the break from the car for a bit was nice. Next is to change the spark plugs and wires, and see if that gets rid of the stutter. Sorry about the picture quality, back to work!

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My two cents story as a young owner of a flathead vehicle. My start was a bit better shape than yours but as I got it running more reliably I started driving it to work every day. (Fun way to start and end the day). I was tasked to take a road trip to a client in Chicago and the other engineer traveling with me had a high mileage daily driver so we decided to take the 53 Ford. Both water pumps let loose on day #2 and it had a steady leak. Since we both had to be back to work the next day it was a scramble to get back home (350 miles).
So, before you start to rely on this fun vehicle, make sure you have plans to go through every system thoroughly, brakes, fuel system, tranny. Make sure you have located replacement parts like water pump, fuel pump etc. it isn’t necessary to purchase them, but know where to get them should the need arise. Also, spring for the delux version of AAA for the towing. You might need it.

Please don’t change the classic steering wheel. It represents the soul of the car and what drew you to the car in the first place. Put a cover on it for now, then restore and paint it, metalflake if you must. Driving it with a modern wheel just won’t be the same.

 

Nice to see you willing to jump in and learn, I'm glad you removed the shark mouth, now turn that flag in the window around, stars always to the left when hung in that orientation.

 

I'm glad you said something, i actually hadnt noticed that! I think you guys might like our new scheme, we just finished it a couple hours ago. I need to find the stars, then clear coat it. It actually has a lot of "flake" in the roof, i'll have to get a picture out in the sun tomorrow to let it shine! The steering wheel will stay, since it has reinforcement underneath i think it'll be fine. Thanks for all the help and advice guys, it really is awesome to have people to share this with!

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my neck hurt so…..

 

Here it is in the daylight. It actually worked, the roof has a pretty good gleam to it in the lights and sun! Also, the flags are flipped now. View attachment 4456538

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Alright guys. After a lot of coats and sanding and more coats and sanding etc., I've decided to take a step back, crack a beer, and just drop this thing at Maaco. Anybody have an idea whickhpackage they have that will have them sand it smooth and lay a nice clean black? Holy hell, painting is a pain lol.

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Regards to the wiring- does the fuel gauge move at all when you switch on the ignition? Even at a dead short it should rise off the stop a fraction.

Moderately easy way to see if it's the gauge or the sender is to reach up the back and undo (as you look at the back of it) the left hand terminal- the one with the warning label and rubber bung on the peg, it's the smaller of the two pegs.

Switch on the ignition and the fuel gauge should go to full. If so, you've got a short circuit going to ground towards the fuel tank.

Ever get the turn signals sorted out? The turn signal switch isn't that complicated but mine was all bad contacts. See if the multi plug under the dash by the blinker relay has been bypassed.

Phil

 

Hello,

The Pontiac sedan brings back memories of our first modification to a stock car. One of our friends just bought his first car in high school. It was a 51 Pontiac two door sedan. He wanted to keep the idea of a two door sedan, as all of us that had hot rods or cruisers, drove two door sedans. It was stock and in fairly good condition. After all, it was 1961 and only 10 years old in a covered garage most of its life.

He asked us what he should do to make it special. My first thought was a set of screw in Moon Discs for some authenticity. He already turn his white walls to the inside, so the Moon Discs would be on blackwalls. Then after that suggestion, he ran out of money. So, it was just little things like spun plastic knobs and other little things. Working on small class projects in high school classes, but spending as much as the budget would allow.

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/no-pontiac-love.1136812/page-3#post-12979953

The best thing he did was to use his car in our high school metal and auto shops as a means of getting some work done for free. We made his automatic column shifter into a floor mounted shift lever with options for any lever or shape of lever screwed into the base shifter. He selected a tall one so people could see the ball knob from the outside of his car. It looked like an old time hot rod cruising around.

Jnaki

But your comment of “street snail” was a perfect example of this 51 Pontiac Sedan. His competition was a stock 53 Chevy Bel Air Hardtop with a stock 6. Those impromptu races were the highlight of the evenings or just when cruising was slowing down for the evening. The in line motors just did not have it against the SBC V8 motors in the other sedans.

Those late night Bel Air vs. the Pontiac races were just classic. Comments like… “We could run faster down the Cherry Avenue Drags by being chased by ghosts” …was a doozy. But, they were both faster than my 1940 Flathead Ford sedan delivery.

The owner knew his choices as with all teenagers, money being a factor. So, he was happy with his reliable 51 Pontiac that took him everywhere. You may do what you want to your car and it has the bones to make it an excellent cruiser. But, you seem to be going off the deep end with nonsense lettering and what not. Most cars in So Cal that raced at the dragstrip with some lettering did not usually drive daily on the street.

The lettering was usually sponsors names according to what they offered the racer. So, why ruin a good street car paint for everyday driving? Your choice is your own, but maybe a certain style is necessary, like a nice paint job and body work.

Add a new chrome bumper and get that grille adjusted so it fits with the rest of the look. Definitely a set of Moon (Screw In) Discs for some authenticity with any paint or primer paint. You are relatively young and at a loss as to which way to go. For the guys working on similar cars, there are a couple of Pontiac threads posted here on the HAMB.

 

Sorry guys, I've been pretty busy. The fuel gauge move straight to full and stays there. I was attempting the blinkers for a while, I found the 3 point connection after endless searching but couldn't seem to get the mess to work. So here's how the last couple of weeks went for me. I got out for Cruise Kearney, the car had a low front drivers tire. Went to the nearest Casey's for the air pump, the pump was broken. Headed back to the house, and ran over a nail in that same tire. Called a tow truck, the truck never showed up, so I gimped it home and pizza cuttered the tire. Next day. I was at drill, so my wife was being nice and took the wheel off to get a new tire. Took it to a shop with some young guys, and the got a new tire on but didn't set the bead before giving it back. The tire held air until it started rolling, when it promptly went flat. Got that one fixed the next day, went to start it, and the fuel pump immediately burned out! So we took a deep breath, walked away, and overnight we had a huge temp drop. Luckily the block didn't crack!

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I'm so glad you said something about lettering and had some stories to go with it! I wasn't sure what to do with it, plain pain sounds good. It's actually all black now, and my buddy and I have a lot of fun "racing" (if you want to call it that) his 66 Cutlass police cruiser on Saturday nights! We have some big plans coming through right now! I would like to take it to the local maaco soon and get it all one coat of a nice gloss black as that's what it is now, but it doesn't look very good.

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Fuel gauge straight to full means the gauge is good. You've either got a wire disconnected towards the tank or the sender is open circuit.

Test for resistance at the tank connector with a meter, if it reads infinity then replace the sender, they're available and not that expensive.

Phil

Edit: the gauge works "backwards", the more fuel you have the higher the resistance goes. A full tank is about 30 ohms, empty close to zero.

 

That's good information to have, as I've had several vehicles in the past with this problem. With my track record I'm starting to consider the fuel gauge a luxury item!

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I had wanted to make sure mine worked! You can check the gauge for sure easily.



On the back of the gauges, with the ignition on, pull the rubber boot off and use a screwdriver or piece of wire to touch that terminal to the metal on the back of the gauges. The needle should drop and point at just below empty. Do not touch it to battery voltage (that's what the red label says).

If it does it's worth investigating the rest of the wiring because you can have yourself a working gas gauge pretty easily.

 

You have a really cool old car. Getting it all in one color and keeping it classy will give the car the dignity it deserves in my opinion. Take my opinion and $10 and you might can buy a burger and a shake at a local cruise in at an old drive in diner somewhere!

 

Young guys, I guess we can't listen to experience, we gotta try it out for our selves lmao. Some things just don't work, and crazy drag strip letters and colors for a street car are one of those things. I think I'll get back in the Photoshop thread and see if I can get some color options. I know black looks good, but I gotta see what else is out there that looks good in a solid color. Any suggestions? My ears are finally open to reason.
Also learned some more lessons:
"Too good if a deal to pass up" gets you in a lot of trouble with the wife.
Latex primer and acrylic paint don't sand off- this should be fun.
Check tire height, not just width- gotta re radius the rear wells now.
On another note: 15x10s look damn good in the rear!

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My thoughts are if you want a drag strip car, find a 50 Pontiac drag car that you want your car to be comparable with and take inspiration from it. Understood that everyone doesnt like what the next guy likes. Hell! The project I'm working on is way different than most and people have given me input to do everything from scrapping it to making it into a Ute to unchopping it. In the end we should all do what our own visions are with these hobby projects I suppose! Carry on, you are having fun and that is what it is all about!!

 

I like that and that's kind of what I want to do, but I just don't really know what my own plan is. I just know I want it loud, fast, and mean. I like a little nose high, but not crazy. Is it normal not to know what I even want here? The shop time will be a nice break and when it comes back maybe I'll have a vision of what I'd like. I don't particularly like baby ducking the last guy who did something you know?

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Changing your mind on a plan or a project is normal I think. Or maybe not! If not then I am far from normal! I've changed my plans I dont know how many times since I started my project almost 5 years ago now. In my case it's due to being all starry eyed in the beginning and then realizing that the tasks ahead of me were monumental and I needed alot of motivation and information to move forward. I've gathered alot of those things along the way and I'm sure I'll make alterations to my plan as I move forward! That's ok, it is the way it is! Have fun and post lots of pics and questions. Again, that's a cool old poncho! You have a featured thread on the H.A.M.B. which means alot of interest....good stuff!

 

In the off time while the Street Snail is at the shop, I tried painting a shop sign, I think I'll put it up in the garage today. What do you guys think?

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This one I mounted in the living room, from a broken mirror.

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