Hey all! New car, new member

Hey all! Finally decided to make an introduction now that I have a car to bring to the forum. I've been researching classics and was pretty open to anything that had decent after market support. I've been on the hunt since August and this past weekend (1/20/20) finally found, saw and bought a 1952 Pontiac Chieftain Catalina Super DeLuxe out of Saint Croix Falls, Wisconsin (I'm in Minnesota) for $3,500.

About the car. Clean title, transferred it already at the DMV. It has been parked for 31 years in a barn and the previous owner painted the car (NOT WELL) there is over spray everywhere. At least it probably sealed in the body. The underbody is unreal. Car comes with tons of extra chrome trim from '49 to '54 year Chieftains, door panels/cards, extra hood ornament, clock, interior handles, and another waterfall chrome hood piece. The inline 6 cylinder is free but I haven't tried to turn it over yet. Rockers are perfect, trunk floor pan solid, all but driver floor pan is solid including underside of the doors. The driver floor is getting pitting but still no major holes. As far as I can tell, there is no bondo on the entire vehicle. There is 8XXX miles on the odometer. I don't think it rolled over based on the shape of the underbody, so maybe it broke? Best wishes to think it is original. Could have been turned back? Your guess is as good as mine.

I'm planning on keeping it original as possible with a few safety mods. I'm not a HP junkie and I am hoping to use this as a daily driver.

And now for the photo dump...
By the way...I didn't have the little chrome strip flipped the right way above the driver door so it looks like its not closing all the way but it does.

I do have the center radio guard/clock in the parts pile. No radio though.

 

Here is underbody and interior photos in no particular order.

 

A few more if you're still into it.

 

Hi & welcome. You got a winner with that one. I cannot recall ever seeing such a thorough group of intro photo's here. They do show everything. Good luck with the build. Jimmie

 

Welcome from Indiana Nikkerton (didn’t see an actual name in there. You def win for the amount of pics posted in an intro! Nice job and good find on the Pontiac. Might want to fill out your info so we know where you are from. Enjoy your H.A.M.B. time! Regards, Randy


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Welcome to the HAMB.
If I were you, I'd be hiding from the law...'cuz you STOLE that car

 

Thanks hotrodjack33. I definitely feel like I got the deal I was looking for. He had it up for 3900. I didn't even mention that he threw in delivery on a trailer from over an hour away in part of the sale. SUPER chill dude. The whole showing and transaction was just so positive. I couldn't be happier about how it all went down. This is my first and likely only rig (wifey, ya know) so I'm grateful on how it is panning out.

 

Hmm, I guess you're right. Still trying to figure out all the profile deets. My names Nik though. Nice to meet you Randy, thanks for saying hi. I'm in Maplewood, Minnesota the NE suburbs of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. Turning 30 next month so I guess I'm going through my mid life crisis early haha. I'm selling the Harley and getting in to the classics. I've looked on the HAMB a lot for cars and info about mods and research into a good classic. Have really been enjoying the content. Hoping to add a build page with tons of detail and of course ask lots of questions to the veterans.[/QUOTE]

 

Thanks Jimmie, yeah I was a little worried it was obnoxious but from months of cruising the site and seeing people post questions or new car threads without photos, I know better haha. I'm glad they turned out, almost too high quality. Had me thinking it wasn't as good as a buy as I thought when I saw full size images of the rust haha. Appreciate your welcome and if you know anyone off the top of your head with a 50-52 chieftain please let me know. There is not as much info on these as other vehicles so I hope to contribute to some resto and mod threads on the '52 Catalina. Cheers. -Nik

 

Welcome to the club! From Arkansas.

By the way....very nice car. Proof they are still out there!

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Welcome. What a deal.
She’s a beauty. You have your hands full with all the crusty rust but a heck of a lot to work with. Good luck on your first old project.

 

Welcome from Wisconsin! Your car looks like a great start and Good luck on your project! Gary