Projects my new project: 1951 pontiac chieftain deluxe 2-door sedan

Any pictures of the lakes from a few feet away? I was considering a set of those a few months back but didnt if id like them or not. Looks like they play well off of the chrome side skirt trim..

 

some updates...






also put diff tires on...
have L78's up front & 670's in back.
I'll snap some pics soon, prob once interior is all wrapped up.

 

interior is all wrapped up...
pleated kodiak sparkle vinyl, champagne & blood red.


the latest:

 

wow very nice!

 

Very nice car. The car companies used sedan (anong other words) to mean anything they wanted. I have a 56 Chevy that they called a sport sedan, but it's a hardtop. Anyway, you have done a very nice job on a very nice car. Congrats. Are all those front bumper guards how it came from the factory, or added on?

 

^ the two, second in from the outside are factory parts & placement.
the two outer ones were taken from the rear and left left smooth intentionally.
the center one was was sourced from the CPR (original part) and the wing guards from a HAMB user. (also original)

 

Fair bit of bomb influence in there? With mild custom cues.
Looks real tidy man. Well done

 

^ I call it a kustom bomb

 

I've not seen one with the trim on the rear fenders/skirts. That's a Chev Belaire part? That'd look good on my wagon.

Brian

 

Can you take some close up shots of the front windshield visor for me? I really like how that looks on your car and ive been toying with the idea of adding one. Some of the visors arent real good looking but the one on your car flows perfect. Makes the non chopped front look so much sleaker from the front of the car.

Thanks!

Luke

 

^ it's just an original factory optioned visor. part of the deluxe package.

 

Unbelievable, You have done a fantastic job on the car... I am so glad that car got a great home. Keep in touch, Nick

 

I thought the factory visor had the fat vertical chrome strip down the centers of them for the 49-51 typically

 

Cool car, Im one for accessories, but not all of them on one car! Love a 51 Poncho!

 

Luke, no...those are aftermarket Fulton's or repops.
also from a diff. era...that's more late 40's. they have hinge brackets.

 

I like it, a very cool cruiser, a little over board on the accessories.

CRUISER

 

Good knowledge to have.. Thanks for the response. Car looks badass..

 

Very nice.

 

There were a number of mildly customized Pontiacs around the San Jose area in 1958-60,
all 'numbered'.

They wore names on the front fenders: "Tin Indian #1" thru "Tin Indian #25".
There may have been others...

 

interesting fact...thanks for sharing. wish I could run into one.

 

My pal Bobby Souza had one, (a '51 Catalina, 2-dr hardtop) Beautiful, cream with the medium blue top. Brilliant chrome, all the trim was perfect.

Car had a heating problem, I found a cracked head...tore it down, and the block was cracked down #4 cylinder wall.
Bobby bought a '51 Olds V8 and hydra-matic trans from Santa Clara Auto wreckers, Don delivered it.

I was employed at Mayfield's Garage, had some GM experience...but was dazzled when we cleaned it all up and lowered that Olds in there...right onto factory holes in the crossmember. (It was a Corporate chassis, shared with Oldsmobile those years! Everything was a 'bolt-in!')
I knew they were 'similar'...that was in 1958.

Bobby's Pontiac was never dubbed 'Tin Indian'...it wore the moniker, "Miss Cappy".
(for his girlfriend, later his wife)

 

^ also very cool.
down the road, when/if this motor ever needs to retire, I plan on putting in a later model Pontiac V8 that bolts onto the original hydra-matic I just had rebuilt.
are there any Pontiac V8's that use the same motor mounts?

 

55 to 60, 61 ,I believe was the year the back of the block changed , Not many realize Pontiac had v8s installed for testing in 51 ,,, GM held off using the V8 in Pontiac for fear it would hurt Buick sales..

 

^ right...they all mount to the hydra-matic.
...but how about cross member/motor mounting location. same deal?
we're thinking about a '57 pontiac V8.

 

To use your front mount on latter V8 you can just change the timing cover to earlier version.

 

I'm not clear on all the different needs it use all the different engines, but i'm sure the hookup differences are small.

 

Was thinking your cross member question... you have a straight 8 , so a v8 will be shorter, but that is a large front member . Rear mounts are located on the sides where the trany and bell meet, you would naturally use that location for rear mounting.

 

your chassis was also set up to use a 6 ......