Just bought this 55 Chieftain 27 series old school drag car. It's in pretty good shape save for the floor pan repair from back in its past. Screwed in aluminum. It's a bare bones factory car. Manual brakes, steering, three on the tree. Radio delete and back up lights delete. Early 60's poncho posi. With homemade ladder bars. My plan is to put a straight axle under the front. I've never been a Pontiac Guy and I'm just now finding out how little I know about them. I foolishly figured the 55 poncho and the 55 Chevy would be very similar. I was wrong. Luckily though at least the glass is the same. Along with the car came a complete 400 with all the brackets air cleaner to oil pan. A 400 trans and also a 455 bare block with a set of heads. I'm too OCD to put a Chevy motor in a poncho car. So whatever i put in it will be true to Pontiac. But I have got an education to get started on. With all the new twist and turns I'm finding out. Such as Front mounted motor mounts and such, I see a lot of head scratching in my near future. But I must say. I really love the looks of this car. It's a keeper and I want to do it right and correct. I hope I can pick some of y'all's brains from time to time to help me achieve my goal. Here just a few pics of what I've got to start with. Hope everyone has a great week. Grins Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I'd like to see you stay away from the straight axle, everybody's doing them. I think it's too kool of a car to take it over the top. It could be a bitchin' street car. Then again, it's your project.
That looks like a nice one. Hit the search button for lots of Pontiac engine threads, they are not too hard to figure out, just remember they are not a Chevvie. Nice score, -Abone.
Congrats. It is a great looking car with a really nice natural stance. It's your car but I really hope you don't straight axle it. It is so cool as is.
Glad to here you are keeping it all Pontiac. Don't put the straight axle in it though. You will have more fun and it will ride nicer with the stock suspension. Also resale will be easier with the stock suspension over a straight axle. Then you can spend all your time and money fixing the body and getting the motor and trans in place and running. Just my 2 cents.
Damn, that car's got a lot going for it! Solid bodies like that are slim to none up here. Good luck with it. Drop a pony-ack in it, get it safe and go. The patina guys would be sportin' wood bigtime!
Its a post car. Lots of the 55-6 Chevy parts will fit. It looks good the way it sets. It's your car but do you need another tractor on the place. Really like the side trim on these. They ride and drive much nicer than the lighter chevys. With stock front ends. The clutch pedal is a plus.
The ONLY 55 Chevrolet tail lights that will fit a 55 Pontiac, is if the Pontiac is a WAGON. Hardtop/Post cars have different tail lights than the Pontiac wagons, and are completely different than the 55 Chevrolet. There's another 55 Pontiac post car, here on the HAMB, and it's a drag car with a straight axle. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.
I know the foolishness well, .After having known tri-5 Chevys for so long I bought a '55 Pontiac Chieftain thinking its just the ugly sister. Boy was I wrong as far as the chassis. If I'd known then what I know now I think I would have tried to find a Canadian built Pontiac instead.
To state the obvious......it won't sit like that once the drivetrain is put in. Yes, a Pontiac is a lot more work than a Chevy. It's already been cut so do what you want. Getting the exhaust routed with the stock suspension is a lot of work.
Stock 55 Pontiac suspension is not a great set up. Instead of putting a clip on the front end, ended up with a solid front axle, not the straight ones everyone is using from speedway. I think they just look better
I vote for stock front end that's the way it was previously raced, put some 409 springs and ball joint spacers in it with some fender well headers which could be hard to find for a poncho so I would start looking now. There's some cool Pontiac stuff out there. You said you wanted to do it right and correct, so take your time do some research and I think you'll have a very cool track street car.
I will correct my self, 55 had the uprights and 55 chieftain is correct and it's not a very good front end. His idea is probably your best and cheapest route.
yep....409 springs didn't help my 396 transplant in my 64 Chevy....tried station wagon springs as well....found some Monroe matics with the coil spring - like the rear load levelers....helped a little keeping those Hooker Headers off the pavement...need to start a thread on that old '09 car
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