Is this correct? My eyes aren't deceiving me with the angles... the pontiac has a longer boot? The pontiac looks a nicer 4 door car to chop... Sorry whoever's pictures I stole....
were both images taken from the same camera, and at the exact same distance from the near side of the car? If not, this method will NEVER work.
That was the point of me posting here... to see if anyone knows if they are the same length or not...
If I am not wrong, which is usually the case anymore...lol I think Buick, Olds, And Pontiacs are usually a little longer than the chevs. And usually alot more more chrome pieces.
This method could work, but both cars would need a known point of reference for measuring. Like if both cars had the same door handles, you could measure each picture and scale them so that the door handles were the same size in each pic (just an example, something bigger would be better to use). If you can get the scale to match, you can compare pics this way. Either way, the Pontiac is longer than the Chevy. I don't know what the overall lengths were but the Pontiac (***uming they're both 1953 models) is on a 122" wheelbase where the Chevy is on a 115".
my daily driver is a 1949 pont chief. pont are 8-9 inches longer in the front because they were running straight 8's and the chev's had 6's. not sure about olds/buick. also the trunks were about 4 inches longer. 49-53 trunk lids do not fit chev's. a friend on mine has a 51 chief and we tried to put a 51 chevy trunk lid on it -no dice.
bottom pic looks like a star chief which I believe is 6 or so inches longer in the boot than the chiftain(poverty pack). The chieftain is a bit longer than the chevy in the back edge of the front gaurds-around 4". Go the pontiac much nicer and cl***ier car. But of course Im Bi***ed.
I also don't think you can get an accurate measurement by this method. Having said that, just going off the dimensions off the rest of the car, the trunk area does "appear" to be a bit longer on the Pontiac.
Pontiac used two different body shells, the smaller ones shared with Chevrolet, but the front fenders and hood are longer as the wheelbase is longer. The larger series, and I'm going to forget which model, Starchief, maybe?, share the body shell with the bigger Olds, Buick and Caddy. So, while they share the same basic style with their smaller tribe members, they are longer in the boot!
I had a 50 4 door Silver Streak and every thing was the same as a 1951-52 chevy except the dash taillights, frame, front clip and the truck lid. Both are fasbacks too
pontiac is five inches longer in the front!! for 1950 , i put a 50 chevy hood on for kicks one day. 49 and 50 coupe deck lids interchnges and all chevy 49 - 52 patch panels from ems fit my car .
I have used this comparison method to estimate the amount of chop on cars like my 54 by using an actual reference point or points on my own car and then calculating ratios. Nevertheless it is just an estimate. I have known for some time Pontiac hoods were longer. I have also known that Pontiac trunks were also longer on some models. I owned a 1961 Pontiac Bonneville convertible once and the trunk and taillights were 11 inches longer than the Ventura and Catalina models as well as a longer wheelbase. Pontiac always had a longer car than Chevy while sharing many of the base dimensions.
Thank you so much for your answers guys... that really answered everything I need to know... I dont disagree the pontiac isnt a nice car, but its just not my thing... I`ll be altering the pontiac chieftain so its more like a chevy, but longer and sleeker looking... My point really was, I want to keep the car 4 door, functioning... so, I need to extend the back of the roof back, so it swoops down nicer... the longer tail of the pontiac just balances it out nicely, imo... It works in my head atleast... quick photoshop without chopping the roof to show what I mean..
The Pontiac in the picture is a '54 Starchief, taken just before I drug it out of the field I found it in. The front is longer than a Chevy and wheel base is longer. The Canidian Chevys were the same (basically a chevy with pontiac trim) but the American Ponchos were longer to fit the straight eight in. PegLeg Strick
Yeah, Starchief. '54 was the first year for the Starchief & the last year for the straigt eight. I have the specs, body dimensions and wheelbase dims at home. If you need them ill scan the info & send it to you.
Your okay dude, aslong I know its name Im okay with googling.... but thats a very kind offer thank you... and thank you for not complaining at me using your picture...
Hey, no problem............glad it could be of some help. That's what this site is for........ to help other people with their rides.
I take it thats the attachment you ment... which is cool thanks... Orthographic projections always come in handy.. So what did you end up doing with yours? I spent some time googling and there doesnt seem to be much info on early pontiacs... I did find this which I`ll share... http://www.pontiacpulse.ca/static/pdfs/1954_divisional_sm.pdf (right click - save target as) Now Im a bit wiser as to the difference in the models... So are they rare cars in america? there doesnt seem to be many for sale...
All Pontiacs are longer in the front than same-year Chevies. Pontiac STAR CHIEFS are also longer in the trunk/rear quarter area, longer than other Pontiacs. (Four inches, if memory serves.) They are some big cars! (I like'em, but never owned one).
So if Im understanding this... the only model of pontiac thats the same as a chevy... is a canadian one which was built on a chevy ch***is... (lauritain?) so it actually looks like a chevy, with a pontiac engine and few other bits... (this is from reading other places) All american and canadian pontiacs built on pontiac ch***is.. have longer bonets.. (pathfinder and chieftan) deluxe etc... star chief 4 doors are the longest.. with a longer bonet and boot (which are awesome) and the star chief custom catalina... is the two door version... So many models >.o Correct me if Im wrong please...
I think you've got it! I believe the Star Chief Catalina hardtop is the same wheel base and total length as the 4-door Star Chief, though. (I've only ever seen the Catalina hardtop in person, so this is a guess on my part.) Yes, a lot of variations and a lot of different models. Pontiac was filling a lot of gaps between Chevy and Oldsmobile/Buick.
1949-1954 CAR MODEL IDENTIFICATION IS SHOWN WITH FIG.00-1 THROGH FIG.00-9. i HAVE ALSO ATTACHED PAGE 00-15 THAT HAS SOME MORE GENERAL INFO. ALL THESE WERE TAKEN FROM THE SHOP MANUAL FOR 1949-1954.
The Jalopy Journal
