Good morning everyone. First off appologize if this is in the wrong place feel free to move in neccissary. I'll start with a little backstory, I am a GM muscle car guy. I have owned easily over 100 cars, I am a mechanic and I know what I am doing working on cars. My current list of specialty cars: '69 firebird, '73 Z28, '88 IROC, '90 ZR1, '02 Z06.. I have never owned or worked on anything older than the 60's... I have decided I want to buy a 1949-1952 chevy, olds, or preferably a pontiac. I am only interested in getting a fastback and I prefer a 2-door fastback. I have found one vehicle that fits the bill about 2 hrs from me.. A 1950 2-door Pontiac Silverstreak Fastback. I love the bodystyle, and it looks nice from the pics I have received, supposedbly all original. My questions: -What should I look for or look out for when viewing this pontiac before I purchase? -I'll be looking to drive this car to work a couple times a week and cruise around with my wife & go to car shows. How is the straight 6 and 3 speed in these cars? I am planning to drive it home about 2 hrs on the highway, what speed should I keep it under? -where can I get parts for these cars? -I cannot find much info on the suspension on these cars, I know I would like to lower it right away. I have read you can cut the stock springs but I'd rather get drop springs. thanks, -Gibson
As far as the car look it over for rust and bondo get it up on a lift if you can to look it over under the car. If you are the mechanic you say you are it should be easy to know if it worth the money. As far as driving speed you should be able tell where its happy at. Good luck.
But 60+ year old cars dont have rust right? Theres gonna be rust and bondo. So you better expect it. Unless of course its been stored in an enclosed temperature controlled garage since 1950... doubt it. Holes in the floor.. rust bubbles and pin holes on the rockers, drip rails and door skins... rust on the tail pan. typical ****. I probably wouldnt buy it if it was falling off the frame tho. The straight 6 and 3 speed in the '50 poncho we sold a few months ago ran like a top. Plan on driving it back home for 2 hours? Bring your tool box and I'll keep my fingers crossed. Poncho parts are hard to come by. They dont make parts for them like 55-57 chevys. Hit up the swap meets and begin your easter egg hunt. Welcome to the old car world!
My buddy have a 49 Poncho fastback with the stock flathead 6 and 3-speed and he can easily go up to 70 mph. They have leafsprings in rear and pretty easy to lower with blocks. His ride in the middle of this pic. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Thanks for the tips guys, I have been doing research all day on these cars and have found alot of usefull information. I ***umed the pontiac would be identicle to the chevy as far as suspension goes but I my research proves thats not true. I did find out cutting the springs up front and blocks in the back will drop the car. I did read something about 'uprights' but I have no idea what that is? also is there anyway to convert the lever style front shocks for a traditional shock? Do the pontiacs have a 'closed' driveline like the chevy's? I am not sure what that means but I was wanting to swap the car to a T5 which I already have here at the house and everything I read says you have to swap the rear end at the same time that you do the trans. I'm reading 4x4 S10 rear axle or explorer 8.8 axle is best and something about redrilling the axle pads. I guess I can figure that stuff out later as I will be driving the car 'as is' for awhile. Here is the car I am looking at: http://www.carsforsale.com/used_cars_for_sale/1950_Pontiac_Silver+Streak_197363946_3 can anyone give me their opinion??
The Pontiac is " open driveline "....... No torque tube like the Chevy. However, you a different problem to overcome with your proposed trans swap. Buick, Olds and Pontiacs of that era have a bell housing to transmission design that makes it difficult to adapt a different trans. Two prime issues with them. First, the throw out bearing support is not bolted to the transmission and does not act as the front bearing retainer, but rather slips into a small hole in the center and protrudes into the clutch area. The trans front bearing is retained by the bell housing and a gasket is needed between the trans and bell housing. I ran into this on one of my Buicks when wanting to upgrade the trans. The bell housing COULD be machined with a larger center hole to accept the more common arrangement, but then the second problem arises. The second problem is that there is not enough area at the rear of the bell housing to drill a new trans bolt pattern. And, further, the length of the input shaft becomes an issue if one wanted to fabricate an adapter plate. I believe Bendtsens in MN, www.transmissionadapters.com , has an adapter plate for the engine block that replaces the stock bell housing and allows the use of a Chevy stick bell or auto trans. Were it my project, I would consider swapping in a '63 up Chevy 6 and transmission of choice. Total cost would be fairly low and the swap should be relatively simple.
thanks for the help! I actually have a Chevy straight six and powerglide sitting in my ba*****t right now.. it was removed from my 69 firebird. I think If I was going to go through the trouble of swapping the motor I would put in this Fuel injected Lt1 I have sitting on the stand which already has a stand alone wiring harness and Comp cam installed, I also have a t56 6-speed at the house too or a few different camaro/firebird T5's.. So I have many options but the flat 6 seems cool to me so I may keep it around for awhile. What can I do to make the car more driver friendly with the current Flat 6? swap the rear diff to something with a lower gear or will that kill me bc the car is so low HP?
IMO, your best course with the stock engine is to just drive it as is. All these old cars were driven all over the country when they were daily drivers and performed just fine. Granted, road speeds averaged a bit less than now days, but if the Pontiac's engine is in good condition, it will handle 65 mph on a regular basis. And, if it's not up to that, an overdrive trans isn't going to solve that.
just a thought, but I would look into grafting the old pontiac body panels onto a newer camero. might just be easier in the long run
Welcome to the HAMB. Just looked at the ad. Look under the car carefully, check out the floor, rockers, every other place that can rust. Take a magnet. Lose the wheels. If it was me, I'd rather be able to look at old paint. Shiny new paint can cover a lot of sins. Offer less if you like the car. Try a lot less, first.
I would be getting the car for $6K. The wheels will be the first thing to go I have some 5x5 18" billets at the house that will fit nicely. Steve- Funny you should say that I was also looking at a 1950 chevy fastback that is like a rat rod style, it is channelled over a late 80's S10 ch***is with a V8. I really like the idea of the modern & cheap suspension and the V8 but it needs full interior and some odds & ends but I am worried about the quality of the build. I am kinda looking to get into a car that I can drive daily and take the wife out to dinner and cruise around town in.
The car in that ad looks like a "buy it and drive it" kind of car. When or if something breaks then decide if you want to upgrade!
xpletiv - I think that add was from the previous owner. I agree looks like a dealer from the photos of it in the lot. I am looking at buying the car for $6K does that seem like too much? There is one in ATL that I am in love with.. fully restored baby blue with a V8 and Coys wheels but it is 22K I do not want to spend that much. I figured If I could get this car for $6K and its nice I will lower it and put wheels on it and drive as is for several years. I have several vettes and camaro's so I am a little worried that I will get tired of the inline 6 after awhile. I am looking into lowering the car right away, I know I can cut the springs but I have read alot of people with the 49-52 CHEVY's advising on swapping to the 53-54 chevy uprights and steering arms to drop the car 1-2"... What is an upright? and can I use 53-54 chevy or pontiac uprights and steering arms to drop this 1950 pontiac?
Nothing on the front of that car is the same as Chevy. Maybe the trick of 53-4 uprights might work if from a Pontiac. I think Fatman has lowered uprights for your car.
For god's sake's dont put billet wheel's on it if you get it!!!!!!!!!!!! I dont care how many set's you already have. If you want billet wheel's on your car you are in the wrong place Gregg
So you are talking about taking something like this and mixing it with something like this to get something like this
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