Hey, I'm currently lookng at a 49 Pontiac Silver Streak Coupe and was wondering what a good website is for these. I havent seen the car in person yet but it looks good by the pics and it has a hydromatic. Think its a 6 cyl. My plan would be to lower it, hard hard is that for one of these? Just heat/cut the front coils and use lowering blocks in the rear? Also, they must make skirts for these, right? ANY info ono these cars would be appreciated. Thanks Paul
Cut the front coils (heat just screws them up side to side), my 12 year old son made the rear lowering blocks for my 52 pontiac. Is it a US model or Canadian? US models are Pontiacs, the Canadian versions are rebadged/re-trimmed chevrolets. POCI - Pontiac Oakland Club (but they lean toward the cry baby restorer types) Welcome to the dark side of GM
Thanks VK, I am pretty sure its a US model. Thanks for the POCI info but I've had enough of the "cry baby restorer types" at the Nash Car Club of America. Sheeesh, they'll cuss you out and yell at ya if you even think of modifying an old Nash. (Maybe I'll lurk around their site instead! ;-) ) Thanks again. Paul
Anyone else? What do I look for when inspecting one of these? Rust areas? Mechinical issues, etc...? Thanks, Paul
they make killer kustoms , just like a chevy as far as body and suspensions just a few changes , flathead six engines are different though , chevy 235 , pontiacs are 239 chevy engines have the intake and exhaust on the drivers side of engine , pontiac has them on the p***enger side ( one way to tell the difference ) they have fender skirts available also . i believe the rear fender quarters are the same as chevy in 49 . i have a 1949 pontiac streamliner i have been customizing for a while now , i have some pics up in an album in my profile
Thanks guys.....how many is too many coils (or how many is just right!!)? Your Pontiacs are cool!! Paul
You can get dropped spindles for your car from Fatman (not an endor*****t, I'm say'n you can get 'em), which is WAY better than cutting coils, and you can drop the base of the lower control arm with the spring pocket a little as well. Rust? Footwells, inner rockers, inner fenders, spare tire wells. Chev patch panels will work, but the floors are different. The flatheads like to crack the valve seats (exhaust) which then run into the cyl walls and then no compression. Very common, but hey, you're gonna put a 455 in it anyway, right?
POCI isn't as crybaby restorer as others, at least the guys on the pontiac-1950s@yahoogroups.com email list don't seem to be and some of them are long time members. '49 shares a lot with the 50-52 cars so that might be a good place for info. A Hydramatic means a US model for sure, but if you're in doubt just measure the wheelbase - 119.5" is a US model. Factory skirts aren't too hard to find for these, I believe the rear wheel arch is the same as a Chevrolet so you may be able to just use a set of those.
I lowered my 52 Cheiftain over the winter by cutting one complete coil out of the front...it brought her down about 2 1/4 inches, I lowered the back with 3 inch blocks...the only problem that I found is that by using the blocks in the back, my lower shock mount sits about 1 1/2 inches above the ground, and my U bolts and lower mount are about 1 1/2 inches lower than the bottom of my rim...gonna be nasty if I have a blow out.
Es***, I'll have to take a look at my old pics but with my 1st 52, I built 3" blocks and ended up swapping the lower mounts side to side. Thats just from memory and I haven't installed the blocks under my hardtop yet.
Actually, funny you should mention that, I have a 1973 Buick 455 in my garage just sitting there waiting for something to put it in (after rebuild, of course)!! Will it fit?? Paul
Will a Buick 455 fit? Sure. I have a 472 Caddy under the hood of my '36 Ford, fits perfect, bolted right in. The Buick 455 ought to fit with the usual headaches around the steering box. I've seen several of these with Pontiac 400's and 455's, ought to work with the Buick too. The engine bay of the Pontiac is huge, length isn't an issue, but exhaust manifold vs. steering column/box might be. My car has a front steer frame clip under it, and U-joints in the steering shaft, so it's a different animal than yours. It has an LS series engine in it, which is roughly SBC dimensions. Brian
driving a 49 streamliner, strait-8, she will be dropped this winter 3" no hydraulics. pearl is headed to being an old school bomb.
dont forget to add the illuminating hood ornament when you're done, best Pontiac feature of 1949-1957 models!
the rear quarters are pontiac only. chevy will fit but the pontiac has a little lip in the quarter where the skirt is.
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