1950 Pontiac Silver Streak 8

Anyone out there with much experience with the silver streak 8's? What kind of dependability/streetability is there?

Thanks

 

BTT

 

I've run both the straight 8 and the straight 6 [just a straight 8 with the back 2 cylinders lopped off] with success but there is a trick. These engines don't like high revs. Keep the revs down and it'll live but don't expect to lay rubber all the way through 1st gear with it. I think 103 HP was about the max for the 8 cylinder.
There is a brass coolant distribution tube running full length of the engine and it comes out the front for cleaning. It's gotta be clean or water won't distribute through the block to all the cylinders for cooling.
I've always used a 3.23 gear set from a 55-56 Pontiac in my old straight 8/6 cars. They'll interchange all the way back to 1937 and they'll cut down the RPM's... Just swap out the third member and drive...takes about a long afternoon and it'll be a lot easier on the engine at hiway speeds. I drove both my '48 fastback [straight 8] and my 41 coupe [6 banger] all over these United States [saluting] driving 60-65 on the interstates with no problems whatsoever. If the engine's out of the car now, adjust the valves before installing in a full-fendered car. It's a bitch anyway you do it but if you hafta fight the inner fenders, it's even worse. Some old mechanics usta remove the right inner fender to do this maintainence step.
Make sure the entire cooling system is clear and clean, keep the valves adjsted, go with a hiway rear gear and use a good oil [my old used engines used Rotella 15W40] and it'll run a long, long time...
Enclosed are a few snapshots on my cars....one taken at Springfield, Ohio and the other somewhere in the mountains of Colorado. I'm serious, I drove both these cars all over the U.S.

 

I had a straight-8 1954 Chieftan, and it was smooth, quiet, reliable, and a DOG! Not enough power to really drive it in traffic. I was always the last one to get to the speed limit, and merging onto the highway required planning and a good run at it.
The bearings went out in my motor (not a reflection on their reliability-my car had been parked for 20 years before I got it) and I dropped an Olds 350 into the car and it was SO much nicer to drive.