Projects Just bought my self a 49 Pontiac and then?

This is my very first Pontiac and I need some basic information. The car is a Silver Streak business coupe with its short roof and long ass... Just a perfect candidate for a nice taildragger. The car is pretty much stock with a flathead six and three on a tree. I was told the car has its og paint and no rust. I haven't seen the car in person just a bunch of high resolution pics from all angles and it looks very solid. Converted to 12 volt with alternator and a pair of Hijackers in rear otherwise stock. What gear ratio did these cars have with the manual trans? I guess its somewhere in the 4.10-4.30 range? From what year and model cars can I find a replacement carrier with a 3.40-3.60 ratio? My plan is to keep the flathead and trans but I need better highway gering. I like the color combo and will try to buff the paint and see how it turns out. Furthermore, it needs to be lowered in the rear to look decent. The front bumper and grille chrome seems to have seen better days, maybe someone has these for sale in better shape? Maybe someone have a outside sunvisor for sale?
The car is in Miami right now at the shipping company to be shipped out to Sweden in a near future. (I hope) So while I wait 6-8 weeks before the car finally come home I try to read and learn as much as I can. Did these cars have left thread wheelnuts on driver side? Please school me more info on these old Ponchos, interchangeable parts from other Gm cars for instance?


Ass up in the sky with a lot of air in the HiJackers.


This is how I want it to look in the future. Maybe I will add a set of Astro supreme wheels for a good mid sixties mild lowrider look.


The ol Poncho is pickedup by the shipping company for transport to Miami and then further on over the pond to Sweden.

 

How fast do you plan on driving? The stock gearing is ok for 55 - 60 (100Km Hr). They were known as a good hiway car in their day.

My Service Data Book lists 10:41 for 1949, 10:39 for 1950 up 8 cylinder, 10:41 for 1950 up 6 cylinder models.

You should invest in a repair manual, it will save you a lot of time and money.

An unusual feature of the Pontiac flatheads was an oil filter built into the oil pump pickup. It was supposed to be cleaned out at engine overhaul time. If the engine has never been apart it might be a good idea to take off the oil pan, scrape out the sludge, and clean the oil filter.

 

^^^^
While you're in there, replace the water distribution tube running down the manifold side.
4.30 was supposed to be the ratio for 6 stick cars.

 

Water distribution tube only needs to be renewed if badly corroded. Check engine temp with infrared thermometer. If front of engine is same temp as back of engine you are fine.

If tube is shot coolant will stream up the front of the engine and back to the rad without circulating, resulting in cold front end and hot back end.

 

Congrats - hope that it truly is as nice as it looks in pics

 

all 49 Pontiacs have left hand threads on the left side axles. Any third member from a 37-56 Pontiac will fit your rear axle housing. I usually use the common 3.23 ratio in mine. All have the same flange for the U-joint except 56 and you can reuse your old flange on the 56 third member if needed..I did for my last Pontiac, a 41 with 3.90 "economy" gears. Standard gears were 4.30.

 

Thank's a lot for your answers. 4.30:1 sounds a little to much for highway driving. I got 3.93 in my 48 Olds and that's fine up to 100 km/h but sometimes you need to go a little faster then that. The 3.23 ratio would be perfect I guess. Witch year and model will I search for to find a ratio like that?

 

I've always found them in 55 and 56 cars....you'll need to swap flanges if you use a 56 gear set ..no big deal
Olds third members work also.

 

Thanks for info Rocky!

 

nice Poncho. I was at the Route 66 car show in Ontario, Califas yesterday and there was a 51 Chevy Hardtop the exact same color as your Poncho. It's a nice color combination.

 

Thanks, yes its a nice color.

 

That's a cool coupe... I was watching it on ebay.

 

Yeah, I like the short roof and long trunk on these.

 

I was able to find a 56 rear with 3.23:1 ratio but haven't install it yet but this will be a huge improvement over the stock 4.30.

 

Looks like it made the trip fine! Hopefully you had no big surprises, that looks like a real nice Poncho!

 

Thanks, just good surprices so far. Car looks better irl then on the pics so I'm pretty pleased now. I discover that the car got Fatman dropped uprights when I change wheels, that was a big surprice for sure...

 

Damn nice car, seldom seen.

 

Very clean, nice car

 

very cool car.

 

Thanks guys, this is what I see when changing wheels...


Dropped uprights and disk breaks, probably a Scarebird kit.

 

One more...


I made those fenderskirt extensions in stainless for a better flow with the gravel shield.

 

Great looking '49, the coupe is a great body style on the early Pontiacs.
KK

 

I ran a 3:90 in my '41 Pontiac for years and then changed to a 3:23 gear , but took it back out after one summer. It was great on the highway but it took a lot more clutch slipping to take off . I found a 3:63 gear set which turned out to be a perfect compromise in my case.

 

Very nice.

 

We got a little snow here yesterday so I took out the 49 for a small photo session and
I have reason to believe this is the first snow this car ever seen. (No salt on this road so no worries) Did anyone know the production figures for these 2 door coupes in 1949? I think they are pretty rare cause you don't see them too often.

 

Awesome car. Chrome looks good from here!

 

I poked around and came up with this:
1949 series 27 (8cyl.) coupe. 60,716
1949 series 25 (6cyl.) coupe 40,139
Your car looks great, love it.

 

Thanks a lot guys.

 

Great looking car. Even nicer that it's a rare bird!

 

A small update, I now run on Firestone 6.70-15