LONG SHOT. Show me some pics 0f 53-54 Pontiacs

Just like the topic title says. Let me see those pics of 53-54 Poncho's
I need ideas.

Mike

 

Seems hardly anyone's interested in a custom early 50's Poncho. Most seem to do '55. I don't know why. The lines aren't nearly as nice.
-David

 

That Blue 54 StarChief is incredible. Very Subtle mods, I like it !!

Keep them coming if poossible.

 

Yeah, I really like that one too. I found those pics a couple years ago on the net. The '53 belongs to a guy here in San Diego. He had the only early 50's custom Poncho at Paso. I drove my '54 up there and was hoping there'd at least be a couple other people with Ponchos to talk to and pull their ear. The only ones that weren't stock (at least from what I saw) were his and mine. And mine's more stock than custom so it sure don't count!
-David

 

Uuuuuuummmmm, please post a pic of yours. Custom or not please.

 

Here you go.

 

It's a 54 Catalina !!! See, you would have never known it but I have a 53 Catalina. How did you lower the car? GOt any old parts to sell?

 

I cut the coils and used 3" blocks (along with already sagging leaf springs). Nope, no parts. I pretty much try to keep everything. Just figure if I ever decide to sell (I've owned it over 7 years, so not likely), I'll get more money having all the parts.
It's gonna be getting a new powerplant here pretty soon as the Hydramatic is slipping pretty bad. A Chevy inline 6 (250 or 292 whichever I find first) with more modern tranny. I'm casually looking right now.
Then after that, she gets the full drop, frenched and shaved.
-David

 

Heres a few pics of mine

Its a 53 with a roof chop lowered at rear and running a SBC. suspension is stock.

Prob loading pics , I will post um later

 

MUGSY,

Did you use everyday plain old lowering blocks for the back?
How many coils did you cut from the front springs? I'm doing mine soon and would like to know.

Thanks,
Mike

I also like the fact that you shaved the backup lights.

Go ahead and email me some more pics of it to Nospiratus@aol.com

 

Here's my 54. 2 Coils in front and 3" blocks in the back with wicked tired springs. Sorry for the shitty pics.

 

there are a couple of pix on www.carnut.com.

that light blue hardtop is on there.

 

Kustom Chief.......


I dig those frenched rear lights. Nice job. Also like the filled in trim holes.
I'm painting mine tomorrow and I'll post up some Pics.

I also just noticed how you eliminated the rear quarter panel emblems and mounting surface along with the backup lights.

If I had ANY bodyworking skills, I would do the same.

Mike

 

Yep, plain old 3" blocks. Be prepared to shave your bumpstops quite a bit if you use 3".
As far as the coils, I don't remember exactly. I ended up taking out more than one coil but, not all at once. It was a trial and error kinda thing. I installed some polyurethane bump stops on the front that are much shorter than stock. I cut the springs until there was about 1/2" of travel left before hitting bumps. It took me 3 or 4 cuts to get it there. The stops I installed are tiered so they can be shortened even a little more. They're made by Energy Suspension.
As for backup lights, I never had any to begin with. Guess it was an option.
-David

 

Sorry a crappy picture from our Helsinki trip earlier this year, can't believe I only took one of this car, its a 52 with a 2" chop. I'm sure one of the Finish guys will have more pics of it.

 

Here's a crappy before shot of mine... (hopefully)

 

Those taillights are sunk in about 6". They are Ambulance bullets...

I know what you are saying, bodywork sucks. I have killed myself on cars and had friends come over and laugh that it is sooooooooo wavy. After while I guess you get better...I am still waiting..

 

So I go to lay a coat of primer on mine today. Lug the compressor over to my rental garage, plug it in let it completely fill then it kicks off. About 5 minutes later the circuit breaker which is located in the house which I obviously don't have keys to goes *POP*. So that was a wasted day since nobody would be home until 5pm. Gonna try again this weekend.

To the cut front coil guys, to get the coil out all you did was remove the kingpin nut assembly from the top of the spindle (forgot what its called) and let it swing down right. Any info I should know about on removing the front springs is appreciated.

Thanks again and keep the pics coming. Stock, Mild Custome, Hot Rod, Full custom, WHATEVER just keep the pics coming.

That 52 paint is so glossy I bet you could let a cinder block slide off the paint and it wouldnt leave a scratch !!

 

Yeah, the outer bolt/bushing for lower control arm. You'll wanna have a jack under the control arm giving it PLENTY of support. If not, when you get to the last little bit of thread, it's gonna go POP! and you'll think you broke something. Plenty of support then lower the jack, let the arm come down and remove spring. Reverse procedure for install. Use jack to get arm back into place for bolt.
-David

 

You removed the lower bolt assembly? I was saying remove the pinch bolt at the top, then the complete kingpin bolt. I'm referring to the top of the spindle, how exactly did you do it from the bottom? From the looks of it, you could remove the upper kingpin and the whole setup would swing down and away.

Hate to be a pain but got a pic?

 

if it's anything like a Chevy you just put a jack underneath the lower arm with some pressure, unbolt the 4 bolts holding it to the x-member and then slowly lower. Hope that helps.

 

The pin, shaft, bolt or whatever it's called right behind the brake backing plate where the lower control arm mounts. The only thing then that'd be attaching the lower arms to the car is the inner shafts therefore, the arms swing down allowing access to springs. The lower arms only connect in two places, inner shaft (longer shaft, attaches to car with 4 nuts/bolts) and outer shaft which resembles a large bolt with large nut. After removing front stabilizer bar and bottom shock mount nuts all you've gotta do is remove that outer threaded shaft. Make sure the car is up in the air enough so the arm can swing down and you have enough room to pull the spring and shock out. You may want to order some new rubber seals from C.P.R. (California Pontiac Restoration) for that outer bolt.
Or, you could just do as mentioned above and remove the 8 nuts/bolts holding inner shafts on. But, I'd rather just do 2 than 8.
Have I mentioned take a good look at your lower arms where the springs sit? I found that after I scraped away the dirt and gunk from there that I had small rust holes, thin corroded metal that I had to weld up/repair. It's a perfect spot for dirt to accumulate and water to sit causing rust.
-David

 

Here´s a few from Tampere show. Sorry, two pics are too big.

 

Heres some pics
The old girl is getting rough round the enges but used every day

 

howdy - well this may be off topic a little but we never get all the 54 ponty people out on the HAMB at once so I thought I'd ask - I've got an old flathead-6 in mine and I want to step up to an 8 with an auto trans with as little hassle as possible! What do you suggest - keeping in mind I'm situated 'down-under' and ready old GM parts down grow on trees like they do for you fellas!
thanks

 

Call Thomas Milfort @ 630-257-1184 or Toll free @ 888-458-9052
He's located in Lemont, IL which is a suburb of Chicago, IL

As of last November, he had a running, complete Straight 8 from a 53 Pontiac sitting in his yard under a tarp and it was imaculately clean. He is in the car transportation business so I would believe that shipping it would not be a problem for him.

Later,
Mike

 

Bttt

 

Here is a picture of mine when i got it ! It in Mid project stage so it does not look like that anymore ! It's 1953 Canadian Pontiac.