Why do I love these cars?

[50scars]

Since nobody else has got around to filling the space, I think I'll just ramble on for a while.
Why do I love cars of the early 50s? Could it be technological superiority? NAAAAA. My interest flags after 54. 55s, the 56s, the 57s, the 58s, are OK, and but I become abivilant about 59 and later.
Olds had the V-8 in 49. The 88s were super cars. I think they are neat, and I like the 98s, too. I never have owned one, and probably won't, either. Not totally true, I had a 66 Olds 98 Luxury sedan. Went from a Falcon Convertible to it. It was a cheap car. In 1970, during the GE strike in Schenectady NY, sellers of used luxury cars were desperate, and I was desperate too, because my Falcon had been run over on the Thruway, and I had to report in to New London CT in a couple days. That was a $6,000 car in 1966. In January of 1970, I paid a little under $1,000 for it. 19,000 miles on the clock. Buick was V-8 after 53, and was OHV all along. Those Buick Century's would romp. I like the 54-57, but again, I have never owned one, and probably won't. Cadillac has always been a performer, even when it weighed twice what smaller cars did, it would still hold its own. I like them up to 58. I have never owned one of those, either.
For some reason, Chevy has never done it for me. I like the Aero sedans of 1948, but I like the Pontiac 28 series a whole lot better. I drive Chevy trucks, but kind of prefer the GMC grill. That is about the difference anymore. The trucks I obtain are refugees from the junkyard.
Long, long ways from virginity valley for me. I have finally got to where the trucks I obtain are of the vintage where GM has learned to prevent the tinworm from eating the floor away before I ever get close to it. I have had more than one where either you didn't drive it when the road was wet, or you carried a bar of soap. The one I have now actually has a working heater. Somebody put carpet in it, too. Got a small block 400, and a heavy duty 4 speed. I'm done fighting 700R4 transmissions. Being a 1 ton, the gas mileage kind of sucks, but it really works fine for pulling trailers, removing stumps, and digging holes. My truck generally serves as a power wheel barrow.
I've had a lot of fun in Ford products. I know, 4 letter word. Found On Road Dead. The truth is that until I started driving Crown Victorias of the 92 and later vintage, I never had a Ford that didn't make me walk. The company I have worked for since 1979 drives Fords. Most of my Fords have been new cars. I never had one make it 2 years until the 92 Crown. I got it off a company wheel as a used car, drove it to 150,000 miles, and sold it to a neighbor as his kid's first car; It not only survived that kid, but the next one, too. My son took my 94, another used executive car, and drove it to 200,000 miles. Someone I knew bought it, and drove it another 100,000 miles before getting caught in a chain reaction accident that set it on fire, so the digital dash couldn't be read. He made so much money on it, he keeps pestering me about another one. My son has taken 2 more up over 200,00 miles and then sold them to San Diego cab drivers, who love them because they are not clapped out cop cars. I guess when you make a model for 15 years, you finally get to know how to do it.
You may note how many turtle car Caprices you still see running around? The new one of those is 1995.
Those Chrysler 5th Avenues. They are 1980, at the newest. I notice a lot of those things mainly because I see them as a cheap source of subframes, with power steering, power disk brakes and already set up for a good V-8. They also tend to have nice other parts, like power everything, great sound systems, leather seats that are small enough to fit lots of places, and generally the ones that are still running are still pretty nice cars, meaning you can use the parts without having to rebuild everything. I LOVE drivable donor cars.
Back to my favorites--50s cars. I like Shoebox Fords. I currently own one. I have owned several during my mispent youth. I don't understand why I should use that phrase; I used my youth to the best of my ability, and what the females available to me would tolerate. In fact, many of the things I did back then that we called fun, will get you in serious trouble now. I'm not sure if progress is all that it is cracked up to be. I still know a couple of the females from high school, so maybe I wasn't all that outragous after all. One of them was at my wedding, 32 years ago, and we have been to a couple of her's since then.
I think I'll close this one and make a new installment some other day.
Write back. This is not only about iron, but experience.

[Bodyworx]

50's Cars we have met before so we both must be a little crazy about cars AND forums. Ill also share a little history. Im 31 years old so i have no previous knowledge of Post war cars but have always had a fascination with the styling. I Currently own 2005 Ford F-150 , 2004 Mazda 6 , 1986 Trans Am Drag Car , 1950 Pontiac Silver Streak 4dr Sedan. I come from a Ford family where my Dad worked at Ford for 40 Years in Chicago Heights stamping facility and i now Work at Visteon Corp in Chicago who is a supplier of Large
Sub-Assemblies for Ford Motor Company. I get an A plan discount , and they put food on my table so i drive and buy Fords. I have had 47 cars in the 16 Years i have been driving legally. The very first car i bought was a 1969 Buick Skylark Custom S for $50.00. I think i drove it twice and blew the motor doing a burnout. Back then you could still buy a 60's 70's car for next to nothing cause they were not hoarded by Collectors and Restorers to make a fortune off of. After that its all a blur of parties, girls, alchohol and Burnouts. I saved up $300.00 when i was 16 to buy a 1968 GTO RAIII 4 speed from a neighbor of my buddy's that was letting it rot by the side of his garage. He said to me" i have no intentions of selling this car to any young punk who will disrespect it." So i told him" do you mind if i come over and work on it on the weekends?" His reply was" go ahead if you have nothing better to do with your money." He also told me " Im pretty sure it will run, cause it ran when i parked it there." Three or four weekends went by and i was over there right after work every friday with tune-up parts in hand ready to hear this bad ass car fire up. A fresh battery and some starting fluid on the 5th weekend and Woooom !! She started.... Open Headers. Ive been hooked on Pontiacs ever since that day. He came out of the house and said to me " How much money will you give me for that car? " I told him that i only had $300.00 saved up because the rest i had used to put parts in it. He told me if your parents tell you you can have it ill sell her to you for $300.00. It was like i won the Lottery. Of course i lied and said my parents said it was OK but in reality i knew they would tell me i was crazy. I took a few more weekends of airing up tires and lubricating clutch linkage and took down a section of his cyclone fence and out she came. I drove this Eyesore of a Pontiac down the street and clear across the other side of town to my house with only 1 front brake. Into my driveway where my Dad came out and said " Who's Piece of S#@t is that?" I think i took about 5 years off of his life at that moment. I drove the car illegally for about 3 months with no exhaust because i could not get a hold of the owner to get the title. So yes im a pontiac Nut and have been ever since that car. Now im starting to be a little more interested in the Post War cars because of their simple Style and mechanicals. They dont make a car thats just a car anymore. My 1950 is just that a CAR and only used for transportation. There is something to be said for a car that is 56+ years old and 95% of the stuff still works. Some better than others but still works. My Fiance says i have an Addiction to Old cars and i should seek help. I told her if you got a bunch of Old car addicts together we would just start talking about old cars and we'd be worse off!

Oh well just thought id share!

Thanks for listening!

Phil Red

[50scars]

You have a disease called Rustus Boltus. If you can find a copy of Smoke Signals, about April 1978, you will find an article about the disease. While it is incurable, it is treatable with periodic infusions of rusty bolts. I infected my wife, and as a result, she plays with her angels, and blue glass, and I get to play with my cars. You can tell when they are starting to succumb to the infection--they start to notice things on the car that are not all that bad. Just like us, glossing over the real bad problems.
We need to get together some time, we don't live all that far away.

[Bodyworx]

Do you plan on going to Flathead Fest in OHIO? If so you'll probably see me there. Maybe not with my car but definetely in the crowd.

Are we the only ones oon this site or what?

Phil "RED"

[50scars]

Yep, I plan to be there. I amnot sure if we are the only ones here right now, or just the only ones with egos that require sharing our thoughts.

[shpotty]

Hey Fellas,

You are not alone, I'm out here rolling with you too. I've wanted a straight eight car for a while now, and this past February, I sold my '76 LeMans Sport Coupe to buy a '53 Chieftain 2-door sedan that had a dead straight six. Then I went out to Pittsburgh and bought a complete straight eight engine from Joe Wheat. Before summer '06 is over, I should have the car moving under its own power.

The car is a little weary on the outside, but the interior is remarkable for 53 years old. Even the trunk still has the original interior paneling. The six banger is partially disassembled, and there is a trunk-load of rebuild parts for it, but I want the eight in there. The car is a 3-speed, so with the deeper axle ratio from the six coupled to the stick trans, the car should be a fun cruiser.

We also have a '76 Grand Safari for when we have more people than the older car can carry. I've been into Pontiacs my whole life, and I make no apologies for it. Everyone else can like what they like, and I'll just keep digging the Pontiacs. You can get nicer, more rare Pontiacs for cheaper than comparable Chevies, so why would I complain?

Hail to the Chief.

[Bodyworx]

Here is my Old Indian !! Just in case you were curious !!


Also my 1986 Trans am Drag Car !!

Please post some pics if you can !!


PHIL "RED"

[Bodyworx]

Someone else add a story about your first pontiac or what got you hooked on them !!

Phil "RED"
PhillipBrei@Yahoo.Com

[Larry]

Don't forget to check the On-Line Magazine for stories from some of our members about their Pontiac love affairs.
For you older Pontiac lovers, check out the article just posted about straight-8 and straight-6 Pontiac engine history. Please send any information you might be able to share on the subject so we can "grow" the topic.
We are working on a really neat story about a 1939 Woodie Wagon right now. Watch for it soon.
Be sure to use these forums. You won't break them. Post your Pontiac stories and information so we can all learn and enjoy.
Also, spread the word about PontiacRegistry.com to all your Pontiac freinds. This is all for you, and we will continue to bring more and more every day. ALL Pontiacs welcome!
Thanks!

[Stu Norman]

I kick myself for passing up a free 1954 straight 8 a few years ago, could have taken it away for free.

I dream of what I could have done with that engine. A T-bucket style Pontiac hot rod with a straight 8 ? Can you imagine the doubletakes?

[Bodyworx]

I always gravitate towards something different at car shows. I always have thats why i like to see street rods or Rat rods with different engine combinations. I think if i see one more street rod with a Chevy 350 im gonna puke. If you have a Pontiac ... for gods sake put a Pontiac drivetrain in it. My 1986 Pontiac Trans Am Drag car has had the original Chevy 350 that it came with taken out and im now building a 400 Pontiac with 062 Heads . Each to there own but the drivetrain is what makes it a Pontiac or a Buick or a Dodge. One of the coolest cars i think i have ever seen was a 1936 Ford Rat Rod with a later model Flathead Ford V8. While the performance of the flathead is inferior to the newer technology, its nice to see someone do something different. Im in the process of Street Rodding a 1950 Pontiac Silver Streak 4dr and i WILL be leaving the 268 ci Flathead Inline 8 cyllinder with the 3 spd manual trans. Im going more for the Rat Rod effect with the paint and have chosen to go Flat Black or Flat Dk Green with the Chinese Red wheels and white walls. The point im trying to make is every time someone sees this car in my driveway i get people stopping by and as soon as i open the hood i get the same response. "holy S#$t.... Is that a straight 8? " Thats what makes it original. Not to mention that a Low compression Inline 8 Cyllinder has the coolest Exhaust sound that can never be mistaken for a Small block chevy. The looks you get when you open the hood and people hear the exhaust is worth the loss in horsepower. 108 HP to be exact. I can assure you however that this car will fly up to 50 mph in traffic all day with no problem. Definetely not a drag car but soooo much fun to drive.

I urge you to explore your options when it comes to drivetrain. Make it not just a Pontiac but a Pontiac DRIVING experience.


Phil " RED "
PhillipBrei@Yahoo.Com

[Larry]

People need to experience the Flathead Phenomenon! It is like nothing else. My '54 straight-8 Pontiacs with 4-speed Hydra-Matics were no slouches from the lights. Of course you weren't gonna light up the tires, but you could keep up with most everything on the road, and raise a few eyebrows to boot. And, talk about highway cruising! 70s and 80s all day long with an engine that you didn't even feel or hear.
My '40 straight six was kind of like a herd of turtles from a stop, but it too went all day at x-way speeds (OK, 60s) even with 4:11 gears. And, when in town if you were lazy you just started out in second; or if you didn't feel like downshifting for a turn, don't. These engines have torque only surpassed by a diesel.
Ask a "non-flatty" sometime to count their idle revolutions while watching the fan blade loaf around!

[Stu Norman]

I gravitate towards the different stuff also. A few years ago we attended a very large car show in Snohomish WA. 650+ cars, always fun. Anyway, it seems the car that drew the largest crowd was a 30-something Dodge hot rod with a slant-6. It was too cool.

One gentleman that runs around here in Evansville IN has a T-bucket with a dual quad 401 nailhead. just too cool.

True, I wouldn't intend on winning many drag races with a flathead straight 8, but who cares. It's fun, it's different and no one will have one like yours.

[DVentura]

Hi. I just joined the registry and am glad to find others who like the post war cars. I recently purchased a 48 Silverstreak Convertible and love it. People are really drawn to it as well. I also have a 68 Firebird 400 4 speed convertible and a 94 25th Anniversary T/A vert, but the 48 gets the most attention. Unfortunately the straight 8 is long gone and replaced with a 283 Chevy (sorry). Anyway it's good to be here with folks who have the same interests.

Dave Ventura

[50scars]

OK, so you don't have the flathead. Keep the hood closed. Install a set of wheels that will take the stock or period aftermarket wheel covers handily, and when you got to a show, snap the covers on and keep your mouth shut. I have come to dislike shows where everyone has the hood open. I have an engine, you have an engine, everyone has an engine. It isn't a dental convention. Have you ever seen a car ad with the hood open? I don't mean the ones for parts, I mean the ones trying to sell the car. Look at old family pictures. Ever notice how many of them include the car in the pic? See any of them with the hood open? I didn't think so; I never have.
My first collector car was a 37 Ford Slant back. I painted it black prime with spray cans. My mom made the interior from some old drapes. I knew a guy in HIgh school who wrote names and drew pictures on cars. He made one on mine. I was 14. My pals in the club got it to the armory for the show. That it didn't run didn't matter all that much. Just having the car in a show at the armory was a great chick magnet. The finest lookng gal at school normally wouldn't give me the time of day, but she'd ride the bus with me to the armory so she could be seen in the exhibit. Back in those days, a club was to share tools, a place to work, knowledge, gain access to your sister or cousin. Pointing out something you didn't like about someone's car was the lead in to you getting down under and fixing it, with your tools and frequently, your parts. We have sure come a long way from those days, haven't we? Or have we?
After I quit working for the government, my next collector car was a 41 Buick Special. It was the parts car for another guy's convertible. I whacked off the front end of the frame and installed the drive train from a rolled 67 Buick. At a certain time, I was between jobs that provided a company car, so I was driving this one, in Detroit, in the winter. I worked a show for the club. Didn't enter my car; didn't have the money; knew it was modified, which was heresey; didn't even clean it up all that much. The national club had instituted a class that included that year. They needed 5 cars to make a class, or else they had to play in the nearest class. There were 4 guys who just kept at me to enter my car. I finally ran out of excuses, so I put it in the show. I left the car locked, so they couldn't get inside. They couldn't get the hood open, either. JUDGED SHOW. Since they couldn't get the hood open, I got NO DRIVE TRAIN POINTS. I got 3rd. Know who got 4th--AND NO TROPHY? The guy who gave me the car. It wasn't that his convertible was such a piece of trash, but he had succeeded in infuriating the judging committee so thoroughly that even if there had only been 3 cars in the class, he'd have got 4th.
Which is one of many reasons I don't like judging.