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Last Running In 1979: 1953 Pontiac Chieftain

The Chieftain was Pontiac’s low-priced model throughout the 1950s. The car was part of Pontiac’s post-war automobile production comeback, along with the rest of the industry. Both six and eight-cylinder L-head engines were available, which believe the former is in the seller’s car. We’re told this ’53 Chieftain 2-door sedan has been in dry storage for the last 42 years and not started during this time. The interior is quite tidy, and the exterior may not need that much work. This Pontiac is located in Canton, Ohio and available here on Barn Finds Classifieds for $3,500.

First generation A-body Chieftains ran from 1949-54. All Pontiacs, including the Chieftain’s big brother the Streamliner, were built on the same wheelbase for the first time since 1934. Unusual for volume cars of the time, all Pontiacs also had standard automatic interior lighting. Considering it was the low-priced model, options on the earlier Chieftains included a tissue dispenser, under-seat heater, and an auto-home shaver by Remington. Six-cylinder Chieftain production for 1953 would be 39,000 units, little more than 1/10th the number of eight-cylinder cars built. The Chieftain name would be retired after the 1958 model year (my family had one of those; it was a tank!).

The seller’s ’53 Chieftain looks complete and may be mostly rust-free from being inside all these years. The chrome pieces are cloudy or pitted and the body looks straight except for a dent under the passenger side rear window. The condition of the interior is amazing after nearly 70 years, with the front floor coverings being the only thing possibly needing attention. The seller recently had the car professionally appraised and a copy of that report is available to prospective buyers. That would take a lot of the guesswork out of buying a car online.

If it doesn’t take much to get this one running again, it would be a cool conversation piece left just the way it is. Roadworthy with the original turquoise paint, dent and all, would draw attention at your weekend Cars & Coffee outings. And it could be a low-cost way to obtain a vintage car that retains all its 1950 charms! NADA says that high retail for a ’53 Chieftain is around $20,000.

Comments

  1. Avatar bobhess Member

    Hard to tell with one picture but the position of the carb in relation to the plugs almost says it’s an 8 cylinder. Spent a year with an old ’52 convertible with the 8 cylinder and once you got it going that old car would still get some impressive speeds down the highway. Same color green as this old guy.

    Like 7
    • Avatar Rick

      Only if you don’t bother to count the 6 spark plugs.

      Like 13
      • Avatar Daniel Vogt

        at least 6 spark plugs….

        Like 2
    • Avatar Talon93pete

      7 wires visible

      Like 6
  2. Avatar Bob

    In the classified ad itself, there is a picture of the front seat with an 8-cylinder distributor cap on the floor behind the seat.

    Like 3
    • Avatar Courtney

      It’s a 6 had the exact same car color and all. You can unbolt the original carb and bolt on a 2 barrel in its place using the same intake. Doesn’t give you a whole lot more power but some and it gets car guys scratching their heads when you pop the hood.

      Like 2
  3. Avatar Ken Carney

    If it were a 4-door, I would do it. Here in
    Florida, if a vehicle has 2 doors, the
    insurance companies will charge you 2
    to 3 times the going rate for car insurance over those who owned 4-door
    vehicles. As for the engine in this car, it
    looks to be the smaller 239 cube eight.
    A SIL of a friend of mine had a ’53 Catalina 2-door HT that had the larger
    engine and yes, they were identical
    except for the bore and stroke. His was
    also equipped with a powerglide automatic transmission too. Whoever
    gets this car will get a great car to restore. Great find!

    Like 4
    • Avatar Mike

      try Hagerty, NOT a regular insurance company.

      Like 1
    • Avatar Bob C.

      That’s right Ken, in 1953 there was a fire in the Hydramatic plant which temporarily ceased production. In the meantime they used Buick’s Dynaflow on the higher end cars and Chevy’s Powerglide on the lower end, like Pontiac.

      Like 0
  4. Avatar Hawk

    Wasn’t the upscale model called the Starchief?

    Like 2
  5. Avatar bobhess Member

    Nice catch on the distributor cap Bob!

    Like 3
  6. Avatar Ben T. Spanner

    That’s my home town. They used so much salt that Western Auto sold slip on rocker panels. You installed them over the old panels and secured them with sheet metal screws. 1955 cars of all brands rusted quicker, and a 2 year old car with rust repair was not unusual.
    I remember Studebaker Scotsman models , (1957?), were the cheapest model and had painted dog dish wheel covers. Two winters and the wheel covers were fapping in the breeze.

    Like 2
  7. Avatar leman

    i had a 1953 just like this only the 4 door model and 8 cylinder same color, very nice car that my wife hated so guess where it went, traded in for a 1953 mercury 2 door.

    Like 1
  8. Avatar Richard Van Dyke Sr

    Could be a fun restoration but I have never liked the color so I’d have to repaint it

    Like 1
    • Avatar PatrickM

      I’d go with a darker (forest green)(plus body work)color and white top, straight 8, 5 speed automatic, upgraded suspension and brakes. It might be possible to obtain a 4 barrel intake from Rock Auto…Not real sure, though. These things rode like your living room sofa.

      Like 0
  9. Avatar Vince H

    I always had a soft spot for these. My grandfather had a 53 Star Chief Catalina. It was a automatic with a straight 8.

    Like 0
  10. Avatar Jack Barley

    If I only had the room. I would get it cleaned up and running just as it is.

    Like 1
  11. Avatar Amorypaz

    I have a 1950 Chieftain Silver Streak that I am getting ready to put up here. I started a 12v conversion that I myself wasn’t completely sold on so I kept all of the old parts. Like this it is a 2 door HT.

    Keep an eye out. I really enjoyed when it was a daily driver (not many mile though) a decade and a half ago.

    Like 0

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