By 1949, most U.S. automakers were rolling out their first all-new cars since before World War II. That included Pontiac, which introduced the Chieftain as its entry-level vehicle alongside the Streamliner (the Torpedo had been retired). Based on the same platform as Chevrolet, the Chieftain looked quite similar, and the coolest of the body styles was the 2-door fastback (aka coupe). The seller’s example looks quite original, but has been sitting for years, so it doesn’t run. Located in San Diego, California, this solid project is available here on craigslist for $12,500. Kudos to T.J. for this bodacious tip!
The Chieftain was Pontiac’s leader car from 1949 to 1958 (my folks owned a ’58 when I was young). While it was budget-minded, the body and wheelbase were practically the same as the upper Streamliner. An L-head six-cylinder was standard, but an inline-8 was optional and appears to reside in the seller’s Poncho. That motor produced 103 or 106 hp, depending on compression ratio.
We don’t know the history pertaining to this Chieftain, but the car was not molested and seems complete, including the wheel covers (in the trunk). The seller says it has an automatic transmission, but wouldn’t a “3-on-the-tree” be more likely? At a minimum, the fuel system and brakes will need to be addressed in hopes of this piece of Americana hitting the road again.
While the paint is faded (perhaps it will respond to wax), the body looks good, and the interior may be okay, too, when detailed. The listed mileage is 111,111, but surely that’s a placeholder. This could be a cool ride once set right, and maybe rarer than its GM counterpart, the Chevrolet Deluxe.
I’d go for saying it’s an automatic transmission since there is only one pedal, has the gear selector on the column, and 4 speed was an up and coming thing for GM. The car looks solid on the surface. Got some time in a ’52 convertible with the 8 engine and 4 speed automatic and it was a fun ride.
Ive always liked this bodystyle on the Chevy and Pontiac line. Automatic transmission was definitely available back then. Not sure it was as common as the 3 on the tree but I know they had automatic as far back as the 1948 Pontiac as I have one for sale in my area. Nice looking example but I think 12k might be a little on the high side for something that isn’t running and needs work.