The Pontiac Chieftain is an automobile which was produced by Pontiac from 1949 to 1958. The 1949 Chieftain and Streamliner models were the first all new car designs to come from Pontiac in the post World War II years. Previous cars had been 1942 models with minor revisions.
In 1949 the A-body Chieftain replaced the Pontiac Torpedo as Pontiac's smaller and lower priced model. However, the newly redesigned B-bodiedPontiac Streamliner was now very similar (if not exact) in dimensions, engines, trim levels and options. This was the first time since 1934 that all Pontiacs had the same wheelbase. They had standard automatic interior lighting.[2]
The Chieftain was initially introduced with four models: Sedan, Sedan Coupe, Business Coupe, and Deluxe Convertible Coupe. In 1950, a Catalina Coupe was added to the range while a station wagon was added in 1952, with the demise of the top-of-the-line Streamliner wagon.[4]
1949 Chieftains came with a choice of four engines:
a 239.2 cu in L-head 6-cylinder engine making 90 horsepower (67kW) at 3400rpm
a 239.2 cu in L-head 6-cylinder engine making 93 horsepower (69kW) at 3400rpm
a 248.9 cu in L-head 8-cylinder making 103 horsepower (77kW) at 3800rpm
a 248.9 cu in L-head 8-cylinder making 106 horsepower (79kW) at 3800rpm
The horsepower differences between each of the 6- and 8-cylinder engines were due to changes in compression ratios.
Some of the more interesting optional items available for the first generation Chieftain included a radio with seven vacuum tubes,[2] tissue dispenser, under seat heaters, and a Remington Auto-Home shaver. In 1951, the horsepower on the 8-cylinder rose to 116.[2] The Chieftain came with a gas gauge, ammeter, oil pressure gauge, and a temperature gauge which had marks for 160, 180, and 220 degrees Fahrenheit.[5]
For the 1952 model year, Pontiac discontinued the Streamliner leaving the Chieftain as their only offering. The Chieftain continued with the 120 inch wheelbase. Engine offerings were basically the same except for the 8-cylinder which got a .2 cubic inch enlargement. Horsepower did increase by 10 on the six-cylinder and by 15 on the eight-cylinder. Also, a red light to remind the driver that the parking brake was on was new. In the May 1952 issue of Popular Mechanics, the Chieftain was rated 14.9 seconds for a 0-60mph time. Front head room was 36 inches, while rear head room was 35.75 inches.[6]
In 1953, Pontiac came with a new body style, offering a 122in (3,099mm) wheelbase, and sleeker lines. The windshield was now one piece, and a panoramic rear window was standard. Pontiacs sported accentuated bubbled-up fins in the rear for the first time in 1953. The six-cylinder engine was standard. There was a lower-equipped Chieftain Special and a better-equipped Chieftain Deluxe line, as well as the Custom Catalina two-door hardtop coupe. A light-up plastic Chief Pontiac hood ornament that illuminated with the headlights adorned the front end.[7]
The Star Chief was added to the Pontiac line in 1954 and the Chieftain was moved down to entry level status. Both cars were built on the A-body shell, but the new Star Chief had an 11in (279mm) extension added to its frame. Also in 1954, output of the eight-cylinder engines increased by about nine horsepower due to carburetor changes, up to 122hp (91kW) for the manual and 127hp (95kW) for the Hydra-Matic. The six-cylinder engines remained unchanged.[7]:73
Pontiac was the last GM division to abandon its prewar inline eight engines as Oldsmobile and Cadillac had adopted modern OHV V8s in 1949 and Buick in 1953; Chevrolet had never has an inline eight. The 1953-54 Pontiacs had been meant for the division's new OHV 287 V8; however, Buick division managers succeeded in delaying its launch until 1955 to avoid upstaging their "Nailhead" Buick V8.
Partially because of competition from Chevrolet, Oldsmobile, and Buick, and partially because Pontiac still lacked a V8, total sales fell by 30% in 1954.
Also in 1954, power brakes, "power lift" windows (only for the front doors), as well as air-conditioning were offered as extra cost options for the first time.[8] The 1954 Pontiacs have the distinction of the first production car in the US to have an air conditioning system in the modern sense with in-dash controls. In addition, a far more responsive and fully adjustable front seat was added.[2]
1949 Pontiac Chieftain De Luxe 4-Door Sedan
1950 Pontiac Chieftain
1951 Pontiac Chieftain De Luxe Convertible
1952 Pontiac Chieftain De Luxe Two-Door Sedan
1953 Pontiac Chieftain De Luxe Four-Door Sedan
1954 Pontiac Chieftain Special Six two-door sedan, with considerably less chrome than the Deluxe models
The 1955 model Chieftains featured completely new chassis, body and engine. The engine was the biggest news as this was Pontiac's first V8 called the Strato Streak V8. The last time Pontiac had offered a V8 was in 1932 when the Oakland Model 301 with a flathead V8 was renamed Pontiac. The 287.2cuin (4.7L) engine made 173 or 180 horsepower (130kW) at 4400rpm depending on which version was ordered (again, the difference was due to changes in compression ratios). Later in the year, a 200-horsepower four-barrel version was added. Six cylinder models did not return and the 1955 lineup was V8-only. A six-cylinder model had been considered, but Pontiac management decided not to retain it due to slow sales—six-cylinder Pontiacs had accounted for only around 10-15% of volume since 1951. The traditional "Silver Streak" appearance five-chrome strips running down the hood and trunk were updated with a twin-stripe design.[2]
The biggest change for 1956 was again in the engine. The new for 1955 V8 was drastically enlarged to 316.6cuin (5.2L). Horsepower made a considerable increase, from to 192 and 205. Otherwise, the 1956 model Chieftains received only minor updates. A padded safety dashboard was added as an option. Sales for 1956 fell off by as much as 20% over record-setting 1955, in part due to tighter credit guidelines instituted by American banks that year.[9]
New "Star Flight" styling graced the 1957 Chieftains. This new theme included missile shaped side trim, extended rear fenders with V-shaped tips, lower hoods and massive bumpers. A new Super Chief sub-series debuted within the Chieftain line. These were the meant to be the top-of-the-line Chieftain models. Sales were 58.02% of all Pontiacs in 1957. The first "Tri-Power" Pontiac engines were offered.[1][2] Once again the Pontiac V8 was enlarged. The 1957 model year saw the engine increase to 347cuin (5.7L),[10] with horsepower increasing to 290 for the Chieftain models. This generation didn't experience the popularity as much as the Chevrolet Tri-Five during the same years, even though the models were very similar.
1955 Pontiac Chieftain two-door Catalina
1956 Pontiac Chieftain four-door Catalina
1956 Pontiac Chieftain two-door sedan
1957 Pontiac Chieftain Four-Door Sedan
Australian production
The 1957 Pontiac, badged as the Pontiac Super Chief, was also assembled in Australia, by General Motors-Holden.[11]
Chieftains went through another major styling change in 1958. All models were given honeycomb grilles, quad head and tail lamps, concave rear fenders. The Super Chief sub-series was promoted to full model status leaving just the standard array of Chieftains as the entry level Pontiac. The "Sportable" transistor radio became an option (a portable, removable radio),[12] along with air-suspension and a limited slip differential.[1][13]
As in years past, the V8 engine was enlarged. For 1958 it grew to 370cuin (6.1L) and made 240 horsepower (180kW) and 270 horsepower (200kW) depending on version. The 1958 models were the last Chieftains to be produced. It was replaced with the all-new Catalina in 1959.
1958 Pontiac Chieftain 4-Door Sedan
Related Research Articles
Pontiac, or formally the Pontiac Motor Division of General Motors, was an American automobile brand owned, manufactured, and commercialized by General Motors. It was originally introduced as a companion make for GM's more expensive line of Oakland automobiles. Pontiac quickly overtook Oakland in popularity and supplanted its parent entirely by 1933, in turn establishing its position as one of GM's dominant divisions.
The Buick Skylark is a passenger car formerly produced by Buick. The model was made in six production runs, during 46 years, over which the car's design varied dramatically due to changing technology, tastes, and new standards implemented over the years. It was named for the species of bird called skylark.
The Chevrolet Bel Air is a full-size car produced by Chevrolet for the 1950–1981 model years. Initially, only the two-door hardtops in the Chevrolet model range were designated with the Bel Air name from 1950 to 1952. With the 1953 model year, the Bel Air name was changed from a designation for a unique body shape to a premium level of trim applied across a number of body styles. The Bel Air continued with various other trim level designations, and it had gone from a mid-level trim car to a budget fleet sedan when U.S. production ceased in 1975. Production continued in Canada, for its home market only, through the 1981 model year.
The Oldsmobile Cutlass was a series of automobiles produced by General Motors' Oldsmobile division between 1961 and 1999. At its introduction, the Cutlass was Oldsmobile's entry-level model; it began as a unibody compact car, but saw its greatest success as a body-on-frame intermediate. The Cutlass was named after Vought F7U Cutlass, as well as the type of sword, which was common during the Age of Sail.
The Grand Prix is a line of automobiles produced by the Pontiac Division of General Motors from 1962 until 2002 as coupes and from 1989 through 2008 model years as four-door sedans.
The Pontiac Catalina is a full-size, junior series automobile produced by Pontiac from 1950 to 1981. Initially, the name was a trim line on hardtop body styles, first appearing in the 1950 Chieftain Eight and DeLuxe Eight lines. In 1959, it became a separate model as the "entry-level" full-size Pontiac.
The Pontiac Bonneville is a model line of full-size or mid-size front-engine rear drive cars manufactured and marketed by Pontiac from 1957 until 2005, with a hiatus for model years 1982-1986.
The Buick Special was an automobile produced by Buick. It was usually Buick's lowest-priced model, starting out as a full-size car in 1936 and returning in 1961 as a mid-size. The Special was built for several decades and was offered as a coupe, sedan and later as a station wagon. When GM modernized their entry level products in the 1960s, the Special introduced the modern Buick V6 that became a core engine for GM for several decades and lived on in upgraded form until 2006.
The Tempest is an automobile that was produced by Pontiac from 1960 to 1970, and again from 1987 to 1991. The name "tempest" is from Old French tempeste, from Latin tempestas ("storm"), from tempus.
Buick Century is the model name that was used by Buick for a line of upscale full-size cars from 1936 to 1942 and 1954 to 1958, as well as from 1973 to 2005 for mid-size cars.
The Oldsmobile Starfire is an automobile nameplate used by Oldsmobile, produced in three non-contiguous generations beginning in 1954. The Starfire nameplate made its debut as a convertible concept car in 1953 followed with the 1954–1956 Ninety-Eight series convertibles that shared a "halo status" with the Buick Skylark and Cadillac Eldorado. For 1957 only, all Ninety-Eight series models were named "98 Starfire".
The Pontiac LeMans is a model name applied to automobiles marketed by Pontiac. The name came from the French city of Le Mans, the site of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the world's oldest active sports car endurance race that began in 1923. Originally a trim upgrade package based on the Tempest, the LeMans became a separate model in 1963.
The Buick Roadmaster is an automobile that was built by Buick from 1936 until 1942, from 1946 until 1958, and then again from 1991 until 1996. Roadmasters produced between 1936 and 1958 were built on Buick's longest non-limousine wheelbase and shared their basic structure with the entry-level Cadillac Series 65, the Buick Limited, and after 1940, the Oldsmobile 98. Between 1946 and 1957 the Roadmaster served as Buick's flagship.
The Pontiac Grand Am is a car model that was produced by Pontiac in various years between 1973 and 2005. Produced as a RWD mid-size car on the LeMans GM A platform in its first two generations, the Grand Am name was reused for a FWD compact car for its last three generations.
The Plymouth Belvedere is a series of American automobile models made by Plymouth from 1954 until 1970.
The Chevrolet Delray, named after the Delray neighborhood of Detroit, Michigan, debuted in 1954 as an optional trim level on two-door models of Chevrolet's mid-range 210 series of cars. In 1958, it became a distinct series of its own at the bottom of Chevrolet's lineup, and added a four-door sedan, and sedan delivery, but it only remained in production for that model year.
The Ford Custom is an automobile which was produced by Ford in the United States, Canada and Australia in certain years from 1949 to 1981.
The Pontiac Star Chief is an automobile model which was manufactured by Pontiac between 1954 and 1966. It was Pontiac's top trim package on the Pontiac Chieftain, with later generations built on longer wheelbases, and serving as the foundation platform for the Pontiac Bonneville. The car was easily identified by its chrome star trim along its sides, a feature all Star Chiefs were equipped with.
The GM A platform was a rear wheel drive automobile platform designation used by General Motors from 1925 until 1959, and again from 1964 to 1981. In 1982, GM introduced a new front wheel drive A platform, and existing intermediate rear wheel drive products were redesignated as G-bodies.
The Pontiac Torpedo was a full-sized car produced by Pontiac from the 1940 through the 1948 model year. When released, it was the biggest Pontiac, used an 8-cylinder engine, and it had more standard features than other Pontiacs. Although the Torpedo name was exclusive to the highest line of Pontiacs in 1940, in 1941 the name was applied to all Pontiacs in three separate lines. The Custom Torpedoes were now top-of-the-line name, while the DeLuxe Torpedo became the base line, and the Streamline Torpedo became the middle line of Pontiacs. All Torpedo models could be had with either a 6-cylinder or 8-cylinder engine beginning in 1941. From 1942 to 1948 the Torpedo name designated only the base line of Pontiacs. The Torpedo was replaced by the Pontiac Chieftain in 1949. It was with this generation that all GM vehicles experienced increased width dimensions to accommodate three passengers on the front bench seat and an additional three passengers on rear bench seat installed vehicles. This was accomplished with the deletion of running board thereby adding additional room inside the passenger compartment.
References
1 2 3 4 Gunnell, John A., ed. (1982). Standard Catalog of American Cars 1946-1975. krause publications. ISBN0-87341-027-0.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
