Vehicle Description
This lovely little 1940 Pontiac Deluxe Eight business coupe
features the all-new A-body, which was shared with Chevrolet in
1940. Stylish, reliable, and practical, the Pontiac line had
something for everyone in 1940, and the result was some of the most
attractive cars of the era.
Finished in what might be close to Luddington Green, a popular 1940
Pontiac color, this handsome coupe looks fantastic driving down the
road or parked in your driveway. The restoration is now several
years old and showing its age in some areas, but it certainly falls
under the category of a fine ten-footer with great eye appeal. The
sleek bodywork looks sporting and trim, a great look for Pontiac
because it sold a lot of cars in 1940. It retains all its original
chrome and trim, including the trademark Pontiac streaks running
down the center of the hood, and the front bumper is a triumph of
pre-war design with three bumper guards and a pair of accessory fog
lights. A red strip along the side trim adds some contrast and
teardrop fender skirts are a period-correct accessory that make
this modest car look big and expensive. It remains in ideal
condition for club events, touring, and local shows, and it means
you'll never have to fret about bugs, rain, or dirt while driving
your vintage Poncho.
The interior has obviously been restored using tan fabric for the
seats that's both attractive and durable. The original pattern was
used, which offers plain seating surfaces front and rear and some
subtle stitching on the seat backs and contrasting piping on the
sides. For a coupe, the back seat is spacious and will be
remarkable to those only familiar with today's cars, where rear
passengers are almost an afterthought. The dash is beautifully
woodgrained and houses the original gauges, which cover all the
vitals and flank a large speedometer with wonderful art-deco
numbers cut into the plastic trim. The steering wheel is
unquestionably original and showing its age, but it's the only part
that really needs some TLC; even the trunk is neatly finished with
new materials and a correct spare tire stowed underneath.
Making an even 100 horsepower from the 249 cubic inch flathead
straight-8, performance is lively, thanks to a set of steep gears
in back (remember that there were no highways in 1940 and most cars
never saw more than 50 MPH). The engine bay is not detailed for
show but looks period-correct, showing and many authentic
components including the oil bath air cleaner and downdraft
carburetor. Wearing blue engine enamel, which is perhaps a shade or
two brighter than original, the engine runs beautifully with a
wonderful mechanical sound that's sadly absent from our cars today.
A big part of these cars' appeal lies in the way the machinery does
its work, and enjoying one as it was built is a true pleasure.
Three-on-the-tree shifting was actually pioneered by Pontiac in
1938, and it works as well here as anywhere else, and with good
gearing and lots of torque, shifting is not really necessary most
of the time. It fires up easily and idles with a nice
eight-cylinder grumble from the single tailpipe and wears a set of
older 6.50-16 wide whitewall tires.
If your interests run to pre-war cars, this Pontiac makes a
fantastic starter collectable. Parts are still easy to find, and
there are enthusiasts everywhere. Performance will keep you from
being a rolling roadblock, and its good looks will win you friends
everywhere you go. This is a lot of car for not a lot of money.
Call today!