Vehicle Description
This seldom-seen 1950 Pontiac Silver Streak convertible does
everything right. It's got an honest '50s look that takes no
liberties with the original design, but underneath there's a strong
350 small block V8 plus a handsome and tasteful A/C interior,
making it the ideal cruiser that's up for anything you'd like to
do.
At first glance, most people might not realize just how special
this car really is. Paint and bodywork are very stock, and while a
red convertible is hardly a sleeper, nobody will ever guess the
firepower living within. The finish was completed several years ago
so it's no longer perfect, but it's still heck of eye catcher with
just the right soft gloss that works so well on older cars like
this. Someone invested a lot of time and effort in this finish
because it's held up to the test of time, showing only expected
signs of use, and if you wanted to kick it back up a notch, a
professional cut-and-buff would do exactly that. Door gaps are good
and all the sheetmetal is straight, so you know this car has led an
easy life. Even more remarkable is the chrome and stainless trim,
which is comprised of mostly original and NOS (new-old stock)
parts, so the detailing is crisp and you don't see a lot of the
usual pitting and deterioration you get on older trim pieces. The
beautiful speed streak still wraps around the hood and decklid, and
the gorgeous Pontiac hood 'Chief' ornament is remarkably still in
place (so many of these were lost on the street or flat out stolen
in the parking lot) and beautifully preserved. Out back you'll
recognize the round taillights, as they're quite popular with hot
rodders, and only the modest chrome exhaust pipes give anything
away about the beefed up powerplant inside.
One glance inside will convince you that someone really cared about
keeping this one looking mostly stock throughout the years. That's
plush replacement upholstery on the factory bench seats, which
means that when it needed some TLC, they elected to find materials
that were close to what the car was born with it, although we'll
admit that the plush red vinyl is more comfortable than anything
from the era. Everything was attended to - that includes the seats,
carpets, and door panels. Is it seamless and 100% stock? No, but it
does show a dedication to the spirit of originality that many
restored cars seem to overlook. The dash is pure jet-age cool, with
a giant radio speaker that looks like an airplane's exhaust, and a
slick pod of gauges ahead of the driver. Stylish bright trim on the
door panels give a hint of things to come in the fabulous '50s, and
the back seat is incredibly well preserved. More evidence of the
car's easy life can be found in the steering wheel and horn button,
which are in outstanding condition when you consider that they're
likely original. Options were sparse in 1952 as you might expect,
although in this restored beauty you get an underdash, R134-powered
A/C system that's blowing nice and cold, a set of seatbelts up
front, and a power actuated convertible top - although it will need
to be serviced as it is currently inoperable. Even the trunk was
attended to during the restoration, and its spacious floor is now
protected by a black carpeting and also houses a full-size spare
tire in the original grooved location.
The original flathead six is gone, replaced by a strong 350 cubic
inch V8. Installed with added power and dependability in mind, it
runs superbly with the kind of effortless torque that makes this
luxury ragtop feel comfortable in any condition. The block was
neatly installed and lightly dressed for effect, and the rest of
the workmanship is quite good. You'll note the accessories are
tucked in close to the block and all the wiring and plumbing is
neatly routed. It's backed by a sturdy TH350 3-speed automatic
transmission and a modern front clip that includes A-arms and a
sway bar. It's nicely detailed, with clean black paint throughout,
plus a custom dual exhaust system with glasspack mufflers for a
little extra volume and rumble from the V8. Red steel wheels are
adorned with correct Pontiac hubcaps, all of which are wrapped with
235/75/15 white-line radials that finish of the awesome original
look.
This is really a well-built and very rare car that does everything
right. Fast, smooth, competent, and just plain beautiful, it's
exactly the right way to build a seldom-seen, but never forgotten
classic. Call today!
