San Francisco Street Sighting - 1951 Pontiac Chieftain DeLuxe Eight

I mentioned a couple of years ago that Bernal Heights is an unusual area full of unusual old cars, and that curiously it seems to be home to a lot of vintage Pontiacs. I've found a rat-rod '51 sedan and a beautifully restored '54 Chieftain there, and most recently this unrestored survivor '51 Chieftain DeLuxe.

Livermore Street Sighting - 1955 Pontiac Chieftain 860

Perhaps one of the most important model years ever for Pontiac was 1955, the year that the brand lost its stodgy, roly-poly image and gained V8 engines across the entire model range. The 1955 V8 replaced the old inline-six and straight-eight engines that had served Pontiac for many years. What the '55 Bel Air did for Chevy, the '55 Chieftain and Star Chief did for Pontiac. The '55 was one of the last "Silver Streak" Pontiacs, the bright trim pieces that ran over the hood and down the sides of the little tail fins. Silver Streak had long been a trademark of Pontiac, and had become something of a symbol of the "old" Pontiac. After 1956, Pontiac was reworked into a sporty brand that would be heavily marketed as such right up until its final years.

San Francisco Street Sighting - 1954 Pontiac Chieftain

I have a reaction toward many pre-1955 General Motors cars that couldn't be called "love-hate". It's more of a "like-don't care" relationship. It's easy to accuse me of being a classic car snob because of statements like that, and perhaps you'd be right, so allow me to qualify my statement. Pre-1955 GM sedans and convertibles often appear much taller and stodgier than the all-new '55s, led by the standout Chevrolet Bel Air as the mainstream styling leader complete with its new small-block V8 engine. In 1949, GM finally replaced their pre-war designs with a plethora of brand-new cars. Since all they had to work with in the regular brands were old six- and eight-cylinder engines, styling was important to their success. It was GM's goal to be the styling leader of the Big Three and fight against the relatively dull but reliable straight-six Dodges and Plymouths and quick flathead V8-powered bulletnose Fords and slick Mercurys for sales superiority.
The 1949 GM bodies continued with gradual design improvements and styling changes until 1954. Some of these changes were made only to keep the car fresh and tell customers that it was a different model year. I like the look of the 1951 and '52 Chevys, for example, as well as the '54. I am largely apathetic toward the '49-50 and '53. It's nothing personal, I just don't care for their grille designs. But here I go talking about Chevy again. As you probably gathered already, this car is a Pontiac.