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1942 Streamliner Chieftain Coupe


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hello.

I have a 1942 Streamliner Chieftain Coupe. I need to find out how rare this car really is. Also need to get the info plates deciphered. any help would be appriciated. I would like to know if there is a way to find out what number this car was off the line. i have attached photos of car and plates. Thanks!post-101029-143142538262_thumb.jpeg

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The style number indicates a six cylinder model, the paint code 4200 is for black. I'm not sure about the interior trim number. Is it original?

There were a total of 10,284 Streamliner Sixes in all body styles made.

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The style number indicates a six cylinder model, the paint code 4200 is for black. I'm not sure about the interior trim number. Is it original?

There were a total of 10,284 Streamliner Sixes in all body styles made.

According to this book, there were only a total of 2,458 Streamliner Six Chieftains (in all body styles) built....

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Edited by keiser31 (see edit history)
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I am curious ! Why do you. need. to know ?

Wayne

Maybe he will try to restore it as opposed to changing things and adding a V8 since there were so few built.

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Guest BillP

Boy, that'd be a refreshing change from the clip it, chop it and drop it approach that passes for normal these days.

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Is there a way to find out what number off the line this car was? I am building this car for my son. He loves it. He is 16 and drives a 1948 Plymouth p-15 all original. I just wish I could find a flat 6 to put back into it.

Scroll on down to the Pontiac section of the forum and find one there.

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Measure the wheelbase, 6 cyl = 119" 8 cyl = 122".

Any 1942 car is pretty rare since the model year was cut off in April. Only 10% to 15% of any car were coupe models, and of those, Pontiacs were divided into notch back and fast back designs. So, you aren't going to see another one at the mall parking lot or any cruise night you frequent.

Later..... did a little checking (Wikipedia) and they say both 6 and 8 were available on both wheelbases which surprised me. The 8 is a longer engine. Maybe you can get a clue from the location of the rad and motor mounts. If the same car had both engines the frame should be drilled for both mount locations.

Edited by Rusty_OToole (see edit history)
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I think body number C 214 may mean it's the 214th coupe body built. The serial number may shed more light as to it's sequence.
Thats what it would mean if it was a Buick. C will be the assembly plant

Style 42-2607D

42 = 1942

2 = Ponti as a guess (Buick is 4)

607D=??

Some info, but not the most reliable source

http://www.classiccardatabase.com/search.php?year=1942&make=Pontiac&series=8916

http://www.classiccardatabase.com/specs.php?series=8916&year=1942&model=19401

Better to ask here Pontiac Flathead Owners sub forum

Edited by 1939_buick (see edit history)
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Guest bkazmer
thank you all for your help. I am going to try and find motor and trans to keep this original.

I would find out which years Pontiac used this design - they did not do major engine designs often. This will greatly expand your likelihood of finding a suitable donor

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ALL Pontiac models ( A or B bodies ) could have a six or a eight and the quick way to tell is the molding on the hood is plain on the six and the eight has the word eight in the molding. Refer to Keslers table on thread #6

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Thats what it would mean if it was a Buick. C will be the assembly plant

Style 42-2607D

42 = 1942

2 = Ponti as a guess (Buick is 4)

607D=??

Some info, but not the most reliable source

http://www.classiccardatabase.com/search.php?year=1942&make=Pontiac&series=8916

http://www.classiccardatabase.com/specs.php?series=8916&year=1942&model=19401

Better to ask here Pontiac Flathead Owners sub forum

Style 42-2607D

42 = 1942

6 = six cylinder

07 = 2 door sedan

D = deluxe

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"Rare" is a very overused term to the point that it is meaningless these days. A car where there were over 2,500 of it made plus the over 11,000 V-8 versions that are pretty much indistinguishable from the V-6 versions means that while they are not sitting in everyone's garages they are not uncommon. Fo me a more realistic use of the term "rare" are autos that had hand-built coach work where most every one was unique or different.

Another example is I bought new and owned for 6 years a 1993 Nissan 240 SXSE convertible. They made 500 of them that year. I did not consider it rare, just a less than common car.

80607topdown.jpg

Edited by Kimo (see edit history)
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Guest bkazmer
"Rare" is a very overused term to the point that it is meaningless these days. A car where there were over 2,500 of it made plus the over 1,000 V-8 versions that are pretty much indistinguishable from the V-6

actually I think number of V8 = number of V6 = zero

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You have a 1942 Pontiac Eight Streamliner Chieftain 5-Passenger Sedan-Coupe. C8KB 1824 is among the sequential serial numbers for the cars assembled in the Southgate (CA) plant, the range being C8KB 1001 - C8KB 3127, making your car the 824th built at that plant. Michigan-built Eights range from P8KB 1001 - 22928, Linden, NJ assemblies are L8KB 1001 - 3451.

As Rusty mentioned above, any '42 model (that isn't a Ford or Chevy) is a rare car, because of their rate of survival. I also agree with Kimo to a point except that, regardless the number that were made, it's the number that survived that indicates rarity.

Personally I like any Eight over a Six, no matter what company's cars, because the additional length of the wheelbase is usually ahead of the cowl and adds a more rakish look. This doesn't apply to the '42 Pontiacs, as both Six and Eight "B"-body Streamliners are on the longer 122" wheelbase. The "A"-body Pontiac Torpedo Six and Eight models on the 119" whb have a different range of serial numbers, and share their bodies with some Chevy, Olds, and 40-Series Buicks.

A quick trip through the Old Car Manual Project will show that the "fastback" sedans and coupes were employed by all GM divisions in 1942, from the 116" whb Chevy Fleetline, to Cadillac's 126" whb Series 61. The Olds 76 & 78 (125" whb), 98 (127" whb), Buick Super (124" whb) and Roadmaster (129" whb), and Cadillac Series 62 (129" whb) had their own, larger "C"-body variants of the 2-door fastback design.

Pontiac used the 5-main bearing, 248.9cid engine from 1937 to 1949, so there should be plenty of donors around. According to the Kimes/Clark Standard Catalog of American Cars, 1905-1942, Pontiac production ended on Feb. 10, 1942 because of the war.

Cover of the Prestige Brochure

Your son certainly will be stylin' when you're finished with the Streamliner! :D

TG

Edited by TG57Roadmaster (see edit history)
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Yeah, and it would be woth so much more $$$ when he's done.

That's a flat out fallacy, when it comes to well done, finished cars, upgraded cars normally bring much more than stock. When I researched 49-51 Ford wagons, for instance, you could buy a done restored stock car for $35,000, but rodded versions had prices all the way up to $65,000. Only the true classics that have some demand are worth more as originals; most of the time a car that can actually be used regularly has more value than a car show only display piece.

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You have a 1942 Pontiac Eight Streamliner Chieftain 5-Passenger Sedan-Coupe. C8KB 1824 is among the sequential serial numbers for the cars assembled in the Southgate (CA) plant, the range being C8KB 1001 - C8KB 3127, making your car the 824th built at that plant. Michigan-built Eights range from P8KB 1001 - 22928, Linden, NJ assemblies are L8KB 1001 - 3451.

As Rusty mentioned above, any '42 model (that isn't a Ford or Chevy) is a rare car, because of their rate of survival. I also agree with Kimo to a point except that, regardless the number that were made, it's the number that survived that indicates rarity.

Personally I like any Eight over a Six, no matter what company's cars, because the additional length of the wheelbase is usually ahead of the cowl and adds a more rakish look. This doesn't apply to the '42 Pontiacs, as both Six and Eight "B"-body Streamliners are on the longer 122" wheelbase. The "A"-body Pontiac Torpedo Six and Eight models on the 119" whb have a different range of serial numbers, and share their bodies with some Chevy, Olds, and 40-Series Buicks.

A quick trip through the Old Car Manual Project will show that the "fastback" sedans and coupes were employed by all GM divisions in 1942, from the 116" whb Chevy Fleetline, to Cadillac's 126" whb Series 61. The Olds 76 & 78 (125" whb), 98 (127" whb), Buick Super (124" whb) and Roadmaster (129" whb), and Cadillac Series 62 (129" whb) had their own, larger "C"-body variants of the 2-door fastback design.

Pontiac used the 5-main bearing, 248.9cid engine from 1937 to 1949, so there should be plenty of donors around. According to the Kimes/Clark Standard Catalog of American Cars, 1905-1942, Pontiac production ended on Feb. 10, 1942 because of the war.

Cover of the Prestige Brochure

Your son certainly will be stylin' when you're finished with the Streamliner! :D

TG

hi, according to the vin number, and the trim tag plate, the 1942 pontiac is a 2607D, which is a streamliner chieftain coupe with a 6 cylinder engine, not a 8 cylinder engne. it was assembled in southgate, calif. which only built 1170 of the 26XX series. C6KB, not C8KB. 1937 to 1948 pontiacs used the same straight six L head engine. the 1949 pontiac straight six L head engine is different. all my information comes right out of the 1954 pontiac master parts catalog. the very last american automobile built in 1942 was indeed a 1942 pontiac built on 2/10/1942. charles coker, 1953 pontiac tech advisor.

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Charles,

250352d1401384424-1942-streamliner-chieftain-coupe-photo-45.jpg

The Serial Number on the car is C8KB - 1824. There can be no doubt that it's an 8-cylinder Serial Number. If the car is a 6-cylinder build, it will have a completely different range of 6-cylinder Serial Numbers, the range being, Southgate, CA, C6KB-1001 to C6KB-2170; Linden, NJ, L6KB-1001 to L6KB-2181; MI-built, P6KB-1001 to 11115.

250351d1401384422-1942-streamliner-chieftain-coupe-photo-9.jpg

Here's where it gets sticky, since the Data Plate clearly shows the body is a 2607D, a Chieftain Six Coupe, as shown in your '54 Master Parts Catalog and my '52 Wholesale Parts Catalog.

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42_pontiac_data2x.jpg

Larger

I base the claim that this is an Eight on the C8KB - 1824 Serial Number. It is not a 6-cylinder SN.

There are a couple of obvious answers as to why the Serial Number and the Data Plate numbers don't match. The car was built with an Eight at Southgate, given an Eight SN, and they used an available 2607D body on the line (maybe it was what they had that day), or, at some point in time the car had an engine swap, and an owner put an Eight (with its 8 SN) under the hood.

My sources indicate Pontiac used the 248.9cid engine through 1949, and switched to the 268.4cid motor in 1950. If I am wrong, I'll be happy to correct my error. The sources also show Pontiac used the 239.2cid, 90hp engine through 1950, increasing to 102hp in 1951.

Does the PHS documentation go back to 1942? It would be interesting to get the dope from them on this car.

I have a bit of a fascination for all '42 cars because of their short production runs and scarcity today.

TG

Edited by TG57Roadmaster (see edit history)
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