1948 Pontiac chieftain Has visor and skirts $5,500 Wellpinit, WA

[f.f.jones]

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/806178050937413/?ref=category_feed&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3A391fb922-a8ce-4a19-a6ce-63f04c14003c

 

Seller's Description

Runs good. Latch for hood needs to be fixed. Radio and clock work. Three on the tree. Interior and rust damage. OBO on the price. Not a mechanic. Driven 60,000 miles. $5,500.

I think this is a reasonably scarce (rare) 1949 Canadian Pontiac.

Seller says it's a '48, but this body style wasn't available until '49 in the US.  Also, most of the exterior trim, the rear quarter panels and tail lights are '49-'50 Chevrolet. The instrument panel and the grille are definitely Pontiac. The one piece windshield is Pontiac. Front fenders are Chevy; US Pontiac front wheel openings were circular, not flattened out at the top. Seller says the radio works, but a block-off plate is shown in the photo (?).

It would be interesting to know if the engine is a flathead (Pontiac) or overhead (Chevy).

I added the last pictures below of a US 1949 Pontiac and Chevy for comparison.

 

 

 

 

 

 

1949 Pontiac Chieftain, USA

 

 

 

1949 Chevrolet Fleetline Deluxe, USA

Edited June 4, 2023 by f.f.jones (see edit history)

[The 55er]

Looks like a real mishmash of different year parts on the front end there, it's no wonder the hood latch (and some other stuff) needs to be fixed. Oh well, if ya got a big enough hammer, ya can make just about anything fit. Car is way overpriced for what it is IMO especially for its condition. Page is from a Canadian Pontiac parts book. 

[f.f.jones]

Maybe its a '51. It sure isn't a '48 like the seller says.

Any comments from Canada??

[Reynard]

Interesting combination of grille pieces: The grille appears to be 1951 US vintage, however the emblem above the grille is a 1950 US item.

 

 

 

The 1951 US emblem is larger and appears as though it is part of the upper grille bar.

 

 

 

Here's a blog with more 1949-1953 Canadian Pontiac camments:

 

https://carstylecritic.blogspot.com/2021/11/early-1950s-canadian-pontiacs-with.html

 

 

Edited June 4, 2023 by Reynard (see edit history)

[arcticbuicks]

its not a 48.......and the first digit in serial number is the yr example 9 is 1949.......1 is 1951.....its 49-52 for sure canadian and im not home to look exact front for ID in my canadian mitchel book...it is a flathead pontiac engine and there was no 8 cyl models in Canada those years,the body is factory chevy ,the front fenders are chevy but may have different cutouts for trim and lights from factory,pontiac even used some chevy trim and on the side and just raised or lowered it and sometimes added a piece,the hood is pontiac as for the recessed area for wide chrome,and the dash pontiac..........below is example of Canadian pontiac using chevy trim on the side but made fancy by adding two chrome pieces and raising long front fender chrome.......remove the short door chrome........and remove the short ornate chrome on front fender.......then lower the front fender chrome.........and its chevy ...........basically on the 49-54 its the engine ,trunk lid,hood,dash,and grille  that are different from chevy........with a few added chrome trim parts,tail lights were chevy from factory .....there are still a lot of these around western Canada prairies,i know a place with about 15 of them from wagons to HT minimal rust if any if someone wants.

Edited June 4, 2023 by arcticbuicks (see edit history)

[arcticbuicks]

a lot of the canadian pontiac parts have similar look to US but being a chevy version car in Canada i found a lot of the pontiac parts to be smaller than the US versions........the Canadian Pontiacs were all based on Chevies for years later than this one too.........and most of the V8 models in the 50s-60s were Chev V8 not pontiac engines

[GARY F]

It says radio and clock work, but I do not see radio.

[Marty Roth]

Many years a Canadian Pontiac was based on a chevy chassis and basic body, but with front clip more like Pontiac, and in this case, added Pontiac Silver Streak to trunklid, but retains Chevy Tail lights.

 Mostly how they were marketed.

[Bloo]

I don't think they necessarily even got the Pontiac front clip. I am a fan of the 53 Pathfinder (like the red 53 Pathfinder Deluxe @arcticbuicks posted). If you look closely at the front fenders, you can see the characteristic stamped line above the chrome and the matching headlight ring of a 53 Chevy that the US 53 Pontiacs did not have. It will have a Pontiac engine, but I would expect the rest of the drivetrain to be Chevrolet.

[arcticbuicks]

they did not get the pontiac front clip ........of a USA built car.......true........the hood is different than chevy as the center is recessed for the wide chrome.......the front fenders are chevy yes ...but the cut out and holes around grille and marker lights are a little different than chevy depending year and model........i sold a couple 53-54 HT 2 door pontiac to a restoration shop several years ago that actually made bel air HT's from them just using  4 door parts cars,the dash was fairly easy to remove spot welds along the windshield pinch weld,i dont remember if the transmission was the same but everything else is besides engine........and maybe the odd thing like radiator and dash harness should be different

[arcticbuicks]

this is just one place I know of that also has 10 or so HT 2 doors and maybe 15 two and four door sedans , mix of Chev and Canadian Pontiac, all for sale and dry northern min rust no salt area