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Topic starter
09/02/2021 10:45 pm
For those who don't know, "it's been colder than a bosses handshake" here in Minnesota for the last week and there is no sign of it letting up for at least another week. These sub-zero temperatures along with the pandemic, tend to keep me inside more that I'd like to be.
But I had to hit the grocery store today, and bringing the groceries in to the house these two posters on my garage wall of the 1952 PONTIAC'S caught my eye. Actually it was the first photo of the hood with those iconic stripes that captured my attention.
Some REAL '52 PONTIAC Facts:
Now in its third year of popularity was the fashionable '52 Pontiac Super DeLuxe Catalina Hardtop Coupe. Holding 8-cylinders under the hood it tipped the scales at 3,448 pounds and sold for $2,446. As a 6-cylinder model it weighed a little less at 3,368 pounds and cost $2,370.
The Pontiac 8 Chieftain DeLuxe 2-door Sedan sold for 2,136 weighing in at 3,333 pounds. The 6-cylinder version was a bit lighter at 3,252 pounds and took $2.060 from your wallet to own. Wheel discs were standard equipment but the radio antenna, door-mounted side mirror, and gas door guard were extra-cost items.
A Pontiac Chieftain DeLuxe Station Wagon had styling that was in its fourth year. You could dirve it on the family picnic for $2,772. It was also Pontiac's heaviest vehicle for '52 at 3,633 pounds.
For the open-air folks, the Chieftain DeLuxe Convertible could be had for $2,518. Though it didn't enjoy the sales success of the Catalina Hardtop Coupe did, it is equally, if not more, valuable today on the collector market.
George Schire
Oakdale, Minnesota
10/02/2021 12:22 am
The Catalina is very stylish!
Barry Levittan
Long Island, NY
George Schire and George Schire reacted
Topic starter
10/02/2021 1:19 am
@moe-parr, I actually thought all of GM's cars for the early 1950's were very "frumpy" looking, but they represented that era very well. They'd certainly improved from the mid 1940's after World War II, but then pretty much stayed the same until 1955.
George Schire
Oakdale, Minnesota
10/02/2021 2:23 pm
I like the 49 thru 52 Pontiacs. In Canada the only Pontiacs I was ever aware of were based on the Chevrolet chassis, had 6 cyl. engines and had tail lights similar to the Chevy. I'm not sure if the longer wheel base and straight 8 was even offered here. A number of American styled Pontiacs from this era have shown up here but I suspect they may have been imported.
George Schire and George Schire reacted
10/02/2021 2:29 pm
@jack-dodds To someone outside the Americas, this is really surprising. Especially given Detroit is on the border with Canada. Surely it would have been much cheaper to ship the U.S. Product, than to retool? Any idea why this should have been?
10/02/2021 3:05 pm
I don't know the answer to your question but I expect it would have had something to do with establishing this industry in Canada as part of the government agreeing to allow American car companies to market their cars in Canada. I also guess that to use the Chevrolet body as a Pontiac base would have been much cheaper than retooling for the American version; given the relatively small number of Pontiacs sold in Canada back then. Same goes for the Canadian Dodge of that era, which sported Plymouth tail lights. Some of these cars were sent to Australia and Europe (assembled and also disassembled) as well.
Charles Rockett and Charles Rockett reacted
Topic starter
10/02/2021 3:26 pm
Thank you Charles Rocett and Jack Dodds for the insightful comments on the Canadian Pontiac. I've always wanted to see photos of all of the cars that were assembled there.
George Schire
Oakdale, Minnesota
10/02/2021 8:35 pm
@georgeschire George; to be honest I still prefer the smaller Canadian Pontiacs but I think it is simply because they are what I grew up admiring and what forms part of my nostalgia of that period. Since joining The Forum and gaining more knowledge however, I have come to like the larger American Pontiacs much more. Same goes for the Dodge-Plymouth issue I mentioned earlier. Bottom line is.....both Canadian and American marques are awesome!
George Schire and George Schire reacted
10/02/2021 11:08 pm
A long time fan of this generation Pontiac. My brother had a '50 that looked very similar to this one.
John Bono
North Jersey
Topic starter
10/02/2021 11:17 pm
@sizedoesmatter, from day one that I remember seeing my first Hardtop automobile, it was a body style I loved. I always thought it a shame that we eventually got away from that styling. They certainly looked much better than most Sedans with posts
George Schire
Oakdale, Minnesota
10/02/2021 11:47 pm
@georgeschire, Yes, I'm also a long time fan of the hardtop body style.
Reminds me of a car show I attended a few years back. A '54 Mercury was being displayed. On a poster in front of the car the, owner described it as a "hardtop convertible", as they were commonly referred to way back when. Younger spectators would ask the owner if the top retracted into the trunk. Got to love it!
John Bono
North Jersey
George Schire and George Schire reacted
11/02/2021 1:35 am
@georgeschire George; I agree that the HT really works well on the GM cars of this era and IMO the Pontiac in particular.
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