The Pontiac Chieftain
The Pontiac Chieftain was the crown jewel in Pontiac’s new post World War II generation. With its contemporary style and clean lines, the 1949 Chieftain was released in four models- the Sedan, Sedan Coupe, Business Coupe, and the Deluxe Convertible Coupe. At the time, all Pontiacs rode the same 120-inch wheelbase chassis. A year later in 1950, a Catalina Coupe was added to the lineup. The Streamliner wagon was discontinued in 1952 and the Chieftain wagon was manufactured in its stead.
Pontiac was so confident in this model, it gave the Chieftain a promotion. The former Streamliner series, which was top of the line, moved to down take the place of the old Torpedo. Produced on Pontiac’s A platform, the new Chieftain moved up to take the Streamliner’s place.
Customers had the option of four engine types:
- a 90 horsepower 239.2 cubic inch L-head six-cylinder
- a 93 horsepower 293.2 cubic inch L-head six-cylinder
- a 103 horsepower 248.9 cubic inch L-head eight cylinder or
- a 106 horsepower 248.9 cubic inch L-head eight cylinder
In 1951, customers had the option of getting a 116 horsepower eight cylinder engine.
The 1949 Chieftain offered some of the more interesting automobile options available such as a radio with seven vacuum tubes, a heater under the seat, and a Remington automatic home shaver. Standard were gauges to measure electric current, gas, oil pressure, and temperature.
The Chieftain Stands Alone
For the 1952 model year, the Streamliner was discontinued leaving the Chieftain as Pontiac’s only offering. The 120-inch wheelbase continued as well as the engine selection, but horsepower did increase by 15 in the eight-cylinder and 10 in the six. A red light to inform the driver the parking brake was engaged was added.
Drivers from Popular Mechanics clocked the Chieftain at 14.9 seconds in a test drive from 0-60 mph and reported their findings in a 1952 issue.
The 1953 model saw further improvements along with a new body style. The wheelbase was increased to 122 inches. The windshield was now one piece of glass and a “panoramic” rear window was installed on all models. Accentuated fins adorned the rear of the vehicle. The less equipped Chieftain Special, the greater equipped Chieftain Deluxe, and the Custom Catalina two-door hardtop coupe were new additions to the line.
In 1954, Pontiac released a model that showcased it top trim package on the Chieftain. It was called the Star Chief. The Star Chief’s entry forced the Chieftain to move down a slot in status. Both models were built on the A platform, but the Star Chief was 11 inches longer. The same year, nine horsepower was added to eight-cylinder engines. A more responsive and fully adjustable front seat was included. Power windows (only for the driver and front passenger), power brakes, and air conditioning were offered as options for the first time that year.
A Super Chief sub-series was added to the collection in 1954. They were meant to be the top of the line Chieftain models. The Super Chief was also manufactured in Australia.
Toward the end of its run, the Chieftain accounted for almost 60% of all Pontiac sales. The car was discontinued in 1958.
