I think I'm ADHD and this dude is like a doctor. Just keeping calm, managing expectations, approaching each problem rationally and logically, one step at a time. (perhaps it is just edited that way! And he's as mad as me, but i doubt it) Truly love it. And that car is sweet! Low lines, nice curves, stylish art decor dash...wow..what a cruiser. Love it.
I remember riding with my grandparents in those early 50's sedans. The gauge lighting was beautiful, the dashboards were works of art, and those big bench seats were perfect.
For some of us of a certain age we totally recognise how these wonderful American cars work and operate, watching from the the UK. When I visited the USA back in 1969 I drove a wonderful Pontiac Bonneville convertible.
Your Pontiac Chieftain is absolutely gorgeous Steve. You are very lucky to enjoy such a wonderful car. Love the way you methodically approach any problems that any of your cars throws at you, solve the problem without any dramas or fits of rage. Well done Steve.
That was back when detroit really worked to design so,e beautiful cars. What we get now are nothing more than cookie cutter Toyota-lookalikes and no style, no class and too much computerization. Not fun to drive anymore like these old classics were.
@@richardcline1337 I hear you and I agree. But here's the thing. Who cares? Lucky for us, Detroit made enough of these wonderful cars that there are plenty of them around for the VERY FEW of us that care. I don't know about you, but I only need one car at a time! Don't lament the present! Embrace the past! Keep one of these masterpieces on the road.
This calm, methodical approach to the process is an excellent example for any novice mechanic, and the actual results are interesting for the experienced. If the car's been sitting for a while, the quality of the remaining fuel is definitely in question, especially if it's from the era of the evil ethanol adulteration. This car seems to have escaped that problem.
Love every video you do, every single one. You are informative and entertaining. You are free of fluff and nonsense and I always know where you are in the project. Keep 'em coming as long as you want to. I'll keep watching.
I was watching this video And realized my Pos battery post connector was overhang the battery hold down and was very close to shorting out. I keep for getting about it. I just got back from the garage after adjusting the connector away from the hold down. Thanks for your videos. carry on Steve. TZ
Very cool project Steve ! Thanks for sharing. I would like to see some of your other cars getting checked out, cleaned up and started and running ! Live to see more like this. 👍🇨🇦
Hi Steve, the usual informative and entertaining video. Great to watch your calm way of working, and approaching every challenge in a methodical way until it is solved. My first car was a 1955 Austin A30, with semaphore indicators, an 803cc A-series engine, hydraulic front brakes but mechanical rear, no syncromesh on 1st gear and lots of other "idiosyncrasies". I spent many happy hours working on it with my father!
Hi Steve. Well this is a rarity , l genuinely thought you only had British cars in your collection . That straight 8 sounds lovely and the cheiftan lighting up is a superb touch . Thanks Steve. Enjoyable and educational as always .
What a beauty! Great to see such a well-preserved original two-door. I would disagree about priming the carb from the get-go. Given that the car has sat for so long there'd be no oil in any of the galleries. Cranking the car enough to bring gas from the tank would also pump oil throughout the system, minimizing the chance of metal-to-metal contact when the engine first catches.
I had a '51 four-door in college in the early 1970s and drove it with a rebuilt engine my first year at Indiana University. I loved that car as did many of my friends when we would go highway cruising. It was a fabulous car and I wish I still had it. The straight 8 is a great, low-compression engine.
I love these old American motors, you feel like you are in a film just looking at it! Steve that was a good informative video, check things in order and not haphazard. I am sure that some of these little disgn features would have gone on to be improved and eventually used in modern vehicles. Once again thanks and keep them coming. 👍👍
There was a older lady in my town who had the exact same car. Went to her house a few times and asked to look at the engine. She always let me. One time after a snow storm she was on ice in front of the firehouse. She was not getting traction. She had placed the floor mats behind the front tires. Myself and a few of the guys happened by. We put the mats back and gave her a good push back onto the road which had been cleared and off she went. She thought I was a thirteen year old genius. I told her that I would like to buy the car if she got a new one. She passed away and her son sold the car. In case you couldn’t tell I grew up in a small town. Enjoy your videos. Thanks
You make a good video. The views are clear and the narration is easy to understand. This makes me feel like I'm sharing in the work and the glory. The lite Pontiac head was a Halloween treat.
Beautiful car! My friend has the 4 door version of this car and the Pontiac 8 is one of the smoothest running engines I have ever seen. Nice driving car too!
would love to have a late 40's or 50's car. so simple. and the interiors are cool. maybe a '48 ford convertible like jack benny drove in "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World". :) now that i think about it, my parents had a '53 or '54 plymouth once...
Great vid Steve! ……on driving your cars every so often as you stated at the end of video to keep them up, you would need to hire 10 more people to take care of your wonderful collection!
Steve, I don't know where you find these old cars but, much as vI love the British classics, this is one of the most beautiful cars I've ever seen. Vastly over-engineered and looks great for it, the quality is so obvious. I'm surprised at you, leaving the battery acid spill - not like you at all. Thanks for that final footage, with the hood ornament lit-up, pure class!!😁👍
Wow, nice car! Love that hood ordainment, nicely kept. Those always seem to be broken or sun exposed to the point of unrecognizable. As always, great content, well versed.
Steve, just a quick comment. I've watched you reassemble several diaphragm fuel pumps and would offer some advise based on what I was taught as a Joseph Lucas/CAV/Girling apprentice in the '60s. When tightening the diaphragm screws you should pull the bell-crank lever up to pull the diaphragm down. Once tight, the diaphragm can now stroke without stretching, significantly increasing it's useful working life. I love your videos and your approach to nursing old cars back to life.
Great video Steve , i live in Koh Samui Thailand , watched loads of your videos , and they give me a lot of satisfaction , how you start some of your cars just amazing , wish i had your talent
my grandfather has a 1954 pontiac cheiftan...miss that damn thing, seafoam green original paint, still had the paint on the fram, thing was mint, he always wanted one of those light up indian ornaments to put on it
Wonderful car. It always best to drive a car even for a few miles rather than letting it sit for too long. I think modern cars are even worse if they are left. Thanks Steve.
Love that apparatus on the dash which shows traffic light colour. I could really use one of those on my Chevy astro at certain lights where I have to lean forward and down in order to look up to see the lights.
That is one clean old Pontiac Steve. I hope all your viewers with stored cars will follow your guide lines for bringing a car back after hibernation to cause as few problems for these classic vehicles.. .
I recently found this channel. Awesome bank of knowledge you have! I’ve been looking at a ‘57 Pontiac Star Chief and hope,to use some of the info I’ve learned here on my new car!
The lit up head was of course, Chief Pontiac, namesake of the city and the car. I missed seeing that nifty thing when they dropped it on subsequent models.
Curious to hear why you haven't driven it in 7 years. Also, were you using 7 your old petrol? Nothing makes intake valves stick better than old fuel/varnish!
69 CJ Stang that I bought June of 69 gets run every 5-10 years. Started it again June 27, 2021 last time was MAY 2010... Pulled the car cover back to the cowl; new battery; pulled the ignition lead off the solenoid and 15 minutes of 20-30 second cranking (solenoid jumper) to move the engine oil - no ignition wait various times between cranking. Connect the ignition lead and 8 seconds of cranking it fires. Never touched the carb! Do that three times and then a hot bat jumper to the ignition and it starts and runs. NEVER opened the doors. Plugs, points, cap etc have not been changed since 1971. No lifter noise, thermostat opened. Need to replace the 50 yr old Hookers and the 3,400# Schiefer pressure plate to a streetable one. One of these days -- hmm been saying that for 30 yrs.... You used baking soda & water on the bat cables but not the tray.... heavy sprinkle of baking soda before physically scraping and dribble some water on it. Let it sit, react and neutralize the corrosion then wash it away. Leaves the tray neutralized with a small protective layer. Sprinkle the tray with baking soda before installing a new battery for more proactive protection. You also did not recommend a fuel stabilizer for ethanol gasoline sold today and lead additive for the older engines that lead was part of the standard fuels. Products like StaBil and Carb Defender to deal with the current fuels that older vehicles were not designed to work with.
In 50 it has the 268 flat head 8.......i have a twin to this car same color blue lite hood ornement visor skirts window hung "ac" hydro matic clock and radio delete with heater......but mines a 2 dr stream liner (fastback)....love the ole stuff....class and style.....
My first car was a 53 Chieftain. Dad gave it to me in high school in 1963. Lot of drive in movies in the old Pontiac. Big back seat. This vid brings back a lot of fond memories. Thank you!! And the hood ornament did light up when the lights were on. How cool was that?
Having acquired more than one car that had been sitting ['65 Riviera, '62 Coupe de Ville and my current '97 Volvo 850GLT], I can relate. All of the rubber needs to be replaced -- every belt, hose, bushing, tires, wiper blades -- before it can be driven. All of the fluids need to be flushed and replaced before starting. Likely the radiator will be rotted away and need replacing. Ditto for the entire ignition system. And that's if it's been stored indoors. If it's been sitting outdoors, the interior and paint will likely be completely shot. When you look at the car, you are smitten and see what she could be. When your friends see the car -- especially your wife or girlfriend -- they see it as it is: a rusty, pile of junk you spend time and money on that would be better spent on them. Oh, well. You can always get another girlfriend...
I received $100 when I graduated in 1967. My mother's boss had the exact same car and would take $80. It was as smooth as butter. I got drafted a year later and joined the Navy, serving as a corpsman, presumably having survived. That car was like a whale. I used to bump its bumper against a telephone pole in front of my buddies house. It would make the pole shale and the car stood firm. It was like driving around your living room.
Well out here in the hot Arizona desert starting and running a car with even 3-5 year old fuel is a sure way to get stuck valves. I hope when you layed that car up you put some Stable in the tank. Crap fuel with alcohol in it out here in the summer will start going sour in a few months especially if the tank is low on fuel.
I think I'm ADHD and this dude is like a doctor. Just keeping calm, managing expectations, approaching each problem rationally and logically, one step at a time. (perhaps it is just edited that way! And he's as mad as me, but i doubt it) Truly love it. And that car is sweet! Low lines, nice curves, stylish art decor dash...wow..what a cruiser. Love it.
Hahaha I feel the same way about the ADHD and Dr feeling!
Well written.
All I can say is, yep!
Awesome!
My Mom had a 1952 Pontiac Chieftain. What a great car. It was built like a tank, solid and dependable.
As a Brit, I like this channel for Steve's love of old British cars. But then he wheels out this American beauty - what a gorgeous car!
I remember riding with my grandparents in those early 50's sedans. The gauge lighting was beautiful, the dashboards were works of art, and those big bench seats were perfect.
Thanks for the baking soda/warm water tip. I never knew that. Great video, Steve.
That car looks well made. Like the glowing hood ornament.
Wow, that facia looks beautiful on the old girl. What a classic old car! Always admire your methodical approach to troubleshooting. It's like therapy!
That's such a beautiful car. I love the fact that it's only a 2 door too.
What a beautiful car; the fascia was like an old Wurlitzer. It's great to see it running again.
For some of us of a certain age we totally recognise how these wonderful American cars work and operate, watching from the the UK. When I visited the USA back in 1969 I drove a wonderful Pontiac Bonneville convertible.
Your Pontiac Chieftain is absolutely gorgeous Steve. You are very lucky to enjoy such a wonderful car. Love the way you methodically approach any problems that any of your cars throws at you, solve the problem without any dramas or fits of rage. Well done Steve.
No matter how old a car could be once in the hand of Steve, it will be alive running.....Well done Steve.......another great video indeed....! 🤩🤩
As always, Steve, that was hugely enjoyable. My goodness those old 'Yank Tanks' were over-engineered, weren't they???
Always enjoy This Week With Cars. Keep doing what you're doing.
I love the early 50s autos...have 3 myself. That Chieftain is a real beauty.
This car is gorgeous!! I so wish I still had our first family car, a 1952 Dodge 4 door sedan..
Love this kind of video! That Pontiac is gorgeous.
That was back when detroit really worked to design so,e beautiful cars. What we get now are nothing more than cookie cutter Toyota-lookalikes and no style, no class and too much computerization. Not fun to drive anymore like these old classics were.
@@richardcline1337 I hear you and I agree. But here's the thing. Who cares? Lucky for us, Detroit made enough of these wonderful cars that there are plenty of them around for the VERY FEW of us that care. I don't know about you, but I only need one car at a time! Don't lament the present! Embrace the past! Keep one of these masterpieces on the road.
This calm, methodical approach to the process is an excellent example for any novice mechanic, and the actual results are interesting for the experienced.
If the car's been sitting for a while, the quality of the remaining fuel is definitely in question, especially if it's from the era of the evil ethanol adulteration. This car seems to have escaped that problem.
Love every video you do, every single one. You are informative and entertaining. You are free of fluff and nonsense and I always know where you are in the project. Keep 'em coming as long as you want to. I'll keep watching.
That's a beauty , probably my favorite of all your cars shown so far.
Definitely wasn't expecting that but what a treat it was. Thanks once again Steve.
I know which mixing bowl I’m using to make waffles in the morning… That was a fun tour of the Pontiac inside and out. Beautiful car!
Thanks, Steve. Every one of your videos that I have watched has given me extra knowledge I can use.
So much style back then, it looks great lit up, nice one Steve.
I was watching this video And realized my Pos battery post connector was overhang the battery hold down and was very close to shorting out. I keep for getting about it. I just got back from the garage after adjusting the connector away from the hold down. Thanks for your videos. carry on Steve. TZ
Very cool project Steve ! Thanks for sharing. I would like to see some of your other cars getting checked out, cleaned up and started and running ! Live to see more like this. 👍🇨🇦
Hi Steve, the usual informative and entertaining video. Great to watch your calm way of working, and approaching every challenge in a methodical way until it is solved. My first car was a 1955 Austin A30, with semaphore indicators, an 803cc A-series engine, hydraulic front brakes but mechanical rear, no syncromesh on 1st gear and lots of other "idiosyncrasies". I spent many happy hours working on it with my father!
Hi Steve. Well this is a rarity , l genuinely thought you only had British cars in your collection . That straight 8 sounds lovely and the cheiftan lighting up is a superb touch . Thanks Steve. Enjoyable and educational as always .
What a beauty! Great to see such a well-preserved original two-door.
I would disagree about priming the carb from the get-go. Given that the car has sat for so long there'd be no oil in any of the galleries. Cranking the car enough to bring gas from the tank would also pump oil throughout the system, minimizing the chance of metal-to-metal contact when the engine first catches.
Wonderful Craftsmanship in these ! Remember the old Buicks , Packards and Olds of that day . Silky smooth with Boulevard rides .
I had a '51 four-door in college in the early 1970s and drove it with a rebuilt engine my first year at Indiana University. I loved that car as did many of my friends when we would go highway cruising. It was a fabulous car and I wish I still had it. The straight 8 is a great, low-compression engine.
I love these old American motors, you feel like you are in a film just looking at it! Steve that was a good informative video, check things in order and not haphazard. I am sure that some of these little disgn features would have gone on to be improved and eventually used in modern vehicles. Once again thanks and keep them coming. 👍👍
Very nice car and not a cheapie at all. Hydramatic was pretty cool in 1950, by far the best automatic transmission of 1950.
There was a older lady in my town who had the exact same car. Went to her house a few times and asked to look at the engine. She always let me. One time after a snow storm she was on ice in front of the firehouse. She was not getting traction. She had placed the floor mats behind the front tires. Myself and a few of the guys happened by. We put the mats back and gave her a good push back onto the road which had been cleared and off she went. She thought I was a thirteen year old genius. I told her that I would like to buy the car if she got a new one. She passed away and her son sold the car. In case you couldn’t tell I grew up in a small town. Enjoy your videos. Thanks
You make a good video. The views are clear and the narration is easy to understand. This makes me feel like I'm sharing in the work and the glory. The lite Pontiac head was a Halloween treat.
Beautiful car! My friend has the 4 door version of this car and the Pontiac 8 is one of the smoothest running engines I have ever seen. Nice driving car too!
America in the fifties made beautiful cars. I love that Pontiac and now want one!
We all do!
would love to have a late 40's or 50's car. so simple. and the interiors are cool. maybe a '48 ford convertible like jack benny drove in "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World". :)
now that i think about it, my parents had a '53 or '54 plymouth once...
Nice ride. They just don't build them with that level of quality anymore.
Great vid Steve! ……on driving your cars every so often as you stated at the end of video to keep them up, you would need to hire 10 more people to take care of your wonderful collection!
Steve, I don't know where you find these old cars but, much as vI love the British classics, this is one of the most beautiful cars I've ever seen. Vastly over-engineered and looks great for it, the quality is so obvious. I'm surprised at you, leaving the battery acid spill - not like you at all. Thanks for that final footage, with the hood ornament lit-up, pure class!!😁👍
Love this episode, this car is HUGE
Wow, nice car! Love that hood ordainment, nicely kept. Those always seem to be broken or sun exposed to the point of unrecognizable. As always, great content, well versed.
Steve, just a quick comment. I've watched you reassemble several diaphragm fuel pumps and would offer some advise based on what I was taught as a Joseph Lucas/CAV/Girling apprentice in the '60s. When tightening the diaphragm screws you should pull the bell-crank lever up to pull the diaphragm down. Once tight, the diaphragm can now stroke without stretching, significantly increasing it's useful working life. I love your videos and your approach to nursing old cars back to life.
I just love the Pontiac, and love the color especially. Thanks for showing us the hood ornament all lite up!
great ol poncho...such a step up from the chevy's. thx for showing the hood ornament light
You bet
Great video Steve , i live in Koh Samui Thailand , watched loads of your videos , and they give me a lot of satisfaction , how you start some of your cars just amazing , wish i had your talent
Love that old light up hood ornament !
my grandfather has a 1954 pontiac cheiftan...miss that damn thing, seafoam green original paint, still had the paint on the fram, thing was mint, he always wanted one of those light up indian ornaments to put on it
Just a beautiful old Pontiac, just awesome in every way 👍
A piece of art!
Very cool beautiful car. I love the Pontiacs and Chevs of the early 50's. Thanks for the video.
My father had a '53 Chieftain with the straight 8 and Hydramatic.
Wonderful car. It always best to drive a car even for a few miles rather than letting it sit for too long. I think modern cars are even worse if they are left. Thanks Steve.
Love that apparatus on the dash which shows traffic light colour. I could really use one of those on my Chevy astro at certain lights where I have to lean forward and down in order to look up to see the lights.
That is one clean old Pontiac Steve. I hope all your viewers with stored cars will follow your guide lines for bringing a car back after hibernation to cause as few problems for these classic vehicles..
.
I recently found this channel. Awesome bank of knowledge you have! I’ve been looking at a ‘57 Pontiac Star Chief and hope,to use some of the info I’ve learned here on my new car!
What a beautiful car. The interior is gorges . Thanks for sharing that video.
such a beautiful car... reminds me of a Tucker '48 in some respects
Excellent tutorial including trouble shooting and solutions 👍👍👍👍
The lit up head was of course, Chief Pontiac, namesake of the city and the car. I missed seeing that nifty thing when they dropped it on subsequent models.
Who else would like to see this car shown some more love?
Curious to hear why you haven't driven it in 7 years. Also, were you using 7 your old petrol? Nothing makes intake valves stick better than old fuel/varnish!
“There’s a lot more traffic in town today. There’s a big football game going on.” Then two cars go by 😅
69 CJ Stang that I bought June of 69 gets run every 5-10 years. Started it again June 27, 2021 last time was MAY 2010... Pulled the car cover back to the cowl; new battery; pulled the ignition lead off the solenoid and 15 minutes of 20-30 second cranking (solenoid jumper) to move the engine oil - no ignition wait various times between cranking. Connect the ignition lead and 8 seconds of cranking it fires. Never touched the carb! Do that three times and then a hot bat jumper to the ignition and it starts and runs. NEVER opened the doors. Plugs, points, cap etc have not been changed since 1971. No lifter noise, thermostat opened. Need to replace the 50 yr old Hookers and the 3,400# Schiefer pressure plate to a streetable one. One of these days -- hmm been saying that for 30 yrs....
You used baking soda & water on the bat cables but not the tray.... heavy sprinkle of baking soda before physically scraping and dribble some water on it. Let it sit, react and neutralize the corrosion then wash it away. Leaves the tray neutralized with a small protective layer. Sprinkle the tray with baking soda before installing a new battery for more proactive protection. You also did not recommend a fuel stabilizer for ethanol gasoline sold today and lead additive for the older engines that lead was part of the standard fuels. Products like StaBil and Carb Defender to deal with the current fuels that older vehicles were not designed to work with.
In 50 it has the 268 flat head 8.......i have a twin to this car same color blue lite hood ornement visor skirts window hung "ac" hydro matic clock and radio delete with heater......but mines a 2 dr stream liner (fastback)....love the ole stuff....class and style.....
Thanks!! I love the look of the old classics! Great work!
My first car was a 53 Chieftain. Dad gave it to me in high school in 1963. Lot of drive in movies in the old Pontiac. Big back seat. This vid brings back a lot of fond memories. Thank you!! And the hood ornament did light up when the lights were on. How cool was that?
My uncle gave my father one of those. My job as a young kid was to fill the radiator each morning as we couldn't afford to have it fixed.
Love that hood ornament.
Thank you for turning on the emblem
You are a man for all seasons.
The coolest car I’ve seen you have
Very nice car , enjoyed watching your starting process.
👍👍👍💗 The only problem I run into with my rotary-powered E-Type is stale fuel. I learned to let it run dry for storage.
I'm sure there's more than a few of us who would love to see a rotary powered E Type. Any vids?
I built it back in 1996, no video, although I could do a walkaround video. Let me think about this.
Another excellent video Steve! Hood ornament scary!
When I was a kid I thought the lighted hood emblem was so cool
Great video, Steve, just love early American cars. Straight 8 sidevalve wonderful
I have always wanted a car like that. Great video!
Having acquired more than one car that had been sitting ['65 Riviera, '62 Coupe de Ville and my current '97 Volvo 850GLT], I can relate.
All of the rubber needs to be replaced -- every belt, hose, bushing, tires, wiper blades -- before it can be driven. All of the fluids need to be flushed and replaced before starting. Likely the radiator will be rotted away and need replacing. Ditto for the entire ignition system. And that's if it's been stored indoors. If it's been sitting outdoors, the interior and paint will likely be completely shot.
When you look at the car, you are smitten and see what she could be. When your friends see the car -- especially your wife or girlfriend -- they see it as it is: a rusty, pile of junk you spend time and money on that would be better spent on them.
Oh, well. You can always get another girlfriend...
Excellent video Steve :) agree any vechiles should be driven and check over too!
Beautiful car, and great video. Thanks Steve 👍👍
Thumbs up Steve.lovin the hood!
Thanks.
I received $100 when I graduated in 1967. My mother's boss had the exact same car and would take $80. It was as smooth as butter.
I got drafted a year later and joined the Navy, serving as a corpsman, presumably having survived. That car was like a whale. I used to bump its bumper against a telephone pole in front of my buddies house. It would make the pole shale and the car stood firm. It was like driving around your living room.
Gorgeous car. Keep up the good work.
Hood emblem, so cool!
You mentioned you have an Ammeter... aren't they notorious for causing fires. You should swap to a Voltmeter ive heard.
Such a sweet old car... thanks for the video & for keeping it running!
What a great video. Got a 63 falcon I need to restart.
Wonderful car! Nice end! Just another very interesting video. Thank you! Cheers from Europe.
Looks huge on the lift after seeing all those little British cars in your other videos.
Nice done ! Thanks for sharing with us.
Cool old car, could we see more of it please
I love the will it run videos
Beautiful car !
I love these videos. So calm and easy to watch, as well as informative. Cool car too.
Great work on the fuel pump.
Hate to figure things out in cars, but this is very interesting
Well out here in the hot Arizona desert starting and running a car with even 3-5 year old fuel is a sure way to get stuck valves. I hope when you layed that car up you put some Stable in the tank. Crap fuel with alcohol in it out here in the summer will start going sour in a few months especially if the tank is low on fuel.
Wow, what a beautiful car!
I'm surprised Jay Leno hasn't been round with a wad of cash ...?
Great piece of history.
that hood ornament is the Ottawa war chief Pontiac