The 1954 Chieftain beat every other American car to a feature we now take for granted: in-dash, modern-style air conditioning controls.
Lead trim: Chieftain 239.2 cu in L-head I6 (1952–1954)
Pontiac Chieftain1949–1954
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Pontiac Chieftain yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactThe 1954 Chieftain beat every other American car to a feature we now take for granted: in-dash, modern-style air conditioning controls.
The Pontiac Chieftain is an automobile produced by Pontiac from 1949 to 1958 (designer Harley Earl). The 1949 Chieftain and Streamliner models were the first all-new car designs from Pontiac after the war; the A-body Chieftain replaced the Pontiac Torpedo as Pontiac's smaller and lower-priced model. It was introduced with four models (Sedan, Sedan Coupe, Business Coupe and Deluxe Convertible Coupe), a Catalina Coupe was added in 1950 and a station wagon in 1952 with the demise of the Streamliner wagon. 1949 Chieftains came with a choice of four engines: two 239.2 cu in L-head sixes at 90 and 93 hp at 3400 rpm and two L-head eights at 103 and 106 hp at 3800 rpm (the differences due to compression ratios). Wheelbase was 120 in in 1949–51; the infobox gives 122 in for 1952–54 but the text says 1952 kept the 120 in wheelbase and the 122 in wheelbase came with the new 1953 body, so no wheelbase is entered from 1952. In 1953 there were a lower-equipped Chieftain Special and a better-equipped Chieftain Deluxe line plus the Custom Catalina two-door hardtop; the Star Chief was added in 1954 and the Chieftain became the entry-level Pontiac. The page's infobox gives 268.2 and 268.4 cu in for the L-head Silver-Streak straight-eight while its text gives 248.9 cu in and a later 0.2 cu in enlargement, so no displacement is entered for the eights.
Collectors Spotted in the Pontiac Chieftain Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Pontiac Chieftain yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
4 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chieftain 239.2 cu in L-head I6 (1949–1951) | 1949–1951 | 3.9 L Inline-6 | — | — | — | RWD | — | — |
| Chieftain 239.2 cu in L-head I6 (1952–1954) | 1952–1954 | 3.9 L Inline-6 | — | — | — | RWD | — | — |
| Chieftain Silver-Streak I8 (1949–1951) | 1949–1951 | Inline-8 | — | — | — | RWD | — | — |
| Chieftain Silver-Streak I8 (1952–1954) | 1952–1954 | Inline-8 | — | — | — | RWD | — | — |
Owning one
We don’t estimate running costs for a car like this. What it costs depends on its condition, its specialist and how it is driven, and an average would mislead.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs
In 1958, Pontiac offered something genuinely futuristic on the Chieftain: a portable transistor radio you could pull out of the dash and carry with you, sold as the 'Sportable.'
1955 was the year Pontiac finally let go of the six-cylinder Chieftain for good — the brand-new Strato Streak V8 took over the entire lineup, no exceptions.
The 1954 Chieftain beat every other American car to a feature we now take for granted: in-dash, modern-style air conditioning controls.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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