MikeMc Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 (edited) For 1942, the Torpedo name was assigned to the A-bodied Pontiac while the Streamliner became the B-bodied Pontiac. The grille got horizontal bars, while the headlamps were placed farther apart. Most Torpedoes continued to have the notchback styling found on the Deluxe Torpedoes. However a new body style to the A-bodied Pontiac was a 5-passenger 2-door Sedan Coupe which had fastback styling similar to the Streamliner. After Dec. 15, 1941, the Torpedo received wartime 'black-out" trim, which meant that all the chrome pieces were painted in Duco Gun-Metal Grey.[1] In 1946, the first postwar Pontiac's looked very similar to the pre-war models. The dash contained full instrumentation with round gauges. The engines were the same. The 4-window 4-door Metropolitan Sedan and the 2-door Club Coupe were discontinued. 1947 Torpedoes received a new "Chief Pontiac" hood ornament. An 8-tube radio became optional.[7] 1948 was the last year for the Torpedo. The Hydramatic automatic transmission became optional.[9] Base price was $1,500. http://en.wikipedia....Pontiac_Torpedo Edited April 6, 2012 by MikeMc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
my66s55 Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 (edited) It is clearly a Torpedo as that is the model by brochure. The Silver Streak issue is an a subject that Harry and I went back and forth on for a number of pm's. The name silver streak, as pointed out by Skip, was in reference to the silver streaks on the car and absolutely correct. Wekipedia was incorrect, again. The name Silver Streak was promoted in the ads by Pontiac in 1937, and appeared on the car for many years as the only name besides Pontiac. When, as a you boy, I was learning the names of cars by appearance in the early 1950's, we always referred to Pontiacs as Silver Streaks. Even to this day, ads for this vintage Pontiac refer to them as Silver Streaks. Edited April 6, 2012 by my66s55 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry P. Posted April 6, 2012 Author Share Posted April 6, 2012 Even to this day, ads for this vintage Pontiac refer to them as Silver Streaks. There's no mention of "Silver Streak" anywhere in the 1948 sales brochure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
my66s55 Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 Give it up Harry. You'll never convince me. Your too young. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry P. Posted April 6, 2012 Author Share Posted April 6, 2012 So the Pontiac brochure is lying? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
my66s55 Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 (edited) You just don't get it Harry. Silver Streak was a name Pontiac associated with there cars as a sales gimmick. You show me where on the 1948 Pontiac it says Torpedo on the body and I'll show you where it says Silver Streak. It's a concept that you just can't seem to grasp. Edited April 6, 2012 by my66s55 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry P. Posted April 6, 2012 Author Share Posted April 6, 2012 You just don't get it Harry. Silver Streak was a name Pontiac associated with there cars as a sales gimmick. You show me where on the 1948 Pontiac it says Torpedo on the body and I'll show you where it says Silver Streak. It's a concept that you just can't seem to grasp. From all the references I found, the term "Silver Streak" was a marketing catch-phrase that referred to the car's engine, it was not the car's model name. There is absolutely no mention of a "Silver Streak" Pontiac in the '48 brochure. If Pontiac sold a "Silver Streak" model in 1948, don't you think it would have been included in the sales brochure? The brochure shows Fleetleaders, Torpedos, and Streamliners. No Silver Streaks. People may refer to the cars as "Silver Streaks" because of the scripts on the fenders, but those are like "Hemi" decals on a muscle car-era Road Runner or 'cuda. They refer to the engine, they are not the car's model name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeMc Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 Gotta stick with Harrys facts this is from a '67 CHALLENGER... And this is from a '49 Torpedo... I too said "Silver Streak" and found the facts..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeMc Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 (edited) You just don't get it Harry. Silver Streak was a name Pontiac associated with there cars as a sales gimmick. You show me where on the 1948 Pontiac it says Torpedo on the body and I'll show you where it says Silver Streak. It's a concept that you just can't seem to grasp. Ahhhh Doug....Harry does get it, and you do to, as I quote you "Silver Streak was a name Pontiac associated with there cars as a sales gimmick" I think all the factory sales brochures I have now seen show its a Torpedo ..... badge or not. "The name Silver Streak was promoted in the ads by Pontiac in 1937" and was changed in '41 to Torpedo. Edited April 7, 2012 by MikeMc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
my66s55 Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 (edited) You still refuse to get it Harry. You refuse to acknowledge what was going on. It's not a model name. It's a name attached to the vehicle by pontiac for advertising purposes and it caught on. You are so thick and determined that you can't get that concept through you heads. That plus the fact that you are too young to know how it was referred to during this period and in fact, believe it or not, still is to this day. Do a google search and enlighten yourself. Silver streak is as scotch tape for cellphone tape and Reynolds wrap for aluminum foil. Get a clue. Edited April 6, 2012 by my66s55 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeMc Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 GOOGLE DECIDES Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
my66s55 Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 Mike, I got it with the first guess, if that's what you want to call it. The problem was that I added Silver Streak to the answer and that's where Harry and I got into it. It's not like a hemi insignia on a Chrysler product. The general public didn't elude to a car as a hemi plymouth, etc. like the Pontiac was/is referred to as a Silver Streak. Wekiopedia states in it web page that it is in reference to the straight eight engine, yet all Pontiacs bore the Silver Streak name, incluing the sixes. Apples and oranges for a different time and era in automotive history. The google search bears witness to the popularity of the term to this day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry P. Posted April 6, 2012 Author Share Posted April 6, 2012 Doug... I think we'll just have to agree to disagree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
my66s55 Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 Agreed Harry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CorvairJim Posted April 7, 2012 Share Posted April 7, 2012 I can't resist... I just CAN'T! Just for the heck of it, I went to Google images too and looked up "1948 Pontiac Silver Streak", and found THIS on the second page: Look familiar? It should, because it's this week's "Mystery car"! Hey, I don't care one way or the other. Harry showed the Pontiac sales brochure which clearly shows absolutely NO reference to the "Silver Streak" as a model name, and that's good enough for me. This photo just goes to show how the name has ingrained itself in the typical car guy's lexicon. It may not have been a Silver Streak when Pontiac built it, but it is one now (at least to the average old car nut... ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
otherunicorn Posted April 7, 2012 Share Posted April 7, 2012 (edited) This very car labelled as "Pontiac Torpedo Silver streak - 1948" in a different photo from the same shoot. http://commons.wikim..._1948_-_008.jpg Edited April 7, 2012 by otherunicorn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry P. Posted April 7, 2012 Author Share Posted April 7, 2012 Anyone can put a photo online and name it anything they want to name it, correct or not. I have to assume that Pontiac knew what they were selling when they printed their 1948 sales brochure. There is no mention anywhere of a "Silver Streak" model. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Anderson Posted April 7, 2012 Share Posted April 7, 2012 There's no mention of "Silver Streak" anywhere in the 1948 sales brochure. Harry is correct in this! "Silver Streak" was a slang term invented decades ago to describe Pontiac's with those chrome "silver streaks" down the hood and trunk. Incidently, that silver streak trim motif was developed by an entrant in the Fisher Body Craftsman's Guild contest back then. His name? Donald Burnham, who later grew up to become the CEO of Westinghouse in the 1950's (GM retained the right to use any styling motif presented on a FBCG model entered). Don Burnham grew up in the house next door to where I grew up in West Lafayette IN--his Dad was the longest serving mayor of WL, something like almost 40 years. Art Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
otherunicorn Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 I'm not arguing the matter - just pointing out the photo. Personally, I didn't have any idea what the car was and submitted no guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.