The bulbous nose of this tank, it turns out, is a great disguise. Inside this ’46 Pontiac Torpedo couple, there’s a GTO itching to climb out.
You’d never know, to look at it. In fact, this Torpedo seemed mostly spent, when I found it in my mechanic’s garage.
Brian, who may be the last truly independent garage guru in Iowa, soon would have this old machine purring like a newborn. I don’t know how he does it, although he has turned the same trick on a string of vintage vehicles around the region. He certainly has kept my cars whirring along obediently, as well, so I’m not one to question his judgment.
Recently, an area denizen brought Brian this fire-engine-red model, a 1946, which represented Pontiac’s first step into the postwar years – and a giant step it was. Pontiac was still a couple of decades ahead of its design zenith of the GTO, Grand Prix and Firebird Era, but the ’46 Torpedo was a definite nod in that direction.
Torpedos are considered to be among the earliest “muscle cars,” which, of course, would be a Pontiac forte in due time. Some were outfitted with inline 8’s, although this particular example had the standard six-banger.
This model hadn’t seen daylight in years – perhaps, decades — Brian assured me. The big car had been relegated to storage by an old guy connected to one of the largest businesses in the region. A grandson of the owner decided it was time to give this aged hulk some new life. Blanketed with layers of dust from so many years of activity, the Torpedo wouldn’t start (very old gas, Brian said), and it was towed, lifeless, to the garage.
Virtually everything inside and out was original, Brian discovered. Even the tires were ancient.
A few parts had to be replaced, but soon, the old Torpedo was ready to roll again. A lot of work still had to be done to clean up the car, before it could roll through the countryside in its original splendor. Brian wasn’t sure what plans the owner had for the old Pontiac.
But the makings of something great were all there.
Pontiac reached its style and performance peak in the 1960s, but the brand had plenty of tools at its disposal then, with a marque to suit every taste in automotive fashion and performance desire.
The Big Chief had a simpler approach in the war years, both before and immediately after — Torpedo was its specialty, and it had a flavor for every taste. Pontiac launched the Torpedo in 1940 on GM’s B-body. The streamlined shape gave it the look of a torpedo and was GM’s turn away from the running boards and long, stumpy designs of the ‘30s. By the time this Torpedo was made, it was using GM’s A-Body, and the more expensive Streamliner was using the B Body.
There was room for five or six real adults in one of these.
Under the hood of this car – which was adorned by the customary plastic Chief Pontiac head mounted in a metal base – was an inline six-cylinder engine, which came standard.
This particular example was not entry-level. Inside, it had woodgrain trim around the interior doors, a heater, cigarette lighter, six-tube radio and an electric clock.
Deluxe Torpedoes had notchback styling, and Customs, such as this model, got sleek fastbacks.
Pontiac made the most of the Torpedo moniker, coming out with five body styles, including a business coupe, convertible and two- and four-door sedans.
Beige corded wool cloth upholstery were common in these models, and this one is no exception. There was also a Super Streamliner Torpedo subseries. Supers had the same body styling and trim but featured two-tone worsted wool cloth upholstery with pin stripes and added sponge rubber seat cushions, electric clocks, deluxe flexible steering wheels and divan type seats with folding center armrests. Two body styles were available: a 5-passenger 2-door Sedan Coupe and a 5-passenger 4-door Sedan.
The “cow-catcher” grille got horizontal bars, while the headlamps were placed on the outer edge of the cars bulky front fenders.
For 1946, new Pontiacs looked much the same as later prewar models. The dash contained full instrumentation with round gauges. The engines didn’t change.
The Torpedo ended its run with the 1948 models.
It didn’t end with a thud. Pontiac’s real boom years were still in the future. Models like this made sure the Chief stayed on target.
(Editor’s note: Jim Offner has been posting at CC for years as “Iowa”.)
Wowee – pure fastback sugar rush. That would be fun to runaround in. Great find.
That’s going to shine up an absolute treat. Hope they keep it original!
I panicked at the first mention of GTO, thinking, “Oh God, not another resto-rod.” Cars like this need to be kept original. If only to remind the world that Pontiac made cars other than the GTO, Grand Prix, and Firebird.
Lol, we had the same thought!
Same thought here too. So nice to see an oldie unmolested.
Damn, that is wonderful! The kind of stuff I used to attend AACA meets to see (although the one I hit two weeks ago was loaded with street rods and resto-rods, outnumbering the pure restorations).
Please follow up on this one, I’d love to see pictures of the car on the street in it’s full glory. I love the “over-chromed Chevy” styling of Pontiacs of that era. When I was a kid, dad used to complain that the one group in Johnstown he couldn’t sell to was the parishioners of the Polish Catholic Church a block down the street from the family (Byzantine) Catholic Church. The day I first walked into St. Casmir’s I understood why. Our church was bare bones by comparison.
What a great find, hopes its left stock and just driven and maintained.
This one is in amazing condition for an original car. I do love the early postwar era for American cars. These GM fastback B bodies are some of the best.
I have come across two Pontiacs of this time period, the woodie wagon I wrote up and a really rough coupe that was notable for being equipped with Hydra Matic. I don’t think the automatic was made available on Pontiac until 1947 or 48, but once it was there was a real reason to move up from a Chevrolet.
Stock is the fashion around these parts, and I see a lot of resto-jobs plying the area roads.
I’ll pass along any updates I can get.
When I was a kid, we had a two door ’48 Pontiac Streamliner in 1953 and 1954. This was the longer wheelbase (122″) model with the flat head straight 8.
It was quite a step up from our former car, a 1938 Pontiac sedan with the six.
Lousy gas mileage, but we made long trips in it.
I have a serious weak spot for these GM Fastbacks, and this one appears to be very original. I definitely want to own one of these at some point in my life.
Nice, call up Coker tire for some vintage blackwalls.
I was thinking about the Tucker Torpedo yesterday, compared to the Tucker this does indeed look more like a tank. But what a car, I hope the recommissioning goes well!
When I was very little, I would occasionally see cars of this vintage and they would look just like this–the cracked blackwall tires, the musty tan cloth interior, the solid massiveness of it. Usually seen beside a gas station, in an old barn, or pushed ‘way back in someone’s driveway. However, ones I saw were always black or some dark color–not bright red.
All the fine details would be fascinating to study: the Indian motifs on the hood and hubcaps, the Art Deco steering wheel and dashboard . . . a big contrast from the familiar ’70s cars. Very old, definitely; not 1920s/early ’30s (as seen on Little Rascals and Laurel & Hardy), but not ’50s either.
I agree with the rest of the gang–keep it original!
OMG! I remember seeing streamliners from the 40s, but this is like seeing the love of your life for the first time. I absolutely love this car and how it looks, what a find.
These GM fastbacks are awesome, especially love the extra detail of the Pontiacs. Somehow, I didn’t know about the “Torpedo” model name.
Good to see a survivor being revived, hope it has a owner who will appreciate it as it is, not turned it into another homogenized, same-as-every-other 350/350 rod the owner will soon become tired of. eBay and other on-line sites are full of them.
Pontiacs of those postwar years were plentiful in my area as a kid in the 1960’s. The Pontiac dealer was very successful, selling lots of Torpedoes and Streamliners. As he took them in trade, those he couldn’t resell landed up on ‘the farm’. It was a dairy farm he also owned, parked dozens of used Pontiacs and other trade-ins in the barnyard near the dirt road. Weathering turned them to scrap, though some still looked very good when they were parked. Folks wanted the new, didn’t care even if the car was still good, it was old-fashioned, out-of-date.
What a great find-I hope it stays stock! Back around 1960-61 my dad bought a 1950 Pontiac 2dr fastback as a second car; it had the 6 cyl and 3 on the tree. I remember it was blue; I believe he only had it about a year or so as it needed a new battery but as it had a six volt electrical system he traded it in as he could not find any replacement batteries.
I’m surprised that he had trouble finding six volt batteries in 1961, especially since they were standard in cars until 1955, and Volkswagen used them until 1966.
Uncle John had one of these. His was a 6 too. A 4-door in grey. Had 3 jobs in his entire life. Worked at a service station in high school. Joined the Navy during WWII. Became a manager for the “Wheat Fleet” after that. My father had a 1947 Olds at about the same time. A 2-door with the 6 in black with the Hydra. My father’s was a special model for disabled veterans. Both great fastbacks! GM A-body.
I bet this old gal is going to be revived in no time. She looks great under that dust.
I do wonder about the name “Torpedo”. Wasn’t it weird, so close after the war, to give a car that name? I know it was used in MY 1942, but they could have thought of something a bit less aggressive / explosive.
Could have been worse, of course. “New for ’46: the Pontiac Depth Charge”…
GM applied the ‘torpedo’ moniker to the new C-body series for 1940, even Pontiac got to use them for the top-line models but only for that year and 1941. It was the only instance where there were C-bodied Pontiacs. “Torpedo” implied they were streamlined, smooth, fast and lethal when on target. They were ‘lethal’; torpedoed Packard big-time, sent them on a mad scramble to create the ’41 Clipper to try and catch up.
How about new for 1946 – the Pontiac A-Bomb? lol
Fantastic hood ornament – does this one light up?
The burgundy red says “I’m from the 1940’s”.
Backing up and driving this car looks rather challenging due to blind spots.
It is refreshing to see a Pontiac that’s not a GTO, Grand Prix or Firebird.
What a beautiful example of one of the best GM body designs of the 1940’s!
The Pontiac Division manufactured real naval torpedoes in the Second World War, did that lead to naming the cars ‘Torpedos’?
Wow, This is my car I found when I googled 1946 Pontiac. Didn’t know anything abut this article. The car is getting a complete off frame restoration at this time. Leaving all mostly original.
I collect 1/43 scale Brooklin Models which are high quality and made in white metal so have some heft to them. I just purchased the 1946 Pontiac Torpedo model made by Brooklin in England. I was interested to see what home the owner of such a car would have & what the neighbourhood would be like? I can maybe build a scale model house and garage for my new model car!