A Guide to Restoring Your '36 Pontiac
(What the Manuals Don't Tell You)
By:
Bob Shafto
Andy Lee
1988
Rev. 2005
Introduction
Its fall, 1935, and the U.S. auto industry is trying to increase sales by introducing its new line of 1936 cars months earlier than ever before. The New York auto show, where cars are traditionally introduced, is moved to early November from its usual January date. A major hope is that buyers will choose a car for that someone special as a Christmas present. Department store executive express concern.
Buick,
completely redesigned for 1936, jumps the gun and gets to the showrooms first
in late September. A month later, other manufacturers follow suit. Pontiac introduces
its twenty-one new models on October 26th. Like most other makes, its '36
designs are very similar to the '35s. Industry thinking seems to be "why
tinker with success," since the 1935 cars were generally popular with the
public.
For
1936, Pontiac retains the distinctive "Silver Streak" chrome grill
first introduced in '35. According to Business Week magazine, "Salesmen
will build their persuasive stories around the idea that the Pontiac is built
to last 100,000 miles." The most
obvious difference from the '35s is a switch from front opening,
"suicide" doors to rear opening doors. Otherwise, there is much
similarity between the two years.
Customers
have a choice of seven body styles available in three different lines. The
lowest price cars are the Master Silver Streaks. For more luxury, a DeLuxe
Silver Streak is available; at the top of the line is the DeLuxe Eight, boldly
proclaimed "The Smoothest Eight in the World." The choice of body styles includes a business
coupe, sport coupe (it has a rumbleseat), cabriolet coupe, two door sedan, two
door touring sedan, four door sedan and four door touring sedan. The touring
sedans have trunks capable of holding more luggage than the standard sedans.
Once
a style and line is decided on, other choices must be made. Pontiacs are
offered in fourteen different colors and with a wide variety of options. If an
ashtray, radio or heater are desired, they will cost extra. So will a right
tail lamp, a right sun visor, a clock and several other features a customer of
fifty years hence would take for granted. Perhaps the most distinctive option
is the sidewell fenders available on the DeLuxe models.
T |
he public is very satisfied with Pontiac's line of
automobiles for 1936 and a new sales record is set: 178,496 cars are sold in
the next twelve months, placing Pontiac seventh in sales for the year (just
behind Buick, which sold 179,533 cars). Pontiac's first cousin, Chevrolet, was
the sales leader for all makes in 1936, selling a total of 975,238 cars.
A
small number of those 178,496 cars survive the Depression, a World War, the
50's hot rod and stock car crazes, and the usual causes of motorcar mortality
to become collector items in their old age. They give rise to a small but eager
group of cultists who still favor the features that so many people found
attractive in the fall of 1935: modern day 1936 Pontiac owners.
It is with the hope that there will always be '36 Pontiacs in the world that we contribute this modest treatise on their pedigree, care and feeding.
The
first thing to know about these cars is revealed in the various codes used to
identify the year, model and specific features. The first place to look for
that information is on the firewall identification tag, located just above the
steering column. That tag looks like this:
This tag contains several key items of information about your vehicle. The first two digits of the Style Number indicate the year of the car; the third and fourth the series (two series were made in 1936: 26 for sixes, 28 for Eights); and the fifth and sixth the model. If an “A” follows the model number, the car was a Master Six. If followed by a B, it had bucket seats.
Body Numbers were not necessarily stamped consecutively for each model, so that number doesn’t really tell you much. Bodies were built at the adjacent Fisher Body Service Division of General Motors plant, including paint and interior (except dash instruments), and body tags applied there. They were sent across the railroad tracks to the assembly plant and stored on the 2nd floor until needed on the line. Other body panels were added (and painted) there, which could create problems, especially with metallic paints that might not match exactly.
The Trim and Paint Number tell what interior was used and the original color of the car. If a "V" is stamped to the right of the paint or trim number, the car was equipped with an optional right hand sun visor. If a "D" follows the Paint Number, the car had Duco paint on the fenders. If a "W" is stamped on the tag, it was a six-wheel model (equipped with side well fenders).
Mistakes were made that resulted in the wrong tag being applied to a car. For example, Bob has a 36-2667A tag taken from a Cabriolet. The tag indicates it should be a Master, but it was actually a DeLuxe Eight.
The
Vehicle Identification Number is located attached to your frame just in front
of the steering box. The first three characters identify the line: 6BB is a
Master Six; 6BA a DeLuxe Six; and 8BA a DeLuxe Eight. The numerical digits are
the number of the frame. They run consecutively beginning with – we think
– #0001. If your number is 6BB 8494, you have the 8,494th Master Silver
Streak produced.
Interior Codes
The
Trim No. indicated which interior the car has. Interiors varied by style, as
follows:
Master Six
|
|
31 |
Taupe Plain Plush |
34 |
Tan Pattern Cloth |
35 |
Brown Bedford Cord |
36 |
Tan Leather (conv.) |
38 |
Tan Leather (closed) |
DeLuxe Six
|
|
30 |
Taupe Plush |
33 |
Tan Pattern Cloth |
36 |
Tan Leather (conv.) |
37 |
Tan Leather (closed) |
Deluxe Eight
|
|
30 |
Taupe Plush |
32 |
Tan Pin Stripe Cloth |
36 |
Tan Leather (conv.) |
37 |
Tan Leather (closed) |
P |
ontiac shared the same bodies used by Oldsmobile, Buick (40 Series) and some Chevrolet models, although fenders, running boards and hood styling were different among the three nameplates. Reportedly, the only interchangeable parts are the rear fenders from a '36 Olds. The tail lamp mounting holes and the fender brace are different, but it can be made to fit if no other replacement is available. Otherwise, no other body panels can be substituted from other GM makes.
Since
the wheelbase of the DeLuxe Eights was four inches longer than the sixes
(116" vs. 112"), the front fenders and hood on the eights are also
four inches longer. If you're looking for replacement fenders or hood panels,
be sure you specify which series you need since they are not interchangeable.
The
literature says that the six-wheel configuration was available on the Eights
and the DeLuxe Six coupes and cabriolets, although a Master Six 4—door touring
sedan in GM’s collection has the 6-wheel option, probably incorrectly? These
cars came equipped with two sidewell fenders and are extremely rare today.
Style Codes, Base Price
|
||
Master Silver Streak - 93,475 built
|
||
Business Coupe |
36-2607A |
$615 |
Sport Coupe |
36-2657A |
$675 |
Cabriolet |
36-2667A |
$760 |
2 Door Sedan |
36-2601A |
$675 |
2 Door Touring Sedan |
36-2611A |
$700 |
4 Door Sedan |
36-2609A |
$720 |
4 Door Touring Sedan |
36-2619A |
$745 |
DeLuxe Silver Streak - 44,040 built
|
||
Business Coupe |
36-2607 |
$670 |
Sport Coupe |
36-2657 |
$725 |
Cabriolet |
36-2667 |
$810 |
2 Door Sedan |
36-2601 |
$720 |
2 Door Touring Sedan |
36-2611 |
$745 |
4 Door Sedan |
36-2609 |
$770 |
4 Door Touring Sedan |
36-2619 |
$795 |
DeLuxe Eight Silver Streak - 38,755 built
|
||
Business Coupe |
36-2807 |
$730 |
Sport Coupe |
36-2657 |
$785 |
Cabriolet |
36-2667 |
$855 |
2 Door Sedan |
36-2801 |
$770 |
2 Door Touring Sedan |
36-2611 |
$795 |
4 Door Sedan |
36-2609 |
$815 |
4 Door Touring Sedan |
36-2819 |
$840 |
New
old stock (NOS) or good used runningboards are very difficult to find (as is
most sheet metal), nor does anyone make replacements. Precision Rubber will
make new ones however.
If
your car has or is going to rust, it most likely will do so in two places.
First, low on the front cowl, where the front fenders mount to the body. This
is a notorious spot for rust, so treat it well to prevent further deterioration.
The other likely place is under the rear wheel wells. If advanced, this will
spread to the floor pan and rear quarter panels. Other places to watch out for
are the mounting points for the rear fender braces, the upper sections of the
front fender braces, and the front edge of the trunk on coupes.
Wood
is used extensively in the doors, floor, seats and rear underside of the frame.
Treat dry wood with linseed oil, then paint it to keep it in good condition. If
the wood is completely rotted, save all you can to use as a model. There are people
who can make new wooden parts if they have a pattern.
A
major difference between early and late production cars is found in the tail
lamps. Early production cars were made with the 1935 oval (teardrop) shaped
tail lamps. These were changed to round lamps later in the year. We have no
idea exactly when this change was made. Another difference seems to be in the
horn button. Early versions were plain black; later, Pontiac script was added
to the center. Early cars often had crackle green 1934-35 heaters; later cars
brown Model 52 heaters. Early mirror watches were round; later versions were
square. There were probably other small differences we have not yet noticed.
Late style round tail lamp.
Pontiacs
were available in fourteen different colors, each with a complementing pin
stripe. Three colors, Dusky Gray, Sand Dune Cream and Denmark Metallic Blue
were special colors and cost an extra $20. In southern and Pacific coast
regions, Denmark Metallic Blue was standard and Wenonah Maroon special.
Arno
(Pontiac) Blue and Wenonah Maroon came with black fenders; if you wanted the
fenders body color, the cost was $10 extra. If Duco, rather than enamel fenders
were desired with any color, the cost was an extra $10.
Perugia
Blue and Argent (silver) are still available from Ditzler. The paint numbers
are 32672 and 13477 respectively. A fifteenth color, Flame Capucine, was used
on fleet vehicles, (presumably taxis) and as an accent color on Martini Brown
cars. This color is also still available from Ditzler (#60636), now called
Mexican Orange.
The
dash color is Beaver Brown. The same color was used as an exterior paint in
1940 Cadillacs and very similar to Martini Brown. A classic car paint supplier
should have that mix, such as Color-Ite in Bethany, CT (203) 393-0240.
Striping
was 7/32” in width. It ran along the body molding on the side of the vehicle,
starting and ending 3/8” from the end of the molding. Each end is pointed, with
the point 1” in length. The grill side vents were also pinstriped. The first
stripe was on the third louver from the top, then repeated on every fifth
louver. With some colors, the beltline molding was painted an accent color as
well. For example, Martini Brown car had a dark brown molding stripe and a
Flame Capucine stripe.
A starburst pattern was also painted on the wheels just outside of the hubcap. Again, the color depended on the body color. Some wheels apparently had pinstriped starbursts. A stencil was used to paint this pattern on the wheels after they were sprayed with the body color. A complete summary of the colors available is included in the accompanying table.
Each
car came equipped with a screw jack, jack handle, tool kit and crank. To use
the crank, the Indian Head medallion must be removed from the bumper and the
chrome crank hole cover from the grill, but it was just the ticket when caught
with a dead battery!
One annoying design defect was the length of the headlights. The rear of the lamp cones extends beyond the front of the hood panels. Consequently, most are scraped or dented from repeated and careless lifting of the hood.
The
hood lacing used on the firewall cowl was five-eights inches in width with a
wire running through its middle. Wire lacing of this size is no longer
available (at least we've never seen any). It can be replaced with wider wire
lacing or the original size without the wire can be had and cemented in place.
Hood
corner pads provide important protection to the paint when the hood is in the
raised position. Front corner pads are available from Lynn Steele (as are most
other rubber parts, including weather seal), but rear pads are not being
reproduced. Non-standard replacements can be made, or you can use a rubber pad
to place under the corner when the hood is up.
The
spring steel bumpers were the same for both '35 and '36. If you have them
rechromed, it is a good idea to spray the rear side with a clear sealer to
prevent future rusting. The three lines in the bumper are painted black. The
dot on the side of the Indian Head hood ornament used on the sixes is the same
color. Treat these hood ornaments with special care: the chrome ring around them is rather fragile. The "8"
hood ornament is a different design.
Original
wiper arms are very difficult items to find, but universal replacement arms are
readily available. The bases of these replacements can be ground down to match
the original arm. When in the "off" position, the wiper arms point to
the outside of the windshield.
The chrome strip used in the window divider
is a generic GM item. Reproductions are available from Bob’s Automobilia.
Steele Rubber has window channel and gaskets.
There
is no standard outside rear view mirror. No such mirror came with the car, but
these were common after market items. Almost anyone you choose could be considered
"original." The radio antenna
mounted under the running boards.
Here are the factory accessories available for the
'36 Pontiac when new:
Item |
Price |
Electric Clock |
11.50 |
Mirror Watch |
4.00 |
Visor Vanity Mirror |
1.00 |
Ash Receiver |
1.25 |
Cigar Lighter |
1.50 |
Gear Shift Ball |
.50 |
Right Hand Visor |
2.25 |
Right Hand Tail Lamp |
4.00 |
Dual Horns |
9.50 |
Standard Heater |
11.95 |
Deluxe Heater |
16.75 |
Master Radio |
49.50 |
Deluxe Radio |
60.50 |
Safety (Spot) Light |
15.95 |
Luggage Compartment Lamp |
2.25 |
Luggage Compartment Mat |
1.75 |
Insect Screens |
1.50 |
Fender Markers |
1.25 |
License Plate Frames |
2.95 |
Battery Charger w/receptacle |
8.70 |
Defroster Fan w/bracket |
4.50 |
Seat Covers |
4.90 |
Wheel Trim Rings (set of 5) |
8.50 |
Steel Wheel Discs (set of 4) |
8.95 |
Group "D" included the dual horns, right hand tail
lamp, and right hand visor. |
|
Group "X" included the mirror watch, visor vanity
mirror, ash receiver, cigar lighter, and gear shift ball. |
|
Group "Y" was the same as Group "X" except
the clock was substituted for the mirror watch. |
Group A options came from the
factory and included the bumpers, bumper guards, right hand windshield wiper,
spare tire and spring covers. The cost was $36.50 for Sixes, $39.50 for Eights.
The same options, plus sidemounts on the Eights cost $103.50. Group B was the
safety glass option for Master series cars, $7.50 for the coupes (doors and
rear window), $10 for sedans. Group E was the oil bath air cleaner for $3.50.
Body-Fender-Wheel-Color Combinations |
||||||||
Paint Number |
Body |
Fenders Regular
Optional |
Molding |
Stripe |
Wheels |
Wheel Stripe |
||
16 |
Black |
Black |
|
Black |
Argent Silver |
Black |
Argent |
|
17 |
Weynonah Maroon |
Black |
Maroon |
Maroon |
Carteret Red |
Maroon |
Carteret Red |
|
18 |
Perugia (Pontiac) Blue |
Black |
Blue |
Blue |
Carteret Red |
Blue |
Carteret Red |
|
19 |
Maple Leaf Green |
Black |
|
Black |
Tacoma Cream |
Green |
Tacoma Cream |
|
20 |
Harbormist Gray |
Gray |
|
Venetian Blue |
Argent Silver |
Blue |
Argent |
|
21 |
Martini Brown |
Brown |
|
Caramel brown |
Flame Capucine |
Caramel Brown |
Flame Capucine |
|
Special Colors ($20 extra) |
||||||||
22 |
Sand Dune Cream |
Cream |
|
Cream |
Black |
Cream |
Black |
|
24 |
Dusty Gray |
Gray |
|
Black |
Aurora Red |
Gray |
Black |
|
25 |
Denmark Blue Metallic |
Metalllic Blue |
|
Metalllic Blue |
Cheruit Vermillion |
Metalllic Blue |
Cheruit Vermillion |
|
New Colors Introduced Later in the
Model Year
|
||||||||
26 |
Silver Streak Gray Metallic |
S.S. Gray Metallic |
|
S.S. Gray Metallic |
Carteret Red |
Gray Metallic |
Gray Metallic |
|
27 |
Neptune Green |
Neptune Green |
|
Neptune Green |
Lime Yellow |
Neptune Green |
Neptune Green |
|
28 |
Caribbean Blue Metallic |
Blue Metallic |
|
Blue Metallic |
Aluminum |
Blue Metallic |
Blue Metallic |
|
29 |
Sante Fe Beige |
Beige |
|
Beige |
Aurora Red |
Beige |
Beige or Red |
|
30 |
Arno Blue |
Blue |
|
Blue |
Lime Yellow |
Blue |
Blue |
|
Pontiac automobiles for 1936 were very similar to the 1935 models. 1935 was the year hydraulic brakes, the solid steel "turret" top and the soon to be famous "Silver Streak" hood chrome were first introduced. The same body was used in 1936, but a change was made from front opening, "suicide" doors to rear opening doors. The mechanical components are much the same and can often be interchanged, but the fenders, hood and other sheetmetal are entirely different.
Nineteen
different models were offered in six different body styles, with essentially
three variables. Six cylinder cars were either Master or Deluxe models. Eights
were always Deluxes. The various models are listed in the adjacent chart.
The Deluxe Sixes and Eights were distinguished from the Master Sixes by a variety of things, most of which are not obvious at first glance. All masters had front leaf springs; DeLuxes had "knee action" hydraulic front suspensions and rear sway bars. The interiors of the Deluxes were also different. Instrument and door knobs were a patterned brown color rather than black; decorative sill plates were used; and the dome light was operated from a door post switch. All windows had safety glass. Finally, the hood ornaments differed between "6" and "8"; the six is an Indian Head, the "8" a circle with an arrow. A list of the available factory options and their prices is included on page 4. A customer paid extra for such things as an ash tray, right hand sun visor and heater. The most distinctive option was the side well fenders in which spare tires were mounted. These are very rare items today.
The "6" cylinder engine, with 208 cubic inch displacement, developed 81 horsepower. The 232.3 cubic inch "8" (billed immodestly as the "The Smoothest Eight in the World") had 87 hp. Both ran well on regular gas of the day – 68 octane. It's been said that during the war, once started with gasoline, they could be run on kerosene.
Early
production "6" engine blocks had four frost plugs on the distributor
side while later models had only two. Early versions also had narrower ridges
in the top of the head than later versions. The date of manufacture of your
engine can be determined from numbers stamped low on the block just in front of
the starter (you may need a mirror to read them). The number will read something
like GM •J 22 5. "J" tells you it was made in July (A is January);
"22" is the day; and "5" means in the year 1935.
The
color of the engine, oil pan, oil pump, water pump and bell housing were green.
Other components, including the air cleaner, oil breather, starter, generator
and manifolds, were black. The cast Indian head was red.
If
you take your engine apart, be very careful to center the front oil seal and
timing gear cover when reassembling. There was a special tool made for this
purpose, but now you've got to eyeball it. If it isn't centered, you'll blow
oil out of the front end. (A wrong sized fan belt might also cause this
problem. Poor air circulation into the filler tube may result in higher than
normal crankcase pressure, forcing oil out the front end.)
Vapor
lock can also be a problem due to the close proximity of the fuel line to the
manifolds, especially with modern unleaded gas. It has a much lower boiling
point that the old fashioned lead gas it was designed to run on. A strong fuel
pump usually eliminates this problem, but an old time solution is to wrap tin
foil around the line to act as an insulator. A more drastic solution is to have
a 1” block machined to fit between carburetor and intake manifold. By raising
the carburetor above the hot manifold, the chances of vapor lock are reduced.
Insulating the gas line where it runs under the radiator is also a good idea.
If
your car shows symptoms of vapor lock, by stalling out on the highway, then
restarting after cooling down before quitting again, the metal sleeve that fits
inside the intake manifold (just below the carburetor) may be rusted out.
Replace it and the problem disappears.
When
Andy rebuild his "6", he wanted to replace the dirty felt inside of
the valve covers. He had a machine shop separate the cover and found the felt
used in cold weather boots to be a perfect replacement. The felt only deadens
valve noise, so this isn’t critical.
Almost
all engine parts can be readily found from old parts vendors, at flea markets
and maybe best of all, on eBay. A parts book and interchange manual help with
this task.
The
problem these cars are most known for is overheating. The water distribution
tubes were originally made of steel and were wont to rust out. The replacement
tubes are brass, eliminating the problem. If you haven't had this problem, you
certainly will unless the original tube has been replaced with a brass one. The
use of rust inhibitor is, of course, a good idea. Replacing the tube requires
removal of the entire front end assembly. This isn't particularly difficult,
but is time consuming and you risk paint damage. However, once removed, engine
work is very easy to do.
The
radiators on the "6" and "8" are slightly different. The
"8" is one-eighth inch thicker than the "6" to increase its
cooling capacity. If necessary, a Six radiator can be used in an Eight, but not
vice-versa. It is very hard to find new old stock radiators, but they can be
recored. They can also be pressurized (3-4 lbs) by changing the neck to fit a
modern radiator cap. That helps prevent overheating. The “8” came pressurized.
The
thermostat mounts into the water inlet gooseneck with a ring. These rings often
rust out, allowing water by-pass the thermostat and thus defeating their purpose.
Frost
(casting) plugs can also weaken with age and give out at inopportune moments.
There is a frost plug at the very end of the block, invisible from the side of
the engine. To get to it, the toeboards must be removed.
Clutch
Clutch
chatter is a common problem that can have a myriad of causes. The obvious one
is a worn clutch disk. It's fairly easy to remove the transmission and clutch
to replace a disk. While you're in there, be sure to have your flywheel turned
down to provide a smooth surface for the disk. If the teeth on your ring gear
have been chewed up by the starter bendix, it should be replaced or at least
reversed on the flywheel (so should the bendix).
If
you find oil or grease on the disk, it may be leaking from either the
transmission or oil pan when parked on a hill. Solve that problem by staying on
level ground!
Check
the throwout bearing for wear. There are two grooves on either side of the hole
for the transmission spline. If the grooves are worn almost flat, it's time for
a replacement. This bearing can also be oiled through an access panel at the
top of the flywheel (remove toeboards to get at it).
The
pressure plate will cause trouble if the springs are weak or worn. These are
very difficult to adjust yourself and even so-called experts may not get them
right. You can test for problems by laying the place face down on a level
surface, laying a straight edge across the floating plate, and measure the
distance from surface to edge in many directions. If you get a variety of
measurements, you've got problems.
If
you've done your clutch from A-Z and still get chatter, check you rear spring
shackles. Worn shackles can cause chatter too.
Three
different rear ends were used, depending on the area of the country in which
the car was sold. The type of rear end in your car can be determined by the
color of the paint on the end of the rear axle. If yellow, it has a Plains rear
end and a high gear ratio. These will give you the greatest highway speeds. If
blue, its a Mountain gear ratio, great for up hills, but tough to get over 45
MPH. If green, you have the average ratio rear end.
The
three speed transmission is the only one mentioned in any of the books, but
we've see a 2807 with a four speed. We assume it came from the factory that
way. It may have been a GMC transmission. Again, not every car seems to fit the
factory specs.
When
reassembling the transmission and drive shaft, be sure to grease the U-joint
housing before bolting it in and don't tighten it too tight. Also avoid the use
of strong gasket sealer, such as the silicon variety. Bob learned the hard way
that this housing must flex. His
cracked because it was too rigid.
The
beveled cork gasket that fits inside this housing can be replaced with O-ring
material available from a bearing shop. Cut it to fit and glue it with a
special (and expensive) cement made for that purpose.
Finally,
be sure you fill the U-joint housing with gear oil through the speedometer gear
hole after assembly.
The
original tie rod ends are the “ball and socket” type. The balls are pressed
into the steering arms, and then fit into the socket on the tie rod end. This
is a hazardous arrangement on a car with a lot of miles on it. The balls wear
(anything more than 0.005” out of round is too much wear), then can bind up or
even fall out of the sockets. Neither is a good thing when driving down the
highway! At a minimum, be sure your socket balls are within the safety
tolerance, then tighten up the socket assemblies to ensure a good fit and lubricate
well.
Better
yet replace the whole assembly with a modern bolt-style tie rod end. These ends
are easily obtainable as after-market parts. Remove the steering arms, have a
machine shop press out the ball assemblies and press in the new tie rod end. Secure
with bolts, mount to the steering (tie) rod and adjust to get the proper front
end alignment.
The
drag link mounts the same way. The ball on the drag link arms don’t wear as
much, but if worn can be replaced using tie rod ends to make the connection.
Cabriolet Information
Here
are some things Bob has learned about his Cabriolet.
• The top assembly and vent and door windows are the
same for all 1935-36 General Motors cars, including Chevrolet, Oldsmoble,
Buick, LaSalle, and Series 60 Cadillac. The sun visors, vent window and rear
view mirror are also the same on a 1937 Buick convertible sedan.
• The original back window was oval in shape.
At least factory photos show it that way. No one is reproducing oval frames, so
a rectangular frame can be substituted.
• The vent window assembly is completely different
in the Cabriolets than in closed cars, except for the cranking mechanism. So
too is the door glass.
• The sun visors are attached to the header
rail and go down with the top. They are completely different than closed car visors
and probably impossible to find should you need them.
• Steele
Rubber carries all the rubber top and window weather stripping.
• Bill Hirsch in Newark, NJ, carries an excellent
replacement top kit. Hampden Coach in Amesbury has NORS rectangular rear window
frames and original uphostery material.
• Rumbleseat step pads (upper and lower) were the same 1935-1938. Steele has the lower pad, but not the upper.
All
cars came with two manuals, an Owner's Manual and an Operator's Manual. Both
fit in the glove box and provided detailed information about the vehicle. Also
available were a shop manual and a body repair manual. Another good source of information
is the numerous Service Bulletins sent to dealers during the model year. These
alerted the Service Department to common problems being experienced by owners
and their solution. Finally, sales brochures, paint charts, a parts book, advertisements,
and various other pieces of supplemental literature are available through
literature vendors to help round out the documentation of your vehicle. Many of
these can be found on on-line auction sites, such as eBay. [Note: the quality
of reprints is often noticeably less than originals.]
1936
Pontiacs were also built in Oshwa, Walkerville, or Regina, Canada. Series
numbers were different: Series 27 for the Sixes, Series 29 for Eights.
Otherwise, they seem to be identical to US built cars, although paint and trim
codes were also different. Here’s a nice original Canadian built Master Six
4-dr touring sedan (2719) owned by Richard Houlston of Mirimachi, New
Brunswick.
About
1,500 1936 Pontiacs, all sedans, were built in Australia by Holden. These cars
had some significant differences from the US models. Here is a 4-dr touring
sedan owned by Ron Taylor in New South Wales. Notice the front suicide door and
different trunk. The bumpers are also different.
Ø When
replacing the engine, it will lift out and go back more easily with the starter
removed (transmission attached). Install the engine side pans beforehand; otherwise
they are difficult to get in, especially on the RH side.
Ø Torque
specs:
o
Head bolts: 60
lbs
o
Main bearing caps:
80-90 lbs
o
Rod caps: 45-50
lbs
Ø Don’t
start the engine by pouring gas down the carb – it washes away the lubricant
and will crack the rings on a new engine. Instead, crank the starter with the
key off to build up oil pressure, then fill the bowl with gas if the pump is
not drawing sufficiently.
Ø Start a
new engine with plain water and Stop-Leak in the cooling system. Note any
leaks. Once they are sealed, replace with normal coolant.
Ø Make
sure all drive train bolts and fittings are tight before putting back the floorboards
or front clip.
Ø Retorque
head, exhaust and oil pan bolts after the engine has run hot.
Ø Don’t
lubricate the water pump with chassis grease. Always use water pump grease; the
other will cause the seal to leak.
Ø To do a pretty accurate front-end alignment, scribe each tire by rotating it against a sharp object for a full circle, then measure the distance between scribe lines front and rear. When they are the same, it's aligned, or at least the toe in is. Since camber is in the axle, that's less likely to be off.
Ø End Notes
The authors are both devoted owners of 1936 Pontiacs and have had extensive experience with their restoration and operation. Actually, "devoted" may be too mild a term: other people in our lives might use the word compulsive. Be that as it may, we both love these automobiles and have managed to collect quite a lot of information about them. The intent of this booklet is to share that information with others who may be interested in what we have learned.
How
did someone in Maine meet another Pontiac owner in Michigan (now living in
South Carolina)? It happened in 1983
when Bob was searching for the formula for dashboard paint. The Pontiac-Oakland
Club International Advisor didn't have it, but it he referred him to Andy. As
it turned out, he didn't either, but we discovered we both had a strong
interest in the same car. We've since met several times and, working together,
have found out much about these interesting vehicles.
In
our many discussions about '36 Pontiacs, we've often remarked "someone
ought to write that down" whenever a particularly interesting or arcane
piece of information came up. We finally took our own advice and put this
collection of fact, opinion and experience together. If you also own a '36, we
hope it is helpful in extending your understanding of your car. Our goal is to
help keep as many '36s on the road as possible.
Bob
has owned his 2607A business coupe since buying it as a high school senior in
1965. His is a classic "saw it in someone's backyard" story. All it
took was a check for $75 and the coupe (with 68,500 original miles) became his
first car. It survived high school, college, two kids and several moves and now
has 98,000 on the odometer. He learned most of what he knows it by doing a
mostly ground-up restoration in 1981-83. He bought his Master Six cabriolet in
2002 after finding it on eBay and has restored it from the ground up. It is the
most complete, original 1936 Cabriolet known.
Andy
has two business coupes on the road, and another coupe that isn’t running. One
coupe is a former Michigan State Police car; the other, A Deluxe model, was in
the film The Color Purple. He is a
veritable encyclopedia of '36 Pontiac knowledge and much of what is contained
in this booklet is a result of his research and experience.
We hope you find this attempt at documenting the idiosyncrasies of this automobile interesting. If you have any information that we've missed (and not published in the usual manuals), please let us know about it. If you catch any errors, let us know about those too.
Finally,
special thanks to Arno Schoeb and Frank Bennett, two other '36 owners who
helped check the accuracy of our work.
Most of all, if you're in our area (with or without your car), look us up and let's talk Pontiacs.
Bob Shafto
451 Blackstrap Road
Falmouth, ME 04105
(207) 878-8933
rgshafto@maine.rr.com
Andy Lee
1203 McKelvey Road
Fountain Inn, SC 29644
(864) 243-2619
L8Virgin@aol.com
1988
Rev.
2006