1940 Pontiac Deluxe Six Sedan
Registration no. not UK registered
Chassis no. 6640515 (01)

Professionally prepared for long-distance historic rallying in 2013, this Pontiac Deluxe Six rally car could well provide a cost-effective entry into popular endurance rallies including the high-profile 'Peking to Paris Motor Challenge', which this car has taken part in on two occasions.

The Pontiac marque originated within another member of the General Motors family: Oakland. Introduced in 1926, the Pontiac had been conceived as a quality six-cylinder car for the price of a four and was a runaway success, setting what was then a record for debut-year sales of almost 77,000 units, considerably more than its Oakland parent achieved that year. Contributing to the Pontiac's success was the fact that it boasted up-to-the-minute styling yet was mechanically entirely conventional; it was essentially a four-cylinder Chevrolet chassis, re-engineered to accommodate a six-cylinder engine. More than 500,000 Pontiacs had been made by the time of the Wall Street Crash of October 1929, and although Pontiac would survive that catastrophe, its less-successful Oakland parent was axed.

We are advised that this is a no-frills, solidly prepared, robust endurance rally car. The chassis has been stripped to bare metal, sandblasted and fully re-sprayed, while inside the car a bespoke full roll cage has been installed together with a milled aluminium dashboard assembly. The 3.6-litre six-cylinder sidevalve engine and three-speed manual transmission have been overhauled, although they may now benefit from a refresh. The column mounted gear change has been retained and is quite in line with the character of this charming classic Pontiac. The electrical system has been upgraded for improved reliability, incorporating an alternator in lieu of a dynamo, modern dashboard-mounted fuses, and electronic ignition. An aluminium long-range fuel tank and associated pumps have been fitted also, while a useful storage compartment occupies the rear seat space. Other noteworthy features include AVO telescopic dampers, coil-sprung front suspension, modern instrumentation and switch-gear, and re-chromed bumpers.