New member, 1948 2 dr sedan 8 cylinder

[vzfnjm]

Hello. My name is Grant, from Grand Blanc, MI. Retired GM. I am looking at a 1948 Pontiac 2 dr sedan. Model number on the firewall is 2511. Car has a straight eight in it and says silver streak 8 on the hood. The model charts on this site say the 2511 is a 6 cylinder Torpedo. Question: is the engine in the car correct? Has the engine been changed or was the 8 cylinder optional? Trying to confirm before pulling the trigger. Any help? Thanks!

[Larry]

This is odd.

A 2511 is in fact a 2-door sedan 6-cylinder. The 8-cylinder cars were 27 models.

I can understand an engine swap, but why bother with putting in an 8-cylinder when 6-cylinders where/are available? Unless it is just what someone had laying around.

But ever stranger still is the 8-cylinder script on the hood?

Only two possible explanations here. It is/was a 27 model with 8-cylinder engine and 8-cylinder hood script and had the data plate swapped. Why? Who knows. Or it was a 25 model and has the correct data plate but someone swapped the engine and hood script. Why? Who knows.

One other thing to check that should solve the question is checking the VIN data (on the left side of firewall under the hood). What you are seeing with the body number is the Body Tag, not the VIN. In the VIN, the second digit will be either a "6" or an "8".

Also, the engine number is on the left front of the block and SHOULD match the VIN.

[vzfnjm]

the car will be here Friday, I will check. The vin starts with P8PAXXXXX. I have a pic of the tags, need to figure out how to post pics. I thought I found a place on the net that suggested the 8 cyl in 1948 was optional on the Torpedo. More to come. BTW, I bought it.

[vzfnjm]

this should be a tag pic ...[/img]

[Larry]

The VIN is certainly an 8-cylinder. Be sure to check the engine stamping. That will prove if it matches the VIN that it is truly a Model 27 and not a Model 25.

BTW, the 8 was not optional. The only cars built with six-cylinders were the "Torpedo Six; with eights. the "Torpedo Eight." No other mixing up of engines between models. If you wanted an 8, you bought a 27 model, if a six a 25 model.

It just looks like an error on the Body Tag stamping here. The rivets look original, so it probably was never changed.

All this said, there was also the Streamliner series, but it too had Streamliner Six or Streamliner Eight. The fourth symbol in the VIN will be "A" for Streamliner or "B" for Torpedo. Looks like yours is an "A" (by the VIN tag) making your car a Streamliner- a 48 Model.

There were only coupes, sedans, and wagons in the Streamliner series. Let us know what yours is and we'll tell you what your body tag should have been stamped.

[vzfnjm]

The car will be home tomorrow afternoon. I will measure the wheelbase too and post that. Thanks!

[Larry]

Getting anxious to see how this all works out.

See attached below. I should help you sort it out.

[vzfnjm]

Car is home, in my garage. Here is what I know/observed;
*Body tag says model 2511 (see pic)
*VIN tag says P8PAxxxxx (see pic)
*Engine block is stamped P8PAxxxxx (same as body tag)
*Title VIN matches body tag and engine number
*Badging on the car says silver 8 streak

I will take a pic of the engine VIN in the morning.

Any ideas? Anyone want to come look see?

Thanks!

[vzfnjm]

BTW, I measured the wheelbase, 119" ... gp

[Larry]

Opps! I made an error before.... I double checked myself, and I had the following just backwards...

"The fourth symbol in the VIN will be "A" for Streamliner or "B" for Torpedo." It should be "A" for Torpedo and "BV" for Streamliner.

So, you certainly have a Torpedo-8. The VIN matches. the trim matches, the engine number matches, and I checked the wheelbase measurement and, yes, 119" is Torpedo (122" is Streamliner).

All that said, it just looks like the Body Tag was wrong. Makes it kinda unique.

[vzfnjm]

Thanks for your input Larry. Much appreciated. I would tend to agree with your assessment.

I will post pics of the car in the next few days.

GP