1926 Pontiac Series 6-27

General Motors introduced the Pontiac brand in 1926 as a companion make for the more expensive line of Oakland automobiles, using the GM A platform that was used by all early GM products including Chevrolet, Oakland, and later Oldsmobile. Oakland had been acquired by General Motors in 1909 and continued to produce modestly priced automobiles through 1931, when it was renamed, Pontiac.

Pontiac made its official debut in January of 1926 at the New York Automobile Show. It was named after the Ottawa chief, whose name was also applied to the city of Pontiac, Michigan, where the car was produced. A sales meeting followed the NY Auto Show, at the Commodore Hotel, and the hotel's name was changed to 'Wigwam' for the day, and the conference designated the 'Pow Wow' and 'Heap Big Eats' was served for lunch.

The first Pontiac model was the Series 6-27, produced from 1926 through 1927 when it was replaced by the new Series 6-28. The early Pontiacs were powered by an L-head inline six-cylinder engine with a 186.5 cubic-inch displacement, solid valve lifters, three main bearings, a Carter one-barrel carburetor, and delivered 40 horsepower at 2,400 RPM. At the time, the stroke was the shortest of any American car in the industry. The engines were installed in a 110-inch wheelbase chassis that had an overall length of 151.25-inches. Both the Pontiac and the Oakland were powered by six-cylinder engines, however, the Oakland rested on a slightly larger platform with a 113-inch wheelbase. Oakland prices ranged from $975 to $1,300. The Pontiac Series 6-27 was offered in two body styles consisting of a two-door coach and a coupe, both with a factory base price of $825. They wore Fisher bodies with double beading, plat glass windows with triple-steep front fenders, drum style headlamps, a honeycomb radiator with Indian head mascot, and V.V. windshield with automatic windshield wipers. The Coach had a footrest, carpeting, and dome lamp, and the coupe had landau bars on the roof and a safety lock on the right-hand door. The coupes were finished in light Sage Green with Faerie Red striping and the coach was done in Arizona Grey. Both body styles had black fenders.

The engines were backed by a three-speed manual transmission with floor shift controls and a ventilated single disc clutch. Mechanical brakes were on the rear two wheels and wood-spokes were used on all four wheels. Optional equipment included a heater, additional colors, a rear-mounted spare tire, rear fender guards, and a front bumper.

Pontiac produced approximately 39,000 vehicles within six months of its New York Auto Show introduction, with 76,742 sold within twelve months. It became the top-selling six-cylinder vehicle in the United States the following year, ranking seventh in overall sales. It continued this trend through the early 1930s, becoming the least expensive cars with straight-eight engines. Pontiac quickly outsold its Oakland sibling, which was basically a Chevrolet with a six-cylinder engine installed. Pontiacs popularity negatively affected Oaklands sales, and Pontiac would eventually become the only companion marque to survive its parent, with Oakland ceasing production in 1932.

Pontiac's built after August of 1926 were sold as early 1927 models. A Landau sedan (in standard and Deluxe trim) and a Deluxe version of the Coupe joined the lineup (Deluxes joined in November 1926), with the Landau Sedan priced at $895, the Deluxe version at $975, and the Deluxe Coupe at $895. The Landau had a leather-covered top with faux landau bars, and Deluxe versions added nickel-plated bumpers and fender guards, mohair upholstery, and a foot-operated headlight dimmer switch. Additional colors were made available for the coupe and coach along with different color striping. A 3/4-ton Deluxe delivery truck was added to the Pontiac line in October of 1926.

The Pontiac nameplate continued for many decades, serving as the company's performance division during the 1960s, and spent many years positioned above Chevrolet and below Oldsmobile, Buick, and Cadillac. Financial problems lead GM to discontinue Oldsmobile in 2004 and the last Pontiac-badged vehicles were built in December of 2009.

by Daniel Vaughan | Sep 2008