1933 Pontiac Economy Eight

The first Pontiac Automobile was introduced in 1926 by the Oakland Motor Car Company. The Oakland Company had a history that dated back to 1907. The company's founder, Edward Murphy, passed away in the summer of 1925 and shortly-thereafter, the company came under the complete control of General Motors. The popularity of the Pontiac automobile was immediate, and by 1932, the Oakland name was dropped in favor of the Pontiac division.

GM had acquired half ownership of the Oakland Motor Car Company in 1909. GM's founder William Durant was impressed with Edward M. Murphy and his mechanical abilities and talents and thus chose to provide financial backing.

The first Pontiac model was the Series 6-27, which made its inaugural debut at the New York Auto Show in 1926. The vehicle's body design was created by Fisher and it rested on a 110-inch wheelbase. Power was from a six-cylinder L-head engine.

The eight-cylinder engine powering the 1933 Pontiac was an L-Head unit that displaced 223.4 cubic-inches and produced nearly 80 horsepower. Power was sent to the rear wheels via a three-speed Muncie synchromesh gearbox. Four-wheel mechanical brakes provided the stopping power for the 115-inch wheelbase vehicle. Seven body styles were available, with prices ranging from $585 to $695. In total, Pontiac produced 90,198 vehicles in 1933.

by Daniel Vaughan | Sep 2010