Barn Find 1937 Pontiac Silver Streak! Retrieval, cleanup, and revival!!

[@EricALLAIN-c3f]

Bravo for getting this old Pontiac back on the road. I live in France in Brittany. My father was a mechanic and created his garage in 1955. After the Second World War there were no longer any vehicles in good condition in France. he needed a tow truck and he bought the same 1937 Pontiac with the inline 8 engine. unfortunately at that time it was common to transform automobiles according to needs. He had made a pick-up and also made a motorized crane with a 2 hp Citroën engine to pull damaged cars. It was used until the 70's and I remember the interior up front well. When I see yours these memories come back to me. same dashboard, large Bakelite steering wheel, I remember playing with the little cranks to open the window deflectors when I was about 6 or 7 years old. your car looks in good condition and deserves a good restoration.

[@georgewash2626]

from CANADA,, great looking car I am 75 years old and would love to own something like this , good for you .I enjoyed watching your video .When I was a kid ....long long ago I was born in 47 but nevertheless PONTIAC WAS MY FAVORITE CAR . CHEV 57 WERE BEAUTIFUL BUT FOR ME THEN ,,THE 57 PONTIAC AND THE 63 PARISIENNE WERE MY DREAM CAR .LOL !

[@michaelreilly1310esq]

What a beauty

[@trueblevr]

She's a beauty. Keep her original.

[@Rev.Clarence]

Wow, what a gem!

[@marklevine57]

My barn find was a 1939 Pontiac Silver Streak in 1978. I found in Cooperstown Ny. It took me 3 weeks to get it running. Beautiful car . This was a great video. Thanks!!!!

[@richardmarino5658]

Wow! Usually you only read or hear about "barn finds" like this. You are one lucky person. Yes I'm jealous. Enjoy it my friend. Take good care of her.

[@maniacaloffroad5338]

This may be blasphemy but while I've always enjoyed learning about them and the history they represent, I've never wanted to own a 1930's era car until now. What a beautiful car!

[@LambvinskisGarage]

30s cars are some of my favorite! But man I don't fit in them very well lol.

[@randymills9531]

What a find Wow! I'm 75.I heard my dad talk about driving a 37 Pontiac.

[@LambvinskisGarage]

Very cool! There doesn't seem to be many around!

[@michaelashcraft8569]

I like that you have such a passion and, enthusiasm for what you do, these were REALLY great finds !!!

[@LambvinskisGarage]

Thank you very much! It's honestly a blast and I'm glad I get to share it with people who enjoy it!

[@jimtomassetti8928]

This vidio excellent.....To find this gem in such great condition at it's age fantastic! Keep them coming as you go along! Thank's..

[@charlescooke6609]

I remember the day my dad to took grandpa's 37 Pontiac out of barn and drove to car lot to sell in 1954. Yes I was 4 years old.

[@josephsanchez5351]

A Jewel ! Looks beauty from every angle. god bless for sharing

[@MATT-xv4bh]

My Dad owned this model over here in Western Australia. It was built with a right-hand drive for export, I believe. Thank you for your video and 'belief' in the cars of yesterday! year

[@josegustavopena3844]

Congrats, you bring it back to life!

[@frederickherring4550]

What a car, and from the right period. Super cool. I love it

[@capt.spaulding5858]

How cool , great find ! Drive it like it is ,they're only original once.

[@barryphillips7327]

Correct! Thankfully NO mice got to this one!!

[@antoniocovarrubias7831]

I love this old Pontiac’s, have a 47 Pontiac Chief original 8 flat head, I had to replace the head gasket once. Old gasket was jumping the preassure from one to the other cylinders so it lost a lot of power, but it’s been running ever since. Original 3 on the tree shifter, factory Sargent stripes on the body it’s a beauty. Your Pontiac is a classic beauty too, what a beautiful rainy day to start up the old Pontiac.

[@larrymayer]

My dad bought a '37 Pontiac after he got out of the Army in 1944 and, because new cars were not available during and shortly after the War, he ran that car all the while courting my mother and, later, taking me home from the hospital in 1948. He traded her in for a brand spanking new, straight-off-the-showroom floor, 1949 Studebaker Commander Starlight Five-Window coupe, which was one of the nicest cars coming into product for that year.

[@LambvinskisGarage]

Very cool! Thanks for the story!

[@ricardoraito6242]

Congratulations !!!!!!

[@Wayrich2]

Very cool! I'm enjoying your videos. Thanks for sharing.

[@johnwanjala4311]

Apart from the 1937 pontiac the tractor itself is a cartoon, yet old is gold and like it.

[@geion54]

What a beautiful old mota.

[@donaldbannister7472]

Cool find - I look forward to future videos re: this car

[@stephenhenion8304]

Pontiacs are really Cool, and really kind of rare. We had a 41 silver streak, Tudor sedan...good for you!

[@stephenandloriyoung5716]

Super nice find! The thirties were great years for GM style, I think. I'm working on a 40 Buick, and I see a strong family resemblance.The term "side valve" is interchangeable with "flathead," because the valves in the block are beside the cylinders. Your engine is "OHV", or, as Buick liked to call it, "Valve in head." You may certainly, as far as I'm concerned at least, present more videos on this beauty for my (ahem) consideration. Delectation, even. I liked the way your underhood man approached the engine starting challenge - obviously not his first rodeo. I've seen some starting videos where people crank and crank and crank, but don't know enough to use the choke. (Alas, this is what we've come to in this fuel injected generation.) And he knew not to Vroom! Vroom! Vroom! it once it started. If I'd been there, I'd have wanted to put gas in the carb - through the bowl vent, if available, or the fuel inlet, if not too difficult, or down the barrel. That saves a lot of cranking.

[@LambvinskisGarage]

We were able to get plenty of fuel, but the spark just wasn't there until we got the distributor cleaned up, then she took right off pretty much! But it's definitely not his or my first rodeo when it comes to starting stuff, so many people heat up starters and don't ever check spark, something I think maybe they think it makes better video? I don't know!

[@nygelmiller5293]

To Steven & Lori Young. Thanks for confirming what I suspected - that a Flathead engine IS a Sidevalve engine!

[@EHB4323]

That old beauty runs like new!! Good for you mate!!

[@LambvinskisGarage]

Thank you!

[@richardtravis546]

Awesome car and Awesome video. Keep it coming. I'll be watching.

[@LambvinskisGarage]

Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed!

[@53handyman]

Great find ,thumb up from France !

[@johnnyholland4818]

Cool show. I love the 37 pontiac. just new to your channel today hope to see more like it 30s n 40s cars clean up n start happy Thanksgiving...

[@wattienewton5967]

That sure is a gem you've found there man. Cheers

[@jovickers5345]

Great video. Would love to see it fully restored. Been a late 1930s Chevrolet fan, but this makes me want Pontiac, too.

[@randall1959]

Cool gangster mobile. All the wheels even turn and that's quite a unique trailer. That is such a nice car. I don't even think I'd paint it. Let it survive. Somebody obviously loved that car.

[@davidc2585]

Wow bro, that is a sweet vehicle, clean and original ❤. And you got it running quickly, very nice!

[@LambvinskisGarage]

Thank you!

[@randallbeasley646]

It is a beauty!

[@traviscook9578]

You really hit the jackpot on that one!

[@username-dh4tq]

_-.sixlline.-_ #metro :

[@Underledge]

The round container with the sliding door is the ash tray.

[@LambvinskisGarage]

Yes correct! It goes onto the glovebox door!

[@twinkie27271]

Sweet car! Great job on the video, and welcome to KZbin! New subscriber.

[@LambvinskisGarage]

Thank you much!!

[@nathanpitts1591]

That is a pretty nice old find. Looks like it was kept undercover for a large part of it's life. The Chevy 6 threw me for a bit before I realized that it likely was a Canadian-built car, being in Oregon. It must have not sat in that spot for too long as the engine turned over quite easily. Gas engines tend to seize in one or more cylinders, from rust, if they sit for a long time as several valves are open to the air at all times. The 1937 "period" license plate indicates that it was an old car that was kept running and displayed in car shows/parades in the latter part of it's life. That is a common item that I have seen done often. Probably showing this car that way helped to see it kept up by it's owners for a long time, and that was a good thing. I would have checked the spark early on, especially on a car that had been sitting for some time, no electronic ignition in these cars. The only criticism I might make is that starting fluid is NOT recommended for gasoline engines as it wipes the oil off of cylinder walls really fast. I used to install/work on Detroit diesel engines in the 1970's and it was not recommended, by the factory, to even use it in them at that time. We were told if you used it you eventually would have to use it all the time. It has the same effect on diesel cylinder oiling as it does in a gas engine. Glad to see this old beast still runs. We don't have that many reminders from that era around any more. Thanks for the real interesting video.

[@leroypittenger6512]

What I use to clean up old cars is a mixture of powder tide and bleach and warm water in a 5 gallon bucket it works great anything with mold on it

[@LambvinskisGarage]

Oh cool! I've never heard of that before

[@johnelliott7375]

I am going to be watching this one my Grandfather had a 1941 Pontiac coupe and he said that he was so happy that he fixed it up and had a car.

[@LambvinskisGarage]

Oh man that's cool! I'm looking forward to driving this car a lot.

[@johnelliott7375]

@@LambvinskisGarage I hope that you do it justice and I do restorations for a rich man who owns a gas and propane company in Pennsylvania. Hopefully can swap some pictures and videos of some of the cars I have done for this guy. 48 Plymouth, 46 Pontiac, 54 Packard convertible coupe, and the list is massive he has at least 100 cars and trucks all restoration vehicles from the frame up. Original everything and he has won tons of car shows over the years on the points system when the older historical car guy goes over every nut and bolt. Crazy stuff and I will wish you the best. Your in the one of the last places that these cars and trucks are not almost rotted away or being crushed as we speak. Great finding you and have a great day today. TTYL

[@001GLa]

Such beautyful car, and finally a video showing everything not just some commercial for some trailercompany, I hope you preserve this car an maby fix the painting but otherwise let it be as the diamant it is. Very good video, where we could see what happened later with the car.

[@LambvinskisGarage]

Thank you! I'm sure we'll be having more videos on it later, so check back on the channel!

[@KenthGustafsson300]

the 5-th wheel trailer does it all...put it bak then :)

[@timothyhill4630]

What a cool car!!

[@LambvinskisGarage]

It certainly is!!

[@guycraig2030]

Memories, summer of 1953, my then at the time girl friends Father, gifted me with his stored since 1942 , when left for the army,,he purchased a new Desoto shortly after getting the Pontiac back on the road,and parked it once more,,so we serviced it,,took it off blocks…new battery, oil, antifreeze etc,,,enjoyed for a year or so,,until military service==called,,sold for $125 bucks,,it truly was a v=beauty,,tan,2dr slant back…like yesterday.

[@Jamestfarrell]

Knowing old Pontiacs as well as I do I wonder if that's Chevy six banger in there. Pontiac's sixes were all straight 6 (or straight 8) flatheads until the Firebirds. Nice find!

[@LambvinskisGarage]

You are correct, BUT they did use the overhead valve engines in Canada in the 30s!

[@ferrancameranesi2085]

Belíssimo desde Brasil lá pelos anos 67 a 1971 andei muito num Pontiac igual a esse no sul do Brasil.Era de um argentino amigo de meu pai.Era lindíssimo aproveite essa joia

[@samarooragbir81]

CHOMGLEE YOU DO A VERY GOOD JOB IT LOOK SO GOOD

[@tampa9boi]

I found a 1938 Cadillac series 65 with 30k miles. I love driving the old girl.

[@bryanfitch8839]

@LambvinskisGarage I love the 37 Pontiac. Well I just love Pontiacs. My dad had a 37 Pontiac coup when he was younger. I never saw it. However he always said he regretted having to sell it. I wish I could get one now.

[@swhod2190]

Boy, am I jealous! Run that baby, she's a survivor!

[@LambvinskisGarage]

It's one of my favorite cars we've ever brought home, we haven't had a chance to run it down the road, but we made it through the local parade and car show last weekend!!

[@ВатнаяфабрикаимениКрасныхпарти]

Повезло так повезло, поздравляю!

[@garyjones2582]

Restore that tag.. nice acquisition...Love that vintage stop light.. if u want to sell it, let me know... Make more videos of the girl...

[@marvwatkins7029]

(In the Pac NW, tall evergreens grow like weeds: thick.)

[@pochosousa4653]

Tienes casi todo para dejarlo funcionando y en orden . Quiero ver más de tu trabajo y de este auto¡¡¡. Saludos de un argentino desde España

[@eightiespike]

Dad has a 1937 Buick. The same as yours just a Buick. You are right about the Buicks. A lot of them out there still today. I noticed the gas tank read full. Did you fill it or did you find it full? Maybe the gage doesn't work? The car looks good. I hope you do make some more videos.

[@LambvinskisGarage]

I'm not sure the gas gauge works, it had some goofy fuel tank in it now, and the original sending unit is in the trunk.

[@clydepodvin5026]

Wow sitting that long sure sounds good 😊

[@vasilenegulici6146]

Hello from România! Verry Nice Car! Îs,,born,, BeforeW.W. 2...Good job!

[@bjornjohansson3818]

Dont know why but I´we always love Pontiacs, maybe it´s because the name sounds cool to me :) Always have crush for the thirties and fourties GM models.

[@sw-wk3qm]

Awesome find. I just wonder why everyone else finds them rather than me.

[@Texastimbo]

Awesome! More more! Detail it!

[@LambvinskisGarage]

We cleaned it up for our local parade and she shines pretty nice now!

[@colingarner6175]

Poni ac , I thought it was a Pontiac ! Super .

[@rexjolles]

21:35 it suction cups in front of your face on the window and melts the snow

[@nonamie7294]

I had a 39 2door and my late husband traded for a big flat bed truck..as we were not in a financial position to really restore it. :( Not too many Pontiacs around. so congrats

[@punkinsgarageandpaint8299]

I love this year make and model.

[@LambvinskisGarage]

Me too! So cool!

[@billboyer1244]

I want to see more of it! How much will you restore it?

[@LambvinskisGarage]

We'll have more videos soon! I'm not sure we will restore it at all, we polished up the paint some and got some new tires, we're going to sort out some wiring and enjoy it.

[@donaldclark8692]

Well Done Guys.

[@robinmclaren4596]

what a cool car ...

[@sunnyormsby8402]

WOW! unbelievable! is it for sale?

[@joostderidder]

great stuff !!!

[@marvwatkins7029]

(@ 5:33: Now THAT'S a rhododendron!)

[@JB-ie9hj]

Beautiful car I thought 1937 had a chrome strip down centre of boot or trunk .

[@LambvinskisGarage]

I think the American built cars do, but the Canadian ones dont? I could be mistaken.

[@JB-ie9hj]

@@LambvinskisGarage Hi In Australia they had the chrome strip down the boot or silver streak same design as bonnet .

[@LambvinskisGarage]

@@JB-ie9hj ah okay cool!

[@douglasmesina6922]

SWEET.

[@johnnyallen843]

I noticed that the front shocks are missing along with the mounting plates that go in the coil springs.

[@mattlevault5140]

Wow! That is an amazing and incredible car! What a find!!! Like others, I recognize the '37 - '53 Chevrolet "Stovebolt" 216 engine format. I have a mostly original '48 Chevrolet Fleetmaster. I know the Canadian cars sometimes used a close variation of the 216 & 235 well into the 1950's - but I'm no expert on the Canuck versions... I will say that the USA Chevy 216 has main bearings on each end of the block using graphite impregnated rope as the seals. Poor design. They leak oil like a sieve! There is a trick to using rubber seals from the '54 - '62 235 motors to mitigate the leakage. You just need a spacer of some kind underneath. Old school mechanics sometimes used a piece of a zip tie underneath as a spacer (trimmed properly). I know '37 was the last year for the floor shift in USA Chevrolets. Chevrolet, Pontiac, and Oldsmobile used the same body panels for many models up through the '54 model year.

[@timothyroatenberry1274]

Our oldest son pulled a 235-6 cylinder out of a 55 Chevy truck 2 days ago, tried to get him to beef it up, put automatic behind it, gear up rear end, but no go ! He put a 383 striker in !!

[@mattlevault5140]

@@timothyroatenberry1274 He’s buying the gasoline… 😵😬😂

[@mattlevault5140]

@@timothyroatenberry1274 He’s buying the gasoline. 😵😬🤣

[@michaelallen8498]

You are right it is a Canadian car 224 on the badge. The 224 Chev engine was used in the 1937 and the 1938 then they went to the Pontiac flat head 6 and 8.

[@nonelost1]

17:15...Wow! I did not know they had idiot lights (red generator light) back in the '30s. I always thought that sort of thing did not start until the '50s or '60s.

[@LambvinskisGarage]

I didn't either! I figured it would have at least been a gauge, but I guess not!

[@vernonmarsh]

Great car. I'm surprised to see an OHV in a 1937 Pontiac--expecting a flat head.

[@garycamara9955]

General motors has had ohv engines since the 20s. Ford, Chrysler, even nash had flathead motors.

[@vernonmarsh]

My research indicates that Pontiac had flathead engines, straight 8s and straight 6s until 1954, which makes the '37 224 unusual. The 224 engine was a Canadian made version of the OHV Chevy 216.

[@stephenandloriyoung5716]

@@garycamara9955 Even earlier, Chevrolet had an OHV V8 in the late teens. But there were still lots of GM flatheads, ending with Pontiac's 1954 models. It was a big deal when Cadillac came out with its first OHV V8 in1949.

[@nygelmiller5293]

@@garycamara9955 I've learnt something about Overhead Valve Engines, now! Ford had them since the 20's? I had been under the impression that the first was a 1930 Cadillac!

[@michaelallen8498]

What you have is the Canadian version. Its a Pontiac 224 because it has a 224 cubic inch straight six. I have the same car.

[@michaelallen8498]

The rounded thing that fits on your glove box lid is an ash tray. It is by the way extremely rare

[@LambvinskisGarage]

@@michaelallen8498 you're absolutely right! Very cool and fun car, we love it.

[@yushi7457]

Elle est trop belle !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@donaldclark8692]

I've got some you might like.Got A 41 master deluxe.

[@LambvinskisGarage]

Awesome!

[@bigsparky8888]

LOVE WINCO BAKED CHIKKEN...YUM YUM!!!

[@peterselten500]

Great save it should clean up alright . Interested to see what the number plate toppers say its a shame there so rusty an more videos on it

[@LambvinskisGarage]

I'm not too sure what they say, we're gonna try to clean them up though.

[@garycamara9955]

There are more non rusty cars in California, except on the actual coast.

[@LambvinskisGarage]

@@garycamara9955 I've bought a few good cars out of California, but they have to be priced right for me to go get them. The stuff we have been getting lately has been very solid for our area.

[@larrykrise3609]

my dad had a 27 pontiac.8cyl.that thing was a tank.we would go fishing and some of the roads were bad.never got stuck.larry

[@LambvinskisGarage]

Thats awesome Larry!!

[@zaenaljenal6864]

Keren pontiak silver keren

[@davidsolloway9349]

I liked, I subscribed

[@LambvinskisGarage]

Thanks David!! 😎

[@mr.hanger]

I just recently bought a 51 Packard that has been sitting since the early 70s. I'm in my mid forties and have been trying to buy it since highschool, but the old man wouldn't sell. He passed away and the sons sold it to me. Problem is, I don't know where to start!

[@LambvinskisGarage]

Sorry to hear the old boy passed away, but at least you saved the car! If it's stuck I would start with pulling the spark plugs and soaking them with oil. If it's really stuck use ATF and Diesel. Then start checking for spark! Unhook the fuel line so you don't pump the carb full of bad gas too!

[@JesusTorres-qr1gz]

Man you got lucky with that very fine toy, that car is on outstanding and impressive conditions, inside and outside, who ever had that car most of taken excellent care of it, please keep it as good or better than it has been, it very well may outlast you to pass it to the next generation, from the endless summer paradise Puerto Rico, Jesús Torres. I wanted to see more, LIKE A ROAD TEST, no offense but please don't cheat on us, lol. Just kidding.

[@LambvinskisGarage]

We'll have a road test video out on it soon hopefully! We just got a brand new set of tires for it!

[@JesusTorres-qr1gz]

@@LambvinskisGarage most kind of you gentlemen, looking forward to see it, I don't want to miss it, by the way please reset the valves, I heard them tapping loud in the video, respectfully sir.

[@billko9201]

When you were trying to start it during the pull, had you checked the entire fuel system first?

[@LambvinskisGarage]

No, the previous owner said it would start because he had it running a few months ago, he was mistaken as you could see.

[@MrBigal451]

love at first sight. What are your plans for it

[@LambvinskisGarage]

Clean it up, make it reliable, and enjoy it as much as we can.

[@wattienewton5967]

Hello there I owned one of these cars 1960s it had a 6 cylinder side vavle Potiac engine that looks like a gmc is that .

[@VintageJunker]

If you could just spray the underside with some rust converter, you'd be good to go. Then paint over that for protection

[@VintageJunker]

sweet ride, you know those window stickers are originals. Yay! They make it pop!!

[@VintageJunker]

Another good idea might be to Iceblast the underside, if you can afford or find that service? It would really come out nice. Look up dry Ice blasting. It would be showroom beautiful!

[@ericolsen67vw]

Clear coat it. It’s perfection

[@jackpickering857]

Had a “37”coupe

[@ahoneyman]

If it's the Pontiac 224 a 54-62 Chevy 235 should basically drop in. You get a full flow oil system (no dripper nonsense) and most importantly, shell rod bearings. I have no idea who does babbitt bearings anymore.

[@LambvinskisGarage]

I'm pretty sure the 216 is the same engine as this but with a bigger bore. A 235 would be nice, but it would also be a shame to take the original engine out when it runs so nice.

[@ahoneyman]

@@LambvinskisGarageI'm just thinking about parts and rebuild ability. Not to mention super cool twin carb setups.

[@edwardrodgers9383]

I noticed the chock under the wheel - they needed that! 🤺🇦🇺 Don't you miss the dirt and grease, and the 6V electrical sydtem?🤺

[@garycamara9955]

The original stickers were water transfer decals. Stickers are much later.

[@mrkhokhar4895]

So so long but still body in great condition

[@johnelliott7375]

I am going to say now that I have just subscribed now, pleas soak the pistons before you try and turn it over. Great day to you.

[@henryfreeman4017]

Perfect music for cleaning the ole gal up

[@LambvinskisGarage]

Thank you!! I thought it was suiting!

[@henryfreeman4017]

The ole man didn't seem to share your excitement on this one lol

[@LambvinskisGarage]

@@henryfreeman4017 oh he's excited, don't let him fool ya! It was a long day yesterday, 250 miles, then run around to get the stuff together to make it run. He's in love with it.

[@trybriguy1357]

I'm not sure where you are. I just started watching this video and I paused it so, maybe you mention where this is later on. I would like to know if that bicycle leaning up against the partition, might be for sale. Please message me back. Thank You.

[@LambvinskisGarage]

We're in Washington, this car came from Oregon, I'm not sure any of the bike stuff was for sale or not.

[@trybriguy1357]

@@LambvinskisGarage @Lambvinskis Garage I'm not a bike collector, I had a bike that looks like that one in the video. I've been looking for one for some time now. My dad had a 1940 Buick Limo, he offered it to me back in 1978 for $800.00. car ran and didn't have a speck of rust on it. I kick myself everyday for not buying that limo!!! Nice car by the way, good luck with it.