Craigslist Find; 1959 Pontiac Wagon

Just picked up this original paint 1959 Pontiac wagon up in the San Francisco area Craigslist...poor guy was trying to sell this for about a month! I saw it weeks ago and was surprised when it popped up again...got it for $1500! No motor or trans...it was owned by Chico lumber and was last registered in 1969...it had been stored in a barn that leaked a little water here and there onto the wagon but I think it survived pretty damn well. If that car had been down here in Socal the interior would have been shredded by the sun...and there probably wouldnt be any paint left on it...already picked up a 1972 Grand Prix parts car to yank the motor and trans out of...hope to make a low budget cruiser/swapmeet wagon...

 

You dont see those badboys everyday.

 

found me s 63 401 ci buick nailhead on a local classifieds here for 650
and the engine runs

 

Actually Chico is hotter than shit in the summer .... hotter than socal. You did good. I'd be interested in the roof rack if its not in your plans.

 

cool deal what a swapmeet ride ,

 

Its funny you should mention the roof rack...the seller told me many guys had called him about buying it...but he didnt want to goof the wagon up...I am not a huge roof rack guy...but it kind of fits with this wagon...it was originally from Chico...but it was nearer the bay area for the last 40 years...and inside a barn..so mostly out of the sun..

 

That is gonna be COOL!

 

Nice ride!

 

What a great find !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Its going to need a couple pieces of flat glass and unfortunately one of the rear curved windows has a bb gun hole/crack...as far as getting it running..the parts car I bought has a good running 400 turbo 400 and I think it will bolt right in with the '59 mounts (not the trans though..I know)..

 

My buddy Bernie had one of those as a tow car for his front engine dragster.
One time I'm towing him back from a run at Indy and he had installed a new choke, but the cable worked in reverse to normal. The car is running rough and I'm pushing that choke in trying to shut the choke off. The funny thing is, pushing it in is really putting the choke at full on and thick black smoke is pouring out the duals.
Man I got tears in my eyes just thinking about how funny this was ! Bernie is trying to get his mask back on so he can breath while his arms are waving violently. We're coming down that return road and he has his silver face mask on waving those arms, black smoke pouring out those pipes. He said it was worse than the hint of nitro he used to sneak in...lol

 

Those wagons from that time-frame are so garish and angular, and that's what makes them cool.

They look nothing like anything on the road today.

 

GREAT CAR!
Good for you..
Cheers

 

Its just amazing to me to think of the fact that back then...GM made a complete different car 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961...nowadays all the cars look the same...I guess thats why we like this old stuff...but your right about the angularity and weirdness of them...

 

I'd about kill to own one of those, that good. It's even the right color -

 

you suck!!!!!!!!
i have been love with Pontiac wagons since i got my first one {a 1955 4dr}when i was 15,

 

There was one of these but the Bonneville trim level for sale here in Wisconsin that I went and saw, was kind of a coral color and had a wild 3 color vinyl interior. Really cool wagons, as much as I love '59 Chevy wagons I think I'd rather have one of these. Good score, and a 400/TH400 should be an ideal engine, happy to know it's staying all Pontiac. A 65-66 tripower intake will fit that '72 engine you know....

 

amazing.

BUILD THREAD, PLEASE!

 

I envy you. I was looking for specifically a '59 wagon and drove from Dallas to St. louis to find a rusty, beat down excuse for a car. Left empty handed and now have a '70 vista cruiser to subdue my wagon needs. Still would rather have a '59 poncho.

Is yours a 6pass or 9 pass?

 

Hit that thing with a CLR bath, and give it a good waxing, fix up the interior, drop in a drivetrain, and get some bigger tires... ...Then drive the shit out of it....cool car.

 

Revhead...I feel your pain...driving long distances to be disappointed is part of the car addiction...

A supposed friend of mine suggested I throw a 283 that I have into the Pontiac...I would never do that...when I part out the '72 Grand Prix and all its options..I will probably be into the wagon AND the motor and trans for about $500...I would like to put a tripower manifold on it and dress it up with Cal Custom valve covers etc...

 

What ratio CLR? On my 1956 Cadillac..I made the mistake of waxing/polishing off the surface rust..and it did just that..except it took off alot of paint in the process...

I agree the tires look REALLY small on it...the 14" rims dont help...I talked to Groucho about 8 lug wheels...he said they bolt right onto a 1960 model...does anyone know if the 1959 and 1960 brake drums interchange? I think 8 lug drums with repro 15" chrome rims would look really good...

 

that is one badass looking ride! Nice score

 

Just follow the directions on the CLR bottle, if at first you don't succeed, up it a little. I haven't done it myself, but have seen amazing before and after pics here on the HAMB.

 

You had the big 'pontoon' cars of the early '50s, that gradually transitioned into blockier shapes but still with lots of heavy details on them like the '55ish Buicks and the tri-5 Chevys. I have to admit every time I blunder into zman's Buick-on-Jag-suspension thread I pop over to eBay or Craigslist looking for old Buicks.

At the tail end of the '50s we got the full Spacely Sprockets look for a couple years, then around '61 the Nike Ajax rocket exhaust taillights and missile-pod headlights gave way to something just a little more subtle. I've always considered those early '60s designs to be some of the best - before longer, lower, wider got ridiculous.

Finally mid-decade everyone embraced something resembling the parachute-silk-over-wire-frame look.

Pick your era, they're all good in their own way.

We won't talk about what happened from the early '70s onward, particularly once the bumper laws took hold.

 

That has to be one of the ugliest station wagons I've ever seen and I'd love to find one just like it!!! How about putting a piece of 2"x12" on the front bumper and a bunch of speed parts stickers in the rear side windows to give it that dragster push car look?

 

Sweet!

 

My name is Larry and I am a wagon slut!! Holly smolly, what a cool ride, love that split fin in the rear. I took my first trip to California with the familia in 1959 in my uncles brand new 59 wagon. It was a light purple and white with a RED interior, odd! Drove like a dream and performed exceptional. Best of luck with this knock out. ~sololobo~

 

shall we start a support group?

HELLO my name is chuck & i'm also wagon slut! my wife finds it odd i would rather look at wagons than girls..

 

Very nice longroof. Keep the rack and don't put lumber on the front bumper unless you actually own a period FED. Wagons are cool without being pushcars.