just got some new ponchos

Those taillights are tough because they bolt right into a '55 or '56 Chevy, they were a custom trick people used for a while.

Which means you could put 55 or 56 Chevy taillights on your Pontiac, and then you can find lenses for them without spending a small fortune.

 

That seems why 55-56 Pontiacs are tough to come by in general. People stripped them for the Chevy interchangable parts and s****ped the rest.

 

i pulled that gas tank out today to reseal, then pulled off the tow hits and bumper mounts for towing. also took some other little odds and ends out

for reference, here is the wagon lens (top) vs a 55 2 dr lens (bottom)

 

hey guys with the wagons. my back hatch is missing the cables that limit the travel downward. from looking at it id ***ume they are retractable and if so, i may just have 1 of them.

do you have any insight or pics?

 

My brother (56ponchowagon) is helping my parents with the taxes right now, but I'm sure there is an access panel above the rear wheel to get to the retractors, or at least I think thats what they were for. I think he just made new cables, I'll ask him.

B.M.

 

I wonder how far off a '53-54 Buick tail lens is to those?

As far as interchange to Chevrolet, other than the wagons about all that swaps is the stuff above the beltline (gl***, trim), and door shells. I am kicking myself, though, I could have picked up a couple sets of those taillights a while back, but the junkyard is s****ped out now.

 

OK. So he said his retractors were missing as well. Only has one cable. I know a rectractor came up for sale on e*ay late last year but of course it got serious money. After helping him find various pieces I've noticed that even if you think you don't need it, you DO!

B.M.

 

Wow, amazing luck you dog!

However, all of you guys are wilting over lenses..........I'd be pulling those leaking axles and replacing more than the seals; replace those bearings. Pay me now or pay me later.

 

thought i might post another stupid update. i didnt like that tail light i made so i went to auto zone and got some reflectors for $2.99. this is what i ended up with...

 

got some radials today. wish i could afford wide white biased plys

played in photoshop some

 

working on it here and there to get it going. gas tank is FUBAR but thats not a real big deal. having a hard time finding a carb rebuild kit also...

here are some updated pics. cleaned it up some, cut off all the stupid frikkin hooks and ****

looking a little more hot rod....i think anyways!

 

mini update....the 2bbl carter carb is a pain in the *** so i scrounged around and got a 4bbl intake (free) and an almost new carter afb 4bbl with electric choke and vacuum secondaries. should be a lot nicer with the heavy wagon and parts are everywhere!

pulled the intake tonight as well as the leaky valve covers. gaskets are on the way and should be here within a few days time

 

It's wild that that thing has buckets and just formed rubber floor. Very brute handyman-esque. I dig it.

 

poncho runs great with the new carb. gotta figure out a different way to mount the generator since the 2bbl and 4bbl used different brackets

 

I super heart love this long roof.....sooo neat.

 

The gl*** in that 4door wagon is the same as a 4door Chevy wagon.

 

it is although there are 2 different measurements the gl*** comes in. 48'' and 45'' i do believe. i called a gl*** shop and each piece of the wrap around is $500

 

Any details on this carb? working OK. The reason, I have '60 Pontiac and the current Carter AFB carb is giving me h***els at the moment (Not OEM) Though I have AN OEM Carter carb for it and will pop it in and see if there is a difference. One difference is the CFM, OEM=750 and current=625. Nice wagon too!!

Ken

 

Here is the wifes 56 2 door with 55 chevy tail lights, her originals were so corroded the bulbs would not come out. The carb is an edelbrock 500CFM using a Speedway motors Flathead adapter on a stock 4bbl intake. Runs much better and the electric choke is a bonus. Crusty

 

First off let me say that you have a really nice looking wagon.That being said I think you might want to check to make sure of the year because I believe that is in reality a 56 with 55 side trim on it.It may make a difference if you get stopped and they run a numbers check on the car.The reason I say this is:

The small panel under the speedometer is 56 as is the radio.The 55 radios had black ****ons and the 56 had ivory colored ones which usually deteriorated rapidly.There is a difference in the horn ****ons and I'm not exactly what it is but I think it has to do with the blacked out design around the edge.
The interior door panels and seats appear to be 56 as well.There should be a tag on the A pillar of the driver's side as well as a tag on the firewall.The serial # and body type should tell the story.Just my twopence.

 

i dont have any of the numbers or anything off this carb, i got it used. i can get the numbers off it for you if youd like. i would think 750cfm might be a tad high but if thats how it came then i thought wrong. 625cfm shouldnt be a bad combo. i had a carter afb 625 on a buick 350 and it ran nice

the car runs great with this carb but i dont even know the first thing about it other then it works haha. ill get the numbers and see what CFM it is and all that jazz

some very good points. ill have to check it out...now im curious!! the panel under the speedo is a heater delete which was how the car came. someone eventually put a different style heater under the dash but its no where near a factory unit. i dunno where the heck the bucket seats came from but they have to go. the back seat is original but i have no idea whether its '55 or '56 specific

heres another i found on ebay, he claims it to be a '55 survivor so im willing to believe the back seat is the same as is the door panels. his steering wheel is also the same as mine. there were option levels for stuff like that, with all cars, my steering wheel may appear the same as a '56 but my dad has a '55 + '56 at his house and his '56 steering wheel is very different

'55 wagon

 

Looks like I made a bad call on the interior but I still believe the radio is a 56.Of course that could have been changed anytime.Not familiar with the heater delete panel;around here cars come with heaters(lol).The only reason I commented was I didn't want to see you come to any grief with the gendarmes.

 

Im digging that heater delete plate....Ill have to start looking for one of those to go with the Radio Delete Plate.

 

Way cool seeing some Ponchos, man I dig em. I think the little white one is a super score. That green and white survisvor is off the hook!! Love that stainless trim on the front door panels. You are moving right along with whitey, congrats and enjoy! ~Sololobo~

 

The speaker grill is usually missing the Pontiac script. I sold one for over a C note on that unmentionable auction site.Nice scores!

 

The wagon is just killer. Since somebody already cut the quarters, rounding the cuts out and puttin' on some pie crust slicks out back & some skinnys up front would be real cool. Good luck with the project.

 

There were a couple of companies re-popping them awhile back;one was pot metal and expensive(about $65 IIRC)and the other was plastic and about $25.EDIT:There were two separate pieces;one said Pontiac and the other Safari.

 

a buddy just got a '56 safari. real rough shape. ill have to get some pics of it

 

Still need a generator bracket? I may have the one you need, post a photo of the one you have that doesn't work or send me a PM. Bryan