Event Coverage Pomona Swap Meet today

Yes, certainly a very good price from the pics. I'll have more than that in mine and it likely still won't be as nice.

Trade? LOL

 

Didnt you just get rid of a gas guzzler pontiac??? now a gas guzzler olds....go figure. Congratz

 

You should know by now that he just keeps cars long enough to make a couple bucks...

 

Not entirely true. I had the Pontiac in question for TWO YEARS.

 

What Olds?

 

That's an eternity,for you!!!

 

You bet. Like dog years. Ya doin Moon next Sat?

 

Hey groucho, I have been obsessed with 55/56 Pontiacs for 18 years. I have included my photo galaries of some for possible ideas. Best of luck, great find

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kustom55/sets/72157604405951645/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kustom55/sets/72157604424800702/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kustom55/sets/72157604709437359/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kustom55/sets/72157604429148275/

 

Back when I was just a lil car dude, a Dago stance was the result of an early Ford axle dropped by Ed "Axle" Stewart of San Diego, hence the name Dago. Of course that was before OSR and the rap music community rewrote the English language.

 

That's a lotta pictures. So, how do I know which model I have?

 

pretty neat car,some day maybe i will have something that ****s less,again, nice car hope you have lots of fun!!

 

are they magic carpets?

 

its kinda lke a russian candycane

 

You have a 55 Chieftan. You can tell because the side trim on the door is the tinner version compaired to the thicker version, yours is missing the 3 stars on the fenders/doors and the Chieftan is a few inches shorter than a starchief. The first pix is a Starchief and the second is a Chieftan.

 

I have 3 stainless headliner bows. I thought that was a higher model. Could the stars have been shaved? Is there a 3rd model that year, or just the 2?

 

In the US there were just 2 (not including wagons). My first car was a 56 Pontiac Chieftain 2 door ht also had 3 headliner bars. All the Starchiefs I owned had a script over the speaker cover that StarChief and also a V8 on the rear fender above the taillight. Also, where is your antenna located?

 

Here is a pretty cool page with lots of 55-56-57 Pontiac info.

http://www.pontiacsafari.com/L1EarlyV8Pontiacs/EarlyV8Pontiacs.html

 

Check the data tag on the firewall? Model # will be on the tag

<TABLE cellSpacing=6 cellPadding=0 width=851 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="WIDTH: 89px" vAlign=bottom>Model</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 177px" vAlign=bottom>Body Style</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 77px" vAlign=bottom>Body Style No.</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 53px" vAlign=bottom>Factory Price</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 63px" vAlign=bottom>Shipping Weight*</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 34px" vAlign=bottom>Production Total</TD><TD vAlign=bottom>Comments</TD></TR><TR><TD style="WIDTH: 89px" vAlign=top>25 Chieftain</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 177px" vAlign=top>Catalina Coupe 870</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 77px" vAlign=top>2537D</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 53px" vAlign=top>2,335</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 63px" vAlign=top>3,631</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 34px" vAlign=top>72,608</TD><TD vAlign=top>2-door hardtop</TD></TR><TR><TD style="WIDTH: 89px" vAlign=top></TD><TD style="WIDTH: 177px" vAlign=top>Two Door Sedan 860</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 77px" vAlign=top>2511</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 53px" vAlign=top>2,105</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 63px" vAlign=top>3,586</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 22px" vAlign=top>58,654</TD><TD vAlign=top>lowest price</TD></TR><TR><TD style="WIDTH: 89px" vAlign=top></TD><TD style="WIDTH: 177px" vAlign=top>Two Door Sedan 870</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 77px" vAlign=top>2511D</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 53px" vAlign=top>2,209</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 63px" vAlign=top>3,586</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 34px" vAlign=top>28,950</TD><TD vAlign=top></TD></TR><TR><TD style="WIDTH: 89px" vAlign=top></TD><TD style="WIDTH: 177px" vAlign=top>Four Door Sedan 860</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 77px" vAlign=top>2519</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 53px" vAlign=top>2,164</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 63px" vAlign=top>3,621</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 34px" vAlign=top>65,155</TD><TD vAlign=top></TD></TR><TR><TD style="WIDTH: 89px" vAlign=top></TD><TD style="WIDTH: 177px" vAlign=top>Four Door Sedan 870</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 77px" vAlign=top>2519D</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 53px" vAlign=top>2,268</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 63px" vAlign=top>3,621</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 34px" vAlign=top>91,187</TD><TD vAlign=top></TD></TR><TR><TD style="WIDTH: 89px" vAlign=top></TD><TD style="WIDTH: 177px" vAlign=top>Four Door Station Wagon 860</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 77px" vAlign=top>2562</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 53px" vAlign=top>2,518</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 63px" vAlign=top>3,736</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 34px" vAlign=top>6,091</TD><TD vAlign=top>3 seat wagon</TD></TR><TR><TD style="WIDTH: 89px" vAlign=top></TD><TD style="WIDTH: 177px" vAlign=top>Four Door Station Wagon 870</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 77px" vAlign=top>2562DF</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 53px" vAlign=top>2,603</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 63px" vAlign=top>3,786</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 34px" vAlign=top>19,439</TD><TD vAlign=top>2 seat wagon</TD></TR><TR><TD style="WIDTH: 89px" vAlign=top></TD><TD style="WIDTH: 177px" vAlign=top>Two Door Station Wagon 860</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 77px" vAlign=top>2563F</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 53px" vAlign=top>2,434</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 63px" vAlign=top>3,736</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 34px" vAlign=top>8,618</TD><TD vAlign=top>2 seat "Colony" wagon </TD></TR><TR><TD style="WIDTH: 89px" vAlign=top></TD><TD style="WIDTH: 177px" vAlign=top></TD><TD style="WIDTH: 77px" vAlign=top></TD><TD style="WIDTH: 53px" vAlign=top></TD><TD style="WIDTH: 63px" vAlign=top></TD><TD style="WIDTH: 34px" vAlign=top></TD><TD vAlign=top></TD></TR><TR><TD style="WIDTH: 89px" vAlign=top>25 Star Chief</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 177px" vAlign=top>Custom Station Wagon (Safari)</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 77px" vAlign=top>2564DF</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 53px" vAlign=top>2,962</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 63px" vAlign=top>3,746</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 34px" vAlign=top>3,760</TD><TD vAlign=top>2 seat sporty wagon, most expensive</TD></TR><TR><TD style="WIDTH: 89px" vAlign=top></TD><TD style="WIDTH: 177px" vAlign=top></TD><TD style="WIDTH: 77px" vAlign=top></TD><TD style="WIDTH: 53px" vAlign=top></TD><TD style="WIDTH: 63px" vAlign=top></TD><TD style="WIDTH: 34px" vAlign=top></TD><TD vAlign=top></TD></TR><TR><TD style="WIDTH: 89px" vAlign=top>28 Star Chief</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 177px" vAlign=top>Convertible Coupe</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 77px" vAlign=top>2867DTX</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 53px" vAlign=top>2,691</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 63px" vAlign=top>3,901</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 34px" vAlign=top>19,762</TD><TD vAlign=top></TD></TR><TR><TD style="WIDTH: 89px" vAlign=top></TD><TD style="WIDTH: 177px" vAlign=top>Catalina Coupe Custom</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 77px" vAlign=top>2837SD</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 53px" vAlign=top>2,499</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 63px" vAlign=top>3,676</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 34px" vAlign=top>99,629</TD><TD vAlign=top>2-door hardtop</TD></TR><TR><TD style="WIDTH: 89px" vAlign=top></TD><TD style="WIDTH: 177px" vAlign=top>Four Door Sedan</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 77px" vAlign=top>2819D</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 53px" vAlign=top>2,362</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 63px" vAlign=top>3,666</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 34px" vAlign=top>44,800</TD><TD vAlign=top></TD></TR><TR><TD style="WIDTH: 89px" vAlign=top></TD><TD style="WIDTH: 177px" vAlign=top>Four Door Sedan Custom</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 77px" vAlign=top>2819SD</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 53px" vAlign=top>2,455</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 63px" vAlign=top>3,666</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 34px" vAlign=top>35,153</TD><TD vAlign=top>4-door hardtop</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

Thanks for posting that Billybobdad, that will come in handy in the future

 

HMM, my 57 Pontiac cheaper version had no stainless bows. I have holes in speaker grill where an emblem's missing, and V-8's on the 1/4's near the tailights. Antenna, right front fender near windshield

 

Catalina coupe 870 it is. I guess they got rid of the headliner stainless in the cheaper model a couple yrs later. Thanks Boss. Very usefull info

 

Hey Groucho, the '55 Pontiac you just bought happens to be the very first car I had ever owned. I bought it my sophomore year of high school in 1998 in Huntington Beach from the second owner and drove it through high school. It was bone stock at that time. I had my fun in that car and learned a lot as far as mechanics go and even some bodywork after I banged it around here and there. The car is a 1955 Pontiac Chieftain, which is shorter than the Starchief model that has the three stars ahead of the trim and a thicker sidetrim with three lines. The car was Sequioa Green and Mist White when I bought it and it was repainted once but still had some original spots. The interior had been redone when I bought it and looks to be the same now- it was in great shape other than some cracking on the top of the rear seat from the sun. Right before I sold it, I lowered it front and rear, patched the rust in the roof and rockers, and primered the whole car black. I lived in Temecula at the time and saw the car in a driveway in Ontario about two years later and it was repainted green and white, but a much brighter green. It looks to have the same paintjob on it today. The rearend was raised back up and had red wheels on it. I don't know who owned it after that, or who out the baby moons back on it. As for the headliner bows, the Chieftains never came with those- only the Starchief model did. My dad and I pulled them out of a '56 Star Chief 4 dr hardtop at Memory Lane one day and I trimmed them to fit into my car.

I miss this car from time to time and it's good to see it back on the road and looking great...have fun with it- I always did.

Rob

 

WOW! Any history on the engine/trans?

 

GROUCHO, the car had the original 287 Strat-o-streak V8 and hydro when I bought and it. It ran good but smoked a little in the morning. I had the radiator gone through and installed new points. I have no idea what was done to the motor after I sold the car.

As for the speaker grill emblem, I remember trying to find one for a long time...I think I had found a '56 emblem once, but they are different. I have a few things still from when I sold the car and I will check if I might have that emblem.

I remember that hydro would pound into second. I always thought something was wrong with it, but people told me that's just how they shift; which would explain why women drivers supposedly preferred the Jetaway vs. the Hydro (in an Olds)...is that true?

Rob

 

man i miss my car. the chief. erik post some pics of my car icant find the ones you sent me billy

 

Ah my mistake Pontiac. Sorry Groucho, they all look the same to me

 

Dammit Groucho,Your from New York!Forget the rake...Drop the *** on that *****,slap on a set of 57 Caddys and wide whites and while ya at it how about a custom scooped set of turnpike cruiser skirts!lolol....................I know,Id have a better chance of dating Carmen Electrs.

 

Cool.If you have any useful parts, I'd be happy to buy them. I think it's 3rd it hits HARD in. Good to know that it's NOT a recent developement. I thought it was pretty hard, and was a bit concerned. Not any more. Was the engine spotless when you had it? It is now, and there's a vague $1000 reciept from a machine shop. Thanks for all the interesting info

 

Taildragger for sure is my style too!

 

The best 55 Pontiac I have ever seen.......

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kustom5...7604709437359/

Billy, do you ever keep in contact with the owner?