1957 Pontiac Safari

This 1957 Pontiac Star Chief is one of 1,292 two-door Custom Safari wagons produced for the model year and is powered by a replacement 389ci V8 with a Tri-Power induction setup linked with a four-speed Hydramatic automatic transmission. The car was refurbished prior to the seller’s purchase and is finished in black with a white roof and accents over maroon leather, and equipment includes power steering, Mallory ignition, 15″ steel wheels with chrome covers, lap belts, and a Wonder Bar push-button AM radio. This Star Chief Safari was purchased by the seller in 2015 and is now offered in Encino, California, with the owner’s manual, service records, and a clean Montana title in the seller’s name. Delivered new in Charcoal Grey over Silver Beige, the two-door wagon has been repainted black with a white roof and side accents. The car is equipped with dual side mirrors, dual exhaust outlets, extended tail fins, a Tri-Power fender emblem, and chrome bumpers, window surrounds, and trim. The 15″ steel wheels feature chrome covers and are mounted with 215/75 Coker Classic whitewall tires. The car is equipped with power steering, and braking is provided by drums at each corner. The cabin houses front and rear bench seats upholstered in maroon leather with white accents along with a color-coordinated two-tone dashboard, door panels, and carpeting. Appointments include lap belts, a Wonder Bar push-button AM radio, locking glovebox storage, and a heater. The wiring harness was replaced in 2016, which also saw repairs to the interior wiring. The rear hatch headliner was also replaced in 2016. A split in the lower front seat can be viewed in the gallery. The two-spoke steering wheel features a chrome horn ring has cracks in its rim. It fronts a horizontal-sweep 120-mph speedometer and gauges for amperage, coolant temperature, fuel level, and oil pressure. The five-digit odometer shows 11k miles, less than 2k of which were added under current ownership. True mileage is unknown. The replacement 389ci V8 is said to have been sourced from a 1958 model and was installed under prior ownership. It is topped by triple Rochester two-barrel carburetors and a Tri-Power air cleaner assembly. The engine mounts were replaced, the valve covers repainted, and the fuel tank repaired in 2016. Work in 2024 included adding Mallory ignition, rebuilding the carburetors, re-coring the radiator, and replacing the battery and fuel lines. A tappet noise is noted by the seller. Power is routed to the rear wheels through a four-speed Hydramatic automatic transmission that was installed in 2020 along with a replacement torque converter, slip joint, and U-joints. Decoding the trim tag reveals the following information: Style 57-2764DF – 1957 two-door Custom Safari Trim 244 – Silver Beige Metallic and Ivory Leather Paint HQQ – Charcoal Grey upper and Silver Beige lower