Here’s an interesting find, a 1957 Pontiac Star Chief, four-door hardtop that has a sorta two-door look about it. The breezy hardtop’s roofline is a Fisher Body design that first appeared on Pontiacs and other GM division cars in 1956. This one reminds me of the type of modified street cruiser you would see prowling parkways back in the late ’60s. Located in LaVerne, California, it’s for sale and is available, here on craigslist for $14,000.
Pontiac had a three-tiered totem pole in ’57 with the Star Chief at the top, the Super Chief following, and the Chieftain bringing up the markers. The Star Chief was available in four-door hardtops and sedans as well as two-door hardtops and a convertible. The hardtop versions were also known as the Star Chief “Catalina”. The Super Chief featured the same four-door hardtop body style as well, but based on the four still attached “star” side emblems of our subject car, (the Super Chief utilized three), I’d vote this one as the listing claims, a Star Chief. Pontiac ditched the stainless steel hood “suspenders” for ’57 but it didn’t help with sales. Though they stayed in sixth place, right behind Oldsmobile, they slipped from 405K copies down to 334K.
The rear door handles have been shaved and it’s not clear if the doors are even operable – clearly the intent is to camouflage them giving this hardtop a two-door look. Oddly, the listing makes no mention of that alteration. The heavy black primer disguises much of this Poncho’s exterior (except where it’s peeling off and revealing an underlying blue finish). Some of the excessive stainless trim has been removed but a bit is still present – from what can be discerned, the body shows as sound. The fender skirts, red wheels, and wide whites all contribute to the old-school cruiser vibe.
Standard Star Chief power was a 270-gross HP, 347 CI V8 engine, feed by a Rochester four-barrel carburetor. The engine in this car is wheezing through a two-barrel fuel mixer so it’s hard to say what it is. The seller claims, “Starts. Runs. Stops” – not all that encouraging. And then adds, “just finished brakes overhaul, radiator, carb, and water pump“. The transmission is stated as being an automatic so a Hydramatic should be the order of the day – unless that was switched along with the engine.
The interior is a real mixed bag. The front seat has been redone but the rear one is wearing a Mexican blanket. The door panels are missing as is a lot of the dash trim. The carpet has been replaced with what looks more like a commercial office carpet that has been cut to fit. Unfortunately, some of the cool stainless steel headliner spears are missing.
The seller suggests, “Be a nice rat rod“. Maybe, but not for $14,000. That’s my thought, what’s yours?
Just plumb ran out of 2 doors,,apparently. I remember, it was a thing to convert 4 doors into 2, because they looked similar anyway, except most did a decent job. People sure have a twisted sense of value, for whatever reason. Perhaps if I lived in California, when pigs fly, this stuff might make more sense. I believe, there are so many people, in order to stand out, you have to have something like this. Like, I drive this, so I’m winning,,,Got to be the entertainment industry that rakes in jillions from the rest of the country, and it trickles down to the boom mike operator so they can afford this.
14 thousand? I’m sure they mean 4 cars not 4 doors.
No way for the 14K but the rear door treatment looks good to me. Put push button electric latches up front to let passengers in, leave the manual controls on the inside to get passengers out and you’ve got something. California cruiser at it’s finest… maybe simifinest.
Of all of Dad’s cars his 57 Star Chief was my favorite. Blue and white, stainless steel fender skirts, factory spinner hubcaps. This one is missing a lot of chrome, including the lit fender ornaments. I still have the memories and the spinner hub caps:-)
This is so ridiculous because the people they are trying to fool into thinking this is a 2-door won’t know the difference or care either way and the others will know the difference and won’t want the car because of that.
“…nice rat rod…”
Nice oxymoron.
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HERE HERE ! I agree with you and LARRY D. wholeheartedly on this one !
California or not I for one see no justification for the asking price for this vehicle as presented ! Here deep in the mountains of western N.C. it would be difficult at best to get more than 2500 or 3k. I have a friend here in Macon county that has asked me to help him liquidate approximately 75 or 80 vintage vehicles that he and his family have acquired over the many years while operating a towing and recovery/auto repair business! Judging from the prices I have been seeing in the market place recently, it is time for us to quit procrastinating and get with the program so to speak ! JUST SAYING !
Eggs are $12 a dozen and milk is $8 a gallon. As soon as this recession hits, buying project cars out of a junkyard will take a back seat to putting food on the table….
This would be a great car for No. Carolina. Imagine how many cases of ‘shine you could put in that trunk!
Good wordsmithing said the elephant in the room…but that goes without saying.
Some people shouldn’t be allowed to mess with classic cars. I had a 57 Chieftain 2dr, 3spd back in the 70s, nice car, this one not so much. That engine looks like a late 50s or early 60s 2barrel 389.
No,1200.00 tops.
Wierd, half assed 4 door to two door conversion (why?) engine of unknown provenance, landlord special carpet covering god knows what. Door panels, trim? They’re around here somewhere, maybe. Hagerty says 12k for a #3. I don’t know Hagerty’s criteria, but this seems a long way from a 3. My guess is he bought the thing with the intent to restore, got sticker shock from the front seat recovering, and wants out.
A perfect $4000 rat Rod
Again a guy looks at current market and says my pos is got to be worth 14000. And what are you not proud of your 4 door? I just sold a 58 biscayne for 5 grand. Much better than this monstrosity.
Awesome sled. But not at 14k!
It runs and stops, which is a big plus, but it’s a mess. Even as a rat rod.