When a seller uses terms like calling his or her offering one of the finest examples in the world, it quickly sets expectations to a point that they sometimes aren’t met once a potential buyer digs in and checks everything out closely. That’s how the seller of this 1959 Pontiac Star Chief here on Facebook Marketplace describes this one, and it seems to be one of those cases where they might be on the right track. This automobile is located in Ontario, California, where a mostly favorable climate helps ensure a vintage vehicle remains in good condition. The asking price of $30,000 isn’t exactly a steal, but with all the positives awaiting, this one just might capture the attention of an admirer ready to hand over that sort of cash. Super nice find, T.J., and thanks for the excellent Poncho tip here!
When the fourth generation of the Star Chief appeared as a 1959 model, it happened to be the same year Pontiac first incorporated its “Wide Track” design, pushing the wheels farther outward than before. Featuring stars as part of the package was one of the car’s signatures, and the quarters here wear them proudly, along with the unusually shaped trim piece underneath. The seller describes this one as all original throughout, and the only blemish I’m spotting is a possible dent on the right door, or perhaps it’s just a reflection. What do you think?
Also impressive is the interior, which shows some creative star placements on the upholstery. If the components in here are still the factory-installed pieces as stated, the condition is amazing, considering that 67 years have passed since this Pontiac was new. The fact that the 55,000 miles are stated as actual is undoubtedly a factor in the strong preservation, and it’s obvious that this one has been properly stored and well cared for since day one.
The 389 engine is also confirmed to be original, and the seller includes a video showing the V8 in action, which appears to be running ably. There’s no word on whether there’s ever been a rebuild, but if this one has been mechanically maintained to the same level as the cosmetics, it may never have needed to be overhauled. Even if there is some actual minor damage to the one door, I’m still thinking this 1959 Pontiac Star Chief would qualify as close to a 9 on a 10-point scale. How about you?
Take a look at the other photos in the listing, that’s a big old cave in that passenger’s door, deep enough to cause the trim strip to turn into a bridge over the Great Empty – where sheet metal used to be. For $30k? No.
Thanks for confirming–reflection or huge dent. Sorry to hear it’s a DENT! However, I never say never and feel it can be fixed. (I would have killed whoever did that, too!)
No no no that is definitely a reflection. The chrome strip isn’t bent at all. I’ve seen many reflections fool people. You’d be surprised. You could see an image and that’s what’s making it look dented.
All I can say about this magnificent car, is imagine the poor schmoe waddling along in the left lane in the 4 cylinder Allstate, when this fills their rear view mirror( if so equipped). Move over, pally, this car means business. The wide whites are a distraction, but not totally out of place here, the dent easily fixed, and where’s the air cleaner? Someone said they are removed to show the engine,,,maybe, but to operate a motor without one is pure foolishness.
I read, the Star Chief was on the upper end of Pontiac, costing about $3140 new, or about $400 more than a Catalina.($2700) Consequently, only about 68,000 Star Chiefs sold new, compared to almost 231,000 Catalinas that year. The “Wide Track”, which increased the stance by 5 inches, and while some say it was a gimmick, it actually improved handling. In ads, it was always made to look wider than it was, but helped sell a lot of Ponchos. Great cars, if it sells as is, that would be a miracle.
Catalinas had seven models to choose from, including wagons and a convertible, and the Star Chief only had three. Plus you could step up to a Bonnie for around $300 more than the Star Chief and get an actual hardtop coupe instead of a 2dr sedan. That helps explain the production numbers.
I agree for 30K ,the right door needs to be fixed!
Hard to beat the jet age for styling.
IDK, how do you put a dent that big into a door while the trim remains straight? I’m inclined to think a reflection but an in person exam would clear it up.
You’re right. There’s an image that is reflective and it’s making it look dented. Plus if an obvious dent that big they would mention it.
4 a nice ride and he wants 30g please fix the door before putting it up 4 sale
Do you have a brother named “Elk”? Asking for a friend.
It’s the reflection of what the car is parked next to, if that was a dent, the vent window would have broken.
It’s definitely a dent. It’s in two pictures, from different directions. It looks like there is a bit of a crease towards the top front. If the dent was an easy fix he’d probably have taken care of it prior to putting the car up for sale.
Steve R
You couldn’t be more wrong and you know it.
The first ”Wide Track”…. I built a model of it back then… Those late 50’s cars… particularly GM were extremely highly styled…. and very little repeated next year. The tooling costs were insane… right down to the dashboards and trims… Almost no plastic.. all stampings and die castings…..
It was a VERY different time… American exceptionalism by the ton !!!
Love the look of the WW on there. Soo much better than white letters that a Guy puts on his cars. A set of embossed Vogues with that gold stripe wouldreally set it off.
very nice indeed. finest in the world no. needs some TLC and for 30k it should have had it done to it. a friend sold a 59 bonnie w/ 27k miles survivor for 40k about a year ago, but it was in the wrapper.
Possibly a Stratochief? I like this ride!
I’ll be looking up this car on my 50 – 59 car book i picked up at a book sale for 2 dollars,400 pages on every 50’s car.beautiful color pictures.
…old stuff is fun… especially if it is from childhood. I have a collection of Life, Look and Saturday Evening Post magazines as well as some boating and flying ones. They are very interesting and show how America changed over the years. The car hobby is an introduction to this, but is only one slice of Americana…. the magazines really take you back…
My parents had a ’59 Star Chief 4dr in coral red. This 2dr is rather strange. First it appears shorter than my parents 4 dr. This one appears to be a 2 dr Catalina (shorter wheel base) that’s had a star added to make it like a Star Chief with Star Chief insignias applied were applicable. The dash is the same as their ’59 Pontiac, but the rest of interior – seat covers – door panels, back dash, etc, are very different in style on this one – again what came in an Catalina. Also, the grille on theirs was unpolished aluminum – not shiny chrome like this one – so that’s weird. And yes: there’s a sizeable dent on the passenger side door – it was hit below the trim where a trim plug isn’t located, which is why the trim bridges over the sizeable dent and could be rather costly to fix – particularly in matching this paint perfectly. I loved my parents ’59 Star Chief, and would love to have it if it still exists, but this one is just weirdly not right – and most certainly doesn’t seem to me to be worth $30K – but to each his own.
The carpet also looks suspicious to me, almost like a 1980’s GM plush. We had a ’59 Bonnie when I was young and it had a metallic flake carpet. I don’t know what they used in a Star Chief but this just doesn’t look right.
My parents’ ’59 Star Chief’s carpet matched the upholstery – as close as could be possible – and their Star Chief had full cloth seats. – These seats look like textured vinyl – again what came stock in the Catalina. The Bonnie was made to be a step above, so it had things – like fancy carpet – that you didn’t get in the Star Chief or Catalina. This “Star Chief” is very odd as it’s presented.
For all those viewing this on your phone I do not see any dents in this car. I see relections of it’s surroundings. With out proper staging of your photos this can happen more times than not. I view all these ads and stories on a desk top with a large monitor so I get a much clearer picture than a phone. I doubt very much that the car has original paint as the color looks deep from it’s clear coat and shine.
For all those viewing this on your phone I do not see any dents in this car. I see relections of it’s surroundings. With out proper staging of your photos this can happen more times than not. I view all these ads and stories on a desk top with a large monitor so I get a much clearer picture than a phone. I doubt very much that the car has original paint as the color looks deep from it’s clear coat and shine.
A beautiful car, even with the dent(??).. I would have to check Haggerty on the price range, and probably have to dicker it down some, to be an entry into the classic car hobby..
Tri Tone Upholstery? 30 somolians Nope
Definitely a dent.
A closeup reveals a shadow being cast by the trim strip.
Unacceptable for the seller not to mention it.
Also interesting that they left the jumper cables on the battery during the run video.
Thar’s real Detroit steel. Super hard to pop out. You’d need a slide hammer & then repaint.
My father had a new 196 star chief blue with a white top what a comfortable fun car to ride in.
Poop-squatch ! No way $30 K !!!
Unfortunately the paint has been redone and not well. The original color can be seen on the firewall and the exterior is more of a raspberry color. It is also clear that the interior has received some restoration work but it is also not top quality work. This isnt anywhere near a $30,000 car
Yep, and the firewall appears to be Coral Red – just like my parents’ ’59 Star Chief. This Poncho has a lot of weird clone-things going on about it and that raspberry paint is one of them, which I have never seen on ’59 Pontiac.
On a good day, maybe that ashcanned (?) dent can be popped out via skilled painless dent repair. If not, it’d be an adventure matching paint.
Love that color and the interior design is just so great.
That fuel filter is in a really hinky spot though…
Is there a reason why the owner didn’t take the jumper cables off?
One could make that dent pretty much disappear with the use of a good toilet plunger. Just sayin’.
Nice car.
There is a $5,000 dent on the passenger side. Why wasn’t this mentioned?
Way too much weird car flipping stuff going on here. The carpet is way wrong. The rear package shelf is an absolute joke. The motor should be sporting a generator instead of the newer alternator. And like a lot of y’all here have said, that paint is certainly not original. The horse hookah is deep and wide with this one folks. 🐴💩
The advert says Bonneville and car’s trim says Star Chief. It’s definitely got Bonneville taillights. If it rides on the same extended wheelbase over the Catalina….It seems to actually be a hybrid because the trunk lid is no where near as long as a Bonneville’s. We had a 59 Cat convert and this deck is the same. Also, I thought most of the interiors were 3 colors, particularly in the seat covers and the door panels. Ours was and this one is just sort of plain. We had aquamarine, dark blue, and light blue…really beautiful.
I’m in the ‘dent’ camp. 2 different pictures show the same deep crease. That ain’t no reflection from another car coming from 2 angles. It would also negate the sales puffery of being the finest. Always did love the 59 coupes and converts, especially in the Catalina sizes. The Bonny was just too big and long.
The Star Chief had the long tail lights too – exactly the same as the Bonneville. The Bonneville had extra exterior bling the Star Chief didn’t and more choices of the bells and whistles offered that year. — The Catalina had the short tail lights and a shorter wheel base / frame. This ’59 most definitely looks like a Catalina that has been “converted” to a Star Chief….for whatever purpose that really makes no sense.
Interior photos are a match with a 1959 Star chief also being auctioned off (Hagerty?).
All these great detail comments from knowledgable people… right down to taillight size which I kinda remembered from back then inspired me to EBAY buy the brochure. In looking through it, yes the various trims are very dfferent particularly the seating. Bonneville had 3 tone vertical stripes in several colors and fabric weaves which were ”interchangable on the other models”. Also the Bonneville conv had a unique seat upholstery.. even sportier yet !
It appears that this car is a ”resto tribute”… and understandably so… Where could you find / duplcate those original interiors and stay under 30 k.. dent and all ?
These cars were incredibly styled !!! and the interiors were alot of it… beautiful !!
Thanks to all thse above whose parents had one… you were lucky !
Oh, to go back to 1959… for alot of reasons….