Loft Find Nomad: 1957 Pontiac Star Chief Safari

In 1955, Chevrolet introduced the Nomad, a 2-door sport wagon, as part of the Bel Air lineup. Its sheet metal differed from other Chevy wagons from the cowl back. To defray production costs, Pontiac offered its version of the Nomad, the Safari, as part of the Star Chief family. Neither wagon sold in big numbers, so the concept was gone by 1958. The seller has a ’57 Safari in rough shape and possibly stored in a loft. Fairly complete, this Humpty Dumpty is waiting for restoration and re-assembly. Located in Flemington, New Jersey, this Poncho is available here on Facebook Marketplace for $4,900.

The 1955 Pontiac Safari was the most expensive car in the lineup, complete with leather upholstery. Unlike the other Star Chiefs, it was built on the Chieftain platform to align with the wheelbase of the Chevy Nomad. While the Chevrolet version only found 22,000 buyers between 1955 and 1957, the Pontiac saw just 9,000 deliveries over the same period. If you’re looking for one in any condition today, the Safari is likely the scarcest. But does that make it more valuable?

In its final outing in 2-door trim, the 1957 Safari came with a 347 cubic inch V8, upgraded from 317 the year before. You could also buy a 4-door Safari that year called the Custom Transcontinental Safari, which didn’t find that many additional buyers (1,900 vs. 1,300). Both the Safari and Nomad names would be used after 1957, but on “regular” 4-door station wagons. We don’t know the history of this Pontiac, but we gather it’s been up in the air for some time.

The seller says this wagon is fairly complete, but the photos won’t help you figure out what’s missing. The front clip was removed, but the seller says the fenders and such are there. The floors, rocker panels, and quarter panels need work, likely due to corrosion over time. The roof is good, perhaps one of the most important components. If you’re looking for a project, this one will keep you and your wallet busy. Plus, how are you and the seller going to get it down from its perch? BTW, thanks go to Russell Glantz for the tip!