When I was a boy, about the most uncool car you could possibly own was a station wagon. Now, old wagons like this 1955 Pontiac have become really desirable. You will find this one listed for sale here on eBay. Located in Quakertown, Pennsylvania, it is offered with a clear title. As we’ve seen on a few occasions lately, this is another car that really seems to have sparked some interest. Bidding opened at $19.55, but in just on 24 hours it has leaped to $4,800 and the reserve has not been met.
The Safari was Pontiac’s version of one of the most famous wagons of them all – the Chevrolet Nomad! While it’s not perfect, this Pontiac seems to represent a strong foundation for a restoration project. There are minor rust issues in the floors and spare wheel well, but otherwise, any rust present seems to be surface corrosion. The tinted windows all appear to be in good condition, and all of the exterior trim and chrome looks to be present. Some of it will require restoration and re-chroming.
On the whole, the interior doesn’t look too bad. There are some small tears in the headliner, the carpet is gone and the cover looks a bit crusty on the front seat, but otherwise, there isn’t a lot of bad news here. The dash is complete and won’t require much restoration to bring it back. The rim of the steering wheel has multiple cracks, but I actually don’t mind the look of it.
Unfortunately, we get no shots of the engine, but we do know that even though this Safari has been sitting since 1975, it not only runs, but it drives as well. The engine is currently feeding off an auxiliary gas tank under the hood as the original tank and lines will need cleaning. If all is per the book, the engine under the hood should be the 287ci V8. One thing that isn’t surprising after all of these years is that the seller states that the car will need a new exhaust.
Returning to my original statement, when I was a boy the most uncool car that you could own was a station wagon. Now, these old wagons are about as cool and desirable as any old car can be. Maybe what we need to do is look around at what new cars are really uncool today and buy them. Then in 50 years, we might make a fortune?. Well, it seemed like a good theory. You might be better off with this very cool Safari!
The Nomad and Safari have never been uncool.
Early SUV’s. Todays suv’s wish they were cool. Todays are just glorified station wagons. Always liked Pontiac over the cheeper cheeby. Safari is such a better looking wagon than Nomad.
Doin a car show today and there will be 6 Nomads. All without their original engines.
Ummm… These were never SUV’s They were, and are, station wagons… which, btw, are making a come-back.
Could you refresh my memory, what were the Buick & Olds versions of those car called?
Unobtanium….only Chevy and Pontiac had a “sportback” wagon option from ’55-’57. I’d love to have the Pontiac, value is sure to increase.
4 door hardtop on Olds
Olds Fiesta and Buick Caballero and as mentioned 4 door hardtops
Olds had no wagons between 1951 and 1956. IN 1957, Olds Fiesta wagons were all 4drs., and the top shelf Super 88 was a 4dr. hardtop. Buick had the 4dr. Cabollero hardtop wagon, but never a 2dr. to compete with these. Chevy/Pontiac were exclusive with these.
Fix the mechanical issues and leave everything else as-is. You will be guaranteed to draw the biggest crowd at any car show this one enters!
I’d sure like to see some pix of the underside and engine bay before committing to $7G+ for this. I think I like this even more than the Nomad. Cool car.
Like many things in the 50s automobile design was creatively, not consumer driven. That conceit may irritate some people but the idea defined a time when exploring the new and exciting was everyone’s dream — unlike now where safety, security and sameness rule most of our days and we dream about keeping a job, buying a gun, and leasing a vehicle that looks as at home on the battlefront as it does in the driveway. Times change but the kind of thinking expressed in the Safari will forever trump the group think of every SUV on the road today….just wait and see.
This rust seems fixable, would like a closer look at all rust issues.
The Nomads have always been cool for sure. This is it’s 1st cousin, would enjoy transforming this one but almost always there are cost overruns so keep that in mind when you bid.
When I was In second grade we had this year and color as a sedan.
I was always intrigued to see my dad push in the cigarette lighter. It glowed Red hot and he would touch the tip of cigarette to coil and to my amazement the cigarette would light.
Mr. Wizard wanted to know if it was still hot when coil stopped glowing red.
I snuck out to car, pushed in cigarette lighter, it popped out, I waited for glow to disappear. I took my figure and touched the coil. Yep, still hot, burned coil mark into my little finger.
Another successful experiment. :)
John, has anyone not done this.
I have done it multiple times. How else do you see if the lighter is actually working?
I still have a mark where I did the same to my thumb in Dad’s ’57 Bel-Aire wagon.
That’s hilarious 🤣 I did the same thing in my Dad’s 64 Ford Galaxie, but not multiple times. Once was enough for me to learn my lesson! Thank you John C for the hilarious memory I had totally forgotten 😆
These are a dream car for me. Out of my price range, I’d only be able to afford one in worse shape than this. These upstage the Nomads, in my opinion, with a touch of sporty class. I’m impressed to see they yanked the carpets out so you can see what you’re getting yourself into. The bids at $7500 now which is reasonable, but I’d bet it’ll climb over 10 grand before all is said and done.
BOP Guy, I didn’t do it multiple times on the same car.
I did realize after a while that you can put it close to your face and feel the heat to see if it is working.
You would think a person would learn after the first time touching one of these, but sadly, no.
At least that is something we don’t have to worry about with new cars.
I was just joking with you Miguel. I knew what you meant 😉
BOP, if cigar lighters were still in cars, I might do it again, if I forget I have done it before.
I guess it is easier to plug in a cell phone charger and see if it makes a connection.
Less painful.
Picture #6 looks like passenger front floor the rot here is extensive and under that location will be a body mount or box frame that crosses under the floors sheet metal. A lot of fabrication work will be required in this spot. We’ve herd where there’s smoke there’s fire, well where there’s rust there’s more rust that your not seeing. When I repaired my dodge by the time I was able to get at the body mount the front fenders were off to gain access, and the rust was into the structure behind the kick panel and down into the rocker panel too. Two door wagons were a much sportier looking car but kind of impractical for passenger access. I’ve always thought the Pontiacs were better looking over the Chevies, that said I still like the Chevies too.
Everything looks better in pictures. This may not be as bad for rust as that ’57 tudor from a couple days ago, but it ain’t far behind.
This is a fine “Patina-Mobile”! Leave it like this.
I miss the good old days when people wanted there cars and trucks to look good,with no rust and nice paint jobs .🥂
Most two door wagons have a certain appeal to them. This would be great repaired and encapsulated to retain it’s current state of patina or restored. Either way, it would be best kept 100% Poncho.
Don H,
Me too. And shiny paint.
I was 8 years old when this model came out.It looked so beautiful and cool then,so for me,this wagon pushes most,if not all of my buttons.I’m not really a wagon guy,but this design looks like it is moving while sitting still,I love it.No better color combination for the time period either.For some strange reason,I’m thinking of the Santa Fe passenger trains of that era;the turquoise and stainless steel streamliner. This one needs a back to original restoration,no bagging,slamming,clear coat,etc.,well,maybe air?
Always loved these. And the Nomads. Prettiest wagons ever besides the Olds Vista Cruiser.
Presently, this car is bid to $7500. and will go for another day and a half. I suspect this car will bid upwards of $30k.
The car looks complete so it might even get higher than my prediction. Whomever buys it will be doing a body-off resto.
This car will eat the dollars like Jabba-the-Hut.
Bob
Clay More said:
“Sold for $8800!! Sweet deal for somebody. With another 50G or so into this it will be a 90G car all day long. I wish I had the time to do this one. Beautiful.” I agree.
In 1975 I was looking for a Nomad, preferably a 1955. I got a line on a 57 in a used car lot in Watertown South Dakota, red and white outside, red,black and silver inside. The owner of the lot had decided to take the Nomad home to be a father son project-I couldn’t talk him out of it. I drove around town and found a 55 Safari behind a gas station, green and cream like this one( colors reversed) in nice condition in and out except for a minor dent in the left quarter panel. Nice set of Cragar S/S wheels. $500 – but I didn’t want a Safari! I wanted a Nomad! Ended up finding my 55 Nomad a couple of months later. Had to pay $800 for it. Oh well, guess I’ll just have to chalk up not buying the Safari to experience.
Still the case. The Safari was made in fewer numbers, but the Nomads still pull in much bigger prices.
Cool wagon. I think I like this even more than the Nomad. This one looks like it will need some metal work. Too bad there are no pictures of the frame and engine bay.
Luv this old wagon, it’s very cool! I would fix the structural rust and keep it with the original patina (clear coat it). It always amazes me why sellers often don’t include a photo of the engine of the car they are selling. Maybe too lazy to lift the bonnet, who knows? The engine might be old and crusty but let’s face it, it is an integral component of a car and I would think most people would want to see it!
Have walked right past Nomads only to be stopped by a Pontiac Safari many many times, they are uncommon and IMO a far better looking rig than the Nomads.
I also appreciate those odd ball giys who seeing uniqueness of off-popular rigs and chance buying hard to find parts for them.
Gonna take a loota bucks to bring this back to old glory or bettrr yet better than new condition.
There were differences in parts than on Chevy, rear end springs were heavier duty, while still interchangeable as were front suspensions.
If it were mine I would bring body and trim back to prettier than stock interior and paint, plunk a warmed up 455 with an overdrive auto, best disc brakes (Brembo) old style Crager mags and a quality Stereo.
Todays suspension mods allow a lower stance without harsh rides or bottom outs.
Imagine cost of just redoing of chrome and trims, never mind body off redo of sheetmetal.
I know one can purchase inner fender wells, and floor pans for Nomad, heck even new door trunk hoods and tailgate skins, but do not know if directly interchangeable with Safari as to width of doors rocker panels.
Does anyone know the spec differences if any?
If back even a few years I would estimate, as my home 3-4 year part time project , an over purchase cost of an easy 35-40 K investment.
If one does not need to fabricate panels.
Damn, anyone checked cost of a mild newly built Poncho 455?
Frightened me!
Chevrolet had ball joint front suspension starting in ’55 while Pontiac was ’58 or ’59, not sure which.
Off topic but another beautiful wagon to me was the late 50’s to early 60s Mercury Colony Park wagons.
Well, the bidding has stalled at $7500 and the reserve has been met. So this one is definitely changing hands tomorrow. I’m thinking this will end with a sniping contest in the last 5 minutes or so.
Sold for $8800!! Sweet deal for somebody. With another 50G or so into this it will be a 90G car all day long. I wish I had the time to do this one. Beautuful.
Not liking pain when I was a kid, I too wondered it the lighter was still hot when the red glow stopped BUT I didn’t touch it, all you had to do was put a finger near it and you could feel the heat coming off of it, curiousity satisfied!
Here in KC there was a Chevrolet plant & BOP (Buick, Olds, Pontiac) plant and they would loan parts as needed to complete Nomads & Safaris during parts shortages. Doors, glass, tailgates, lift gates, interior parts, etc interchanged, but Pontiac was longer wheelbase with different frame. Rear shock mounting was different with top eye mount rather that stud mount thru floor as on Chevy.
Then you may also remember when a vehicle was built, but a part or two was short and it would be put outside where it would not be shipped yet.
Then when another vehicle was short a different part.
Then an employee was sent to the “bone yard” to remove a part from a previous vehicle to finish this one.
PNot in stock at assembly plants happened sometimes.
Ahhh, memories! That unique chrome side piece from the ’55 Pontiac contributed to my customized ’49 Ford Coupe.