Long-time Barn Finds fans know that there’s a soft spot in my heart for vertically stacked headlight Pontiacs. So far I’ve resisted the temptation to actually purchase one, but this 1966 Star Chief Executive listed for sale here on eBay is awfully tempting. It’s being auctioned at no reserve, the price as I write is $1,200 (!) and the car doesn’t look bad in what pictures we have. The problem is that we know almost nothing — which means the optimist in me fills things in with rosy thoughts and the pessimist in me runs away!
You can see the last remnants of the stars here on the rear fender. Pontiac decided the name Star Chief was becoming dated by this time, and shortened the moniker to “Executive” for the next model year. It looks like this area is somewhat dented, but there’s no mention of it by the seller. As a matter of fact, apart from telling us it ran when driven into the barn 8 years ago, the seller really doesn’t tell us much at all.
Based on the interior condition, I doubt that the odometer has rolled over. Unfortunately, the dash pad has a lot of cracks right above this shot.
On the other hand, the front seat really looks superb. Buyers had a choice between cloth & “morrokide” vinyl or all vinyl in 1966.
This could either be a 290 or 256 horsepower version of the 389 cubic inch V8 (assuming it’s the original engine). In a strange twist, Pontiac advertised the lower horsepower version as being able to run on regular gas! We can also see an air conditioning compressor in this picture — great news! Would you welcome this Wide-Track Pontiac into your garage? I sure would!
Other than it being a 4-door post car, I like it. Looks like a really nice find. She’s a big chunk of Detroit iron.
Looks really great. Bonus that it’s a 4 door.
@Jamie. Now THAT’s what an untouched odometer should look like!
Pontiac had the coolest dash panels of the 60s GM cars. Always loved the woodgrain and the clear plastic on the steering wheel. Neat car. As is so often the case, seller needs better photos.
I’ve always hated it when someone says “ran when parked.” What does it mean? Does it mean that it no longer runs and drives under its own power? Did the owner start it up while it was stored, to make sure it runs? What? It sounds to me like it ran fine, but because it hadn’t been driven, it no longer runs.
It usually means the first of your possible responses. No longer runs.
“Ran when parked” is usually better than “parked when catastrophic failure occurred”.
I think “ran when parked” means you have to buy it to find out if it still runs.
If you meet the person selling it and they seem to be giving you the straight scoop then “ran when parked” means clean out the fuel system, check to see if the cap and rotor are corroded, check the spark plugs and squirt some oil in the cylinders then hook up a battery and give it a try!
Neat dashboard especially the hi-beam indicator.
Good observation, I didn’t notice that.
That’s great. Older cars often had fun high beam indicators. The ’54 New Yorker we had when I was growing up had a great crown. And the first blue one I remember was on a ’66 LTD. Couldn’t take my eyes off it.
I don’t know if it’s awfully tempting but it’s awfully photographed.
I have just noticed that the automatic read out on the column reads PRNDSL. Can somebody please tell me what does the S represent?
Second.
s= super
…from my ’69 oldsmobile owners manual; “S for when super acceleration is needed”
it really stands for “super”, which you could manually switch to if needed for more power in certain situations. it is the same as the “kickdown” shift from 3rd to 2nd you get when you floor it.
Thanks Guys. I learn something new every day of my life and I’m nearly 80!
I think the chief head on the speedometer lights up when the high beams are on
What’s not to like! Acres of room inside for the wife and kids, a trunk as big as a
small pickup truck, what else do you really need? Accept for timing chain issues, the 389 V-8 was damned near
bulletproof. That’s probably why it was
parked and put up in the first place. Other than converting the AC to R134,
adding lap and shoulder belts to the
front seat area, and adding a modern
sound system with sirius satellite radio,
I’d keep this one as original as possible
and let Sis drive it as much as possible.
Had a chance to buy one of these 25
years ago but didn’t do it. Seeing this
one is making me kick myself for not
doing it once again. If I weren’t paying
through the nose for my ’15 Santa Fe
Sport, I wouldn’t let this one get away–
not this time!
Had a ’67, yes, the high bean indicator was the head of Chief Pontiac, after whom Pontiac Michigan was named, after which the car was named. Late 40’s early 50’s had his head as a plastic hood ornament that lit up when the headlights were on. Very cool to a 12 year old to be unrestrained, in the front passenger seat, cruising down the highway powered by that extremely smooth and silent straight 8 (ignoring the terrible whine in 1st and 2nd of the Pontiac standard transmission) with the Chief way out there in front, showing the way.
I have a 1954 Chieftain and the Indian head does light when the lights are turned on 😁
I would, If it wasn’t a crew cab!
Bids now at $1,675.00. Even if there are problems with the engine, this is a great buy! Yes, it will take some work. But, all the cars here will fall into the same category. If I had the money, it would be mine.
Looks like the Canadian model…Strato-chief. I owned a 68 4 door model.
In the “old days,” as some already said, the “S” stood for “Super.” It was like shifting into passing gear. I had a HS teacher who had a 55 Star Chief, and he would shift through the gears like a manual gear box. I do it now with my Mercedes CLK-350 and Cadillac CTS. Wish I had room for it.
And I do it now with my ’93 Allante when it gets stuck in 3rd, stop, put it in Park, and then in 1, then 2, then 3, and then 4 and it sticks.
I owne a 67 Catialina 4 door . Air power seat power wondows. Bought it for $3000 . Did the breaks compleat less the hard lines $325 .00 . Fuel system $ 400 needed the sending unit. Electronic points cap roter wires n plugs $210.00. Oil n filter for engine and trans. $65 .00. Now after all of that ! What do you have ? A car that NOBODY else has ! It’s not the Oh there goes anouther one of thoes . . .
She RAN when i last parked her…..right before that big flood hit………lol