Rusty But Nice: 1958 Pontiac Chieftain

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With solid original looks this Pontiac is need of some help. Having rusty floors, brakes lines, and a stuck engine, this Pontiac would make a great project for someone. We love the exterior patina on this one, perhaps the exterior could be left as is and the rust could be dealt with. Also a drivetrain of your choice could be added. Currently bid up to $1,125, this may be a cool project at a reasonable price. Find it here on eBay out of Clinton Township, Michigan.

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The interior and exterior of this Pontiac is pretty reasonable. The interior isn’t too shabby, though the seats are a little tattered. This Pontiac has been converted to floor shift at some point in its life. The exterior presents well, but it has likely sustained a front end collision according to the seller’s information of a mismatched fender and hood, with a missing inner fender. Aside from that the exterior looks nice, but lacks some trim as well. The engine is locked solid, so perhaps this Pontiac could be a modernized project with a newer drivetrain.

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Who would take on this solid looking Pontiac Chieftain? The exterior looks solid from the photos, and this one almost looks good enough to drive as is, despite its hidden issues. What would you do with this Pontiac? What drivetrain would you add?

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Comments

  1. JCW Jr.

    Pontiac should have Pontiac drive train 428 with a newer 6 speed would be good.Update the Brakes to 4 wheel disc and a Ford 9″ Make the interior comfy. After you eradicate the rust. Could go either way leave the patina or nice newer red metallic paint.

    Like 0
  2. Glen Riddle

    Brings back memories of my youth. My late father bought a 1958 Star Chief Catalina 4-dr. hardtop new in 1958. Loaded. Hot tri-power motor. Even had a/c, rare those days. He drove it for 6 years then I got it at 19 and drove it until I was 25, when he traded the ’58 in on a new 1970 Bonneville and I got his ’64 Bonnie. Dad owned a successful CPA practice and probably would have driven Buicks or Chryslers but we had a family connection to a Pontiac dealership so he could always get them at cost.

    The Chieftain for sale here was at the other end of the Pontiac line for ’58. The Chieftain(Series 27) 2-dr. post sedan was the cheapest Pontiac you could buy that year. If it were me, I’d drop in a later 455 4bbl., maybe even a ’71-72 HO if you can find one, and then drive it as is.

    I miss that old Star Chief. Not long after I got it in ’64 a bunch of friends were heading to the Jersey shore, split between my “new” car and my roommate’s brand new Mustang convertible. Everyone flocked to the Mustang, fighting for a seat. I had my eye on my roommate’s girlfriend’s sister. I suggested to her that 2 wind-blown hours scorched by the sun and 95 degree heat might get old, and that my car had air conditioning. Being a smart girl she chose to ride in comfort. I had that a/c cranked as high as it would go. It worked, and mile after mile the petite girl in shorts and tank top snuggled closer and closer. Three years later we married, and next year we’ll celebrate our 50th. Her sister dumped my roommate a month later for a guy with a Lincoln.

    Like 3
    • GRAY WOLF

      Great days back then! Hade a ’30 Model A Coupe with a rumble seat. All the girls loved to ride in it to or from the beach! Two girls in the front,always a priority! One guy,one girl,guy in the back! Great formula! Still married to that girl in the front seat,48 years + 5 years of dating!

      Like 0
  3. Howard A Howard AMember

    BF’s does it again. Retrieves a dusty memory from the abyss. When I was a kid,( early 60’s) there was an older guy ( my age now) that lived across the street from my folks, that had a ’58 Pontiac like this, only the most beautiful blue and white, and I remember, seeing the “Fuel Injection” script on the fender. A $500 dollar option( $4,100 today) at the time when tri-power was only $100 dollars. If this is the 370, this is the motor it came with. As a kid, I had no idea what that fuel injection meant ( I had visions of 8 syringes injecting fuel in the motor somehow). He kept it in immaculate condition. The ’58 Pontiac was not the most famous car, which makes this a great find. Personally, since I’m sick and tired of shifting, I’d go with this motor and an automatic. No need to update this car, I bet this ’58 Chief rolls like thunder down the highway. Pontiac always was a great road car. Oh, 1 more thing,( again) no way on the 39K.

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  4. ruxvette

    A great old car and worth making road worthy again.
    I always laff when someone says: CARS ARE ONLY ORIGINAL ONCE…well, except the fender, hood, shifter, etc, etc, etc…

    Like 1
  5. Craig

    My father had a 54 Pontiac and while driving thru the south jersey pines near batsto a deer ran into the side of the front fender. No dents. Dead deer. They were tanks

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  6. GRAY WOLF

    Had a chance to buy ’57 Pontiac Surfari wagon. It was on a trailer and was an ugly pea green stock color and one little spot of rust on the rocker due to plugged weep hole. I decided to jump on the trailer and check it out. First glance in the driver window I saw a 4-speed and asked about that feature. The person didn’t know about the car, he was just selling it for a neighbor whose husband passed away. He said look in the back, there is more parts he used to drag race. Wow, there was a Tri-power set up, a dual 4-barrel set-up and a Pontiac factory fuel injection set-up!! That is correct Bunky, a FACTORY PONTIAC FUEL INECTION SYSTEM!! I did not studder! Back then I could have sold the injection and paid for the car with money to spare!! By the time I sold one of my cars to buy this beauty and make room it was sold! Did not sell at the swap meet,did not sell in the paper or magazine. It was purchased by the neighbor who did not know anything about cars or the pieces in the back! I was the ONLY person to look at the car and my info caused him to buy the car!! The shoe is still sticking out of my ASS!

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  7. moosie Craig

    Back in ’68 I had a ’58 Chieftan 2 Dr. H.T. V8, 3 Spd. (on the column) pretty 2 tone blue , black/white interior, I bought it as an interim/winter car . I remember how that old Poncho rolled down the highway and how HUGE the back seat was (trunk too). I woulda kept that car for a long time but a best friend desperately needed a car so I sold it to him, 2 weeks later his situation changed and he sold it before I could buy it back, I loved that old Pontiac.

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  8. starsailing

    Buddy…. Lee got an all white 2 dr post 58 Pontiac Chieftain. When he got his license and got that car….it was goodbye to the ol gang. Never went anywhere with him, but he always had depended upon the rest of us to chauffer him around. Finally showed up when we were all 16yrs old sitting around next to street…shooting the breeze. One of the guys bought a new 10 speed Schwin bike….proud of his center pull brakes and how he could stop on a dime. Well not this time, coming wide open on the bike straight dead center on the Poncho…gripped his brakes, cable snapped, hit the front of Pontiac, flew right over it, but somehow the bike broke the windshield. Lee got in the Pontiac, burned rubber for about 20 yards and never talked to any of us for years! At the time we were trying to get him to show us how fast it was…a burnout….Well…we got one! Mike’s bike was shot as fork bent under frame etc. Finally graduated to a 56 Buick.
    I do like these budget 58 Pontiacs..but it seems the cheapies always had the gray/silver dashboards. Meh!

    Like 0

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