When Chevrolet came out with what would become known as the “Tri Five” Chevies, that included the addition of the Nomad 2-door sport wagon. Pontiac would follow suite with its version called the Safari and – it, too – would see a three-year production run. While the Nomad is highly sought after today, many folks have forgotten about the Safari, maybe because it was built in far fewer numbers. This 1957 edition was found as the result of a three-year search and may be as rust-free as you’ll find in unrestored condition. Partially disassembled, it’s kept indoors with what looks like a 1940s Woodie in Sherman Oaks, California and here on eBay where the Buy It Now price has been set at $23,500. Thanks, Larry D, for another great find!
Just as the Nomad was trimmed like the higher-end Bel Air, the Safari shared its trappings with the Star Chief. The Safari was added to the Pontiac mix mid-year, perhaps as a way for GM to justify the tooling for the Nomad. It was Pontiac’s most expensive car, built on the shorter Chieftain chassis (which coincided with the Chevrolet’s). The two wagon bodies were built in the same Fisher Body plant and would share many components. They’re essentially the same above the beltline (roof, windshield, windows and liftgate) and used the same doors, tailgate, and seats. Everywhere else, they were different, especially in the drivetrain department.
According to the seller, this ’57 Custom Safari was obtained after looking for one for three years (Pontiac added the word “Custom” to the name just for that year). He found several rust buckets and custom jobs along the way, but not much in the way of rust-free candidates. His search ended about a decade ago with the acquisition of this two-tone white-over-blue edition from the wagon’s last year of manufacture. Pontiac would only build 9,088 of the 2-door wagons at the same time Chevy managed to output more than 22,500. Neither of the two figures must have impressed the GM bean-counters, so the unique body style disappeared after 1957. But both names would resurface later on more conventional 4-door wagons.
We’re not sure if this Pontiac is in the same state it was 10 years ago or whether the disassembly process was done by the seller, but it looks as much of the chrome trim pieces have been removed along with the engine and transmission. What’s there appears to be practically without rust, although the seller acknowledges some along one of the window drip rails. We’re told that there is no evidence of any prior collision damage either. You might find a slight crease or two, but that’s about it. The car sits on a set of Cragar mag wheels, but the seller will send along the original steel wheels and hub caps with the deal.
Inside the Safari can be found a power-operated front bench seat, apparently a rare item on these wagons in 1957. Pop open the hood and you won’t find much as the 347 cubic inch V8 and automatic transmission have been pulled and are sitting off to the side. There is no mention as to their mechanical condition before removal. If you don’t want them, the seller is willing to knock off a few bucks from where the bidding eventually settles.
The seller believes this could be a $75-90,000 car when completely restored. At less than 1,300 copies made in 1957, that’s certainly possible. But a car is worth only what someone is willing to pay for it – and no more. We’re told that a portion of the proceeds from this sale will be used to support homeless and disabled veterans and their families. But the seller doesn’t mention why he’s selling this car after looking for it so long. Perhaps it’s a project that he realizes will not get finished on his watch.
A diamond in the rough. But get ready to spend some big bucks to get it to shine.
As a kid I lusted after a custom painted 56 Safari in our hood. It was a 4 speed with tuck and roll interior. Guy was asking $650. A lot of money for a kid hustling newspapers and no drivers license.
Seems it was built by a drag racer in the early 60’s who’s name I have forgotten. It was used as a tow car. I would say it made a trip or two down the track because it was wearing class winner decals.
Another dreamer with a BIN price way out of line with what it’s supposed to represent. No telling even if all the parts are there—any potential buyer will only be able to guess the car is complete. Sorry; not worth what’s being asked IMHO.
This guy is shooting for the stars. That car done right complete rotisserie restoration of body and upgrade chassis and running gear ect ect. A lot of money but this car as it sits is a 4500 dollar car at best
I just sold a 57 Nomad roller I bought in Arizona in 1981, with a lot straighter rust free body than this snafu (safari) and complete. Sold it for $15,000. So NO. this buy-it now is unreasonable or pie in the sky. Could be a nice restoration if priced right.
I would rather have one of these over a Nomad.
I always wanted a 1955 Safari which I thought was the most attractive of the whole model run. I never got around to doing a serious search. Other cars and life got in the way. I would get serious about this if I had the room. Well done.
Thank you for the listing. God knows our Veterans need help.
Much better looking and waaaaaay cooler than any Chevy. I would take the ’58 Mercury that was posted here a few weeks back over any of these, however.
$23K is a good starting point. If a 57 Safari is what you want there aren’t many sitting around to choose from. The underside looks exactly what you will usually find on a rust-free vintage California car. I love Safaris, so, if I were interested I would have to do a thorough in person inspection and a complete inventory of the parts and pieces. Only then I would start my negotiation of price.
If I were buying a car as rare and unusual as this one I would first reassemble it completely using what came with the car and replacing only the missing and unusable like those crappy motor mounts with the bird-doo welds. I would get it running and completely functional and spend no money on refinishing and restoring. No bodywork, paint, chrome and upholstery, maybe correct a rust issue like that drip rail. A big reason people have a hard time finishing the basket case is they didn’t do the disassembly. Put it together and see what you really have. Then I would drive it as much as possible for 6 months or a year and see if I could live with it.
At that point I would have gathered enough information to make an informed decision to either move forward with my plan to restore it because 57 Pontiacs are so cool OR sell it complete and running because I had satisfied my interest in 1957 Pontiac Safaris and found I was no longer interested.
If you can make this decision before spending a lot of money you will save yourself a lot of grief. It should be possible recover most if not all you spent up to that point. What I would take away from that experience is an intimate knowledge of 1957 Safaris and their construction and equally important other associated people and resources.
Who says there is only one way to enjoy an old car, that the only way is to spend lots of time and money? If it will cause financial hardship, don’t stress yourself. If it no longer brings you joy then part ways with it.
I’m continually puzzled by comments I read here that frame every old car presented here in terms of resale as if that were the sole reason to purchase and undertake a restoration project. If that is the most important criteria for your actual participation I would say you are looking at the wrong place to put your money. You’ll do far better putting your money in the S&P 500 or other stock index. I enjoy old cars whether or not there is money to be derived from them. I have made money buying and selling them and from renting them for film, television and print advertising. I’ve been fortunate to have my hobby pay for itself much of the time. Most people I know who have actually made large sums of money were beneficiaries of time and place and they were usually people who got into it early on.
Now we live in a world where almost everything has been monetized meaning that every stereo salesman and his brother thinks they know enough about cars to have an opinion because they were proficient at hustling a living flipping timeshares or whatever.It’ssimilar to that self delusion that happens when you are knowledgeable in one field and you presume that you have a transferable competency which makes you automatically competent in another unrelated field. George Steinbrenner, for example, was a very public example of this. He was a very successful shipping magnate (Great Lakes ore boats) who expected that he could run his newly purchased baseball team, the NY Yankees. He didn’t but he had lots of money and he was the boss and eventually they got it mostly right. Just watching Steinbrenner and Billy Martin go at it was the greatest entertainment.
Did George Steinbrenner buy a baseball team thinking he would make money? Yes he did. And did he make money. You bet he did. Is this a good illustration of my point? Sort of, Steinbrenner showed that you can get what you want when you have enough money to throw at it. Lacking barrels of cash the rest of us have to be somewhat thriftier and more resourceful.
Nobody wanted a 2 door station wagon in the 50’s. Therefore they are rare. So their undesirability now makes them valuable? Pretzel logic.
I saw a 56 on FB Market Place in San Diego, complete car and less money.
Are you willing to trade + cash. Please email me back for further info.
773-370-4347
Al, Barn Finds reviews advertisements posted by other people on a variety of on-line market places such as E-BAY, Craigslist or FaceBook to name 3 of the most commonly sourced.
Barn Finds is not the owner or seller of these cars. Instead Barn Finds is like the guy who enjoys provoking conversation or hysteria by selecting advertisements of specific types of cars for sale and introducing them to his online friends who are always ready, willing and able to share their opinions, right, wrong or insane. It has been compared to tossing bits of meat to slavering, hungry dogs. It’s a safe alternative to the various blood sports that humans have traditionally indulged in such as Bear-Baiting, Bull fighting, defenestration, fox hunting, Czar tossing, and ‘Gator wrestling.
This 1957 Safari sold for $19,300 on EBAY.