Pontiac went through what a stick-and-ball sports team would call a total upheaval for 1959. The new team leadership (think coaches and general managers) were Chuck Jordan, Bunkie Knudsen and Bill Mitchell, and they were all about changing Pontiac’s image to a more youthful, performance-oriented one. As Knudsen famously said, “You can sell an old man a young man’s car, but you can never sell a young man an old man’s car.” This 1959 Safari wagon reflects that new, “wide-track” styling and is listed for sale here on eBay. It’s located in Madison, Wisconsin and has a buy it now of $10,000, although bids are also welcomed and are up to $5,100 so far (reserve not met).
I can’t say I’m a fan of the Buick wheels currently on the car, but the seller tells us they have a set of the original 14″ ones. The car looks remarkably straight but the seller does disclose that some floor repair will be needed. The car has been stored inside since 1970 (!) and is being sold on a bill of sale only.
All that new styling worked for Pontiac; 383,320 Pontiacs were built in 1959, which was nearly a 75 percent increase over the previous year! So if you find yourself liking the swoopy appearance of this wagon, you aren’t alone!
I admit to being confused by the license plate dated 1987 if the car was stored since 1970, but regardless, it’s been off the road for a while. The bends in the bumper might be expensive to have repaired; I found a rechromed beauty here but I’ve bought many cars for less than $1,975 + shipping!
The interior actually doesn’t look too bad apart from the bottom of the driver’s seat. The door panels have been removed but are intact. I hope all the little clips and screws were labeled and stored properly!
If this is the original engine, according to this copy of the 1959 brochure spec page we are seeing a 389 cubic inch V-8 with a four-barrel carburetor that put out at least 260 horsepower. We’re told this particular one is locked up, so plan on a rebuild. It appears that some of the brake components have been removed; I’m not sure if they are included with the sale or not, but it could explain why the car was taken off the road in the first place. Have any of you had one of these wide-track Pontiac wagons?
I bought one of these one time for $65. Needed a valve job. I pulled the heads, took them to a machine shop where they cleaned them and did a valve job, had to replace a few valves all for $30. After reassembling the engine it ran like new. I drove it for a few months then traded for something else. It was two tone white over gold. That’s what I did back in the 70’s buy repair drive sell or trade. Went through hundreds of cars and three wives.
God bless America
Who are you, my dad?
Depends on where you were born or rather conceived.
Bet you miss the cars, John!! :)
Laughing about it now, but you never forget the cars. There’s more love with the cars. Here’s my latest love.
God bless America
That’s probably a whole lot cheaper than hundreds of wives and three cars!!!
My favorite year Pontiac. Had a 58, and a few back to 47, 49, and 51.
I like calling the 59, the only 6 fin cars made. I know, I know
This is one rare longroof – I found that starting at $3.532 it was more expensive than the convertible this year and only made in 4.673 examples vs the more common 35k+ Catalina production.
Such sweet rocketships these are. Their interiors are so tastefully designed. I find it hard to really put a decent price tag for both parties on such a wagon as there may be years to next time a restorable ’59 Bonnie Safari pops up for sale – in current condition it’ll also be a very expensive experience to do right. I can only agree with seller it sure deserves to be put back on the road!
Earlier in his career prior to running top fuel, my friend Paul Longecker raced a 60 wagon. It would pull the front wheels…..pretty cool given the size/weight of these wide tracks.
Longenecker. Hate typing using a phone…
Magnum wheels. The most copied style EVER!
Not Magnum wheels Patrick. 15″ Buick Riviera wheels from the 60s and early 70s. Buyers note the use of primer to obscure the usual rust spots and that missing triangle of steel between the bottoms of the front and rear door. This car has a lot of hidden rust. It even looks like the seller washed the bottom of the car just as the photo was taken, or are those POR-15 puddles under the rusty front fender, rocker and dogleg?
No power steering on this big, heavy beast? Wow–no wonder they stopped driving it.
My parents used to have a green one just like this one……that didn’t have power steering nor brakes! The master cylinder went out as my mom was trying to navigate a store parking lot and to her credit, she didn’t hit anything. The timing chain broke at a later time down the street from my sister-in-law’s house. They mainly bought the 3-row barge to transport people to church on Sundays.
In summer of 1967 my friend Robby was almost killed by his dad for his pranking his ‘59 Safari wagon. Rob put large rubber bands around the taillight/fins. As the wagons speed increased so did a very strange noise to dad’s ear. Dad turns down the radio and starts yelling for the kids to be quiet as he tries to figure out what’s wrong with the car. The noise varied with speed perplexing dad. Laying flat across the fins they were not visible in the mirrors. Dad stopped the car and got out for a visual inspection and the rest is history.
My dad got a new Pontiac every few years from 59 through 67. We grew up riding around in giant Pontiac wagons. He was cheap and never got a/c. We didn’t care. We grew up in the Pocono Mountains. It was not that hot like the burning he’ll I live in now. Philadelphia. I miss Pontiac so much. Best quality interiors of all the GM lines. I had 69 and 70 GTOs. Sit in one of them. Then sitting in a Chevelle. Totally cheap.
The history of power steering is great reading. The guy that invented it nearly had G.m. To use it in the twenty’ but the Great Depression got in the way. Then again in the 40’s but WWII got in the way. Finally Chrysler started using it sometime after the war.
God bless America
The Dad of a drummer in a band I was in, late 1959, bought him a new white Catalina wagon with green vinyl. We could then get most all the instruments in one car. What I remember was that it was quick, big, and had ice cold A/C. Mobile, Ala.
I had a maroon 61 Pontiac Bonneville Safari wagon, drag raced it at OCIR back in 71 at high school drags, me and my buddy Steve LuVisi and his sleeper 4dr 56 with a corvette fuel injected 327, great car , should have kept it
If the seller claimed (past tense, vehicle apparently sold already) it was parked in 1970 but it had plates from 1987, then the seller is lying. I wouldn’t believe anything the guy says lol.
Being a Wisconsin car, I bet it is holier than the Pope. Looks nice from outward appearances, but I would really want to get a good, thorough look underneath.
Could be a sharp car though. It would have to be a labor of love, but wagon values are going up. Maybe if someone restores it and keeps it, treats it nice but uses it, they will get their value out of it in use and fun, then in 15-20 years they (or their estate) can sell it & pay for the burial.