I'm very pleased to showcase Gordon Hunter's exquisite 1957 Pontiac Laurentian four door hardtop for October. The greatest joy I get out of running Canadian Poncho is seeing all these fantastic cars come out of the woodwork! Gord's Pontiac looks better than new thank's to a frame off restoration performed by Gordon. What better way to see the fall colours than in this beautiful Poncho? Gord fills in the blanks for us:
With respect to my car, I have always been interested in Pontiac's. The first car I ever drove was a 56 Pontiac of my father and I have owned several Pontiac's over the years.
I acquired the Laurentian in 2004. Prior to that I had a very good 56 two door hardtop Laurentian which was destroyed when the garage where there was work being done on the car was destroyed by fire. I was looking for another car when I found the one I now own.
I contacted GM in Oshawa to get the production information on the car and learned that it was built on January 30, 1957 and was shipped on January 31 to an unspecified dealer in Ontario. It is body style 2039D of which 2,042 units were built for the 57 model year, and my car is the 804th unit built. I also learned that the car originally had a 283 motor with a two barrel carbuerator. However, when I purchased the car it had a 283 with a Carter four barrell and Ilearned from the previous owners that the original motor had failed when they first owned it and that the present motor was installed then. Upon checking the various numbers on the motor I determined that it is in fact a 57 motor.
My information is that the car was originally purchased from Robson Motors, the Pontiac Buick dealer in Bowmanville, Ontario. I have the original metal dealer plaque which was on the car when I bought it. I believe the original buyers were Harold and Pauline Christie, a couple from Woodstock, N.B. who were living in that area at the time. I believe Mr. Christie may have worked for GM at that time.
When Mr. Christie died unexpectedly when he was only 49, Mrs. Christie returned to Woodstock and the vehicle has been in this area ever since. In that time there have been three other owners, two of whom I have met. I purchased the vehicle from Beverley Hawkes who is the daughter of Dalton Christie, the son of Pauline Christie. Accordingly, I purchased the car from the grand daughter of the original owners.
I commenced a frame off restoration in early 2005 and keep improving the vehicle. The headliner, door panels and dash are original although I have had what I believe to be a very high end restoration of the seats to original condition. All stainless trim was polished and with the exception of the chrome rings around the headlights and the chrome pieces on the front of the hood, all of the chrome has been rechromed.
You will note the I obtained chrome caps for the rear bumper and had my dual exhaust pipes through them. I obtained NOS caps in Texas.
There are two major items which are still outstanding for me. The first is the fact that when the frame off was done I had the motor redone although it was working alright at the time. However, the shop painted it orange which I believe should have been green and I did not have it changed then, when it would have been easy. Hindsight is a wonderful thing!
I have original sales material for the 57 models, owners manual for the glove compartment, and numerous spare parts.
The car has power brakes and front seat but not steering??
The other item is that I have not been able to obtain original equipment fender skirts although the car had them at one time. The search continues!
Congrats Gord, on an outstanding frame off restoration (by owner, is even more special) & "car of the month" honors. - the exterior / interior color is stunning - the trunk floor, one could eat off of
Mint, right down to the original interior...and that red vinyl, sure does pop.
-- Edited by Beaumont67SD on Friday 2nd of October 2015 08:05:54 PM
Gord, i first fell in love with your sweet 57 when you first got on C.P. and now i love it even more. So glad to see you made your B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L. 1957 Pontiac our C.P. cover car. Your 57 and my 57 are "almost" twins because you do not see this colour combo very often, especially with all the options. Gord, i love your car and thanks for sharing with the C.P. brotherhood. Continued good luck with it. Cheers. George
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1957 Pontiac Pathfinder Deluxe sedan restored 261 six
1974 Chevrolet Caprice Estate wagon low mileage original 400 V-8
cutting a roof off a four door is NOT a convertible.....
65 Parisienne convertible.one of 49 built for RHD export market,402BBC, T400, 2500 stally, posi rear, upgraded brakes with front discs, FUEL FAST efi custom built by me.
cutting a roof off a four door is NOT a convertible.....
65 Parisienne convertible.one of 49 built for RHD export market,402BBC, T400, 2500 stally, posi rear, upgraded brakes with front discs, FUEL FAST efi custom built by me.
Certainly well worth waiting the extra day for. And October has 31 days so we'll see it for an extended time.
The exterior colour and interior colours go together so well.
Hearing stories about guys tackling their own restorations and then seeing results like this should help motivate me to get going.
Absolutely gorgeous.
4dr HT's were top of the line (OK, maybe ragtops were better) and yours is outstanding!
Wanna trade?
(well maybe not quite yet, weather here has finally cooled down a bit so I will finish my 496 this month and have it dyno'd and installed, so THEN maybe .. ???)
Dave
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1956 Pontiac Pathfinder 2dr sedan, 496 - dyno'd 545 hp, stick shift, 4.11 posi - Hot Rod
'64 Parisienne CS "barn find" - last on the road in '86 ... Owner Protection Plan booklet, original paint, original near-mint aqua interior, original aqua GM floor mats, original 283, factory posi, and original rust.
1956 Pontiac Pathfinder 2dr sedan, 496 - dyno'd 545 hp, stick shift, 4.11 posi - Hot Rod
