Any areas prone to rust? Problem-prone systems? (It is not an air bag car I am looking at)
I am going to see a 58 Bel Air (yes I know it is not a Canadian Pontiac but under the skin it is the same) next week, I hope, and if the price is right, I will have my "driver" car to feed my Jones while I continue to work on my 56 Canadian Pontiac.
I know LOTS about the 55-57 cars, and Corvettes up to the mid 90's, but have zero experience with the big X-frame cars.
Please let me know of any problem areas to check.
Thanks!
Dave
(it is a pretty car, not an Impala of course, that would be way more expensive)
-- Edited by davelacourse on Saturday 28th of May 2016 08:12:33 PM
looks pretty good most belairs are post cars as dave says its where those floor braces attach to inner rocker and floor and check between/behind taillight panel pics look pretty good to me car i restored was from winnipeg a ton of work had a 55 chev hood for a trunk floor
Wondering why there is so much black spray-bomb paint under there. Covering something up?
I thought the same. Looks fresh with the overspray still on the pipes/mufflers.
__________________
Prince Edward Island
'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.
Tap all that black stuff gently to see if it sounds like metal or bondo, that rear pumpkin looks a bit lumpy, but that could be the pictures. Frames go bad in the area from in front of the rear axle all the way back to the bumper. 58's have a different frame than the 59-64 x frames and the 58's have a lot of unique one year only stuff.
Look under back seat to check inside of wheel wells and trunk area, all these cars were prone to a leaky back window. Remove the aluminum door sill covers and check floors under whatever carpet you can peak under.
Nice looking car, fairly rare model. The bodies rusted in similar places to the tri 5's, over the headlights, inner and out rockers, etc.
What drivetrain? Take lots of pics, what's the asking price? IMHO, if the body is solid and the drivetrain is good, no driveability issues, worth $10-15,000?
Don
__________________
63 Parisienne sport coupe (The Big GTO), black, maroon interior, 409 4 speed; former owner of a 59 El Camino, 63 Corvette SWC, 62 Chev Bel Air SC. 1963- Pontiac top selling car in Canada
Mahone Bay, NS Still not old enough to need an automatic
One thing I forgot, what is that welded into the tailpipe passenger side in the first pic? Sensor?
__________________
63 Parisienne sport coupe (The Big GTO), black, maroon interior, 409 4 speed; former owner of a 59 El Camino, 63 Corvette SWC, 62 Chev Bel Air SC. 1963- Pontiac top selling car in Canada
Mahone Bay, NS Still not old enough to need an automatic
One thing I forgot, what is that welded into the tailpipe passenger side in the first pic? Sensor?
spark plug with coil attached....
Yah I saw that too, I think it is one of those "flame throwers" that you can use to ignite unburned fuel in the exhaust, pretty hokey but if someone is tailgating and you can shoot flames at him ...
Dave
__________________
1956 Pontiac Pathfinder 2dr sedan, 496 - dyno'd 545 hp, stick shift, 4.11 posi - Hot Rod
Thank everyone for your very helpful "what to look out for" - I did go 350 miles round trip today to look at the car. The 58 Bel Air was OK. Paint job had a with nice shine but was a only a 10 footer, interior white tuck and roll looked very good but had a number of small rips/stains, one spot on top of rear fender was dented and (per my trusty magnet) filled with bondo and starting to bubble all round the edges (i.e. rust coming through), most chrome/stainless trim was very good, a few flaws. Car drove OK, steering just OK, not what I would call smooth, trans shifting a little off, motor ran good. All around, an acceptable driver but at first the salesman said thats a reasonable offer and then after talking to the boss they would not meet my price so I did not even have to crawl under the car or pull up any of the interior to check on what you guys pointed out as problem areas. AND, my wife found a 'post-purchase inspection check list' in the back set when we took if for a test drive, that said:
"Under Carriage Issues? RUST NEEDS PAINT" so you guys were spot on!
So, not this car, maybe some other one.
By the way, where is the windshield wiper motor located on the 58's? The car had no wiper blades, just those little bullets over the knurled parts, I looked where the wiper motor is on a 55-57 and there was a trim plate instead, no wiper motor in engine compartment I could see?
Dave
-- Edited by davelacourse on Tuesday 31st of May 2016 06:33:47 PM
__________________
1956 Pontiac Pathfinder 2dr sedan, 496 - dyno'd 545 hp, stick shift, 4.11 posi - Hot Rod
Yes, but this dealer had at least 30 cars, most of them much nicer and much higher price (like a gorgeous 57 Bel Air 2dr hardtop, sweet 65 Malibu SS ragtop, bunch of 63-67 Corvettes, a handful of 66-72 Chevelles, etc.), and didn't seem that interested in selling the OK 58 Bel Air.
And after seeing it, not being able to put it up in the air to check the frame (no lift available, no jack, just a mat to lie on) and seeing that note about the rust, I am inclined to not want the car anyway.
Dave
__________________
1956 Pontiac Pathfinder 2dr sedan, 496 - dyno'd 545 hp, stick shift, 4.11 posi - Hot Rod
1956 Pontiac Pathfinder 2dr sedan, 496 - dyno'd 545 hp, stick shift, 4.11 posi - Hot Rod
he looks pretty happy after i cut his car all up!
tha red one looks way better than what i started with i likem red