My 1957 Pontiac Safari What can you tell me please?

57tcsaf · Member

My 1957 Pontiac Safari What can you tell me please?

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

Welcome here!

I'm thinking you are liking this month's feature car at the top of the page!

It's owner, Vern will be able to help you as well as likely a number of other members here. You will likely have some replies tomorrow.

57tcsaf · Member

This is the only place I have found like this and I am excited to see what I can find out, thanks Carl

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

You've most certainly come to the best place for Canadian Pontiac info.

Read away!

I wish I could help but I'm more a 65 and up kind of guy. I like the 50's Pontiacs a lot too but I don't know a lot about them.

73SC · A Poncho Legend!

Welcome from me too. Your car looks amazing. You will have your decoded in a matter of hours. I think the boys have gone to bed, me, it's 2:19 am Toronto time but I'm bacheloring it for a few days but this is it for me tonight or this morning depending on where you are.

2drpost · Uber Guru

welcome! great to see another '57....and a wagon too! aww

57poncho · Uber Guru

57tcsaf wrote:

Plates under the hood read
General Motors of Canada Limited
style 2062f
body 253
paint 2411
trim 904

serial 72062f610484
engine w68812

Style Pathfinder Deluxe 4 Door 2 seat Wagon

body 253 253 car produced of 1639 made
paint 2411 Laural Green Metallic & Colonial Cream

Thats all for now will edit later off to work Great looking car

-- Edited by 57poncho on Friday 15th of May 2009 03:30:51 PM

-- Edited by 57poncho on Friday 15th of May 2009 03:33:12 PM

57tcsaf · Member

Wow this is great! You know it was your 57' Poncho that got me here so kudos to you. I dont know if this is a big deal but I am in California with this car, near Los Angeles. It was shipped out here late 99 early 2000 from what I could find. I have the original green colored registration paperwork from Ontario too. And I think I have the original owners phone number.

I found this on Ebay in December and noone bought it for $2000.00 I emailed the owner a couple of months later worked out a bit of a payment plan and took over ownership 2 weeks ago.

I will keep posting pics. Today I will be working on the electrical, the radiator, and the gas tank stem as it has a pinhole leak.

EVERYONE thank you so much again, this is the most help I have had in months.

73SC · A Poncho Legend!

57tcsaf wrote:

I dont know if this is a big deal but I am in California with this car, near Los Angeles.

You bet it is, we love it when we see Canadian cars spreading out State Side. You are now an official Canadian Poncho Ambassador !

I am not a mid fifties expert but the way I read your VIN, this car was originally a 261 Inline 6, 10,484th car down the line for 1957 model year.

-- Edited by 73SC on Friday 15th of May 2009 01:11:55 PM

Beaumont4008 · Uber Guru

Welcome aboard, very nice car . Looks like you got a good deal at $2000.00.

57poncho · Uber Guru

73SC wrote:

57tcsaf wrote:

I dont know if this is a big deal but I am in California with this car, near Los Angeles.
You bet it is, we love it when we see Canadian cars spreading out State Side. You are now an official Canadian Poncho Ambassador !

I am not a mid fifties expert but the way I read your VIN, this car was originally a 261 Inline 6, 10,484th car down the line for 1957 model year.

-- Edited by 73SC on Friday 15th of May 2009 01:11:55 PM

There were only 1639 4d wagons built his in # 253 down the line

57poncho · Uber Guru

The original colours of your car are right hand row top (Laural Green Metallic) and the 7Th one down in the same row ( Colonial Cream). The chips don't show up well. Colours are quite a bit brighter that the scan shows

57color chips 1.jpg

73SC · A Poncho Legend!

57poncho wrote:

I am not a mid fifties expert but the way I read your VIN, this car was originally a 261 Inline 6, 10,484th car down the line for 1957 model year.

There were only 1639 4d wagons built his in # 253 down the line

Okay, but am I correct in that it was the 10,484 vehicle or car made in Oshawa for 57? Am I right on the engine?

57poncho · Uber Guru

73SC wrote:

57poncho wrote:

I am not a mid fifties expert but the way I read your VIN, this car was originally a 261 Inline 6, 10,484th car down the line for 1957 model year.

There were only 1639 4d wagons built his in # 253 down the line

Okay, but am I correct in that it was the 10,484 vehicle or car made in Oshawa for 57? Am I right on the engine?

My mix up. You are correct. His was the 10,484 down the line for that year, but 253rd of this model. And yes it is a 261 6 148 HP 1 bbl. Here is a pic of what the correct factory motor would look like. But the colour of mine is not correct

57poncho · Uber Guru

Trim 904 is charcoal and Ivory here is a pic. Same trim as mine
1957 Safari interior 002.jpg

73SC · A Poncho Legend!

After all my hard work on engine colour, check out this thread. We have an original 1957 261 there.

http://canadianponcho.activeboard.com/index.spark?forumID=118110&p=3&topicID=26831642

Oh, and even if it was a 283 from the factory it would still be green.

57poncho · Uber Guru

68sd wrote:

57 poncho ,do you have any pre 58 canadian paint charts,model codes or trim charts the registry could use?
pretty grey area those early cars,my info is mostly Chevy

I have some they are in the library section of the forum the scan and pics size is bad thought maybe some time I can get Carl to put them on with photo bucket as I can't figure out how

57poncho · Uber Guru

Hi Mike Welcome aboard like your taste in cars. Yours is only the second 4d wagon I have ever seen. I have heard tails of others but have never seen them. Just for your info all the drive train and suspension parts on your car are 57 Chevy parts so finding parts is very easy. The rear quarters are 56 Chevy and the front fender are not the same as American. The tail light housing from any other model of 57 Pontiac will not fit they must be from a 4d wagon or a 2d panel only made in Canada. Did you get any of the script (badging) with the car I see it has been removed. The should be a Pontiac script on the front fenders 3 stars and a Safari script on the rear quarters .

57tcsaf · Member

All of it has been removed except for the front hood and tailgate. It seems like my front end is missing something I will post a pic after my car meet tonight. You guys have been a lot of help. And I am starting an itch for a 65 Acadian Invader, I have never heard of them but now I will be keeping my eyes open.

-- Edited by 57tcsaf on Friday 15th of May 2009 11:57:18 PM

57tcsaf · Member

Here is the front

57poncho · Uber Guru

Whats missing from the front end is the grill and what they call the wings check out this link. It has pics of my wagon and you will see what I mean.
http://canadianponcho.activeboard.com/index.spark?forumID=118110&p=3&topicID=27461280

57tcsaf · Member

I think my grill was handmade looking at yours now...LOVE your car by the way.
While looking for a grill I suppose I can use the Chieftan parts as well?

57poncho · Uber Guru

Any 57 wings will work they come up on eBay once and awhile as for the grill I have been told they are different my is 24 7/8 inches wide if you can measure a America one then you will no if they are the same or not

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

Vern

I have been away. If you want to email me pictures I can post them up here for you using photobucket.

Taylor55 · Poncho Master!

The centre grill and left and right outer bars are the same Canadian and Americian built 57 Pontiacs. All other grill parts are different part numbers Canadian to Americian. The two braces which support the outer left and right bars are also different part numbers.

Al