Here's the latest Gem in Steve Plunkett's collection. A 58 348 Tri Power Parisienne convertible. Sold new in London, Ont and found in Nova Scotia. Restored by Chauvan Bros in Windsor Ont.
Thanks to Bob Crocker for the photos and info on this car.
I am shocked at what this started out as, talk about chop cut rebuild poster car. That is absolutley beautifull, it takes is money and lots of effort. I wonder what the production figures are for this car with that option package.
Car is beautiful but every convertible '58 I have ever seen is a 348 tri power so I can't imagine they all came that way. Even Al Webster's that sold for $96,000 was not an original tri power.
Maybe the tag on this heap from Nova Scotia proved to be a real tri power therby expalining why Steve would restore it. It cerrtainly is a masterful job.
On engine colour 1958 marked the first year for orange engines in Pontiacs. The 55-57 small blocks were indeed green and the switch was made some time late in 1957 to orange V8's. The 261 remained green until 1963. In the course of my research I have one first hand account of 348's being green in Pontiacs but no other research information has provided corroboration on that. Truck engines were green and it is speculated that perhaps SR engines might have been green as a result.
-- Edited by 73SC on Friday 27th of January 2012 04:18:17 PM
WOW!!!! Now that takes "BIG BALL$ " too even THINK about starting with pc. of JUNK!!! Just shows you what can be done if you've got DEEP POCKETS Thought my 52 was "tough" when I started it 2 1/2 yrs ago, BUT "thats a mess compared to what I started with?????
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Some times I wake up GRUMPY, but today I let her sleep in !!!!!!!!BLACKSTOCK Ont.
I DID NOT BUY THE '60. IT WAS TOO FAR GONE FOR THE PRICE. EVERY PANEL ON IT NEEDED REPLACING. THE SELLER WAS FIRM ON HIS PRICE WHICH WAS DOUBLE WHAT I OFFERED, I THOUGHT MY OFFER WAS MORE THAN GENEROUS. SORRY NO PICS.
unknown 7637 348ci A (912 maroon ) Alberta no pic #729538 Laurentian 2dr hrdtp Tuxedo Black spot. 68 427 BS0 6A 391 Calgary Motor Products Ltd.-Calgary Alberta
-- Edited by 68 427 on Friday 27th of January 2012 05:54:53 PM
I do not think for one second that that is the same car. That mess is obviously completely GONE. I mean Gone in the complete sense of the word. It is simple to see that the frame, complete under body and most exterior sheet metal has evaporated. My educated guess is that what was used was the cowl tags and some minor trim pieces and some minor parts. Is it not amazing what you can end up with when you sign a blank cheque. BEAUTIFUL 1958 PONTIAC, there is no doubt about that. I have a question for an expert out there. The 1958 Pontiac Canadian 348 motor was it painted orange like the Chevrolet? Did they ever come in typical Canadian Pontiac green colour? Might be a question for Mr. Ray White. Does anyone have any stats on how many were built with the 348 and especially with the tri power option. I would be surprised if even four were built in Canada. 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
Does anyone have any stats on how many were built with the 348 and especially with the tri power option.
I PURCHASED THE GM VINTAGE PACKAGE FOR A 1960 LAURENTIAN WITH A 348. THERE WAS A NOTE SAYING THEY DID NOT HAVE RECORDS OF THE OPTIONS THIS FAR BACK. THEY CONFIRMED THAT THE LAURENTIAN WAS A 348 CAR, BUT COULD NOT TELL IF IT WAS A 4BBL OR TRI-POWER. THE CAR WAS UN-MOLESTED AND HAD A 4BBL WHICH I BELIEVE WAS ORIGINAL TO IT. THE ONLY # THEY PROVIDED WAS THE TOTAL 1960 2DR LAURENTIAN HT PRODUCTION #. WITHOUT ORIGINAL PAPERWORK, I DON'T BELIEVE THERE IS A WAY TO DOCUMENT A TRI-POWER CAR.
Car is beautiful but every convertible '58 I have ever seen is a 348 tri power so I can't imagine they all came that way. Even Al Webster's that sold for $96,000 was not an original tri power.
Maybe the tag on this heap from Nova Scotia proved to be a real tri power therby expalining why Steve would restore it. It cerrtainly is a masterful job.
On engine colour 1958 marked the first year for orange engines in Pontiacs. The 55-57 small blocks were indeed green and the switch was made some time late in 1957 to orange V8's. The 261 remained green until 1963. In the course of my research I have one first hand account of 348's being green in Pontiacs but no other research information has provided corroboration on that. Truck engines were green and it is speculated that perhaps SR engines might have been green as a result.
-- Edited by 73SC on Friday 27th of January 2012 04:18:17 PM
Thanks Ray, i knew you would be the man that would know. Have you ever been called Mr. PONTIAC? I know what you mean about everything that is high dollar being made up to be something it never was new. There is no way to tell if a car came with some special options so why not take poetic license. I know i have with my cars now and in the past. I have been addicted to always loading my cars down with options they did not come with when bought new. Thank you for the info Ray, it is always appreciated. 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
Does anyone have any stats on how many were built with the 348 and especially with the tri power option.
I PURCHASED THE GM VINTAGE PACKAGE FOR A 1960 LAURENTIAN WITH A 348. THERE WAS A NOTE SAYING THEY DID NOT HAVE RECORDS OF THE OPTIONS THIS FAR BACK. THEY CONFIRMED THAT THE LAURENTIAN WAS A 348 CAR, BUT COULD NOT TELL IF IT WAS A 4BBL OR TRI-POWER. THE CAR WAS UN-MOLESTED AND HAD A 4BBL WHICH I BELIEVE WAS ORIGINAL TO IT. THE ONLY # THEY PROVIDED WAS THE TOTAL 1960 2DR LAURENTIAN HT PRODUCTION #. WITHOUT ORIGINAL PAPERWORK, I DON'T BELIEVE THERE IS A WAY TO DOCUMENT A TRI-POWER CAR.
Mike thanks for the info, it is appreciated. Do you still have that 1960 Pontiac with the 348 motor? That was a sweet find and is there any chance of posting pictures of that 1960 Pontiac with that sweet 348 motor in it. Thanks again Mike. 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
I have spoken with the restorer of this beautiful 58 Pontiac, when he needed some information and he told me there were 4 donor cars that provided parts, for this restoration! He, (the restorer) looks for any 1958 Parisiennes roadworthy, or parts cars, he can buy, from anywhere in Canada and keeps them as donor cars, for high end restorations! Yes, Ray is correct in his colour information about 1958 engines! The car I owned in 1960, was all original and the 348 was chevrolet orange. As far as how many convertibles were built with 348 tri-power is a mystery, as all GM Vintage Services will disclose is there were a total of 759 built, with V8's, using both 283's and 348's. Bob.
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1965 Thunderbird Special Landau 10th Anniversary Limited Edition only 4500 built 34,800 miles
Were the floors really left red oxide? I thought Ford only did that.
American Chevrolets of those mid to late 1950's had red oxide painted under bodies. I had an Oshawa built 1956 Chevrolet 210 that came from B.C. that still had much of its original paint on the under body but it was the actual body colour, it was not red primer. I would venture a guess that Canadian cars were not painted primer under neath but bodty colour. Can you imagine how quickly those cars would rust with only very porous oxide primer. Can anyone pipe in here with any further insight on the paint or lack of paint on these cars back then. How about you Ray? Personally i do not think these Canadian cars ever came in just primer under bodies. 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
Were the floors really left red oxide? I thought Ford only did that.
How about you Ray? Personally i do not think these Canadian cars ever came in just primer under bodies. Cheers. George.
First of all lets make no mistake about it, this is a beautiful beautiful build. I don't thing we can use the word restoration for this car because we now know it is actaully parts from 5 cars, so to me it is about as close to you could get to a 2012 - 1958 Parisienne Convertible tri power. I also think that using words such as not correct to describe any part of this car is very peculiar and inappropriate because afterall it's 54 years since this car was first made. Information on Canadian Pontiacs is extremely limited and it is my opinion that the most and best information about Canadian Pontiacs is contained within this forum. I also believe that the builder of this car has gone to great lengths to do his research and recreate to the best of his knowledge what the car may have looked like leaving the Oshawa factory in 1957/58.
Now, having said that, the red primer floors look very odd to me and just because I have never seen a Canadian Pontiac finished this way doesn't make it so.
Wow, what a car! I guess I'll never have a convertible one as the price of admission is too steep for me, but I'm still hoping to find a decent '58 driver in 2 door style within the next year. They are one of the hardest to find cars I've ever been after.
1958 was a sales disaster for the GM cars. There were not well liked in 1958 so the survival rate combined with low sales makes finding any a challenege.
1958 was a sales disaster for the GM cars. There were not well liked in 1958 so the survival rate combined with low sales makes finding any a challenege.
Very true Ray. They seemed to rust out worse than the 55-57's also.
Maybe part of the reason is the primer floors. My dad's '58 Delray was a goner by '64 strictly from rust.
The Buicks and Cadillac's seemed to have a better rate of survival than the Pontiac's.
The red primered floors are correct although I have seen some odd green paint color inside wheelwells and on the underside of 58 trunk floors. Nailhead is right the carbs are WRONG. 58 carbs have front inlets and no filters-those are 59-61 tripower carbs
