Need help for decoding this 1957 Can. Pontiac

Fitz · Guru

Need help for decoding this 1957 Can. Pontiac

long stroke · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Andre, this is what i can help you with. This is all i can decipher right now. Cheers. George.

The W before the engine number means that it was a 261 six cylinder originally. Someone put the V-8 in it.

2211 Means that the car was a PATHFINDER two door sedan originally. Someone turned it into a Pathfinder Deluxe.

213 Means that it was originally ordered with Heavy Duty suspension front and rear.

2302 Means that the car was painted Black and Dover white originally. The first two numbers mean Pontiac and the last two numbers mean Black and White two tone paint.

-- Edited by long stroke on Thursday 26th of March 2015 07:17:58 PM

-- Edited by long stroke on Friday 27th of March 2015 07:09:55 AM

73SC · A Poncho Legend!

The orange engine is a dead giveaway that it's not original. A factory V8 would have been green wouldn't it ?

long stroke · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

It is obvious that someone put original Pontiac 283 V-8 valve covers on a later Chevy V-8. You can see where the holes have been filled in on the valve covers an the new holes drilled on the valve cover to make them work on the later motor. Andre, what is the story on this 57 Pontiac. Are you going to keep us all wondering. Is this your car, a friends car, a customers car. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Cheers. George.

427carl · A Poncho Legend!

GF	1955	265	m/t, 3 spd, a/c	-	-
GF	1957	283	turglide		FI	car
GF	1965	283	Powerglide	195	2	full size

Fitz · Guru

Hey guys thanks you for your input.

I didn't have time to write the story of this car when I asked you to help me. The potatoes were on the stove top burner and I had only few minute to ask before they over boiled....

Ok, this 57 is a customer car, he bought it last august from a Québec province guy. The customer is a very kind guy but completely new to the hobby. He bought this car with all the thrust he had for the seller. The customer went to my home last autumn to make a quote on all the problems, and the car had a lot of problems. Gas gauge, odometer, radio,temp gauge, horn, backup light, powersteering, everything mentioned was not working. Not to mention the bad front seat, kickdown rod not connected because bad carb linkage hole, and not functioning heater and heater motor.....when he bought the car the brake failed and he need brakes on 4 wheels...

I made the most of it to be safe and gauge accurate. The horn is working from the steering, and gas gauge work too. It's a sad car, the paint peel everywhere...

So the car was a 6 cyl with 3 on the three, a basic Pathfinder Black with white top? and now with a 1965 283? and disguise for Halloween in a Pathfinder deluxe?

Please confirm for the actual engine. I knew something wrong with it since it was not green but, worse, the valve cover bolts hole.

thanks again guy!

Fitz.

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

Looking at the codes Carl posted above, it is likely a 283 from 1965.

73SC · A Poncho Legend!

At least it is a Canadian engine though K for McKinnon St. Catharines ON.

CdnGMfan · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

The valve cover bolts were staggered on the 1955 to early-1959 Chevy small blocks. The block itself could still be a 1957 283, but if so it would use a road draft tube for crankcase ventilation. After 1962 the road draft tube was eliminated and they switched to an open positive crankcase ventilation system with a PCV valve. The open system meant that air was vented into the engine via an opening in the oil filler cap. That setup was used through 1967 before being replaced in all instances with a closed positive crankcase ventilation system that drew in air from the air cleaner and vented it into the air cleaner.

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

Oh, I am more awake now. It has the staggered bolts still doesn't it, making it the early heads, not from 65. Could be the combo setup!

long stroke · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

It looks like who ever built this car, actually wanted a Laurentian because the car is half way there to being a Laurentian. Externally the only things left to make this 57 a Laurentian, is the stainless chrome around the side windows, the chrome rings around the headlight brows and the hard to find Laurentian scripts on the front fenders. Andre is this car still a three speed standard or has it been converted to automatic? Did the seller misrepresent this 57 to your customer? Andre, you should tell your customer to join Canadian Poncho's and maybe even make this our April cover car. It is worth consideration. Cheers. George.

57 Pathfinder · Guru

Carl Stevenson wrote:
Oh, I am more awake now. It has the staggered bolts still doesn't it, making it the early heads, not from 65. Could be the combo setup!

From what I see it does not have the staggered bolts. Someone filled the bolt holes on the staggered, scripted valve covers and re-drilled so they'd bolt to the non staggered later heads.

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

Oh, ok. Maybe I see it wrong. I thought that looked to be a standard cover redrilled to fit a staggered head

57 Pathfinder · Guru

I see the raised scripting on the covers...stamped. Unless those ran in to the 60's? I could be mistaken too, but I thought the raised Pontiac lettering was early only?

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

I am pretty sure you are right, I think those are early covers judging by that.

Fitz · Guru

long stroke wrote:
It looks like who ever built this car, actually wanted a Laurentian because the car is half way there to being a Laurentian. Externally the only things left to make this 57 a Laurentian, is the stainless chrome around the side windows, the chrome rings around the headlight brows and the hard to find Laurentian scripts on the front fenders. Andre is this car still a three speed standard or has it been converted to automatic? Did the seller misrepresent this 57 to your customer? Andre, you should tell your customer to join Canadian Poncho's and maybe even make this our April cover car. It is worth consideration. Cheers. George.

The car is now a PG car. The steering column doesn't fit well but work as it should. The seller (to me...) should knew those sad details, he can't ignore it. I'll tell the customer to join the forum for sure..

And thanks so much for all infos!

And, this engine is a 57 or a 65?

Fitz.

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

It appears to be a 57 from anything any of us can tell.

The casting number off the back of the block behind the driver's side cylinder head would tell for sure.

Pontiacanada · A Poncho Legend!

long stroke wrote:
It is obvious that someone put original Pontiac 283 V-8 valve covers on a later Chevy V-8. You can see where the holes have been filled in on the valve covers an the new holes drilled on the valve cover to make them work on the later motor.

Was going to say. The spreaders aren't even functioning as they should.

long stroke · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Fitz wrote:
long stroke wrote:
It looks like who ever built this car, actually wanted a Laurentian because the car is half way there to being a Laurentian. Externally the only things left to make this 57 a Laurentian, is the stainless chrome around the side windows, the chrome rings around the headlight brows and the hard to find Laurentian scripts on the front fenders. Andre is this car still a three speed standard or has it been converted to automatic? Did the seller misrepresent this 57 to your customer? Andre, you should tell your customer to join Canadian Poncho's and maybe even make this our April cover car. It is worth consideration. Cheers. George.
The car is now a PG car. The steering column doesn't fit well but work as it should. The seller (to me...) should knew those sad details, he can't ignore it. I'll tell the customer to join the forum for sure..

And thanks so much for all infos!

And, this engine is a 57 or a 65?

Fitz.

If this was the original 57 283 block, then the heads would be later heads, not 57 heads. The original 57 283 valve covers are being used and had to be altered to work. They were re drilled for a reason to be able to work on later heads.

409Safari · Addicted!

And the spinner is missing on the rear whellcover (maybe to make room for the fender skirt). Ahhh! these Québec province guys....Nice car anyway, IF the price was right!!!