1957 Pontiac Star Chief - Will It Run?

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  • Опубліковано 18 жов 2024

КОМЕНТАРІ • 171

  • @garyjubar5733
    @garyjubar5733 2 роки тому +4

    First 57 Pontiac I have seen in years. I had forgotten how beautiful they were. Brakes, tires, the factory tri-power option and what a cruiser!

  • @pittschapelfarm2844
    @pittschapelfarm2844 2 роки тому +26

    That's a beautiful Chief. Looks flawless. But man, it would take a 347 to lug around all that metal. It's probably got it's own magnetic poles.

    • @djinconroe
      @djinconroe 2 роки тому

      It passes Kia Rio's and I bet they are pulled into it's gravity well on the highway.

    • @pittschapelfarm2844
      @pittschapelfarm2844 2 роки тому

      @@djinconroe Ha! I bet the kia ended up at Steve's garage. Might be how he gets all his cars.

  • @derrickrees8895
    @derrickrees8895 2 роки тому +8

    Beautiful looking old Pontiac , in outstanding condition for its age too !

  • @thirdcargarage2951
    @thirdcargarage2951 2 роки тому +4

    Love the old Pontiacs.

  • @wiserman100
    @wiserman100 2 роки тому +2

    It's good that no one turned the ign switch on with the fuel sending unit terminal connector touching the fuel tank metal, but what a beautiful blast from the past. Thanks for the memories.

  • @daveshongkongchinachannel
    @daveshongkongchinachannel 2 роки тому +15

    Amazing to see this piece of history and hope we can see it running and driving on the highway once you get the brakes fixed.

  • @bobholloway7138
    @bobholloway7138 2 роки тому +15

    Great video Steve - it takes me back to when my parents had their 1958 Star Chief. Beautiful car and I begged my dad not to sell it, but I was eight years old and my pleas to keep it until I got my driver's license fell on deaf ears. Glad to see you have one that's in very good shape!

  • @dandodds1926
    @dandodds1926 2 роки тому +6

    Takes me back, wonderful condition!

  • @kendall6030
    @kendall6030 2 роки тому +6

    Those old Pontiac engines sound so nice. Beautiful automobile. Thank you for sharing.

  • @rustypipes6339
    @rustypipes6339 2 роки тому +3

    I love this car. My first car was a 57 Star Chief but mine was a 4 door and possibly the fastest car I have ever owned or at least the fastest off the line. Mine had a positraction and I could smoke those tires. They have beautiful lines and the wonderbar radio was the cat's ass in those days. That old 347 and the 4 speed hydro would haul some serious ass.

  • @Leadfoot_Ed
    @Leadfoot_Ed 2 роки тому +15

    Beautiful car. Love the dash!

  • @alectrondorfman1057
    @alectrondorfman1057 2 роки тому +7

    I had one of those. It had a huge speaker sitting on the transmission tunnel. It was a sweet car to drive down the road with the windows open and rock and roll blaring!

    • @andyesir
      @andyesir 2 роки тому

      me too, a big gray speaker, car was limefire green all one tone with was somewhat rare

  • @robertmorin1454
    @robertmorin1454 2 роки тому +10

    My dad had a 58 Pontiac for his first car so we will love to see you keep going with this one and get it running like a Swiss watch!, 👍🇨🇦

    • @datasailor8132
      @datasailor8132 2 роки тому

      My friend living across the street had his grandfather living with them who had a silver Pontiac Bonneville Coupe with gray on gray. Nifty looking car.

  • @gryfandjane
    @gryfandjane 2 роки тому +2

    What a nice-looking old Pontiac! Best of luck.

  • @johnclayden1670
    @johnclayden1670 2 роки тому +8

    Damn, Steve, you make it look so simple! And it's nice to see you work your magic on an American car.
    At school in England, we had a brochure for the '58 Pontiacs and even at 9 years old I wanted one. I made it in an offhand sort of way in 2013 with a C6. Great car.

  • @theunskilledmechanic
    @theunskilledmechanic 2 роки тому +2

    Wow, this an absolute beauty!

  • @audiosmackdown
    @audiosmackdown 2 роки тому +7

    amazing looking. Obviously not parked in the back field some place

  • @georgegbalzano9239
    @georgegbalzano9239 8 місяців тому +1

    My Dad had this EXACT same car, he bought it brand-new in '57, with Black with black/white/gray interior when he married my Mom in 1958. I didn't come along until '62, and so Dad traded it in and bought an economy car... a 6cyl Mercury Comet!! My Mom said she cried when he did that. I never got to see that car, only in a couple of pictures. However, My Dad redeemed himself in 1966, when he bought a brand-new LeMans 2dr!!!

  • @bradfordeaton6558
    @bradfordeaton6558 2 роки тому +1

    In 1974 I was helping a friend move from Marshalltown,Iowa to Forks, Wa. We drove a Uhaul out with most of his stuff in it then proceeded to hitchhike back to Iowa. We got picked up in George (no shit!) Washington by a guy in one of these. He gave us a ride clear to Des Moines where he and my friend headed north and I went on to Iowa City. We made the whole trip from Forks to I,C. (for me) in 44 hours, which has to be some sort of record. It was a beautiful car; green and white and it ran beautifully. Really a great ride.

  • @JourneymanRandy
    @JourneymanRandy 2 роки тому +4

    Nice looking Pontiac Steve. Good catch

  • @ronwhite9117
    @ronwhite9117 Рік тому +1

    Thank you so much for showing what it takes to get one started after that long of sitting. It helped me tremendously on my pontiac chief.

  • @regsparkes6507
    @regsparkes6507 2 роки тому +2

    These brand of General Motors cars was named in honour of Chief Pontiac of the Odawa ( Ottawa ) Indian Tribe.
    This 1957 era was an era of glorious cars by almost all makers. Back then you could tell the make and almost the model too by just having a mere glimpse of one of
    these as they rolled down he road.
    You are fortunate to own this 'top of the line' model of Pontiac. I hope you get oit up and running as it should without any modification (s) being make to it.

  • @kennymay9036
    @kennymay9036 2 роки тому +1

    outstanding poncho.bring er back man..

  • @johnanchovie2b
    @johnanchovie2b 2 роки тому +5

    Sweet old car! Would love to it on the road again.

  • @icerazar713
    @icerazar713 2 роки тому +5

    Beautiful car. That dash is so cool.

  • @daniellau5859
    @daniellau5859 Рік тому

    Its always beautiful seeing old pieces of engineering come back to life

  • @terryeustice5399
    @terryeustice5399 2 роки тому +4

    Good looking car. Thank you for sharing

  • @jeb909
    @jeb909 2 роки тому +1

    When I was about fourteen years old and first started working on cars, I had the same problem with a Barracuda that hadn't been started in around ten years. I couldn't get gas to the carburetor. After figuring out that it wasn't a bad fuel pump, I took the gas line loose from the intake side of the fuel pump and tried blowing through the line back toward the tank and couldn't. I'd never seen or heard of a sending unit, but after looking, I saw it and figured out how to get it out of the tank. The end of the pickup tube was clogged for a good four inches with what looked like black tar from the old gasoline. I cleaned it out with a piece of wire coat hanger and stuck it back into the tank. My dad and a couple of my uncles were watching me do all this (but saying nothing), so I was pretty proud of myself when the old Plymouth started up. I still remember the grin on Dad's face. I guess he was proud too. Good memory.

  • @mkofftiger
    @mkofftiger 2 роки тому +2

    Terrific video. I love to watch restoration of vintage cars.

  • @gazzafloss
    @gazzafloss 2 роки тому +2

    Nice Pontiac Steve, good find.

  • @joelwatson3045
    @joelwatson3045 2 роки тому

    I had a 58 Pontiac in college for a while with same engine. It was a tank! I remember the windshield wipers working off vacuum. Couldn't accellerate in the rain or the wipers would quit working. Great car for the drive in movies!

  • @austx290
    @austx290 2 роки тому +3

    Great video Steve! The 57 Pontiac is one of my favorites.

  • @alanbellkey4592
    @alanbellkey4592 2 роки тому

    Man what an beautiful old Pontiac I have a 1950 Buick that my grandparents bought new here in Nampa Idaho and I’ve been enjoying it since 1987 when they gave it to me back when I was in high school

  • @pminoregon9072
    @pminoregon9072 2 роки тому +1

    What a fantastic old car! Thanks Steve!

  • @mcgarrettsmerc
    @mcgarrettsmerc 2 роки тому +1

    Looking forward to the next video-I have a ‘57 Super Chief Safari with power brakes and have not figured out how to add brake fluid to the master cylinder-clearance issues.

  • @vayabroder729
    @vayabroder729 2 роки тому +1

    Apart from the air cleaner this thing is all original. Total jewel.

  • @grayfool
    @grayfool 2 роки тому +1

    That car looks great. Looking forward to seeing full alive again.

  • @frankscarservice1911
    @frankscarservice1911 2 роки тому +1

    Hi Steve, this is a real beautiful Pontiac. I specially like the shining dash.

  • @keystonekid7451
    @keystonekid7451 2 роки тому +2

    Nice work Steve, just keep doin what your doin, we’ll watch!

  • @ignaciotravieso7484
    @ignaciotravieso7484 6 місяців тому +1

    Pontiac 1957 , I like so much.

  • @lloydgreen4091
    @lloydgreen4091 2 роки тому +3

    Wow---- Steve, you had the camera set waaayy tooo Close when pulling that sending unit. I could "smell that smell" through my monitor All The Way here north of *Grattan.* LOL
    Though my 2 Sprirtes & Midget could use some love the "Star Chief" is a Nice change of pace. Thanks for making these vids.

  • @brocluno01
    @brocluno01 2 роки тому

    One of the nicest cars to ever come out of GM. Thanks for the trip down memory lane 😊

  • @bbrut3332
    @bbrut3332 2 роки тому +7

    That is one nice 57 Pontiac. Hard to find one that vintage in such nice condition. The 61 Sloped Back Pontiac is still my favorite of the full sized Pontiacs.

  • @manuelstarr3602
    @manuelstarr3602 2 роки тому +6

    Why didn't you remove and clean out that tank? I would expect more clogging fairly soon.. Thanks for the video.. cheers 🥂

  • @facistbuster
    @facistbuster 2 роки тому

    My dad had a 56 Pontiac. I only saw it on pictures. Great car, i wish i could drive one. ❤❤❤

  • @stephenricketts7764
    @stephenricketts7764 2 роки тому +2

    What a beautiful old classic, they don't make them anything like as beautiful now. I think you're right that it wouldn't run one year and they just left it which is a shame. Now you have it running and no doubt you will soon fix the brakes. It would be nice to see it cruising down the road, in good weather of course. BTW I like the colour combination. Thank Steve for another great video.👍

  • @brianhead4720
    @brianhead4720 2 роки тому +1

    Yes more of this!

  • @007R12
    @007R12 2 роки тому +1

    Steve. I watched nearly ever episode and love your and you fathers collection. Like so many of the cars you work on, I've found myself with a broke down body and some nice projects that need the finishing touches. 62, 63, and 67 Sprites, 60 190 Ponton Benz, 75 MGB and 90 Saab 900 S Turbo. Got my first car, a 62 Sprite when I was 14 in 68. I'd love to see them done. Will need to get rid of some and so much better if there drivers. Didn't know how else to reach out to you. I live close. Matt

  • @ljetronic
    @ljetronic 2 роки тому +2

    Awesome video! Love watching all the trash blow out of the exhaust on a car that’s been sitting! Looking forward to the brake video!

  • @gregsly1247
    @gregsly1247 2 роки тому +1

    Nice video, thank you for posting it. This takes me back to my teens and my 57 Super Chief, it was a tank but they are beautiful cars. I'd rather own the 57 Pontiac than the same year Bel-Air.

  • @antoniocovarrubias7831
    @antoniocovarrubias7831 2 роки тому

    This is when they made real cars, I have a 47 Pontiac Chief very original 3 speed column shifter, with an 8 cylinder flat head ,but I just love old Pontiac’s and Chevys. Greetings from California.

  • @arkangelnorthman
    @arkangelnorthman 2 роки тому

    She's in GREAT SHAPE!!!

  • @AudiophileStooge
    @AudiophileStooge 2 роки тому

    very nice job! Love the time lapsed portions.

  • @jamesrobinson2433
    @jamesrobinson2433 2 роки тому +1

    It is always a good time to change the inline fuel filter anytime you put in a new fuel pump.

  • @julianjolly6098
    @julianjolly6098 Рік тому +1

    Fantastic old car

  • @twofeathers6540
    @twofeathers6540 2 роки тому +2

    love the show thanks

  • @milliewilkie1969
    @milliewilkie1969 2 роки тому

    our little old Toyota Starlet we use for holiday transport 2000 miles away was left out in open for 2 years due to covid travel restrictions and started 1st go with jump cables and only needed a tyre as one disintigrated to pass M.O,T and fuel was fine

  • @AndrewHCann
    @AndrewHCann 2 роки тому

    Excellent video Steve :) always enjoy those old cars from back then especially this one and change fuel filter to be safe sake from old send unit pick up to ! Let's Get Motoring On To Drive my famous late Dad used say as one sayings Lol !

  • @henryrodier8024
    @henryrodier8024 2 роки тому +2

    Nice car from when they built quality products todays cars won’t get to 65 years old but it doesn’t matter where you keep them the mice find them !

  • @paulbee8327
    @paulbee8327 2 роки тому

    My dad's favorite car was a 1957 Star Cheif with tri power. Silver and black. It was fast!

  • @keiththecarguy1967
    @keiththecarguy1967 2 роки тому +1

    Awesome Poncho, loved the video!

  • @8avexp
    @8avexp 2 роки тому

    Great looking car. For four years straight, Pontiac only offered V-8s, no sixes. Love the gauges!

  • @boots235
    @boots235 2 роки тому

    The old hydramatic finally has a PARK on it...I think came about sometime in 1956.

  • @born_again_torinos
    @born_again_torinos 2 роки тому +1

    It's not a Lectra video, but was still pretty fun to watch. 8^)

  • @robertjordan3270
    @robertjordan3270 2 роки тому +2

    Good video again
    Thanks

  • @bumboclat
    @bumboclat 2 роки тому

    Good choice of battery. Says premium. And she's got the go handle.

  • @Tony-hx2fj
    @Tony-hx2fj 2 роки тому

    my dad had the same care with a little brighter white color, same trim and interior. My sister and I were in the back seat fighting . As he was stopping at a light he turned around to wack us. Unfortunately some how he rear ended the car in front of him as it stopped short for some reason. Boy were we in trouble when we got home. These cars didn't have 5 mph bumpers thats for sure!

  • @revgee93
    @revgee93 2 роки тому +1

    Sweet Vehicle 😎👍

  • @thecollectoronthecorner7061
    @thecollectoronthecorner7061 2 роки тому

    I like the pontiac engines. We have a 60 catalina in our collection. It has the 389 engine. I recommend you retrofit a PCV on your engine. It doesnt robb any HP or hurt fuel economy. However it will keep the engine internals cleaner reduce back pressure in the crankcase and lessen the likely hood of oil leaks.

  • @TrashcanGarage
    @TrashcanGarage 2 роки тому

    Nice. Mine (local barn find, abandoned project) sat for over twenty. Fired right up (video on my YT page, restoration in progress). I'm the third owner.

  • @dirthawk2669
    @dirthawk2669 2 роки тому +1

    Great car steve , looking forward to more videos !!

  • @cdjhyoung
    @cdjhyoung 2 роки тому

    The next to last new car my dad bought was a 1957 Chieftan. Single two barrel base engine, three on the tree trans. By 1963, our car had way more rust than this car has almost 60 years later. Definitely the difference between the car living in Michigan and this one from California. I've always been surprised that more of these Pontiacs didn't survive. Pontiac sold almost as many cars as Chevy in 1957, but you see 50-100 57 Chevys for every Poncho you see from that year. It wasn't the raw power difference either: Pontiac had production engines offering as much power as the Chevy 283.

  • @jeffring2023
    @jeffring2023 2 роки тому +1

    Much cooler than a 57 chevy IMO.

  • @vicmabus1532
    @vicmabus1532 2 роки тому +1

    That's NICE!

  • @jimmaiden5936
    @jimmaiden5936 Рік тому +1

    I had one just like it in 1963

  • @kapekodbob
    @kapekodbob 2 роки тому

    I had a 56, my dad had a 57 Ford and the PO had put 57 Pontac fender ornament on it .

  • @beatglauser9444
    @beatglauser9444 Рік тому

    I am amazed how easy it is to replace the sending unit on this car. My 65 models have no drain plug and the tank has to come down in order to replace the sending unit. I had the problem that my car had fuel starvation that cam and stopped randomly. Replacing the gas pump did not help. It turned out it was only the "sacklike" filter on the sending unit.

  • @paulhall170
    @paulhall170 2 роки тому +9

    You can still buy new parts for a 1957 car?? Lovely old "stone axe" Yank tank, they were so simple back then, weren't they? I for one look forward to seeing this grand old girl run, although with drum brakes on a car that weight they aren't going to be anything to write home about!

    • @robertbak4108
      @robertbak4108 2 роки тому +5

      Drum brakes work as well as disc’s. It’s just if you have use the brake a lot like going down the mountains they with heat up and possibly fail. They have developed brake lining for shoes that work as well as disc’s. Semis use drum brakes on the tractors and trailers and work excellent. It’s kind of an old wife’s tale that discs are really better. Their easier to work on. About the only thing their better at.

    • @paulhall170
      @paulhall170 2 роки тому +1

      @@robertbak4108 What tripe; why does every car made have discs, front and rear, except for the tiny Japanese and Korean micro-cars?? Why do American cars all have discs? This Winston Smith declaration has no merit whatsoever.

    • @robertbak4108
      @robertbak4108 2 роки тому +2

      They are cheaper to make by the manufacturer. They have less moving parts. Much easier for the parts replacers we have in dealerships and shops today

    • @robertbak4108
      @robertbak4108 2 роки тому +4

      Several magazines have done tests on both and found very little difference between the two especially when they used the new brake linings on the drums.

    • @cdjhyoung
      @cdjhyoung 2 роки тому +4

      @@paulhall170 In part because it is cheaper to manufacture and install disc brakes than drum brakes. Bak gets it right, at the first application, drum brakes work almost as effectively as discs. Where disc shine is in continual brake applications. Disc brakes dissipate heat much, much faster than drum brakes so are the go to brake for any high performance installation.

  • @r1lark
    @r1lark 2 роки тому +1

    Nice looking car!

  • @bil4doe
    @bil4doe 2 роки тому +1

    Nice to see a vehicle made so if you had to work on it an ASE certified mechanic wasn't always needed!!!

    • @ThisWeekWithCars
      @ThisWeekWithCars  2 роки тому +1

      An ASE certified mechanic today will never have even seen a carburetor.

    • @mikal8343
      @mikal8343 2 роки тому

      @@ThisWeekWithCars 🤣

  • @robertwenzell9510
    @robertwenzell9510 2 роки тому +1

    YES!!

  • @jeffpurtell5676
    @jeffpurtell5676 2 роки тому +1

    Great video! There seems to be a whole body of thinking and advice about the best way to start a car that has been sitting for years (and years and years) - but to me most of it looks like "bro-science." I really appreciate how you start from the very, very basic level - spark fuel and air - and then just follow that path. You don't just make assumptions and charge in and start randomly replacing parts, you only do just what is indicated from your diagnosing. It's minimally invasive, like a doctor lol - first, do no harm. I have an old car I need to start, this was good motivation. Do you change oil and filters before you do this type of work? Thanks, again.

    • @opera93
      @opera93 2 роки тому

      Thanks for commenting.. interestingly, VICE GRIP GARAGE , CARARCHEOLOGY, ETC ; seem , to early -on In procedures ( after the check to,see if ENGINE NOT TOTALLY gone):::::… …….

  • @yuvegotmale
    @yuvegotmale 2 роки тому

    I have always liked that body style

  • @needsaride15126
    @needsaride15126 2 роки тому

    That's such a beautiful car.

  • @ladonnaghareeb4609
    @ladonnaghareeb4609 2 роки тому

    This is LaDonna's husband Bob. I've always loved the 55-57 Pontiacs. I think they are way nicer looking than the tri five Chevys, and that saying a lot, because I love those too! Where did you find such a beautiful car? In Michigan it'd been nothing but a rusty frame with ruined seats.

  • @cdjhyoung
    @cdjhyoung 2 роки тому +1

    Slight correction: the Indian head image is Chief Pontiac.

  • @garyfinger294
    @garyfinger294 2 роки тому +7

    There is something I wish you would do when you get a vehicle like this, check the fluid levels such as oil and coolant. How many people do you wonder attempt to turn over a motor without checking the oi. Is it not possible to further damage an engine if you crank it over dry? With the work you did on the fuel system, why not install an electric fuel pump?

    • @gazzafloss
      @gazzafloss 2 роки тому +4

      Could I just point out this guy, Steve, has lots and lots of cars in his collection, no doubt many of them came to him in this same way. I'd say that before he gets in front of the camera to do his vids he's already checked the oil and hand rolled the engine. It's quite safe to run an engine without coolant for a couple of minutes, and the car is worth far more with the original fuel system components I'd think, It would be to me anyway, and if they're easily available parts why retrofit non original bits,
      I've watched him from the start and he's never trashed an engine on first start, I think it's safe to assume this is not his first rodeo.

    • @dennisbranam3847
      @dennisbranam3847 2 роки тому

      He did a video of how to start a car that has been sitting for a long time. It was also a Pontiac. He goes through allof the steps.

    • @gazzafloss
      @gazzafloss 2 роки тому +1

      @@dennisbranam3847 I can't believe that folks watching this channel honestly believe that Steve doesn't know what he's doing, the evidence of his experience/knowledge are all around him.

    • @dennisbranam3847
      @dennisbranam3847 2 роки тому +1

      @@gazzafloss I've been messing around with British cars for about 50 years now. Seems like I learn something from most of his videos.

  • @rodneybrand8521
    @rodneybrand8521 2 роки тому +2

    Thar car is in excellent condition ..very rare..

  • @lorenzobeckmann3736
    @lorenzobeckmann3736 2 роки тому

    I got "clocked" once walking thru a park near a different high School; when I "woke up" I knew to drop the fuel tank and get it cleaned.

  • @thepolkster46
    @thepolkster46 2 роки тому

    something that doesn't have a prince of darkness electrical system (LUCAS) Finally !

  • @paulgrimm
    @paulgrimm 2 роки тому

    What a beautiful car

  • @davidnelson6893
    @davidnelson6893 2 роки тому +1

    WOW COOL

  • @eddie054
    @eddie054 2 роки тому

    Beautiful car.

  • @bobmanzi7712
    @bobmanzi7712 2 роки тому

    great stuff thanks

  • @chuckhaynes6458
    @chuckhaynes6458 2 роки тому

    Nice Poncho.

  • @shug831
    @shug831 2 роки тому +2

    What about the oil?
    Did you change it before starting?

  • @georgephillips1185
    @georgephillips1185 2 роки тому

    🤙🤙 beautiful classic

  • @jorgefernandez-mv8hu
    @jorgefernandez-mv8hu 2 роки тому

    That is a beautiful car.

  • @bossman1974
    @bossman1974 2 роки тому

    Beautiful old car 🚗

  • @oldcarnut1
    @oldcarnut1 2 роки тому +1

    Great car in very nice condition. When you are working with the sending unit did you disconnect the battery or just have the key off??? Need to do the same thing to my 1968 Saab. Fix the Saab!!!!

    • @ThisWeekWithCars
      @ThisWeekWithCars  2 роки тому +5

      Key was off. The sender grounds the gauge so no harm even if the key was left on.