[cballweg]

Looks good.Thanks for the photos

[U47]

Originally Posted by Centurion

The local owner of a Bonneville Vista (Cameo Ivory with Sunset Glow interior) dropped by for a visit last night, so we shot a few photos. I neglected to shoot any interior photos, but will share these with you all.







This view reveals the different stainless treatment between the Bonneville and Star Chief series cars; the peaks of the Vee'd tailfins on the Bonneville are fully trimmed, but only the outer fin receives the peak molding on the Star Chief:

Lets get these pictures over to AACA too! Don't forget to tell your buddy about the reason not to put skirts on a 59 Pontiac, or any GM product with Sweep cut" rear fender styling!

[Centurion]

Yesterday, we enjoyed a beautiful fall day here in the Puget Sound area, and I celebrated by getting out in the recently acquired '59 Pontiac Star Chief Vista.

This was really my first fun outing with the '59 Pontiac, and it runs better-and-better with some exercise and fresh gasoline!



















The car came to me with a beautifully-matched set of vintage luggage:



Gold threads in the original carpet:



Pontiac's accessory reel-out trunk / trouble light:



Original Oregon license plate and the license plate frame from Bowman Pontiac, Oregon City, Oregon:

[Poncho60]

Your Starchief looks to be in really great shape! Thx for the added pics. I'm partial to that body style myself as I have a 60 Ventura vista myself...not quite as cherry as yours though.

[Centurion]

Originally Posted by Poncho60

Your Starchief looks to be in really great shape! Thx for the added pics. I'm partial to that body style myself as I have a 60 Ventura vista myself...not quite as cherry as yours though.

Poncho60, would love to see photos of your Ventura Vista. Please point us to any photos you have posted here.

[Stuart]

I like the luggage - it really goes with the car.

[cballweg]

Great photos.I dont think Ive ever seen the inside of a starchief.Seen some Catalinas.How about some underhood photos also.

[Poncho60]

Don't want to sidetrack your thread, but since you asked, here are a couple. Mostly stock except for the wheels / tires and some sun gauges.

[Centurion]

Originally Posted by Poncho60

Don't want to sidetrack your thread, but since you asked, here are a couple. Mostly stock except for the wheels / tires and some sun gauges.

Just beautiful, Poncho60! I love that Coronado Red on the '60 GM cars.

[Centurion]

Originally Posted by cballweg

Great photos.I dont think Ive ever seen the inside of a starchief.Seen some Catalinas.How about some underhood photos also.

cballweg, I haven't done any cleaning under the hood. And I don't think the engine was refinished back in 1994 in the correct color, but here are a couple of shots for you:





Just imagine, cballweg, how great your Bonneville Vista will look one day soon!

[U47]

OK don't want to be critical, but four barrel carbs. have a hard fuel line which reaches past the carburetor and fastens to the rear. They also have a different air cleaner with a round snorkel. That picture sure looks like a 280 HP 2bbl.
Your interior is a time capsule and seems perfect! I like the close-up picture of the StarChief script on the rear Quarter......dotting the I with a star! Even though I'm a Pontiac nut I never remembered that one! What a great car!

[Centurion]

u47, I haven't looked at the carb yet. When I bought the car, I told seller I figured it was a 2-bbl car, but he insisted it's a 4-bbl. You're correct, I'm sure, but I'll confirm later this week.

[Poncho60]

The carb -air cleaner setup is exactly like the one on my 60...it's a 2 barrel setup.

[Centurion]

Originally Posted by Poncho60

The carb -air cleaner setup is exactly like the one on my 60...it's a 2 barrel setup.

Thanks, Poncho60! That's great information.

[cballweg]

Your 60 looks great.Back in 1976 I bought a 60 Coronado Red Catalina 2 door sedan with 75,000 miles for $75 that I put Crager wheels on.Had a white top and no radio with a rubber mat without carpet.Wished I would have kept it.Was a 2 barrel 389.

[cballweg]

Brian,Thanks for the underhood photos but still cant see if glass gas filter.They are right also about your car being a 2 barrel.The 4 barrel on my 59 before I switched to tri-power had the bigger air cleaner and gas line to back of carb.Your setup looks just like the 60 catalina I had with 2 barrel carb.Im not positive but I believe starchiefs and catalinas came with 2 barrel carb motors and 4 barrel and tri powers were optional.

[Centurion]

cballweg, thanks. I also thought that the Star Chief had the standard 2-bbl, so was surprised when the fellow I bought the car from claimed it was a 4-bbl. I know these photos are not adequate for you, but I'll get some more detailed shots.

[Poncho60]

The 4 barrel air cleaner for that vintage (59-60 for sure) is totally different than the 2 barrel. The snorkel is round and the same dia the whole length. The snorkel is part of the main air cleaner body and the lid comes off by itself. On the 2 barrel air cleaner the snorkel is part of the top. I have a completely restored 4 barrel setup for my 60, but have never gotten around to making the conversion. This is all based on my comparison between the 2 setups.

[cballweg]

I also forgot that my Grandfather had a white with red interior 60 Catalina 4-door vista besides a 53 Pontiac and a 67 maroon ventura.

[U47]

Originally Posted by cballweg

Brian,Thanks for the underhood photos but still cant see if glass gas filter.They are right also about your car being a 2 barrel.The 4 barrel on my 59 before I switched to tri-power had the bigger air cleaner and gas line to back of carb.Your setup looks just like the 60 catalina I had with 2 barrel carb.Im not positive but I believe starchiefs and catalinas came with 2 barrel carb motors and 4 barrel and tri powers were optional.

The 59 Catalina and StarChief Standard engine with Super HydraMatic has 10.0 compression, the great all round #472 cam, the large 2GC 2bbl. Carburetor and 280HP.
FYI that cam is used in the 4bbl. 300HP engine and the 315HP TRI-Power engine. In other words better breathing makes more HP, although the TRI-Power engine comes with dual exhaust automatically.