Pontiac guys, 1955 / 1956 Pontiac 860/870 models?

Hey Pontiac gurus, what are 55/56 860/870 models? I know the Chieftan, Starchief and such, but never knew anything about the 860/870s.

 

Cheiftain came in either 860 or 870 series, it was basically the difference between standard or deluxe. The 870 had a little more bright exterior trim and fancier interiors.

 

Here you go.

http://www.pontiacsafari.com/L1EarlyV8Pontiacs/ModelStyleNumbers/1956_models.htm

Mine is technically a 1956 Pontiac Chieftan Catalina Coupe 860.

 

Everything else about them, physically and mechanically were basically the same unless you opted for the bigger Strato.


My 55 Chieftain is an 860. Metal dash, single tone paint, plated back up lights, no overrider on the bumper.......well you get the idea. Shit I don't think it even had the light up Indian.

Ragdoll's old 55 Chieftain was an 870. Much nicer door panels, two tone paint, which means more trim, she had clear back ups, overriders on her bumpers, and I can't remember what her Indian looked like.

I'm getting old.

 

hummmm....

 

My 56 2 door wagon is an 860.....had a single tone dash, no stainless on the door panels, no stainless above or below the side windows & the Narrow Sweep on the door stainless....the nicer cars had a wider sweep.

 

If you snoop around www.pontiacsafari.com, you'll find info with regards to the different tri-five pontiac models...

I didn't see it mentioned yet, but one difference is that the 860's & 870's (both?) have a shorter wheelbase than the top model starchiefs.

scott/gotta56forme

 

my 55 cheiftan 2 door post is the 860 , no back up lights, clock, radio delete plate, but i had the amber light up indian i had two tone paint on mine though, and

 

Gotta56: The Star Chief was 124in wheel base versus the Chieftain at 122. Side by each, there is a difference. The only exception being the Safari wagon which came with Star Chief trim, but on the 122in Chieftain frame.

Pontiacres: Did 56 change as far as the trim thickening and narrowing? Because in 55, the thinner hockey stick trim is strictly Chieftain, while the thicker hockey stick is Star Chief.

Chieftain trim:


Star Chief trim:

 

Cant see your pics, but I pulled the Sweeps off of a Safari and at the bottom where it meets the spear, its every bit of 4 inches, where my 860 is around 2. Just like WVenfields.

 

The 55 Safari wagons all wore Star Chief trim..........but I didn't realize that in 56 they changed that rule.

 

That Safari had the Star Chief emblem on the Speaker grille, where the Door Said Safari. I have a 56 sales brochure, all the pic so the Star Chiefs have the Wide Sweep, the Catalina, the 870 and the 860 all have the narrow. The 870 has stainless on the interior door panels, the 860 has none. The Star Chiefs have the stainless sprear from the tail light forward, the 870s have none. The Safari has the Starchief Quarters and trim, the 860 and 870 wagons have 55 Chevy Quarters.

 

This stuff can be so confusing. Safari's did use Star Chief trim 55-57.

Beware the custom guys who will eat your trim.........there's a thread running around here on trim alone. =O)

 

hummm....

 

Yeah....I saw a thread asking who had ever put 55 Pontiac trim on a shoebox.....They love the 55/56 rear bumpers too!

 

my 55' 2dr. wagon i do believe is a 860, pretty basic. i think the 4dr. wgn. and safari are 870's? this is from sales brochure i viewed just today on ebay because i was wondering what model mine was so i could try and find the missing quarter trim.

 

You want the thick hockey stick piece I posted above......then you'll have to get the 2 door car spears. I think they measure out to almost 8 foot long.


Good luck, I'm after the spears as well.

 

The back of this 56 Brochure say: Wheel Base
Star Chief 124 Inches
Safari 122 Inches
870 & 860 122 Inches

Over all Length:
Star Chief 212.6 inches
870 & 860 205.6 incehs except wagons
870 & 860 Station Wagons 206 Inches
Safari 206.7 inches

 

only in 56 did they have the rear spear from the tail lights, 55 didnt have the same quarter

 

Huh?

 

On the 56 Star Chiefs there is a spear, close to 24 inches long, that has 3 oval ports. It starts at a point near the rear of the wheel opening and get to be the same width at the tail light. This is Stainless on the these models. On the 860 & 870s it is just a painted bulge in the quarter with 3 metal oval ports. You can see it on WVenfields pic. The wagons don't have them as they have the Chevy Quarters.....Except for the Safari.

 

Something else I've noticed is, that on some cars there appears to be no stainless front and rear window trim.

 

Difference between 860 and 870..............its a luxury option. My 58 Biscayne was FULLY loaded out on stainless and aluminum. I've seen countless others and they're ALL missing one piece that I seem to have.

It's all in how much money you want to spend.

 

my take on the wgn's was the 4dr. and the safari usually had more "bells & whistles" than the 2dr wgn thus making the model differences. nice to see this thread full of great info. i did discover my wagon was built after march 55' as it has the 4v option.

 

My 860 55 (2511) is a manual trans/steering, although my other one I had was a 870 55 (2511D) about the only option was auto trans and heater and the nicer tail lites, it had reverse and radio delete. I parted that car out, the whole right side of the car was side swiped. It was a shame too, original 28K mile car.

 

He means that in 56 the stainless went to the front of the car, from the doors, and in 55 it went from the vent window to the tail light. The 56s quarters were formed differently than the 55s. They had some stamped ovals in them, where the 55s quarters are smooth all the way back. 870s have the brightwork below the windows.

 

From the American Automobile Manual "Used Car Facts Book"

 

Groovy book! Can you post 55 stats? Pretty please?!

 

x2

 

Sorry guys and gal, book is only 56-59.