1956 Pontiac sedan delivery build

Here is a pic of me hauling it to MVD for an inspection about a week back using my trusty '66 GTO. Took my 2 puppies along for the ride too.

 

click on 1st pick to open then next then prvious repeat back an forth

forkeep getting to remove fuel door oops

 

I have a 57 Pontiac sedan delivery. They made them here until 58. The last year is the rarest. The Canadian Pontiacs are all on Chevy frames and use Chevy running gear. The US Pontiacs have a longer nose and wheelbase. The front fenders and hood don't interchange with the Canadian version. The benefits of the Canadian Pontiac are the small block chev engines and better trannies. Hanging pedals with the master on the firewall and ball joint front suspension instead of king pin. Hope this helps. Some people up here ordered sedan deliveries because they were cheap, then added a window package and left the one piece lift gate. 682 built in 1957. Pat.

 

My American '56 has a 3 piece bumper and small bumperettes...

 

canadian Pontiacs used shorter fenders [because they're built on the shorter chevy chassis] than American Pontiacs..but American chieftain and American star chiefs used the same length fenders as each other. Difference was indeed behind the doors. Hope that clears things up a little.

 

Here is a pic of my 57

 

That's a rare one. Thanks for sharing the pic.

 

56-2763f

 

Canadian Ponchos are basically chevies under poncho skin...that why they have a shorter cap. Also 55 canadian ponchos have a 55 chevy wheel arch on the shorter front fenders as the american version is more rounded.

 

This week we got the bulky front bumper assembly off. It looks better but, still not happy with all that metal of the core support, etc.



Now thinking of either trimming the core support down extensively, or starting from scratch for a new radiator mount and a way to hand the fenders together to make a tilt front. Have always really liked tilt front ends. My first car, a '69 GTO has a 'glass tilt front end. To me, that makes a car look like a much more serious hot rod. So many are scared or do not like to do that, not me.

Has anyone here built a '55 or '56 Poncho with a tilt nose? pics?

I think this delivery should have a tilt front.

 

I bought this 55 in San Francisco a few years ago. Added flat paint, chrome, uph, 17" boyds, and recently sold it. Along with already mentioned sheet metal, even the front bumpers and all hood moldings are Canadian issue. Steering wheel was 55 BelAir but with indian head center. Wish I could have kept it.

 

Here's a factory built 56. All Chevy underpinnings with a 261 originally. Fairly rare with 1383 built.

 

"I think this delivery should have a tilt front. "

aw come on have it tilt to the ....side

 

Paperdog,....cool photo trick.....but it would be an attention grabber !!!!!

4TTRUK

 

Use a 55 Pont grille and bumper; I "think" it still bolts to the 56 fenders/hood. In high school I had a friend that had a 55 Pont Hearse; gray with a black landau top. He used it to haul his band equipment around. 287 with a Hydro; it was a nice car, except for the stick on wood grain he plastered on the dash. Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

I've reached a snag on this build. This problem is with getting the title. A few weeks back, went to DMV and had it inspected for a bonded title. Everything went fine. Then , this last week, went back to DMV to do their final title vin search and get a declared bond amount. Step 2 done.

Then, I call my ins agent to get the bond. While I was reading her the vin I realized that the vin on the car did not match the vin that the gal at DMV who did the inspection! She wrote down a "C" instead of an "O"!
Now will have to wait until at least Tuesday to go back to the DMV office where I had the inspection done. Will try to talk to her personally. I am guessing she is going to make me tow it all the back to DMV for another inspection.
Oh well, Just want to share this. When you are doing any title work with DMV, double check what they wrote down and make sure it is correct.
I should know better as I do a lot of title work with my large collection. It is a constant thing with me. Still, I missed it.

Since the last post, have cleared out most of the interior. Car was full of parts collected over the decades. Found 3 3 speed trans, some clutch parts, etc. No pedals though. that would have been nice.

Am working on several projects and this one is down the list a ways. This build may take some time but, it will happen as long as my heart is beating.

On the tilt front, yes, I am planning on making it a tilt front. Will build a mount for the radiator and build something to hold the fenders together.
At this time, not planning on using a front bumper and probably not going to use a hood either.

I was going to use a peice of pipe for the rear bumper but, found a rear bumper inside the car buried under a bunch of stuff so, may use the stock rear bump- undecided at this time.

 

I see it with a 59-60, 389, muncie 4 speed..
Here's my old chieftain with a 60, 389 hooked to the original hydro...
56 front bumpers suck!

 

I had a similar problem when I went to register my 56 Delivery.
I told the young girl to make sure she got the engine number right as it had a 1 next to an I and they looked the same.
Needless to say that when she handed me my new papers she had put two I`s next to each other instead of the 1 then the I. Lucky I caught this and she redid the engine number as I would have had to go through the whole process again if I went back.
It only took 10 minutes to get all the paperwork in order but when I got home I stuck the registration sticker on and it fell off it wasnt sticky at all. Next day I go back down there to get a new sticker 1 1/2 hrs later I leave the place with the new sticker.

10 minutes to register a completly new car to Australia with dozens of pieces of paper and engineers reports but a 1 1/2hrs just to get a new registration label. Dickheads.

 

I like your idea for this car. Here's a photoshop sedan delivery version of that wagon.

 

Thanks for sharing and your efforts. That is quite motivating. I think I am going to have it sit up a bit higher than shown though. The tilt, no front bump and wheels look great!
Going to try and find some time to go to MVD tomorrow or tues. Will report back on what hapopens. Not going to do further work on the '56 until paperwork for title is finished. Have other projects more pressing too.

 

That looks really cool Eli!!

 

I forgot that you'd mentioned raising it. Here it is with the back raised some and the front raised some more. I also moved the front tire forward a bit after "closing the front clip" and realized it was too far back. Looking forward to your build thread. Eli

 

Thanks Steve! I actually had a chance to buy a '56 Safari about 30 years ago but didn't and I've kicked myself ever since. Maybe when Applekrates car comes together I'll kick myself some more.

 

Thanks again for doing that. It is a real motivator.

Hosting Pontiac Heaven March 30-1 Phoenix www.pontiacheaven.org

 

I could have bought one in High School but had no way to come up with the money..nice 56 old US show car tons of chrome SBC perfect shape ...$4500.00 ! Also found a 55 Nomad,old drag car back on the street 283 4spd 42,000 orig miles pink/grey but had been painted white...same price...sighhh

 

Pontiac Heaven looks like it'll be real interesting. Always liked 'em even though I've only owned one, a $100 '66 Catalina that would run 80 all day long.
One thing I always liked about Pontiac is they didn't seem to mind pushing the envelope. Their '60s era Catalinas and Bonnevilles were some of the best looking cars on the road.
Checked out your album Applekrate, heck with your experience how about a 455 HO and 5 speed Doug Nash tranny in the car? That might make it almost as fun to drive as your rail!

 

Yeah, I have a lot of sutff, bought it all while working tons of overtime and making deals.
Making much less now and have to watch what I spend. still not sure how much I will like this car so, keeping the eng/trans basic for now. Can always build something nicer for it later after it is running and if I like it better. as far as wagons so, most of my efforts have been going into my '61 Safari build.

 

That makes sense. I like that '61 too!

 

I had a 1957 Canadian Pontiac Sedan Delivery from about 1997 to 2005, it was the only one in Oz that I was aware of, 1 of 682 made, and they were based on the US 57 Chev S/D, same chassis,suspension, body shell, doors, glass with 261 Pontiac 6, a bored out 235 Chev.....neat car, it lives in Sydney now.....have some pics somewhere....lol........andyd

 

Is that the one that Alan Mccoy owns at Riverstone.