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Though the '58 Pontiac 370 engine was rebuilt to mostly stock specs, it was upgraded with a Comp cam, a trick valve job, and a vintage Offy intake with a pair of Edelbrock 600 carbs. |
Paying $3,500 for a project car, one might expect a basketcase for an original '58. But this Pontiac was solid to begin with. |
In the rear you'll find a stock bench that was finished off just as nicely as the rest of the '58. |
When it came to the top end, Lou instructed his staff to give the heads a performance valve job. The parts were machined and decked, then Federal Mogul rockers, valvesprings, and valves were used throughout. On the top end is a rare Offenhauser 2-4 barrel manifold with twin Edelbrock 600s mixing the fuel and air. Protected with N.O.S. Badger air cleaners, the look is one a passerby won't forget. Controlled via points, the ignition has seen little in the way of upgrades save a set of Taylor wires to deliver the juice to the AC Delco plugs. The spent exhaust rolls out of 2.5-inch pipes via stock manifolds, through Flowmasters of the same size. Backing the powerplant, an M22 Rock Crusher four-speed and Schiefer clutch help move all that power to the 3.08:1-geared Safe-T-Track differential.
When it came time for the bodywork to begin, the rules were simple: make it a mild custom. So Old Stillwater Garage shaved the door handles and emblems. Moving right along, they nosed and decked the Chieftain, added a beautiful custom tube grille, smoothed the bumpers and frenched the antenna. With the details all sorted out, the paint was chosen and the old Indian was prepped.
To help make the Pontiac appear as sweet as it was, Lou personally picked out a color by DuPont called Apricot Brandy urethane, while White Pearl was used everywhere else. But before all the fun could begin, O.S.G. sprayed on three coats of DuPont Select primer and block-sanded until the Pontiac was arrow straight. Next came a coat of DuPont sealer. Then the paint was applied in three coats, followed by wet-sanding with 800-grit paper. Standing beside the DuPont brand name one last time, Premier Clear was applied four times for a mile-deep look. Progressively finer grit paper ranging from 1,200 to 1,500 to 2,000 was used in the wet-sanding regimen that followed. Once the paintwork was completed, attention turned to the interior.
The remainder of the project was turned over to Master Upholstery. Using a mix of White Pearl and Sunset Glow Copper vinyl, the material was expertly applied to the door panels and stock benches in a rolled and pleated motif.
Further modifications include a Hurst floor shifter and the Mooneyes tach, while the factory radio and gauges remain. Compared to some, this Pontiac may only sound half finished since it's a mild custom. Bob tells HPP that not only is it done, but he has no further plans for it other than participating in shows and cruises. "I even bought a set of bellflower tips for my exhaust," he says."But the car looks so good to me, I can't bring myself to put them on." Hail to the Chieftain!