Vehicle Description
1958 Pontiac Star Chief Catalina Hardtop - California Car - Fully
Restored in 2006 - 370cid/285hp 4bbl V8 - 4 Speed Hydramatic Auto
Transmission - Upgraded Radio, Disc Brakes, and Radial Tires -
Clean, Rust Free Example (Please note: If you happen to be viewing
this 1958 Pontiac Star Chief Catalina Hardtop on a website other
than our Garage Kept Motors site, it's possible that you've only
seen some of our many photographs of this vehicle due to
third-party website limitations. To be sure you access all the more
than 155 photographs, as well as a short walk-around-and-startup
video, please go to our main website: GarageKeptMotors.) Meet the
Bold New Pontiac! -1988 Pontiac Star Chief Catalina magazine ad
headline The optimism and American spirit of the late Fifties was
evident in the styling of the automobiles of the time. They were
big, bold, brash, and unapologetic. They were driven by people who
were proud of their state in life and proud of their success, and
they wanted others to know: they had a share of the American dream.
Few cars of that era express this zeitgeist better than the '58
Pontiac Star Chief Catalina hardtop, especially one with a powerful
V8 engine. Offered here is just such a Pontiac, a California car,
beautifully restored in 2006. And to top it off, it's bright red!
The car's exterior paint is bright and glossy across all the body
panels. Nothing that could be chrome was not chrome. Quad headlight
trim, grille trim, massive front bumper, top-front-fender jets,
c-pillar trim, window trim, extensive body-side trim, quad-tail
light trim, equally massive rear bumper, all of it was executed in
chrome. In every instance, this metalwork has been very well
maintained here with minimal signs of aging and virtually no sign
of pitting or any sort of damage. Viewed from any angle, the car
makes an imposing statement. Wraparound windshield, wraparound rear
window, and side-window glass are clear and free of marks; lighting
lenses front and rear are free of cracks or fading. The rear fender
side inserts stand out with white paint, striking trim, and the
four stars denoting top-of-the-line model. As if to be sure that
point wasn't missed, the hood Pontiac lettering and the Star Chief
script on the front fenders were rendered in gold. In a nod to the
hot-rod culture, the steel rims in body-color on this car are void
of wheel covers; thin-stripe whitewall radial tires are mounted.
The Pontiac's identifying door tag remains properly mounted. The
car's interior is no less impressive; the dashboard alone is a
stunning piece of automotive artwork the like of which will never
again come to market. Body-color bright red paint covers the metal
dash, while brushed-metal trim and chrome rings surround gauges,
vents, and a clock, all linked together with a chrome horizontal
bar. It's an exciting, exuberant look. Seat upholstery in charcoal
grey, vertically pleated fabric with vinyl trim offers a less showy
counterpoint. Door trim, also in charcoal gray cloth and vinyl,
includes handsome, v-shaped chrome trim. The shift lever for the
4-speed Hydra-matic (automatic) transmission is column-mounted;
gear selection is displayed behind glass atop the column. Push
buttons operate the heat and ventilation controls; an upgraded
push-button radio is mounted. Charcoal carpeting covers the cabin
floors. All the interior surfaces-fabric, vinyl, metal, glass, and
plastic-are in excellent condition. Only the lovely inverted-vee
Pontiac-branded steering wheel shows slight discoloration due to
age. Under the hood, the 370 cubic-inch Pontiac engine-correctly
wearing turquoise engine-block paint-is topped with its 4-barrel
carburetor beneath a large air cleaner. The music of its 285
horsepower can be sampled in the accompanying video link. The
engine bay is extremely clean, and all components, wiring, and
engine-cooling hoses are properly in place. Viewed from below, the
chassis shows no damage. Due to the careful applic