Pontiac Star Chief 1955 - 57
For 1955 Pontiac gave the new 'Star Chief' badge a full model line up including 4-door sedan, 2-door Catalina Coupe, 2-door convertible and 2-door Safari Wagon (a 4-door Catalina Coupe would become available in 1956). In fact the bodies were the GM A-body shared with Chevrolet (on 115-inches) and the Pontiac Chieftain (on 122-inches). The Star Chief was built on a 124-inch wheelbase. Pontiac finally got its own V8 engine, and a 4,706cc (287) 'Strato Streak' engine gave up to 200 bhp.
aa Pontiac Star Chief 1955 Custom Catalina ornament
aa Pontiac Star Chief 1955 Custom Catalina ornament
Pontiac Star Chief 1955 Custom Catalina. The Chief's Head was in amber plastic and lit up when the headlamps were on.
aa Pontiac Star Chief 1956 Catalina 4-door Hardtop badges
aa Pontiac Star Chief 1956 Catalina 4-door Hardtop badges
Pontiac Star Chief 1956 Catalina 4-door Hardtop - badge on door
aa Pontiac Star Chief 1956 Catalina 4-door Hardtop badgex
aa Pontiac Star Chief 1956 Catalina 4-door Hardtop badgex
Pontiac Star Chief 1956 Catalina 4-door Hardtop - badge on trunk
ac Pontiac Star Chief 1955 Custom Catalina head
ac Pontiac Star Chief 1955 Custom Catalina head
Pontiac Star Chief 1955 Custom Catalina. With a new body for 1955 (shared with the Chieftain), the Star Chief was given the new 'Strato Streak' 4,705cc (287) ohv V8 engine. Styling included twinned Silver Streaks down the bonnet.
ac Pontiac Star Chief 1956 Catalina 4-door Hardtop head
ac Pontiac Star Chief 1956 Catalina 4-door Hardtop head
Pontiac Star Chief 1956 Catalina 4-door Hardtop. Pontiacs got new grilles for 1956, revised Silver Streaks over the bonnnet (the final year for these), and under the bonnet the 5,195cc (317) 'Strato Streak' V8 in 192 bhp or 205 bhp tune.
Pontiac Star Chief 1955 Custom Catalina front
Pontiac Star Chief 1955 Custom Catalina front
Pontiac Star Chief 1955 Custom Catalina, with 4,708cc (287) ohv V8 'Strato Streak' engine. The engine would be enlarged for 1956
Pontiac Star Chief 1955 Custom Catalina stars
Pontiac Star Chief 1955 Custom Catalina stars
Pontiac Star Chief 1955 Custom Catalina. The three stars were a signature for the Star Chief, and for 1955 were applied to the door and front wing, for 1956 they went to the trunk lid.
Pontiac Star Chief 1956 Catalina 4-door Hardtop front
Pontiac Star Chief 1956 Catalina 4-door Hardtop front
Pontiac Star Chief 1956 Catalina 4-door Hardtop. The 4-door version of the Catalina was new for 1956, and was available on the shorter Chieftain and the smaller Chevrolet BelAir (called Sport Sedan)
Pontiac Star Chief 1956 Catalina 4-door Hardtop rear
Pontiac Star Chief 1956 Catalina 4-door Hardtop rear
Pontiac Star Chief 1956 Catalina 4-door Hardtop. Pontiac got a new A-body for 1955 taken from the 115-inch Chevrolet, via the 122-inch Chieftain to become the 124-inch Star Chief, but the Star Chief added a further 3-inches into the boot. Silver Streaks ran down the rear fins, to be retired for 1957.
Pontiac Star Chief 1956 Catalina 4-door Hardtop side
Pontiac Star Chief 1956 Catalina 4-door Hardtop side
Pontiac Star Chief 1956 Catalina 4-door Hardtop. Pontiac got a new A-body for 1955 and further revisions were made for 1956. The Star Chief sat on the longest 124-inch wheelbase and was 7-inches longer overall than Chieftain models
s Pontiac Star Chief 1954 Catalina Coupe side
s Pontiac Star Chief 1954 Catalina Coupe side
Pontiac Star Chief 1954 Catalina Coupe. The Star Chief was a new model for 1954, which extended the 122-inch wheelbase of the standard Chieftain to 124-inches, and the overall length from 202.6-inches to 213.6-inches, mainly in the boot. This compared to the standard A-body used by the Chevrolet BelAir at 115-inches and 196.4-inches.
Chevrolet BelAir 1955 Sport Coupe 265 V8 side
Chevrolet BelAir 1955 Sport Coupe 265 V8 side
Chevrolet BelAir 1955 Sport Coupe 265 V8. The 1955 Chevrolets were built on 115-inch (Pontiacs on 122-inch and 124-inch). Clare MacKichan designed the Sport Coupe.
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