And couple of summers later.

"Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer" (dash-doorhandle-and-bondo)
08/03/2016 at 16:33 • Filed to: None

The short version of the story was that after I wound up in the hospital for a few days from a chevette vs dodge ram opposite directions highway speed crash, My wife, girlfriend at the time was in the states visititng her folks. I took this opportunity to buy the biggest car in the world.

the prestigious 1965 Pontiac Strato Chief.

Technically this replaced my “winter” chevette. (I also had a ‘summer’ chevette, but that’s another tale. The most stone cold reliable car I ever had. step on the gas twice, one twist of the key, vroom. come back 10 minutes later and the roof was steaming and the surrounding snow on the ground was melting. People also got the hell out of my way. It was too good a car to suffer the winter beater fate, and I enjoyed telling people the Chevelle was my “little car”.

this is what priming and refininshing twice before paint can do to an old beater.

ALL Pontiacs are RED! This is how nice I can do paint and body with time and motivation.

DISCUSSION (20)

Batman the Horse > Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer
08/03/2016 at 16:39

Party-vi > Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer
08/03/2016 at 16:40

Sweet. My parents had a fire engine red ‘72 Catalina. It was a barge on wheels.

Spridget > Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer
08/03/2016 at 16:44

Did you remove the rear doorhandles?

Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer > Spridget
08/03/2016 at 16:45

I did, and piped the exhaust out through the reverse lights, and removed the centre spear from the hood.

RallyWrench > Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer
08/03/2016 at 16:46

That is beautiful , well done. Few cars have a name as good as Strato-Chief.

Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer > RallyWrench
08/03/2016 at 19:16

Oddball canadian poncho, was registered as “1965 Pontiac Car”. No real pontiac parts fit on it. Note the non-wide track stance. Was 6, 3 on the tree, manual steering and brakes. It did NOT drive ITSELF down the road

RallyWrench > Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer
08/03/2016 at 19:21

Man, I cannot imagine the lack of forward progress with that powertrain. My old 200ci Fairlane was slow enough.

Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer > RallyWrench
08/03/2016 at 19:23

Jetstar 88 is the best though, mine was shortened to “the chief” or lengthened to “custom big cheif pontiac.” The Strato-chief is actually surprisingly common. 409 chevy was the top option on my 65. 396 came later that year.

Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer > RallyWrench
08/03/2016 at 19:26

actually, with the 3 speed, it ran circles around my chevelle with the same motor and a glide. which has to be 500 pounds lighter. and it came with zero seat belts, but 4 ashtrays (so your kids can smoke).

BJ > Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer
08/03/2016 at 19:35

Pictures? That sounds interesting!

Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer > BJ
08/03/2016 at 19:46

sold that car nine years ago, these pictures are from my old woodburning computer. I’ll throw on another log and see what else is in there.

Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer > RallyWrench
08/03/2016 at 19:47

I’ve driven a 144/fordomatic, that’s glacial.

RallyWrench > Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer
08/03/2016 at 19:54

The 409 is amazing, a buddy had a ‘65 Impala SS in high school, it was a beast.

RallyWrench > Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer
08/03/2016 at 19:55

No kidding? What was the gearing?

RallyWrench > Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer
08/03/2016 at 19:55

Yeah, unbelievably slow. I don’t know why anyone actually ordered one.

Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer > BJ
08/03/2016 at 19:56

Kinja'd!!!

before

Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer > BJ
08/03/2016 at 20:05

summer and winter Chevettes.

Kinja'd!!!

Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer > RallyWrench
08/03/2016 at 20:10

probably pretty low just to get it moving. my malibu is a 230/glide/3.08 certainly not overburdened with power, but it gets down the road just fine, will go 70 uphill. terminal velocity is 92.

Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer > Party-vi
08/03/2016 at 20:30

BJ > Dash-doorhandle-6 cyl none the richer
08/04/2016 at 07:23

Not all the pictures worked, but that’s alright!

My aunt had one of those for years back in the 80s, it took forever to die.