Back to my youth.

I just joined this forum. I had a '57 Pontiac Chieftain before I went into the Army and a different one when I got out. That has always been #1 on my list of classic cars to buy if I ever bought one. Recently, I was considering buying a classic car or hot rod when lo and behold, a beautifully restored (Off frame restoration, powder coated frame.) '57 Chieftain 2-door sedan/coupe became available right here where I live. It has just under 5,000 miles on it since the restoration which was 15 - 17 years ago (The seller wasn't sure.). When I saw the car, I could not pass it up. I'm looking forward to having lots of fun with it:

http://tinyurl.com/1957PontiacChieftain

John

Wow, what a stunning car, you're going to have a heap of fun in that!

Wow, what a stunning car, you're going to have a heap of fun in that!

Thank you! Yes, it is a stunning car which is one reason I could not resist buying it. My two '57 Chieftains years ago were hardtops, but I don't mind this being a sedan. It looks better than new. I had it in a car show a week ago Saturday here in town. While there were several '57 Chevrolets in the show, there was only one '57 Pontiac.

http://tinyurl.com/2014HomeDepotCarShow

I do plan on having a lot of fun with it.

Congratulations on your fine stable. My first car was a '49 Pontiac 4-door sedan, my second a '53 and then the first '57 Chieftain was my third. The first one I bought did not have whitewalls on it and back in the 50s, you just had to have whitewalls. So, I bought some whitewall tire paint and painstakingly painted whitewalls on it.

John, great looking Pontiac. I'm glad another Pontiac has arrived in the Prescott area as there are not many of us! I missed the Home depot car show, but you know we have cruises every week until Oct or November. We also have a Saturday morning get together on Goodwin St ( Old World Bakery ) from 7 am til about 9. Last Thursday there was a cruise at Olive Garden put on by Prescott Antique Automobile Club so I invite you to come out!

D.

D., what year Pontiac do you have? I talked to one member of the Prescott Antique Automobile Club at the show. Does one have to be a member to partake of the Olive Garden cruises? I saw them on a schedule of events. I might join the Yavapai Classic Cruisers as a couple living not far from me are active members and have a '65 Mustang coupe, '65 Mustang fastback and a '70 Olds 442. You can see pictures of the car show at:

http://tinyurl.com/2014HomeDepotCarShow

I was very, very surprised to find my car or sale right here in Prescott Valley. It won several trophies when the seller had it in California car shows. He belonged to a Pontiac car club there. It turns out he had the same job in the Army as I and was stationed at the same post in Germany shortly after I left. It truly is a small world.

Feel free to drop me an email -- you obviously got my name from my website and you'll find my email address at the bottom of my home page -- and we can talk more about local clubs and activities.

A friend of mine that belongs to my fitness club has told me about the Annual Historic Route 66 Fun run Seligman to Kingman to Oatman. He has a '29 Ford hot rod and attends it every year with some other folks from here. I plan on joining them next year as I think that would be really neat. I mean, what better than driving a classic car on old Route 66?

I was considering entering my car in the car show in Prescott June 14, but don't know if I want to get up super early to get it there and ready. I do plan on having it in the Pronghorn Ranch car show 6/21 as that will be very convenient as I live just north of Viewpoint. I also plan on having it in Galpin Fall Classic Car Show in Dewey 9/27. I also plan on making a few of the monthly cruises to Texas Roadhouse.

John, I don't have your "E" mail but I saw your entry here on the AACA forum. I moved here last November permanently, but bought our house a little more than a year ago. I needed to build a garage before I could move all my cars to Prescott. I belong to Prescott Antique Automobile Club principally because they are the biggest club up here and have the most RESOURCES, plus they have their own club house. There are a number of clubs in the area and each one seems to have a cruise night once a week and rotate their date as to not overlap with another club. So the answer is no, you don't have to be a club member to go to any of the clubs cruise night or their car shows. Your neighbors have a 1970 red 442, a 1965 red mustang coupe and a blue 1965 fastback.

I have a 1962 Pontiac Catalina 2 door post and a 1969 Pontiac H-O LeMans Hardtop Coupe which I bought new....see the link;

http://www.pismoderelicts.com/photogallery/new%20format%20937/images/p1020752.jpg

http://www.pismoderelicts.com/photogallery/new%20format%20937/images/p1020753.jpg

I have no current pictures of the Catalina because that car is under construction.

So what we've got in the area as far as cruises is; 1st Friday of the month @ McDonalds in Chino Valley 4-7 p.m. 2nd Friday of the month @ Texas Roadhouse 4-7 p.m. Prescott. 2nd Saturday of the month @ Sonic drive-in P-V 4-7 p.m. 3rd Firday of the month @ Zeke's in Prescott at Frontier Village and finally the 4th Thursday of the month @ Olive garden 4-7 p.m. And don't forget every Saturday morning at the Old World Bakery on Goodwin St. in Prescott.

Perhaps you would like to get together at one of these events??

Hey John, that is a great looking car, congratulations on a great find. Don, this is the first I heard of the move, congrats to you on that and hope it is treating you well

Todd Crews

Decatur, IL

POCI 1957 Technical Advisor

Hey John, that is a great looking car, congratulations on a great find. Don, this is the first I heard of the move, congrats to you on that and hope it is treating you well

Todd Crews

Decatur, IL

POCI 1957 Technical Advisor

Hey Todd, Good to hear from you. My wife and I decided about 2 1/2 years ago to move from our retirement house on the Central California coast because of a few things that happened in Ca. One of the factors was the passing of California Cap & Trade bill which is supposed to triple our utilities. Second, in the same election year the legislature change the percentage that legislation could be passed and that was from a 2/3 majority to 51% majority which means they keep voting for (candy) and benefits which they cannot pay for. Much of those benefits go to people who are not here legally. The state has a admitted 168 billion debt, but many say it could be as high as 350 billion. Third, which was the final straw is the county proposed a school bond that the voters rejected and the lawmakers found a end run through fees and special taxes to circumvent proposition 13 and add to our property tax bills.

So we looked for a place that had similar weather and a more friendly attitude toward taxpayers and freedom and found Prescott AZ. Lots of car people here. The house is fairly new and has a three car garage and the new garage I built is 1632 Sq. Ft. plus I have two lifts. Not too many Pontiac people, but with John here and a few others maybe it will grow!

How are you doing? Still hanging with POCI I see, what's happening with the club?? I do miss the add section.

Don

Hey John, that is a great looking car, congratulations on a great find. Don, this is the first I heard of the move, congrats to you on that and hope it is treating you well

Todd Crews

Decatur, IL

POCI 1957 Technical Advisor

Todd, thanks! I see you live in my home state of IL. My hometown is Mendota, IL. I was adopted when I was seven days old when my parents lived in Polo. They moved to Dixon and I attended kindergarten and 1st grade there and then we moved to Mendota. I lived there until I got out of the Army. Then I lived in LaSalle, North Park, Silvis, Alsip, Glen Ellyn, Addison, Carol Stream, Glendale Heights and finally Winfield. Was back to Mendota last year for my 55th high school reunion. They always have it on Sweet Corn Festival weekend, so I really, really enjoyed the free Del Monte sweet corn. My wife and I moved here 12 years ago. You couldn't pay me to go back to IL with the politics and gun laws, not to mention scenery. I love Arizona.

I might have to pick your brain on '57 Pontiac knowledge from time to time, if you don't mind. I'll be checking out the POCI website.

The guy I bought the '57 from is a retired lieutenant from the Huntington Beach, CA PD. He belonged to a Pontiac club, but I don't know the name of the club. He had three nice books to go with the car: 1) Owner's manual "Introducing Your 1957 Pontiac"; 2) "Big Pontiacs A Source Book"; 3) "Illustrated Pontiac Buyers Guide". Having the owners manual is pretty handy as I don't remember everything about my two former '57 Chieftains.

Nice meeting you here.

Don, no problem on not having my email. For direct contact, it is wb9vgj@arrl.net. You can also check out my website:

http://users.commspeed.net/wb9vgj/

Thanks for the information on you and the clubs and the links to the pictures of your '69 Pontiac. I do plan on making some of the cruises, hey, the car needs to be driven after all , and I will get in touch with you beforehand so we can meet in person; just send me an email to my email address so I have your address and can contact you. From the information you gave Don, I assume you like it here in AZ. As I told Don, I really like AZ and I do like the Prescott/Prescott Valley area. I couldn't handle the heat and brown air in the Valley in the summer, but if we want or need to go there, it isn't all that far.

I love the scenery in AZ and I take monthly hikes with some folks from the fitness club I belong to. You can see pictures I've taken of some of them at http://users.commspeed.net/wb9vgj/docs/islands.htm

The one to the old woodcutter's cabin on Mingus Mountain was nice as the cabin is really neat. The hikes are always extra nice in the Granite Dells, my favorite hike being the Constellation Trails. But, at age 73, my balance isn't what it once was, so I have to be extra careful when hiking over boulders.

Looking forward to meeting you in person.

You bring back the memories. When I was in the service I owned a 57 Star Chief convertible. That car, with the top down, got me a lot of dates in Colorado Springs. Loved it. Wouldn't mind owning one again.