The Hobby Page
It's said that the difference between men and boys is the size of their toys. You get no argument from me! My attitude is, if you can afford it, knock yourself out. Click on the thumbnails below for the full size photo. This is the source of the grease under my fingernails. It's a 1954 Pontiac Star Chief Custom Catalina. Surprisingly, there are still quite a few of these around. It's a fun car to drive. It's even more fun to work on!
See the 1954 Pontiac sales films!
The '54 Pontiac could be optioned out with just about anything you could want, even air-conditioning. Pontiac was the first to offer air-conditioning the way we have it today....in the dash. Older units had a cumbersome system where the evaporator was stuck in the trunk with plexi-glass tubes that came up through the package shelf behind the back seat. That system worked well, but, it was a maintenance nightmare. Also, it was a pricey option that cost almost a third of the price of the car.
Back in those days, all the auto makers produced sales films or slide shows to help sell their products. GM usually went all out and produced "stories" to help sell their cars...not that they needed to. GM's cars were considered the best you could buy. Whenever I slide in behind the wheel of this car, it's hard to believe that it's over 55 years old. Part one starts with the very end of a presentation. Then, you'll see the "New Lineup for '54" presentation. Part two is the second half of that film, and the start of a sales pitch for Pontiac dealers. Part three is the conclusion with a few short Pontiac commercials tacked onto the end. Enjoy!
Part One:
Part two:
Part three:
