What's New?

August 2023 Added to "Safari Info" - link to page describing installation of side windows in Nomad, same as Safari.

April 2023 Replaced the 1956 Accessorizer, reorganized.  It now includes costs for the 5 groups.

March 2023 Removed two questionable entries in Plant Codes list, both for 1952 station wagons.

December 2022, January 2023.  Added a page in "Safari Info" about Safari Cargo Area trim, including diagrams and dimensions of trim. Added information pages about 1957 Safari trim and exterior colors.  Added pages from 1957 Dealer's Book to "Pontiac Info"; pages give available colors and trim for all 1957 models.  Updated links in "Safari Photos" that used picasa, changed to Google photo links.  Picasa is no longer available and links no longer worked.  Added links to Facebook pages on the Home page. Added 1956 Sales Brochure on "Pontiac Info" page. "Did other minor cleanup.

November 2022.  Doing some cleanup.  Removed inactive links on the "Links" page.  Changed link to Bobs Auto Glass.. Moved link to Safari stainless reproduction, http://www.qualityauto56.com, to the "Safari Facts" page.  Future, need to fix a couple of links in "Safari Photos.

May 2021.  Making some needed updates, removing inactive links on Home page and Links page.  Updating info on Fisher Body plants, L is verified to be the Lansing MI plant code.  April 2018 changed number of 57 2-dr custom Safari owners from 1292 to 1296.  Changed back to the original 1292.  More recent info tells us that the actual number that rolled off the assembly ine was 1292, even though there was a body number of 1296 found. 

February 2021.  Added link on home page to www.qualityauto56.com, provider of cargo area trim and stainless.

May 2018.  Removed link to GM history site from the Links page, the link is no longer available (bummer!).  Added link to Classic Pontiacs for sale on Links page (thanks Lindsey Mossburg).  Removed www.welovepontiacs.com/history.html, the link no longer contains Pontiac history. 

April 2018.  Changed number of 1957 2-dr Custom Safaris from 1292 to 1296 per info from Tom Young, located Body Number CL1296. 

June 2014.  Added 1957 Owner's Guide to the "Pontiac Info" page.  Document was scanned and sent to me by John Broughton.  Added link to "Desert Renegades Chapter #65 of Pontiac-Oakland Club International " on the "Links" page.

August 2013.  "Added 1958 Color and Trim Chart" to the "Pontiac Info" page.

January 2013.  Updated "MadMooks Safari Parts & Lift Gate Restoration" to "Safari Info" page.

December 2012.  Added "1955 Pontiac Accessories" pamphlet to the "Pontiac Info" page.

November 2012.  Added "1957 Hydra-Matic Manual" to the "Pontiac Garage" page.

September 2012.  Added "1956 Paint Colors and Upholstery Options" added to the "Pontiac Info" page.  Thanks to Paul Baker for the document.

August 2012.  Added "1957 Shop Manual" to the "Pontiac Garage" page.

June 2012.  Added "Loren Hulber's 55 Safari" photos to the "Safari Photos" page.

May 2012.  Added "1956 Hydra-Matic Manual " to the "Pontiac Garage" page.

October 2011.  Revisions to "Pontiac Garage" page...  Revised Manual Transmissions page, added table of installed transmissions and info on bell housings & transmission interchange plus minor changes/corrections.  Added documents provided by Len Sokol (thanks Len!) including 1957 Heavy Duty Parts listing; Pontiac Service Craftsman News Flash pages; '56, '57 & '58 Package Accessory Price Lists;  '56 & '57 Factory Accessory Installed Price Lists; and '57 list of accessories.

May 2011.  Added Power Antenna description and Service Procedures by Bob Johnson (on "Pontiac Garage" page).  Nice job Bob!

January 2011.  On "Pontiac Info" page, added 1957 Pontiac Accessorizer.  Thanks to Ron Huddy for providing the document.  On "Safari Photos" page, added photos of Harold Cary's '55 Safari and Chris Koch's '57 tri-power Safari in FL.

September 2010.  Additions to the "Garage" page.  Added Body by Fisher Service News" 1955 #3, Station Wagons.  Added Added "Body by Fisher Service News" 1957, original from Todd Crews.  I think that completes all "Body by Fisher Service News" for 1955 through 1957.  On "Safari Photos" page, added photos of '55 Safari restored by Reno Casasola.

August 2010.  Additions to the "Garage" page...  Added "Pontiac Service Craftsman News" issues for 1955-57.  Added "Body by Fisher Service News", 1956 Pontiac #1, 4-door Catalina, original from Charles Coker.  On "Safari Info" page, added "Lift Gate Restoration Service" by Mike Bakotich .

March 2010.  Modified Home page to de-emphasize Safari and emphasize Pontiac.  Redesigned the "Pontiac Garage" page to add headers and add "Contents" at the top of the page -- all to make the page more usable to me and maybe to someone else.  Added article on upgrading steering box.  Joe Foerster sent me this document in a pdf file ready to publish (YAHOO Joe!).  Added 1956 Master Parts Catalog!!!

February 2010,  Added 1955 Shop Manual in /55/ShopManual.  Linked from "Pontiac Garage" and "Pontiac Info".  Document scanned by Joe Foerster.

July 2009.  Added Body by Fisher Service News, 1955 #2 to the "Pontiac Garage" page.  Added 1955 Accessory Price List to the "Pontiac Info" page.  Both these documents were scanned and sent by Harold Cary.

June 2009.  Added dual-range service and adjustment manual to the "Pontiac Garage" page.  Added Pontiac Service Craftsmans News, Oct 1955, which details the changes in going from the 1955 to the 1956 Pontiac.

February 2009.  Removed POCI Western Regional show link.  Removed ad for 55 Safari for sale (sold).

October 2008.  In the "Pontiac Info" page, added a header for 1958 info and added the 1958 Accessorizer under the heading.  This is the beginning of adding 1958 information to the site.  Added photos of Pontiacs at recent POCI Western Regional show and put link to it on the home page.  In the "Pontiac Garage" page, added header "Projects" at the bottom and added links to two hotrod projects, 57 2-door wagon and 56 Safari Gasser.

July 2008.  Added Pontiac Pat's collection of photos linked from the "Pontiac Info" page.  Added "1956 Pontiac Owner's Guide" and "1956 Pontiac Facts Book" to "Pontiac Info" page.  Revised the "Fastub Indian" article to link to author's web page.

April 2008.  Added 1955 price list and 1955 Superior Coach pages, both linked from "Pontiac Info" page.  Added Windshield Sun Visor article to "Pontiac Info" page.  Added 1956 GM station wagons advertisement, linked from "Pontiac Info" page.  Added 1955 Trim and Color Chart, 1955 Pontiac Accessorizer, 1955 Price List and Accessory Codes, and a 1955 Pontiac sales invoice.

March 2008 - added article on Engine Component Interchange and Identification, on "Pontiac Garage" page.

Jan 2008 - updating all web pages to conform to XHTML 1.0 and to use a style sheet for formatting.  Making minor updates as I go.  Dabbling with Javascript and dynamic HTML.

Dec 2007- added article on Pontiac engine cooling.

Oct 2007 - Added 58 Safari info, linked from "Safari Facts and Information"

May 2007 - Added pictures of Jack White's 57 Transcontinental, nice!  Corrected information about the CL Fisher body code in the "Identification Tags" page.

 April 2007 - Changed "Car Shows and Pictures" link to "Safari Photos".  Added several Safaris to the collection of photos. Added 1957 Sales Brochure in "Pontiac Facts and Information".  Added MPC ACCESSORY SECTION for 1956 and 1958, links in "Master Parts Catalog".

March 2007 - Added Master Parts Catalog.

November 2006 - Added "Total Production", "Factory Price", and "Shipping Weight" to each of the year-model pages ('55, '56, '57).  Links to these pages are in the "Pontiac Facts and Information" page.

July2006 - Added "Modern Oil Considered Harmful to your Pontiac V8 engine" to the "Pontiac Garage" page.

March 2006 - Added "Body by Fisher Service News" pamphlets on the "Pontiac Garage" page.  Added 1956 speed record newspaper "Extra" by Pontiac to "Pontiac Facts and Information" page.  Made minor modifications to the home page.  Updated "Links" page.  Added HEI ignition article by Bill Hanlon.  Updated article on dual 4-barrel by Rick Gonser. 

February 2006 - Added article from Len Sokol on the batwing air cleaner for the 56 daul 4-barrel.  Added "Body by Fisher Service news" 1955.

January 2006 - Updated article on dual 4-barrel by Rick Gonser.  Added "Body by Fisher Service News" which provides information on the 1956 Pontiac body

December 2005 - Revised and added to the page on 1956 Dual Quads.  Added page on 1957 Tri-power (info from Rick Gonser).  Added a Safari liftgate article and a Safari cargo area drawing form a past Safari News.

August 2005 -  Modified the page that describes all the Pontiac V-8 engines -- added a table of engines and scanned article about the demise of the Pontiac V-8 in 1981.  Added a page that shows the estimated number of surviving 56 Safaris.  Added article on manual transmissions by Rick Gonser.

July 2005 -  Modified home page to provide a brief description of each link.

June 2005 -  Ran out of file space on web server -- moved to new web server host to get more space.  Added  in "Pontiac Facts and Information", added "56 Pontiac Shop Manual", added information on all years (55,56, 57), modified 56 Pontiac pages.  Added Safari article in "Safari Facts and Information".  Added links on Home page.  Added the Ponti-Yakin page.

May 2005 - Revised page on Pontiac V8 engines.  Added page on the 1956 dual quad carburetor option.  Added scanned image of "56 Pontiac Accessorizer".

March 2004 - Completely redesigned the site.  Made some corrections and added some technical information from old Safari News articles from way back when Bob was editor.

April 4, 2004 -  Revised Safari article on the head liner roof bows, added pictures.  In the lift gate article, added picture of the lift gate torsion bars.  Updated information on 56 Safari upholstery.  Added recent pictures of my Safari after paint was stripped (in "About this site" section)

April 8, 2004 - Added color chips for 1956 Pontiac.

June, July, 2004 - Minor revisions, changed home page, added some links, added info and pictures for wire wheel covers.  Added this "What's New?" page.