Pontiac began using the "Safari" name with the 1955 two-door hardtop style station wagon. The Safari wagon used the fancier Star Chief components but on the shorter Chieftain chassis.
1956 sales brochures call it the "Pontiac Star Chief Safari". There were three other 1956 station wagon models available, the 860 four-door Station wagon (had a third seat) the 860 two-door Station Wagon and the 870 Four-door Station Wagon. The 870 wagon shares some components with the Safari, including the back seat.
In 1957, Pontiac began using the Safari name for all station wagons. The name was no longer reserved for the the sporty two-door hardtop, which was now called the "Custom Safari" to distinguish it from the other station wagons. A "Custom Transcontinental Safari" was a four-door wagon, often just referred to as the Transcontinental.
In 1958, Pontiac still offered a "Custom Safari" station wagon but gone was the sporty two-door hardtop wagon. A 1958 Custom Safari was a successor to the 1957 Transcontinental. It was a four-door with leather seats and Star Chief trim.
55
122.0" Wheel base
3,636 Lbs curb weight
$2,962 List Price (before any
options)
3,760 units produced
287.2 cu. in. displacement
180 BHP was standard engine output when equipped with
two barrel carb and hydramatic transmission
No engine options available......that's right, no four
barrels on '55's!
56
122.0" Wheel Base
3,642 Lbs curb weight
$3,129 List Price (before any
options)
4,042 units produced*
(10 units w/standard transmission option)
316.6 cu. in. displacement
227 BHP was standard engine output when equipped with
single four barrel carb and Hydramatic transmission 216 BHP was available as an option
(used a single two barrel carb) 285 BHP "Dual-Quad"
was available as an option (used two four barrel
carbs)
57 Pontiac Custom Safari Wagon , 2 Door, Body Code: 2764DF
122.0" Wheel Base
3,750 Lbs curb weight
$3,481 List Price (before any options)
1,292 units produced
347.0 cu. in. displacement 270 BHP was standard engine
output when equipped with single four barrel carb and
Hydramatic transmission 290 BHP "Tri-Power" was
available as an option (used three two barrel
carbs)
57
122.0" Wheel Base
3,810 Lbs curb weight
$3,636 List Price (before any
options)
1,894 units produced
347.0 cu. in. displacement
270 BHP was standard engine output when equipped with
single four barrel carb and Hydramatic transmission 290 BHP "Tri-power" was available as
an option
Comparison of
Chevrolet Nomad production figures for '55-57 were
as
follows:
|
Nomad |
Custom Safari | |
|---|---|---|
| 1955 | 8,386 | 3,760 |
| 1956 | 7,886 | 4,042 |
| 1957 | 6,103 | 1,292
1,894 |
| Total | 22,375 | 10,988 |
Total Safari production, including the
4 Door Transcontinental, was less than half the number of Nomads
produced! If you exclude the
Transcontinental, and compare only the two door models, this ratio drops to
40.6% at 9,094 units for 2 door Safaris vs
Nomads. Nomads '55 production alone
nearly eclipses total 2 door Safari
production!