From 1955 to 1957, the Safari was Pontiac’s equivalent to Chevy’s Nomad, a “sport wagon”. That concept didn’t go over from a sales perspective. So, when that body style was dropped, the Safari was added as a tagline to the Chieftain 4-door station wagons in 1958. This 1958 Safari is the two-seat version and we’re told it’s a good running car that only needs tires to be used as a daily driver (it has rust, but it’s not terminal). Located in Cookeville, Tennessee, this Pontiac is available here on eBay for $6,950 (the unmet reserve is north of that).

These 1958 Pontiacs were a one-year-only design, just like the Chevrolets that shared common platforms. They had a bigger, bulkier appearance than the 1957s and didn’t yet have the tailfins that signified the 1959-60 models. The Chieftain was the entry-level edition into Pontiacland in ’58 as nearly 129,000 of the 217,000 Pontiacs built that year had Chieftain badging. 9,700 Safari’s came with two seats while another 5,400 had a third to handle nine passengers. The seller’s wagon was built to haul just six people plus their stuff.

The dealer selling this wagon seems straightforward in describing this wagon and its flaws. There is rust that should be dealt with (although perhaps not right away) and the interior has more or less run its course though it looks okay in some photos. So, it can be driven for now if you like a “ratty” look and save the restoration for later. The 370 cubic inch V8 engine and 4-speed automatic transmission are said to be up to getting the job done. But new tires will need to be Priority #1.

Recent work includes rebuilding the carburetor, installing a new fuel pump, and fixing up the brakes. I remember these as big comfortable cars when my family owned a ’58 Chieftain 4-door sedan in the mid-1960s. These wagons are fairly rare now as you’re likely to find a Bel Air or Impala of this vintage as opposed to a Chieftain. This was the last year for the Chieftain nameplate, which had been in the Pontiac arsenal for about a decade.