I believe it was the summer of 1971 when I first saw the 1954 Pontiac Star Chief. I was at the Julius farm west of Appleton, Wis., one late July afternoon. John Julius and I were standing between the two farm houses when up the slightly hilly driveway rolled the beige Pontiac over the gravel and toward us. My first impression was that the Star Chief was the most elegant machine I had ever laid eyes on. It was also the first time I met Kenny Buttolph, who would go on to work at Old Cars Weekly and Old Cars Report Price Guide.
You have to remember the 1954 Pontiac was only 17 years old at that time and was still three years away from being considered a collector vehicle. Heck, collector license plates were still one year away in Wisconsin! For whatever reason, I can still remember seeing the Pontiac like it was yesterday. The interior still had that leather softness and buckskin odor. The headliner was radiant white with the three chrome-plated bows. The instrument panel was clean and lined with gages, gleaming speaker rings and a working clock. The outside stainless-steel and chrome trim glittered in the western sunset. The grille just dripped with chrome. And, of course, the stately Chief Pontiac ornament lead the way atop a wide silver streak flowing down the hood. I told Kenny, “If ever a time came in the future that you want to sell this car, let me know.”
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