Pontiac 1958 Safari User manual

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A 50th ANNIVERSARY MESSAGE
from the
PRESIDENT OF GENERAL MOTORS
On the occasion of this our 50th Anniversary Year, it is a pleasure
to welcome you into the
General Motors family of car owners. I
wish I could welcome you personally and ,point out to you the many
outstanding features that make this
Golden Milestone car that is now
yours the
very finest automobile that Pontiac has ever produced.
However, you
are no doubt finding this Qut for yourself.
If you have owned a General Motors car before, may I thank
you for your continlling
patronage. It has helped make possible our
progress, which in turn has contributed so much to the driving con-
venience, comfort and pleasure of so many millions of Americons.
If this is your first General Motors car, there is one important
point Iwould like to impress upon you.
In General Motors we recog-
ni ze and to the best of our obility endeavor to observe this cardinal
principle: that whatever success we have achieved or will achieve
derives in whole from serving the customer well.
I am sure you will agree that our Golden Milestone lines of
cars provide tangible evidence of thi~ effort on our part to achieve
full customer satisfaction.
In quality o'n d design they have built into
them the accumulated experience
a~d skill of our workers plus the
technical
advance~ which have come from the inquiring minds of
our engineers, research men and other technicians.
A 50th Anniversary
is important only as it serves as an occa-
sion for taking stock and particularly for pausing to chart the' road
ahead. As we move into our second half-century, it is our firm
resolve to make of it a second half-century of progress for our
customers, for a IJ those associated with us in the operation of Our
business and, to the extent that it lies within our power, for the
country.
HARLOW H. CURTICE

eonlcnls
MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
OWN ER SERVICE POLICY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
CAR BREAK-IN AND SERIAL NUMBERS .. ... ... ..... • . . " 4
CAR DA TA .. ......... ................ . . •.. .•. . .• .. .. 5
INSTRUMENTS AND CONTROLS . . . . . . . . . • . . . • . . . • . . . . . • .. 6
SUPER HYDRA-MATIC DRIVE . ........... .. . ......... ... 13
SYNCHRO-MESH DRIVE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . • .. 17
ALL WEATHER COMFORT CONTROL .... . .•..... ; ..... • .. 19
G ENERA L SERVICE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . • . . . . . • . • . • . . .. 22
CHASSIS AND BODY LUBRICATION ........... . ....... ... 29
ENGINE FUEL AND LUBRICATION REQUIREMENT S ... . , .... 37
SERVICE NEEDS OF YOUR PONTIAC .... . . '.' .. . ... . ..... 41
HO USEKEEP ING YOUR CAR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . • . . .. 46
SAFET Y IS YOUR BU SINESS.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
P6NTIAC ApPROVED . ACCESSORIES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
ACCESSORIES AVAILABLE THROUGH YOUR PONTIAC D EA LER 60
WIRING DIAGRAMS . . ....... . ... . . ~ .. . .. ... . .......... 61
MAINTENANCE INDEX . .. ... : . . • .. . • .... : . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
FORM 5-5801 L.ITHO IN U . S.A. 2-58
@ 1958 PONTIAC MOTOR DIVISION,
GENERAL . MOTORS CORP.
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)taltu/ac/urer's Warralt/g
It is expressly agreed that there are no warranties, expressed or implied,
made by eit h er the dealer or the manufacturer on the Pontiac Motor
vehicles, chassis or parts furnished hereunder, except the Manufac-
turer's warranty against defective materials or workmanship as follows:
"The Manufacturer warrants each new motor vehicle, including all equip-
ment or accessories except tires supplied by the Manufacturer, chassis
or part manufactured by it to be free from defects in material and work-
manship under normal use and service, its abligation under this warranty
being limited to making good at its factory any part or parts thereof which
shall, within ninety ( 90 ) days after delivery of such vehicle to the original
purchaser or be fare such vehicle has been driven 4000 miles , whichever
event shall first occur, be returned to it with transportation charges pre-
paid and which its examination shall disclose to its satisfaction to have
been thus defective; this warranty being expressly in lieu of all other war-
ranties, expressed or implied, and all other obligations or liabilities on its
part, and it neither assumes nor authorizes any other person to assume
for it any other liability in connection with the sale of its vehicles.
"This warranty shall not apply to any vehicle which shall have been repai red
or altered outside of an authorized Pontiac Service Station in any way
so as in the judgment of the Manufacturer to affect its stability and re-
liability, nor which has been subject to misuse, negligence or accident."
The Manufacturer lras reserved the right to make changes in design
or add any improvements on motor vehicles at any time without
incurring any obligations to install same on motor vehicles and
chassis previously purchased.
TIRE WARRANTY
Tires are warranted by the tire manufacturer against defects in material and work·
m ans hip. I f, during th e lif e of th e tire, tire failure should oc cur due to this cause,
th.e tire manuf acturers will either repa ir the tire or make a reasonable allowance
on itto )"ards th e purchase of a new ti~e.
BA HERY WARRANTY
Your P on tiac Del co batter y is g uaranteed for 90 days. Be sure your . P on tiac dealer
has filled in th e Delco Battery Service Policy which gives you protect ion for 36
month s in accordance with th e terms of the po li cy.
r 21

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Owner Service PO/ic!!
Along with this Owner's Guide, you
received an Owner Service Policy,
which
was filled out by the dealer
upon delivery of your car. Read this
Service Policy carefully. It is recom-
mended that you keep it in the glove
compartm,ent ..
The coupon attached to your Owner Service Policy entitles you to an
inspection and certain other services on your . car at the end of 2,000
miles, provided the coupon is . presented within 2500 miles of
car operation. This inspection is to make any changes or corrections
which
may . become necessary during the break-in period. These
services will be performed for you without charge (except for chassis
lubrication, engine oil and other lubricants) by the dealer f~om whom
you purchased your car. (In case you are touring or have changed ·
your residence, any authorized Pontiac dealer in the United States
or Canada will perform this inspection upon presentation of the
Owner Service Policy and Coupon .) By making an appointment ahead
of time, you can avoid-'rush periods and get the ins}:>ection the day
you want it .
Pontiac dealers everywhere stand ready to provide you with the best
possible service at all times. It is their responsibility to assure your
continued satisfaction with your car . But you, too, have a responsi-
bility as an owner-the responsibility of giving your Pontiac the
reasonable care and attention which it deserves.
r 3)

~ ear J!reak-Jn and
~ Seria/lVumbers
New Car Break-In-When starting out with your new car, you
should drive moderately for 10 to 15 minutes to allow time ·for the
engine, transmission, and rear axle to warm up. Speeds can then be ..
increased as shown below:
CAR SPEED-First 200 miles not to exceed 50 miles per hour.
Second 200 miles not to exceed 60 miles per hour .
Third 200 miles not to exceed 70 miles per hour.
After your car has warmed up, speed should be increased gradually
to the maximums in the above schedule, held there for a short dis-
tance, then gradually decreased to a slower speed for a short distance.
Driving at speeds up to 50 miles per hour, even for distances greater
than the 200-mile period, will not "break-in" your car for sustained
. high speed driving . Sustained high speed driving should not be
undertaken until the above schedule of maximum speeds (or its
equivalent) is completed.
NOTE: Brakes, too, need "breakinlt in." Avoid hilth speed stops and closely
spaced brake applications durinlt first few hundred miles . See page 26 for
more complete information on brakes . •
ENGINE AND CAR SERIAL NUMBER-The car se ri al number is loc ated on a
plate which is
attac hed to the left front pill ar post. The engine serial number is
stamped on the right hand front face of the block. The engine number is the same
as
the car serial number . (Serial number . . .).
STYLE, PAINT, ANi; TRIM NUMBERS-The sty le, paint and trim numbers
are s tamped on the pl ate a tt ac hed to the right si de of the cowl just under the rear edge
of
the hood.
Style number. . . Paint numbe r. .Trim number ..
....... . . .
KEY NUMBERS-The octagonal handled keys fit the front door and ignition locks
on all models,
and the rear door on statio n wagons. The oval handled keys fit the
glove compartment lock on all model s, and the rear deck compartment lock on
passenger car models. Octagonal key number. .Oval key num-
ber. . ... Refer to page 9 for removal of key number from key.
STARTING THE ENGINE-H ydra -M atic equipped cars, see page 13. S ync hro-
Mesh equipped cars, see page 17. .
WHERE TO PUT YOUR OWNER'S GUIDE -Slip this Owner's Guide into the
gl ove compartment for ready reference.
If it becomes necessary for you to order any part or correspond with your
dealer or the factory about your car, you can avoid any possible misunder-
standing by giving the SERIAL, STYLE and PAINT numbers of your car.
[4]
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GENERAL
OVER-ALL LENGTH
WHEELBASE
Bonneville . . .
Star Chief. .. .. .
Super Chief .. .. .
Chieftain.
.. .. ... .
All
Except
Safari
211.7'
215.5'
215.5'
210.5'
Safari
210.
5'
210.5'
All Except
Safari
122'
124'
124'
122'
Safari
122'
122'
Note : Chieftain Convertible is 211.7' in length
GAS TANK CAPACITY
Passenger Car-e xcept Safari. . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 20 gal.
Safari-3 Seat Models ........ . ...... . .. ...... ... . . .. . .. ..... .. 20.5 gal.
Safari-2 Seat Models. ... . .......... ....... . . . . . . . . .... . . . . ... .20.5 gal.
ENGINE AND COOLING SYSTEM
Taxable Horsepower. ... .. . ...... .... . .. . . .. ...... .. .. . . .. . .. . .... .. 52.8
Bore.
.. ...... . ...................• ''':: . . ... . .. .. . ..... ... . .. ..... .4. 06'
Stroke. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .... .. . .. . . ...... . . '.' . . . . .. . . 3. 56'
Piston Displacement. . . . . .. . . .. . . ... . .. . . ... . . . .. . . .. . . . . 370 cu. in.
Electrical System. . . .
.. . . .. . .. .. .... ... .. . .. . ... . .. . .... 12 volt
Spark Plug Gal'. . ... .. .... . .. .... . ... . ... . . . .. . . ... 033' -. 038'
Breaker Point Gap (Distributor). .. . .. . . . ... ......... .016'
Crankcase Refill .. ..... . .. .. .. .. . .' ....... ...... .... .. . ........ :: ... 5 qt..
Crankc ase Refill with Filter Element Replacement. . .. ......... . .. .. .. 6 qts . ~
Cooling System Capacity. . . . ..... .. ....... . ....... . . ; . .. .. See Page 25
COMPRESSION RATIO AND FUEL .'
Hydra-Matic equipped cars, which have a standard compression ratio of 10.0 to I,
and fuel injection and Tri-Power equipped cars having a 10.5 to I standard compres-
sion ratio require
the use of premium fuel. Synchro-Mesh equipped cars have a
standard compression ratio of 8.6 to I and do not require premium fuel. Before
driving your
car in any foreign country check availability of premium fuel. The use
of fuels with low octane ratings can result in severe engine knock and possible damage
to engine parts. (See page 37 for additional information.)
LAMP SPECIFICATIONS (12 VOLT)
Standard Equipment
Nominal
Bulb Candle
Number Power
Bright Lights. Indicator. . 57 2
Direction Signal
Front. .... . . .. 1034 32
Indicator . . . . . . 57 2
Dome-Convertible ... '.' . 90 6
Dome-Exc . Convertible. 1004 15
Headlamp Unit. ..... Sealed 37.5W.
Beam 37.5-50W
Headlamp Beam Indicator 57 2
Ignition Lock. . . . . . . . . . . 53 I
Instruments. . . . . . . . . . . 57 2
License. . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . 67 4
Parking. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . 1034 4
Side Roof. . . . . . . 90 6
Tail
and Stop. ... 1034 4-32
Special Equipment
Nominal
Bulb Candle
Number Power
Air Conditioning Control. 57 2
Ash
Tray. . . . . . . 53 1
Back Up
........... : . .. 1073 32
Clock... . 57 2
Compass.
... 112 I
Courte~ (Entrance) 89 6
Glove
Compartment 57 2
Parking Brake Warning .. ' 57 2
Heater Control. . . . 57 2
Hydra-M atic Indicator. . . 57 2
Luggage
Compartment . .. 1003 15
Portable SPot Lamp : ... 4416 30W
Radio Dia l. . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 2
Safety L amp (Spotlamp). Sealed 30W
Beam
Underhood. . . . 93 15
[ 51

Instruments tlnd eontro!s
The location of the controls and instruments on your Pontiac has
been planned with the idea of comfort and convenience for the driver,
which also
contributes to greater safety.
BATIERY INDICATOR-The battery indi-
cator shows the current flow to and from the
battery . Electrical current going from the gen-
erator to the ba ttery indicates on the "e"
(charge) side of the center marking. The needle
will
indicate on the "D" (discharge) side of the
center marking when more current is being con-
sumed than is beingreceived from the generator.
(See Note below.)
WATER TEMPERATURE INDICATOR-The temperature of the
coolant in your engine is shown by the water temperature mdicator.
When the engine first warms up the temperature will register slightly
higher than when engine reaches operating temperature. The water tem-
perature indicator should normally not read above the bar to the right
of the center dot. If the indicator needle stays at or above the right
hand bar the cause should be located immediately. For details on the
care of the Pontiac cooling system, see page 25.
FUEL GAUGE- The fuel gauge indicates the quantity of gasoline in
the tank only when the ignition is turned on. When the ignition
switch is turned off ~he pointer may come to rest at any position.
The letters "E" and "F" on the fuel gauge are used to point out
direction of indicator travel only. Gauge readings are made from
the five markin gs on the gauge face. The left-hand dot indicates
empty, the center dot half-full and the right-hand dot full.
OIL PRESSURE GAUGE-The oil pressure gauge indicates the
pressure in the engine's full pressure lubrication system. The gauge
is read in the same manner as the fuel gauge (see NOTE) with the
dots indicating "20", "40" and "60" respectively. The gauge shows
the oil pump is working, but does not indicate how much oil there
is in the crankca se.
NOTE: The letters on the instrument panel gauges are used to point out
direction of needle travel only. Gauge readings are made from the markings
on the gauge face.
(6)

At average driving speeds the gauge should read approximat~ly , 'i;: 4()".
When oil gauge reads approximately "40" at average driviiigspeed,
it may read near "0" at hot idle. If indicator does not move above
zero
at average driving speed or fluctuates greatly , you should check
the oil level immediately; and , if low, add oil to bring to the proper
level. (The oil level indicator reads "DO NOT OVER FILL. " This is
important!) If the oil level is not low and fluctuation continues, you
should contact a Pontiac dealer immediately.
SPEEDOMETER- The orange pointer indicates
the forward speed of the car in miles per hour.
HEADLAMP AND INSTRUMENT PANEL
LIGHT SWITCH-The combination headlamp
and instrument panel light switch is located at the
extreme left hand side of the instrument panel.
When'the light switch knob is pulled out to the first position, the
parking lamps are turned on. When pulled to the second position, fhe
dual sealed beam headlamps are turned on and the parking lamps off.
The instrument panel lights, dual tail lamps and license plate lamp
are turned on in both positions. In conjunction with the headlamp
switch there is a convenient foot switch located to the left of the
brake pedal near the edge of the floor mat. This switch enables you
to lower the headlamp beams when driving in the city or meeting ap-
proaching traffic in
the country . The speedometer "BRIGHT LIGHTS "
red indicator light, located in the uppe .r part of the dial, will be on
when the upper beams are on and off when the lower beams are on.
INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS-
As explained above, the instrument
panel lights come on when the light
switch control knob is pulled
out , For
your convenience, turning the knob
clockwise decreases the brightness of
the instrument panel lights and counter-
clockwise increases
the brightness. When turned as far as possible in
a clockwise direction the lights will go off.
COURTESY LIGHTS-(Standard on Chieftain Convertible, Bonne-
ville and Star Chief Models only)-Installed on both sides of the car
beneath the instrument panel, these handy lights flash on when the
front doors are opened, throwing a s trong light to assist the driver
' and passengers in and out of the car at night. They may be operated
manually by flicking a switch labeled "COURTESY " located on the
face of the instrument panel.
[7 J