FOR SALE: The Clyde Wooten Pontiac

(All photos John Jackson / used with permission)

Here is a once in a lifetime opportunity to own one of the coolest cars to ever come out of the Pacific Northwest. I am offering this for sale for my friend, Clyde, who has decided to thin the herd. He is a humble guy and would never say this, but I will: This car is, hands down, the finest example of a 1958 Pontiac Custom that you will ever see. And now it can be yours.

As you may know, The Clyde Wooten Pontiac debuted in 2014, and caused quite a stir right out of the gate. It was shown at just a few select events in 2014 and 2015 and won best of show at every one it attended. After this, the car was essentially tucked away and has not been seen much since. This is sort of its reintroduction to the world.

In the brief time it was “out”, Clyde's Pontiac also appeared nearly twenty times in various magazines in the US and beyond, including a full twelve page spread in issue #68 of The Rodder's Journal. This feature was put together by the dream team of master storyteller, Pat Ganahl, and photos by John Jackson. A detailed list of all publications it appeared in is included at the bottom of this page.

It started innocently enough, with an already nice 1958 Pontiac Chieftain that just needed a little sprucing up. But as it often goes, one thing led to another. That “spruce-up” would snowball into a complete and very meticulous cosmetic rebuild that spanned several years, due to the high level of execution and attention to detail involved. The sum total of these efforts resulted in the absolutely stunning and tasteful custom you see here. Some of the most talented hands and creative minds in our hobby have been involved in the construction of this car. It is impossible to document every single thing that was done to/touched on Clyde's Pontiac, but here are the basics:

Body work by Paul Gilbert, paint by Mike Parsons. The brilliant and understated scallop design was created by Eric Black. Striping by Paul Comeau. The beautiful, period-perfect interior was designed and executed by Guy's Interior Restorations. All glass and associated rubber replaced by Auto Glass Past and Present. Complete wiring by Tom Winchell. Functional lake pipes and complete exhaust system installed with Magnaflow components by Exhaust Specialties. All chrome and stainless has been redone/painstakingly restored to better than new condition.

Some of the subtle custom touches include: Shaved door handles. Nosed and decked. The “Chieftain” side badging was removed, and a 4^th star added in its place. The grill is 1960 Oldsmobile, flipped upside down and modified to fit. Snap-in tuck and roll fender liners. All paint colors were custom-mixed. Wheels are 15” 1956 Pontiac and are powder coated. Hub caps are from a 1959 Buick Electra 225. There are tons more small details, all specifically calculated to add up to the gorgeous period-custom you see here. Even with these modifications and many more, the restraint that was exercised throughout the build process is every bit as evident. It is truly a perfectly balanced custom car.

Mechanically, this car is clean, functional, and essentially stock. This was not a body-off build. Therefore, the underside, although tidy enough, is not as polished as the top side. It does however serve it's intended purpose and is perfectly respectable. A 370 V8 with later chrome OEM valve covers fills the engine compartment. A reliable 4-barrel Edelbrock carburetor with electric choke handles the fuel delivery. It fires easily and runs as it should. 4 speed Hydramatic transmission gets it down the road with ease and shifts nice and smooth. Shortened front springs, re-worked rear springs by Oregon Spring achieve the ride height. It goes down the road nicely and is a pleasure to drive. 

Since it has spent most of the years since it's completion in hibernation, the car has just recently gone through a thorough mechanical freshen-up, for good measure. It has all new shock absorbers, and all new brake components. The transmission linkage has just been rebuilt. The cooling system was inspected, flushed, and pressure tested. And lastly, a complete tune up to the engine. All of this was performed by a professional mechanic who also carefully and thoroughly inspected this beautiful car front to back to ensure that it ran and drove as nicely as it looked. Anything that was recommended was performed at this time. The car is turn-key and ready to drive right now. 

Again, this is a unique opportunity to own one of the best-executed custom cars built in recent years. The next owner is going to be getting not just a stunning and award-winning traditional custom, he (or she) will also be receiving a car they can drive and enjoy right this minute, this car is a driver.

It's time for someone to bring this stunner back into the public eye, who will it be? The asking price is $58k and the location is Portland, Oregon. Additional photos and/or information can be provided. Interested parties can contact me to start and I will point you in the right direction: Jake@ironandsteele.com

See below for a comprehensive list of awards and features associated with this car: