1957 Ford vs the Pontiac, Why buy that bulbous Pontiac when you can get a Fairlane 500?

I kind of see the point on this one a bit. I think Pontiac seemed like an afterthought in 57 for GM. They pretty much took the chevy and added some Chrome bits on it...

[@67marlins]

Thanks for posting- this is valuable history and I'm glad people like you are serious about preserving and sharing it!

[@autochronicles8667]

Thanks, it's a losing proposition but I love this vintage American stuff... I have a lot more.

[@ActionRolling]

Like both but prefer the Pontiac

[@carlmontney7916]

Myself, I would like to make a drinking game out of this video. Every time you hear the words Fairlane 500, You have to do a shot. In all seriousness though I honestly love this channel. I get a kick out of these old car advertisements. You'd think that one inch difference is monumental. I guess for some women that would be true.

[@chrisgermo1956]

......opinions of the beauty of individual cars are 100% subjective....however, there is no subjectivity in stating the '57 FORD was the #1 selling car for that model year.....so some shopper probably chose the Fairlane 500 over the Pontiac Cheaptin.....

[@gcfifthgear]

Trouble was, the 1957 Ford had teething problems and quality control issues that took the '57 Ford out of circulation in a shorter time span than the '57 Pontiac...

[@autochronicles8667]

Ford rushed their 57 into production like Chrysler did... hurt quality for sure.

[@Greatdome99]

I had one. Here's some observations. Starts only in "upper neutral" not in Park; Ign key on left, not right Seat fabric worn out @ 30K miles (the norm in those days) Clock only accurate every 12 hours Tube radio Vacuum windshield wipers quit going uphill or accelerating Ford-o-Matic tranny starts out in 2nd gear, not 1st unless you floor it. 292 V8 seized at 78K miles.

[@autochronicles8667]

the vaccum wiper thing lasted way too long... I guess it was much cheaper... but was horrible

[@GurbetciAdam61]

I owned a 56 Ford, which I inherited from my father. I think it was one of the most beautiful designs produced by Ford. Perhaps it is more related to childhood memories? I don't know, but surely the '56 Ford was very beautiful. When I looked at it from the front, I imagined it had a smiling face? Also, the design of the Ford 57, I think, is very beautiful, even though they clearly skimped on the chrome metal in that model, but it is a very beautiful design, suggesting elegance and spaciousness at the same time. As for the Ford 57, it is very beautiful and the matter is certainly not related to childhood memories, so... The beauty of this car is real, it is a spacious and graceful car with a very practical design

[@bluegtturbo]

Wow... You'd be crazy not to buy the Fairlane!

[@fk4515]

Well at least until you watch the Pontiac film explaining why the Pontiac is better and they’re not comparing the Ford to a Dodge, wonder why?

[@autochronicles8667]

@@fk4515 There's a Ford vs Dodge version :) kzbin.info/www/bejne/i5y4i4yeapiBY9k

[@SpockvsMcCoy]

The 1957 Pontiac Bonneville Convertible (production 630 units) is the most desirable model. Compared to the classic design of the 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air, the 1957 Pontiacs were over styled but had the reliability of General Motors's quality control at that time. Pontiacs were much better looking cars starting in 1959.

[@lostbear53]

My dad wisely did not buy the Fairlane, he bought a 57 Country Squire 9 pass. Wagon with a 312 4 bbl auto. later he installed a 2 4bbl carb setup. drove it till '70 and sold it. His lifelong friend bought a 57 Merc Marauder 2 dr. very fast....

[@rondpert5167]

Right now, I would have either one over many of the new cars today, but.... Ford's competition was Chevy. Pontiac's competition was Mercury. Comparing Ford's top of the line to Pontiac's entry level car is not direct competition. 1957 Fords were a new design. Pontiac was coming off of a 3 year cycle and would have a new car in 1958. Ford's Y block engine was short lived and one of many engine families.. Pontiac successfully used 1 engine design from 1955 thru 1981. GTO!

[@petesmodelcarcustoms584]

What an interesting video.I'm glad you showed it. 57 Fairlane 500 is one of my favorite car designs. Thanks for showing and best wishes from jolly old England 👍😎Pete 🤓

[@autochronicles8667]

Glad you enjoyed it, I have lots more :)

[@petesmodelcarcustoms584]

@@autochronicles8667 Yes. I watched a couple and subbed. Great archive👍😃

[@kennethanway7979]

I didn't know Ford offered a supercharger on this! Cool? Might be why people thought that the supercharged Studebaker engine was the same as Ford?

[@kc4cvh]

Well, the Chieftain gives you more headroom but more frontal area hence more form drag. So, as frontal area grows larger, it takes more power, more fuel and more money to push your vehicle through the air at a particular speed.

[@palco22]

Wow, I want one ... now ! ... I can't go wrong, he said so.

[@NickTwisp80]

The buyer would get a much more mechanically reliable car with the Pontiac. 1957 Fords were plagued with quality control issues. Also the Ford has the bug-eyed headlight look.

[@travislostaglia8861]

How was it mechanically un reliable Or are you just making that up because you don’t like ford’s

[@autochronicles8667]

GM was more "conservative" with their year over year changes during the time and I think it helped a little with reliability. Chrysler was hurt with production/quality when it rushed the 57s out a year early... Really hurt them.

[@bobbrinkerhoff3592]

Longer , lower , wider . Translation ; won't fit in the garages of many older homes f the day , harder to get in and out of for older adults , harder to parallel park . Comparing a brand new body style against a three year old style is hardly fair . My Aunt and Uncle bought a new '57 Ford wagon as they had four kids . My Dad rode in it once , and said that it was very uncomfortable to ride in as the seats leaned forward , even though the car sat level .

[@67marlins]

My retro-active dream for Springtime 1957:. I'll build a new house with a 3 car garage: Please order for me the following: One (1) fully-optioned Ford Country Squire wagon. A regular 2-barrel 312 is fine. One (1) fully-optioned Ford Ranchero, 2-barrel 312. One (1) fully-optioned Pontiac 2-door Safari station wagon, V-8 347, 2-barrel is perfectly fine. Cash. Thanks Mister / Ms.!

[@kmyre]

How are you going to fork up the cash thoug? What you listed here is at least 7 dollars. 10 if you include the garage and house too.

[@67marlins]

@kmyre Well I'm gon' need about tree-fiddy...

[@AnthonyEvelyn]

Well Ford Fairlane outsold the iconic 57 Chevy Bel Air much less the Pontiac.

[@ashleygordon3467]

Ford better looking for a start! Why do I like these old dealer presentations? 😀

[@autochronicles8667]

well that's another story for another day :)

[@underdoggo9064]

I've been die hard GM all my life. My hot take always was Ford had the best looking car that year (1957). While Mopar had everyone else beat on engines that year with the Chrysler 300C.

[@barrycuda3769]

I generally really like Ford styling, but for 1957 the Chevrolet would be my choice, but not the Pontiac. The '57 Ford is nicely styled, except I never liked the front end much. And weren't the Ford engines problematic at the time? . I remember painting a '58 Ford years ago, and wondered why the owner had repowered it with a 383 Chrysler engine, I think I understand now.

[@cdjhyoung]

We had the 1957 Pontiac as a new car. Got to be honest, as many complaints as we hear now days about look a like car models, really, if you didn't have a history of cars would you know these two weren't from the same manufacturer?

[@kmyre]

Gee whiz! Oil filter, air filter AND seatbelts? That's it, I am getting the Ford!

[@Greatdome99]

Ford got the safety bug before others; padded dash and seatbelts began to be offered in 1956.

[@bobbrinkerhoff3592]

@@Greatdome99 Chevrolet also offered the padded dash and seatbelts for '56 .

[@cdjhyoung]

I was wondering when oil and air filters were offered as options? My dad bought a 1963 Pontiac that included the first three oil changes in a box in the trunk.

[@maxr4448]

Chrysler, and Ford were better proportioned cars than GM at the time. But people LOVE those tri fives. I don't. They were fat and thick and behind the times in style.

[@gcfifthgear]

Rather a biased interview, obviously...the Fairlane 500 was closer in price to the Pontiac Chieftain, but not by much. Indeed, Robert MacNamara, who was at the time Ford Division General Manager, did everything he could to shoot down the soon-to-be-announced Edsel by saying, "Why would you want to buy a (1958) Edsel when our (1957) Fairlane 500 is a better car and costs less?"

[@whatsamattayu3257]

McNamara was a bean counter and Ford was better off when he left in 1961. Unfortunately, he ran the Vietnam War with the same bean counter/statistics mentality.

[@stephenbrecht1696]

Robert McNamara-wasn't he Secretary of Defense who screwed up the Vietnam War?

[@gcfifthgear]

@@stephenbrecht1696 Yes. I have read that Henry Ford offered MacNamara's services to the Kennedy administration--and that Ford paid off part of the Kennedy campaign's debts. Incidentally, he supported the F-111, which soon was nicknamed "the flying Edsel."

[@kennethanway7979]

I meant..cool!

[@AllenMichael-pl6ps]

I'd have to buy the Fairlane and a Chevy Bel Air.

[@fob1xxl]

In 1957 FORD had it all over PONTIAC. PONTIAC BECAME THE STAR in 1959 ! Motor Trend Car of the Year.

[@chrisxa1222]

Except for performance and quality

[@autochronicles8667]

Well that's up for debate :)

[@RickB1792]

How do I order one?

[@autochronicles8667]

Head down to your Pontiac dealer :)

[@Rebel9668]

Because I'd rather have the Pontiac.

[@maxr4448]

All the GM cars from 1950 to 1961, were behind Ford and Chrysler. GM started to kick some but In '62.

[@chrisxa1222]

You may don't like them but with the exception of 58 they were the trend setters

[@GoGoWhoa64]

The Ford was obviously a more modern looking car for the time.

[@autochronicles8667]

Got to agree, GM was slow on the 57 Chrysler Uptake... Ford ACTUALLY had much better espionage and spying group :) They were notorious for hiding out in trees in Detroit testing grounds... I'm not joking either. GM was like "we don't need to spy, we own the industry"... Ford was like "we will just steal the designs..."

[@charliehayes244]

More headroom for cowboy hat and a. lot better ride Pontiac

[@oldionus]

Too bad that like all 50s Fords, the Fairlane was BUTT ugly. My dad was a Chrysler guy.

[@bobbyheffley4955]

Ford outsold Chevy in 1957.

[@cdjhyoung]

Yep, they did. Now add in the sales numbers from Pontiac, Oldsmobile and Buick and tell us which brand sold the most cars. Ford had two product lines, GM five. Ford verses Chevrolet sales really doesn't tell the story.

[@bobbyheffley4955]

@@cdjhyoung Ford had four lines in 1957 (Ford, Mercury, Lincoln, and Continental). Chrysler had five lines (Plymouth, Dodge, De Soto, Chrysler, and Imperial). General Motors also had five lines (Chevrolet, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Buick, and Cadillac).

[@autochronicles8667]

DID THEY ? :) hmm