Pick of the Day: 1964 Pontiac Strato-Chief

The word “strato” means layer. Perhaps you’ve heard of stratus clouds or a newfangled drink at Starbucks? Then you may be more familiar with the word than you think. If you’re Canadian, you probably had a head start thanks to a particular Pontiac model that is our Pick of the Day. This 1964 Pontiac Strato-Chief two-door sedan is listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a dealership in Elkhorn, Nebraska.

Truth be told, the Strato-Chief name likely had nothing to do with layers, so what did it stand for? Considering it has a root in the word “stratosphere,” perhaps it was related to aviation and jet-age language? Speed and futuristic design? Certainly, that’s true for Pontiac’s all-new V8 that appeared for 1955. Called the Strato-Streak, the 287ci V8 was claimed to be “ready to take you wherever you may wish in a quick, sure flow of seemingly effortless power. In turn, Canadian Pontiac engines were called the Strato-Six and Strato-Flash V8, but they both were Chevrolet designs, as was the Canadian practice at the time.

In case you need to revisit the story of Canadian Pontiacs and why they exist, it all comes down to population, median income, and tariffs. In the 1960s, Canada was much more sparsely populated, and the buying power of Canadian citizens was weaker than it is today. Canada’s automobile industry and dealer network reflected this. Dealerships often combined several brands to serve a particular region, such as Pontiacs being sold alongside Buicks and GMCs. For economies of scale in Canadian plants, Canadian Pontiacs used Chevrolet running gear and, hence, were not the “Wide-Track” Pontiacs many grew to love. Tariffs were a way to protect the interests of the Canadian market, but thanks to the 1965 Auto Pact trade agreement, that need was no longer as strong.

The Strato-Chief was introduced in 1958 as the replacement for the Pathfinder Deluxe (the cheapie Pathfinder continued). It looked like a Chieftain from the outside but with a 122-inch wheelbase, while the Strato-Chief utilized Chevrolet’s 117.5-inch wheelbase and was more akin to the Biscayne. Power came from a “Strato” Six, a “Strato-Flash” V8 (283), “Super Strato-Flash” V8 (283 four-barrel), “Power Chief” V8 (fuel-injected 283), “Astro-Flame” V8 (348), or “Super Astro-Flame” V8 (348 with triple two-barrels). For 1959, the Pathfinder was dropped, and the Parisienne pushed both the Laurentian and the Strato-Chief down a notch. This structure continued through 1970.

This Biscayne-with-Pontiac-styling was an unusual hybrid that makes Canadians giddy and sometimes receives accusations from Stateside enthusiasts that it’s not a “real Pontiac,” but let’s agree to disagree as we dig in on this 1964 Pontiac Strato-Chief two-door sedan powered by a 425-horsepower 409 with dual quads. Finished in blue over blue vinyl upholstery, this is a Canadian Q-ship if there ever was one. Inside, you’ll find a four-speed shifter, heater, factory tachometer, Stewart Warner auxiliary gauges, and no radio. Inside the engine compartment, you’ll find a dual-snorkel air cleaner, chrome valve covers, and tubular exhaust headers that feed into a dual exhaust system. Body-color steel wheels wear chrome hubcaps and are mounted with 14-inch BFGoodrich Silvertown tires.

Tariffs are currently in the news, but for a different reason. If you’re American and you dig unusual machinery, then you won’t need to worry about tariffs since this 1964 Pontiac Strato-Chief currently resides in the Midwest. If you’re Canadian, please review the latest tariff news because we’d hate for you to spend more than the $47,900 (OBO) asking price.

Click here to view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com