So there I was, on my visit to Antigua Guatemala last March, when on my way to our hotel, I came across a 1954 Pontiac custom job being used as a wedding car. The car had stopped, no idle to be heard, as the wedding photographer snapped images away. In our short three night stay, this was the second such old American car I had run into, after finding a 1951 Plymouth the day before also serving such duties. Do couples in Antigua only use old Detroit iron for their weddings?
Not quite. But it has certainly become a fad among couples in Central America. I see postings on my local FB Marketplace with Cadillacs, Oldsmobiles, and Pontiacs as rentals for such services. And can you blame them? The cars are glossy and highlight a special occasion in ways a current Kia doesn’t.
Admittedly, at first I thought I had come across a true ’54 convertible, which would have been the most exciting Pontiac of that year. Not that Pontiac was that thrilling back in the mid-’50s, as it was a few years away from its Wide-Track reinvention of ’59 and its exciting 1960s decade.
Still, convertibles carry a glitz of their own, and that was true of Pontiac’s, Wide-Track or not. Out of the gate, it was the priciest of the make’s models as per base cost. It’s among the rarest of the Star Chiefs for ’54, with production estimates ranging between 5,000 and 5,790 units.
Of course, I wasn’t that lucky. Instead, the pizzazz on my find is locally added. Sort of the Cuba-like treatment, which makes sense considering our low cost hand labor.
Since some trim is missing, it’s hard to determine the exact model, though the surrounding bling around the taillights suggests it was originally a 2-door Star Chief. If so, that would still be Pontiac aristocracy for that model year.
As I said, the car was parked as I passed, and no sound was heard. Could an old straight eight be there? Doubtful. Like most such cars around here, I would presume a more recent V-8 must reside under the hood along with other mods.
Curiously, we’ve never had an in-depth look at ’54 Pontiacs at CC, but Aaron at AUWM has. But as is fairly well known, Pontiac needed a reinvention at the time, which would duly come. But little of that is of concern to many folks today, and for this wedding couple and the streets of Antigua Guatemala, this ’54 love roadster has all the bling and style that’s needed for a special occasion.
During a visit to Cartegena last year, we took a nighttime excursion riding in some 1950 roadsters. We rode in a 1955 Chevrolet (I think). There were some modifications to the car as there was a phone charger that had been added. A 1951 Buick Roadmaster was also an option, but that car was full. It was still a great excursion to experience riding in these historical cars.
Rich, Kevin: I don’t think of those cars as “roadsters”. They are convertibles or cabriolets; they are open cars with front and rear seats and with or without retractable or removable top. A roadster (or spider or spyder) is open sporting car, maybe or maybe not with a retractable roof that has at most two seats for two people to sit side by side. What you’ve got there in Antigua and Cartagena may be better called parade cars – but not roadsters.
Rich, what are those little truck like vehicles behind the Pontiac? They seem to almost be models but I guess they are toys of some sort.
I did struggle with how to refer to that custom job. In any case, regarding the little trucks, they’re hand built ice cream carts. Quite colorful, and all over the place.
I wonder if it has any engine at all…as it seems that in Guatemala as well as the U.S., the purpose of a “getaway” car is just a photo-op rather than any kind of transportation. (I’m not sure what posing sitting on the rear of the car is exactly supposed to show…no one’s driving)
I was also going to ask about the little truck like thing in the background, but figured that it was some kind of street vending push cart. THAT is pretty cool!
The couple is more interesting than the car…
A lovely car indeed .
I had a 1954 Pontiac Coupe in 1974 or so, that a car and no, you couldn’t hear the flat head 8 at idle .
-Nate