The 1966 Pontiac Star Chief did not shout about performance with stripes or spoilers. It whispered it through a hushed cabin, a long wheelbase, and a big V8 tuned more for effortlessness than drama.

Records indicate that one of the first 1957 Pontiac Coupes was built late in September 1956 at the General Motors facility in Wilmington, Del., and was sold soon after at the Chase Cadillac/Pontiac ...