Built from 1955 to 1957, the second-generation Chieftain was essentially Pontiac's alternative to the popular Tri-Five Chevy. And just like the latter, the Chieftain was available in a big variety of body styles, including coupes, sedans, and wagons.
As car-based hearses and ambulances were quite common back then, some coachbuilders used the second-gen Chieftain for such conversions. And it seems that at least one of the nearly 279,000 Chieftains produced in 1956 was professionally converted into a camper. This unusual conversion was recently listed for sale on Facebook Marketplace and the seller claims it was built by Superior Coach. This coachbuilder hasn't been around since 1980, but it built many commercial vehicles before it went bankrupt. Its portfolio includes school busses, ambulances, hearses, and even stretch limousines. On the other hand, there's not a lot of info out there on whether Superior also made camper conversions. The seller says there's a Superior Coach tag on the firewall, but it's not visible in the photos he provides. But there are at least a couple of details that indicate this camper was indeed crafted by Superior Coach. First, the raised roofline is very similar to what we can see on ambulance and hearse conversions from the same company. Second, the camper's workmanship looks solid inside and out, with no signs that it might have been a garage project. The boxy, all-aluminum camper features motorized butterfly doors and louvered windows on both sides and around the back. The interior is packed with a lot of stuff and requires some sorting before a full assessment, but I can't spot any issues at first glance. However, it needs to be refurnished to become livable again. While the camper shell looks decent after so many decades thanks to its aluminum construction, the front end of the Poncho shows quite a bit of surface rust. There are no holes or major issues, but it definitely needs a good scrubbing and a paint job. The cabin will need at least new upholstery for the seats and a new headliner. The dash and the door panels seem to be ok, but a thorough cleaning is in order. As for the drivetrain, this Chieftain has been sitting for a long time and no longer runs, but the seller says the V8 engine still turns. The 1956 Chieftain was available with just one engine in the form of a 317-cubic-inch (5.2-liter) V8. Pontiac offered a two-barrel carb version with up to 205 horsepower and a four-barrel variant with as much as 227 horses.
This mysterious camper is located in Eugene, Oregon, comes with a clean title, and costs $6,700. And it's probably the rarest, if not a totally unique Chieftain.
Keyword: 1956 Pontiac Chieftain Aluminum Camper Is Unique and Mysterious at the Same Time