- Seller: Bob P (Contact)
- Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado
- Mileage: 94,000 Shown
- Chassis #: none
- Title Status: Clean
- Engine: Pontiac 350 V8
- Transmission: Automatic
UPDATE – The seller has asked us to rerun their auction, but this time with a much lower reserve! Be sure to take another look and cast your bids.
The sedan delivery is just what it sounds like: a delivery vehicle based on a standard sedan or, more accurately, a station wagon without side windows or room for passengers. Almost every manufacturer, including Pontiac, offered a sedan delivery at some point. It’s easy to imagine a small grocery store or town newspaper buying a new one as a practical, efficient vehicle to drop off their goods to households and businesses in their small communities, and there’s a certain quaintness about the whole scene that makes me smile. While I can’t find production numbers for 1950 Pontiacs such as this one, which is being offered as a Barn Finds Auction, it’s safe to say that, given their original intent, there can’t be many that have stood the test of time.
You might have noticed that someone has begun to customize this Pontiac; it has “suicide” doors and a more modern independent front suspension and steering. It comes with a 1953 Pontiac Chieftain parts car, and that Chieftain has a Pontiac 268 cubic-inch straight eight under the hood. Because this rare delivery will need a complete restoration, you can decide to install the Pontiac inline; if that’s not to your taste, the seller has another option.
It’s a Pontiac 350, which comes with the deal. Pontiac people tend to stay “all Pontiac,” but if neither option appeals to you, you can install anything you’d like under the hood. The 350 is a nice, torquey engine with a nearly square stroke-to-bore ratio. Most of them produced 150 to 200 net horsepower, perfectly fine for hauling around a sedan delivery with ease.
The seller has included dozens of pictures of the Pontiac and the parts that will come with it, including the glass (except for one rear flat-panel window) and a pair of bucket seats. There are a couple of areas in the photographs below that show some “Bondo” abuse, but overall, it’s a nice, solid car.
In life, it’s nice to have options. Although there’s no denying that this Sedan Delivery will require a lot of work to get back on the road, there are two roads to take. You could use the Chieftain’s driveline, front suspension, steering, and front door hardware to return the ’50 to stock configuration. You could also continue the path that a previous owner has taken and continue to customize it to suit your taste. Take a look at the pictures below and decide which path is right for you, and place a bid on Barn Finds Auctions.
Okay, who else thought of Neil Young when they read the title?
Neil who? I do know a guy who had a job driving sedan delivery though. He use to deliver miracles and sacred roots, he always kept that job because it was so hard to find. Same dude also said he met a man from Mars and went on a ride in a spaceship. Maybe he got into the miracles and sacred roots?
Been a day or since I have seen a dual pattern 350 trans
The ’54 Chevy taillights are an interesting touch. Modified my 54’s lenses the same way by gluing another red lens half in to make a solid red lens. Wonder if they grafted in part of the Chevy fenders to make Chevy piece fit. Rough car but interesting.
What a cool blank slate to build something really cool unfortunately for me they would wind up being a lawn ornament until someone driving by made a reasonable offer
Suicide doors – I’ve
had Bentleys, Rolls-Royces and even Fiats with suicide doors. I’m certain that the only guy who wants suicide doors has never had suicide doors! Unnecessarily dangerous. In this case, the guy appears to have forgotten relocate the handles too.
It does not say rear suicide:
“You might have noticed that someone has begun to customize this Pontiac; it has “suicide” doors ” and the hinges can be re-mounted to factory installation.
A rare vehicle to begin with.
You had me until the second paragraph, “suicide rear doors”. Stopped right there.
I’m soooo sorry to see that it had been raped and trashed.
All changes were made by previous owners.
It does not say rear suicide:
“You might have noticed that someone has begun to customize this Pontiac; it has “suicide” doors ”
Half of a Cadillac steering wheel?
I did that 40 some years ago to my 65Cadillac.
I was impressed.
The police and inspection mechanic was not!
The steering wheel from the Chieftain can be installed and many other parts can be used then stripped for $$$$.
“…perfectly fine for hauling around a sedan delivery…” no, the i8 is (if asking me) as in “My fav motor”.
I really like an SD (I’m called Wagonman round here 4 the 50 yrs of ownership/all kinds) so wouldnt have the rear side windows (may B a small one behind passenger’s head for intersection views by pilot). Like them pretty
oem looking too. I’d raise compression, cam it (look at valve geomitry) and may B efi it. Suspension, breaks, etc. Lower an inch or 1.5? Possibly keep the doors this way… It also comes from my fav era of merican wagon (?’42/’59?). I even see this design in the europeans shortly after:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volvo_Duett#/media/File:Volvo_PV445.jpg
All changes were made by previous owners.
It does not say rear suicide:
“You might have noticed that someone has begun to customize this Pontiac; it has “suicide” doors ” and the hinges can be re-mounted to factory installation.
The steering wheel from the Chieftain can be installed and many other parts can be used then stripped for $$$$.