1956 Pontiac Starchief Hearse

1956 Pontiac Cheiftain Sedan Description

I have up for bid my 1956 Pontiac Starchief Superior Coach Hearse. The car was purchased in Oklahoma in September 2018 from a Pontiac collector with our intended purpose of restoring her for our 50th class reunion photo shoot and our homecoming parade, which we did in September of 2019. The car is the 12th car to come off the line which, in turn, was shipped to Superior Coach for conversion. The odometer shows 23,329 miles, believed to be original but I cannot document it. It has the original 316 V8 engine and original and rare 3 speed manual transmission. The 316 was completely rebuilt by a professional certified mechanic with new main bearings, rod bearings, NOS pistons, new rings, new cam/cam bearings, lifters, valves, distribution tubes, water pump, timing chain and gear, new flame thrower coil, rebuilt generator and starter, new electric fuel pump with Edelbrock 550 cfm 4 barrel carb with electric choke bolted to the original 4 barrel cast iron intake manifold. New battery and Pertronix converted distributor. The 3 speed transmission was rebuilt with new bearings, seals, and gaskets. New pilot bearing with a rebuilt clutch assembly. The Hearse sets on new correct WWW tires, new wheel cylinders, brake shoes, brake lines, and master cylinder. As you can tell, I have invested a lot of money into the hearse, but i wanted to keep it as original as possible and a dependable car to drive. Mission accomplished. The exterior of the hearse was enhanced to preserve the original patina. The hand-painted flowers along the top, "flower power" on the roof, and the peace sign on the back were added to reflect the fantastic time we all enjoyed in the 60s. The hearse runs and drives, but needs someone to take her to the next level. The car runs great with 50 lbs oil pressure, 160-170 operating temp, no leaks, brakes work well, and it draws attention wherever you go. The chrome is average with some pitting, clutch and trans operate smoothly. It will need a new "opera window" on the driver's side rear as it's missing and we were unable to locate one. All other glass is present. It needs wiring for the lights, front and rear. Again, the intended purpose of the hearse was for my class reunion. It's very solid, has most side chrome, seat will need recovered, and i have the "jump seats" for the attendants for a funeral. The casket slides are gone and most of the glass is in good shape. The windshield does have a crack. Please keep in mind this is a very rare care, not a show car, but a driver and the hard work is done. Clean Michigan title in my name. Happy bidding.