Created to help save lives, ambulances are usually abandoned or scrapped once they’re decommissioned. An ironic fate if you think about it, but that’s how the cookie crumbles when it comes to old commercial vehicles. This 1949 Pontiac had a similar fate, but it somehow managed to survive to see 2022.
Essentially a 1949 Streamliner Sedan Delivery with rear side windows, this Pontiac is a rare ambulance conversion that had a rough life. Not only did it spend decades exposed to the elements (the sun-baked body is proof of that), but someone attempted to turn it into a hot rod at some point.
While all the medical gear is gone, there’s proof inside the cabin that this Pontiac was once an ambulance. The quarter windows also bear specific markings, but the livery disappeared along with most of the paint. But here’s the interesting thing: this Pontiac appears to be a factory black car. Granted, ambulances had all sorts of colors back in the day, but black was usually reserved for hearses. For obvious reasons.
Anyway, as much as I like vintage ambulances (and hearses, of course), it’s pretty obvious that this Pontiac is ruined beyond restoration. I mean, you can recreate everything today with proper documentation, but this is a project that will swallow a lot of cash. Way too much relative to the vehicle’s restored value. And that’s probably why the previous owner transformed it into a rat rod.
That’s actually a cool idea given the sun-baked patina, the stripped-off interior with only one seat, and the fat tires, but this Pontiac has one big flaw. It needs an engine and a transmission.
Streamliners were available with either a flathead inline-six or Pontiac’s iconic Silver-Streak straight-eight, but whatever used to power this Poncho is now lost for good. But that’s not necessarily bad news because that engine bay is big enough to take a vintage V8 or a modern LS mill.
Yes, the rusty frame needs a lot of work, but this Pontiac will raise eyebrows at any drag strip. Throw a 650-horsepower LT4 under the hood and a pair of lights on the roof, and you’re good to run emergency quarter-mile passes of the 10-second variety.
All told, this project car is located in El Paso, Texas, and sold through eBay for $8,950, but the seller is accepting offers. How would you bring this old Poncho back to life?