Kustom Indian: Adam Woodhams’ 1951 Pontiac Chieftain Deluxe

[portfolio_slideshow id=22033]

Post-World War II America produced some of the most gorgeous automobiles ever. For example, the folks at Rod Authority and Power AutoMedia shared with us this beautiful 1951 Pontiac Chieftain, owned by Adam Woodhams.

A large, “bomb-style” sedan, Woodhams’ Chieftain Deluxe Two-Door came decked to the nines with chrome, fancy trim options, and added luxuries like heated seats and electric clocks. Marketed in its third year of production as a mid-level sedan, you’d be hard pressed to find anything on this classic car that’s mediocre. Yet, Woodhams, owner and president of Adam’s Rotors of California, wasn’t always smitten with vintage Pontiacs.

In fact, his love of hot rods and Kustom Kulture started with Mercurys.

“Since I was a kid I always loved Mercs—always appreciated ‘em and wanted them,” Woodhams told Rod Authority. “I’ve been into cars since I was 15, but when I was 22 I was in a very bad car accident and nearly killed myself. When I got out of the hospital I knew life was too short and had a bit of a ‘quarter-life crisis’ and bought and built a ’65 Lincoln Continental. That was my first step into classics and following my heart in vehicle choice, and not just what was easy/realistic/reliable or work/business-related.”

From there, Woodhams realized a passion for Chevys, resulting in the build and customization of a 1957 Chevy Task Force. The graduation from Chevy to Pontiac happened later at a car show where Woodhams caught a glimpse of an iconic early ’50s Indian-badged masterpiece and all its glory. Just as soon as Woodham found his true calling in the Kustom world, the search began for the perfect car. The ’57 Task Force went up for sale to fund the project—the 1951 Chieftain Deluxe you see above.

Scroll through the images provided by StanceWorks (above) to learn more about Woodhams’ Pontiac. Then, check out the video below for even more background on the car.