Rare 1959 DeSoto Ambulance Will Sell at Auction

A restored Pinner Coach DeSoto Firedome ambulance is set to be auctioned in mid-October 2026.

Updated on Sept. 22, 2026 in Car Types

A vintage ambulance with curved chrome-accented bodywork parked in a clean, sunlit garage interior. — A rare, restored 1959 DeSoto Firedome ambulance modified by Pinner Coach is scheduled to cross the auction block in mid-October 2026. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Is now a good time to invest in rare vintage commercial vehicles for your collection?

A unique 1959 DeSoto Firedome ambulance, converted by Pinner Coach, will be sold at a public auction in mid-October 2026. Experts believe this vehicle is one of only two such units originally produced by the coachbuilder.

Why it matters

This auction offers a rare glimpse into the specialized automotive history of Memphis-based Pinner Coach. The vehicle serves as a significant artifact of 1950s emergency transport modifications.

Only two DeSoto Firedome ambulances were built by Pinner Coach out of 15,076 total Firedome examples produced in 1959. Of the base models, 9,171 were manufactured as four-door sedans before being converted for emergency use.

The players

Richmond Auctions

This is the auction house facilitating the public sale of the rare 1959 DeSoto vehicle.

Pinner Coach

This was a specialty vehicle company based in Memphis that operated between 1959 and 1968.

The details

The ambulance originated as a standard four-door sedan before Pinner Coach modified the body for medical transport. It is currently recognized as the only remaining Pinner-built DeSoto ambulance in restored condition.

Pinner Coach began operations and produced the vehicle in 1959.
The Pinner Coach company ceased operations in 1968.
The ambulance will go under the hammer in mid-October 2026.

Roadmap

This auction highlights the vanishing era of independent coachbuilders who modified mass-produced sedans into specialty emergency vehicles. It reflects a broader trend of collectors prioritizing unique, hand-crafted historical automotive artifacts over standard factory production models.

Collectors interested in rare emergency vehicles should prepare for the public bidding process scheduled for mid-October 2026. Potential buyers will need to assess the unique maintenance requirements associated with owning a specialized, one-of-two historical coachbuilt vehicle.

The takeaway

Collectors of vintage emergency transport should note the extreme scarcity of Pinner Coach modifications in the current market. Identifying such rare conversions is essential for preserving the specialized history of 1950s automotive coachwork.