This 1948 Keller Super Chief Is an Extremely Rare Woodie That's Been Missing for 60 Years

A relatively short-lived venture, Keller was established after World War II. It ceased manufacturing in the early 1950s following the death of founder George D. Keller. A former sales vice-president at Studebaker, Keller set up shop in Huntsville, Alabama, and developed the Super Chief. Based on the Bibbi-Kar made by Bobbi Motor Car Corporation of San Diego, the Super Chief was a wood-bodied station wagon.

The grocery-getter arrived at a time when mainstream automakers had abandoned woodie designs in favor of all-steel wagons. While seemingly obsolete, the Super Chief was supposed to offer a cheaper alternative to the emerging all-steel cars. Using locally sourced wood and cheaper Alabama labor, the compact Super Chief was supposed to be substantially more affordable than haulers offered by the Big Three.

Keller initially hoped to build 16,000 units in its first year and then expand to about 72,000 examples, which would have captured three-quarters of the existing market. But things didn't go according to plan, and Keller assembled only 18 cars until the owner passed away. While the company explored other ventures, including a successor to the Super Chief, it disappeared in the early 1950s.

While anonymous among woodie enthusiasts, the Super Chief is noted for a few innovations, including having the engine, transmission, clutch, and differential built into a single unit. The design made drivetrain components easier to remove and replace. It's also regarded as the world's first compact SUV, pioneering a segment that didn't become popular until the late 20th century.

Come 2023, the Keller Super Chief is rarer than a hen's teeth. That's because far fewer than the 18 units built are still known to exist. Up until recently, only three survivors were known. That was updated to four in May 2023 when YouTube's "Junkyard Dave" discovered a derelict Super Chief in a junkyard. The car had been sitting for more than 60 years.

It's unclear why it was parked, but all those decades of exposure to the elements ruined most of the wooden rear section. To the point where it collapsed and needs to be built from scratch. Some body panels are also rusty, while the upholstery is toast. But the chassis and the front section appear to be in one piece, and, amazingly enough, the engine is still under the hood. And even though it's dirty and stuck, it's complete, and it will probably come back to life with a rebuild.

The Super Chief left the assembly line with Hercules four-cylinder engines displacing 133 and 162 cubic inches (2.2 and 2.7 liters). The former was rated at 49 horsepower. It's unclear which powerplant powered this specific car, but it mates to a three-speed gearbox, the only choice for the Super Chief.

Even though the car is in terrible condition and parts are impossible to source, our host is determined to restore it to factory specifications. As of this writing, it's the second Keller scheduled for restoration. The third car has already been refreshed, while the fourth example is an untouched original stored since the early 1950s. It's great to see another one of these rare and underappreciated cars being brought back to life.