The Last SMOKE GR-R-R-R-8 One SIGNALS The Official Publication of the Pontiac - Oakland Club International September 2017 • Rockford at Charlotte • Touring Jay Leno’s Garage • GMC Trailer Discovered 2017 POCI Convention It’s A Wrap! The Duquesne Drag Team Scrapbook SMOKE SIGNALS The Official Publication of the Pontiac - Oakland Club International Volume 45, Issue 9 • September 2017 • www.poci.org page 12 FEATURE STORIES 8 ........Our Day at Jay Leno’s Garage 12 ........Oakland “6” • Speed and Reliability 14 ........Grand Magazine Clippings • Early GMC Ads 16 ........ The Last Great One • 2009 G8 24 ........The Suva Files • Charlotte AutoFair 30 ........The Duquesne Drag Team page 16 50 ........It’s A Wrap • 2017 Convention Review - Part 1 DEPARTMENTS 5 ........Editor’s Note 6 ........Ridin’@ Random page 24 44 ........President’s Message 44 ........Vice President’s Message 45 ........POCI Club History 46 ........Chapter News 55 ........2017 Convention • Points-Judged Results 58 ........2018 Convention Preview page 30 64 ........Calendar of Events 70 ........POCI Directors & Chapters 72 ........Tech Advisors 73 ........Classified Ads (background photo - John Armstrong’s Oakland race car) (cover photo by Thom Sherwood) page 50 SEPTEMBER 2017 • SMOKE SIGNALS 3 USE SALE CODE Save* % SIGNAL LIMITED TIME OFFER * some restrictions apply | cannot combine offers Pontiac Catalogs Print: Firebird (1967-81)20 (1982-02) Lemans/GTO (1964-72) (Also available online) YEARONE 17" ALUMINUM WHEELS LIMITED TIME OFFER! Get yours Today! FREE SHIPPING ON WHEEL KITS (Online Only - Lower 48 states) | Wheels are Discount Exempt 1-800-932-7663 SS017 © 2017 YEARONE Restoration & Performance Parts for GM, Ford & Chrysler Muscle Cars 4 SMOKE SIGNALS • SEPTEMBER 2017 EDITOR’S NOTE POCI OFFICERS President What if Smoke Signals Was Like the Evening News? Wayne F. Beran, 5128 Oak Center Dr. When I was a youngster growing up in included an appearance of his iconic Oak Lawn, IL 60453 (708) 425-2826 [email protected] the Sixties, most television programming Rockford Firebird. was still offered only in black-and-white. In the West, we venture to former Vice President This included the local 6 o’clock evening Tonight Show host Jay Leno’s impressive Larry Crider, 12510 West 67th St., Sapulpa, news report, which I would occasionally “Big Dog Garage” in Burbank, California OK 74066; 918.798.2765 sit down to watch with my family. where POCI Western Region Director [email protected] Being easily impressed with anything Ron Berglund pays a visit along with a Secretary that moved, I recall so vividly how, at the ‘68 Bonneville for an upcoming episode Peggy M. Cox, 7345 Old Springville Rd. opening of each live news broadcast, of the wildly-popular Jay Leno’s Garage. Pinson, AL 35126 (205) 602-6463 an animation (which was quite crude Then, from the South, we begin [email protected] by today’s standards) would show a coverage of our recently-concluded Treasurer navigational compass along with the 2017 POCI Convention in Fort Worth, Simone Young, 4803 NE 144th St. words North, East, South and West. The Texas with a focus on the Points-Judged Smithville, MO 64089 (816) 820-0239 initial letters of those four directional cars and the personal reflections of event [email protected] points would then shuffle around on the co-chair Winston McCollum. screen to spell out the word “NEWS” as Those stories are just a small portion POCI BUSINESS OFFICE a voiceover would proclaim how the of the NEWS coverage you’ll find ahead. Office Manager station was going to bring us stories from Be sure to also watch for Scott Scheel’s Paul Bergstrom, PO Box 68 around the entire region — direct to our detailed coverage of the Last Great Maple Plain, MN 55359 living room! Pontiac musclecar — the 2009 G8 GXP Phone: (877) 368-3454 As I said, I was easily impressed... — plus some light-hearted retrospectives Fax: (763) 479-3571 [email protected] Anyway, that visualization still burns of vintage Oakland and GMC Truck brightly in my mind as I think about the advertising. SMOKE SIGNALS Magazine news and coverage that we are able And, if Smoke Signals was really just Editor to bring to you in this issue of Smoke like the local evening news, we would Tim Dye, 205 N. Mill St. Signals. also talk about what’s happening in Pontiac, IL 61764 (815) 844-0282 From the North, we have the latest Sports with a fun look at the Duquesne [email protected] from the Wisconsin Dells area as we Drag Team. present an update on next year’s POCI Fortunately, we can bring you nearly Creative Design/Graphics Pontiac Vintage Press convention. all of these reports in living color, so 205 N. Mill St. From the East, Jim Suva reviews gather up the family this evening and Pontiac, IL 61764 (815) 844-0282 his recent travels to the Charlotte, NC tune-in for all the breaking news that [email protected] AutoFair and its celebration of the POCI has to offer! Firebird’s 50th Anniversary which also Commercial Advertising Coordinator Tim Dye Paul Bergstrom, PO Box 68 Maple Plain, MN 55359 Toll Free (877) 368-3454 Ph: (763) 479-2111 • Fax: (763) 479-3571 [email protected] Contributors to this issue Thom Sherwood, Jim Suva, Ron Berglund, Gary Ledbetter, Scott Scheel, Winston McCollum Smoke Signals (ISSN 1042-4571), September 2017, Vol- ume 45 No 9. Published monthly by Pontiac-Oakland Club International/Pontiac Vintage Press 205 N. Mill St., Pontiac, IL 61764. Periodicals postage pending or paid at Maple Plain, MN mailing office. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to: POCI, P.O. Box 68, Maple Plain, MN 55359. Articles, letters and editorial comments found in Smoke Signals represent the views and opinions of the individual authors and are not necessarily those of POCI or any of its officers or staff. The Pontiac/Oakland/GMC Trademark(s) are used with the permission of General Motors. SEPTEMBER 2017 • SMOKE SIGNALS 5 Ridin’ Random @ WHAT’S GOING ON IN OUR HOBBY WORLD! News - New Products - Literature - Trivia - Information and More If you have material for Ridin’@ Random, send it to [email protected] GMC “Trailabout” Trailer Discovered! Every once in a while a virtually-unknown piece of Pontiac, Oakland or GMC Truck history comes to light. Such was the case when an exceedingly rare 1937 GMC Trailabout trailer popped up for sale on CraigsList. Perhaps only three of these were known to exist by Thom Sherwood, who was the first to spot it online. Thom then promptly alerted Ponti- ac-Oakland Museum director Tim Dye in Illinois with its story and whereabouts. Tim then contacted the seller in central Pennsylvania to learn more about its condition and history. The clock was already ticking, as something this rare and well-preserved was going to otherwise find a new home right away. Tim then put in motion a series of quick calls to POCI members to assist in its acquisition for the museum. After speaking with Keith Vrabec, a second call to Doug Moyer (who lives just 20 minutes from where the trailer was located) got us that much closer. Doug agreed to visit the seller with cash in hand to make a deal on behalf of the mu- seum. He was able to negotiate a very fair price knowing that it will be fully appreciated by fans of vehicles originally constructed in Pontiac, Michigan. Within 24 hours of first learning such an obscure piece of history even existed, it had been acquired by the mu- seum and was now loaded up on Doug’s trailer in Pennsylvania ready to head west where it will be further preserved. Look for more on this vintage GMC trailer as the story continues to unfold. Chief Pontiac Statue Donated and Restored Diaz Sign Art in Pontiac, Illinois has completed a detailed restoration of the Chief Pontiac statue that was donated to the Pontiac-Oakland Museum last year. The resulting craftsmanship and quality are superb, on par with previous projects they’ve undertaken for the non-profit museum. As one of the main goals of the museum is to preserve Pontiac history, it’s truly rewarding when a project comes to completion. The statue was donated by two sisters in Texas. POCI members Tom Brackett, Ken Davis, Larry Crider and others helped pick up the Chief and deliver it to the museum. The restoration was funded by various personal and club donations including a generous financial gift from the Midwest Firebirds Club. A big “Thank you!” goes out to everyone who assisted with this project! “Grand Prix Drive” Unveiled Pontiac, Illinois mayor Bob Russell recently chris- tened the town’s newest roadway, Grand Prix Drive, which accesses a brand-new Hampton Inn adjacent to Interstate 55. Several Grand Prix owners along with their cars were on hand to proudly celebrate the road sign’s unveiling. We suspect it’s been a long time since a new street anywhere has been blessed with a Pontiac-related name! 6 SMOKE SIGNALS • SEPTEMBER 2017 -BXX (7x10-Master temp) 8⅜ 8⅜ 7⅝ 7⅝ 8⅛ 8⅛ 7⅞ 7⅞ 7¾ 7¾ 8¼ 8¼ 8 8 10⅞ 10⅞ 1013/16 1013/16 10¾ 10¾ 10½ 10½ 50th Anniversary Tribute to the Original Muscle Car! SPECIAL EDITION PONTIAC® GTO™! Hand-numbered Sculpted to limited edition 50YEARS 1:18 Scale! • High gloss fi nish with ™ shiny chrome-like accents LIKE US ON Measures a BIG 11 inches long! Celebrating the Legacy of the Iconic Pontiac® GTO™! SPINE/BIND EDGE/GUTTER Fastest way to order: HamiltonCollection.com/RedGTO So Detailed, It’s Like Driving ©2017 HC. All Rights Reserved. A fi ne adult collectible.