Roadkill1971 Lemans Sport Convertible

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SMOKE SIGNALS Pontiac - Oakland Club International Est. 1972 • November 2020

• Twin Ventura Sprints: Rough & Rougher • ’48 Streamliner: Patina on Purpose • GM Gold: Not-So-Nice Trade-Ins • A Pair of “Beater” Wagons

Roadkill 1971 LeMans Sport Convertible Expanded Members’ Motors Featuring the Not so Good, The Bad & The Ugly 2 SMOKE SIGNALS •NOVEMBER 2020

(‘71 LeMans Sport

3 SMOKE SIGNALS SMOKE • 2020 NOVEMBER

page 32 page

Background picture: Carlos Jimenez’s 1955 Star Chief Star 1955 Jimenez’s Carlos picture: Background

Cover: Darren Schmitt’s 1971 LeMans Sport convertible, photo by Tim Dye. Tim by photo convertible, Sport LeMans 1971 Schmitt’s Darren Cover:

Classified Ads Classified ...... 73

Tech Advisors Tech ...... 72

POCI Directors, Divisions & Chapters & Divisions Directors, POCI ...... 70

page 24 page

2021 Convention Update Convention 2021 ...... 62

Members’ Motors Members’ ...... 60

Members’ Bulletin Board Bulletin Members’ ...... 59

Calendar of Events of Calendar ...... 58

Chapter News Chapter ...... 54

Vice President’s Message President’s Vice ...... 50

President’s Message President’s ...... 50

page 18 page

Note Editor’s ...... 5

DEPARTMENTS

The Not So Good, The Bad & The Ugly The & Bad The Good, So Not The Motors Members’ ...... 32 • •

Sprints Twin ...... 24 A Rare Pair of 1977 Ventura Sprints Ventura 1977 of Pair Rare A

• page 14 page

The Inner Beauty of a Beater Wagon Beater a of Beauty Inner The ...... 18

Patina on Purpose on Patina Rod Hot 8 Streamliner 1948 ...... 4 1

• •

Roadkill Roadkill ...... 12 1971 LeMans Sport Convertible Sport LeMans 1971

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GM Gold Gold GM ...... 8 Not-So-Nice Trade-Ins Not-So-Nice

•

FEATURE STORIES FEATURE

page 12 page

Volume 48, Issue 11 • November 2020 • www.poci.org • 2020 November • 11 Issue 48, Volume

the Pontiac - Oakland Club Internationa Club Oakland - Pontiac the of Publication Official The l SIGNALS

SMOKE 4 SMOKE SIGNALS •NOVEMBER 2020 EDITOR’S NOTE Great Interest in Not-So-Good Rides! POCI OFFICERS It’s finally here! What started out as a what I was thinking about!” He agreed to an President simple photo showcase for a few “Not-So- impromptu photo session, and with that, we Larry Crider, 12510 West 67th St. Nice” member vehicles evolved to cover all were off and running with our cover feature. Sapulpa, OK 74066; (918) 798-2765 sorts of “Not-So-Good, The Bad, and the Ugly” Things just continued to fall into place from [email protected] cars and trucks. Thank you, everyone, for your there. Smoke Signals contributor Scott Scheel Vice President submissions! had often joked with me about featuring his Ron Berglund, 2101 West Spruce Ave. In fact, your responses were so vast that we rough-looking pair of Safari wagons. Well, Fresno, CA 93711; (559) 259-2079 actually ran out of space! We will pick up this Scott’s wish just came true, and I think the final [email protected] theme again next month, so if your photo entry result was worth his wait! didn’t find its way into this edition, I ask that I want to take a moment to also explain the Secretary you please be patient — it will very likely be photo of his wagon that appears on this month’s Peggy M. Cox, 7345 Old Springville Rd. presented in the December issue. Again, thank Table of Contents page. Scott and I arrived Pinson, AL 35126 (205) 602-6463 you a thousand times over! I don’t recall ever at a local restaurant where, inside, I ran into [email protected] getting such a favorable response for any other yet another friend who operates a restoration Treasurer special topics. shop. After introductions, I tried to explain the David Stafford, 902 Lafayette St. And, due to the sheer volume of member unfortunate condition of Scott’s Pontiac to this Godfrey, IL 62035 (618) 225-7516 submissions, some of our recurring features fellow by suggesting that he go by the museum [email protected] won’t be seen this month. There is no Ridin’@ where it was parked to see it for himself. The Random or Distinctive Deeds entry this time, photo presented here is what he snapped upon POCI BUSINESS OFFICE but those — together with Dimitrie’s popular In discovering Scott’s rusted barge. — absolutely the Shadows of Pontiac column — will indeed priceless! Office Manager return for December. Then, John Gunnell submitted a feature on a Paul Bergstrom, PO Box 421 Long Lake, MN 55356 Some of these cars have been owned by you ‘48 Streamliner — a modified cruiser that some Phone: (763) 479-2111 for decades, yet your pride still remains quite might call a Rat Rod. Others might claim it has Fax: (763) 479-3571 “patina on purpose.” Either way, this Pontiac evident. Others involve more-recent purchases [email protected] that offer a fun and fascinating story. perfectly fits our special theme. I want to point out that while some of our My submission this month tries to explain “Not-So-Nice” feature cars are here for obvious the somewhat mysterious 1977 Ventura Sprint SMOKE SIGNALS Magazine reasons, others might seem out of place. Trust program. This story, for me, began in the early Editor me when I say that some cars can hide their ‘90s when I purchased one, but it was only after Tim Dye, 205 N. Mill St. rust, wear and tear better than others. Also, the just recently buying a second, “twin” Sprint Pontiac, IL 61764 (815) 844-0282 lighting and angle of a photo can truly make or (in quite poor shape) that their story could be [email protected] break a car. (You have probably run into this properly told. Creative Design/Graphics in the process of buying a car at some point.) Gerson Goldberg’s column this month also Pontiac Vintage Press Having worked with all of the pictures, I can say mirrors our topic quite well as he recalls a trio of 205 N. Mill St. with confidence that each car featured today not-so-nice trade-ins from his years operating a Pontiac, IL 61764 (815) 844-0282 has a fair amount of patina and has rightfully Pontiac-GMC dealership. [email protected] earned its place within these pages. Anticipating just how popular these Sprinkled throughout, you’ll find some submissions might actually prove to be, I Commercial Advertising Coordinator expanded feature stories that reinforce our encourage others to realize that your Pontiac, Paul Bergstrom, PO Box 421 theme. The first of those tales came about only Oakland or GMC Truck is also good enough Long Lake, MN 55356 when Darren Schmitt — while on his way home for this magazine. Clearly there is an interest, Ph: (763) 479-2111 • Fax: (763) 479-3571 from a trip to Pikes Peak and the Bonneville Salt because your not-so-good car can still have a [email protected] Flats — pulled-up in front of the museum in his really-quite-good story. Keep the submissions Contributors to this issue 1971 LeMans Sport convertible (you can still coming! Scott Scheel, John Gunnell, see the salt on the car in the photos). I walked Gerson Goldberg, Darren Schmitt outside to greet him and said, “This is exactly Tim Dye

Smoke Signals (ISSN 1042-4571), November 2020, Vol- ume 48 No 11. Published monthly by Pontiac-Oakland Club International/Pontiac Vintage Press 205 N. Mill St., Pontiac, IL 61764. Periodicals postage pending or paid at Long Lake, MN mailing office. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to: POCI, P.O. Box 421, Long Lake, MN 55356.

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.

NOVEMBER 2020 • SMOKE SIGNALS 5 So, we did occasionally take in cars that weren’t quite what I probably would have torn down the engine anyway be- As a retired Pontiac-GMC Truck dealer, I’ve had we thought they would be. Or, on rare occasions, the random fore restoring it for myself, but now there was no question: my share of one-of-a-kind automotive adventures. failures of something on the cars would happen seemingly Because of this new oil, all the built-up internal sludge had within five minutes of being traded in. If either happened, once come loose and her engine was now R.I.P. Here are some fun nuggets from the many that vehicle was in our possession, there were a few choices. If Second tale: A customer is looking to trade-in a red 1966 great years spent with my two favorite brands. those cars were readily repairable, we would correct (at our Tri-Power 4-speed GTO convertible. I’m drooling. Before we expense) any defects. But if they were too rough or still had even appraise it, I already have images of me buying and do- known defects, we just wouldn’t offer them on our used-car ing what seemed to be a minor restoration. We make the deal. RED LETTER DAY: THE lot; our reputation had too high of a value. Upon inspection, we find the car has a cracked frame. Not Those cars we would sell to wholesalers who would regu- only do I not want to do the frame restoration for myself, I NOT-SO-NICE TRADE-INS larly descend upon our dealer- don’t feel comfortable offer- ship looking for just those ve- ing a repaired-frame car for hicles. We would describe THE RANDOM FAILURES OF SOMETHING ON sale. With an announcement known defects, but these concerning the frame prob- wholesale buyers thought they THE CARS WOULD HAPPEN SEEMINGLY lem, we sold the car at auc- could sell them to their own WITHIN FIVE MINUTES OF BEING TRADED IN. tion. customers (other used-car deal- Third tale: Another trade- ers). Occasionally, we would in memory stems from the take cars to the wholesale car auction. There were new and mid 1970s, shortly after our family added the medium- and used car dealers and others, such as leasing companies, that heavy-duty GMC Truck lines to our longstanding Pontiac deal- did that on a regular basis. ership. What follows here are three tales of what can happen. A local manufacturing business approached me concern- First, a retired school-marm to whom I sold a new X-bodied ing replacements for ten of their delivery trucks, all of which car offered to sell me outright her unrestored ’57 Star Chief con- had International Harvester steel set-back-axle (SBA) cabs and vertible. It looked pretty good, so I agreed to her asking price. 22' bodies. They used this fleet to bring their finished products But, prior to selling it to me — and without saying anything to New York City, about 150 miles from their plant. in advance — as “a favor” she changed the engine oil since That style truck is very maneuverable in the big city and that hadn’t been done in a very long time. She used detergent the purchasing manager wanted to update the fleet, allowing oil, then drove it on the Interstate the 15 miles to the dealer- us to quote new GMCs that offered an equivalent cab/chassis ship. Not good. configuration.

he used-car business has the potential to be very profit- Occasionally, we would buy cars from customers, but we able. So, there are many people who took on a new-car tried to get most used cars as trade-ins on new cars and trucks. T franchise just to have a good source of nice trade-ins to However, some cars were questionable. Perhaps they sell. Cars that are traded in on new cars are very often better showed signs of obvious repair needs. Perhaps they showed than those available to buy at wholesale auctions or from signs of being used hard. If there were any questions concern- wholesale dealers. However, not all trade-ins were nice. What ing whether the offered trade-ins were nice or not, we encour- follows are some thoughts on these not-so-nice trade-ins. aged the customers to dispose of their own cars. Bluntly, we At my family’s dealership, Blue Ribbon Pontiac in Norwich, didn’t want to sell crap. We’d been in business since 1919 and Connecticut, we loved to take trade-ins from customers who had built a reputation of selling quality used cars. GMC Truck’s Medium bought their cars from us. Typically, we had done most of the Our appraisers were pretty good at sizing up trade-ins. Duty Steel Tilt Cab was maintenance and repairs on them. That in turn made selling However, they had only about two minutes to decide how much first introduced in 1959 and was offered into the used car that much easier. of my money to invest in a potential trade-in. The customer the 1980s. Independent “Oh yes, the brakes are very good — we just did a full brake has had years to decide if the car is a good one. Is there a body manufacturers job about 8,000 miles ago.” Or, “The customer who traded-in hidden problem? How much lining is left on brake pads. In offered various standard that Catalina 4-Door you bought three years ago, just traded in January in New England the air conditioning may blow cold, cargo configurations. her latest Catalina. Are you interested in taking a look at it?” but will the next owner come back in May to report otherwise?

6 SMOKE SIGNALS • NOVEMBER 2020 So, we did occasionally take in cars that weren’t quite what I probably would have torn down the engine anyway be- As a retired Pontiac-GMC Truck dealer, I’ve had we thought they would be. Or, on rare occasions, the random fore restoring it for myself, but now there was no question: my share of one-of-a-kind automotive adventures. failures of something on the cars would happen seemingly Because of this new oil, all the built-up internal sludge had within five minutes of being traded in. If either happened, once come loose and her engine was now R.I.P. Here are some fun nuggets from the many that vehicle was in our possession, there were a few choices. If Second tale: A customer is looking to trade-in a red 1966 great years spent with my two favorite brands. those cars were readily repairable, we would correct (at our Tri-Power 4-speed GTO convertible. I’m drooling. Before we expense) any defects. But if they were too rough or still had even appraise it, I already have images of me buying and do- known defects, we just wouldn’t offer them on our used-car ing what seemed to be a minor restoration. We make the deal. RED LETTER DAY: THE lot; our reputation had too high of a value. Upon inspection, we find the car has a cracked frame. Not Those cars we would sell to wholesalers who would regu- only do I not want to do the frame restoration for myself, I NOT-SO-NICE TRADE-INS larly descend upon our dealer- don’t feel comfortable offer- ship looking for just those ve- ing a repaired-frame car for hicles. We would describe THE RANDOM FAILURES OF SOMETHING ON sale. With an announcement known defects, but these concerning the frame prob- wholesale buyers thought they THE CARS WOULD HAPPEN SEEMINGLY lem, we sold the car at auc- could sell them to their own WITHIN FIVE MINUTES OF BEING TRADED IN. tion. customers (other used-car deal- Third tale: Another trade- ers). Occasionally, we would in memory stems from the take cars to the wholesale car auction. There were new and mid 1970s, shortly after our family added the medium- and used car dealers and others, such as leasing companies, that heavy-duty GMC Truck lines to our longstanding Pontiac deal- did that on a regular basis. ership. What follows here are three tales of what can happen. A local manufacturing business approached me concern- First, a retired school-marm to whom I sold a new X-bodied ing replacements for ten of their delivery trucks, all of which car offered to sell me outright her unrestored ’57 Star Chief con- had International Harvester steel set-back-axle (SBA) cabs and vertible. It looked pretty good, so I agreed to her asking price. 22' bodies. They used this fleet to bring their finished products But, prior to selling it to me — and without saying anything to New York City, about 150 miles from their plant. in advance — as “a favor” she changed the engine oil since That style truck is very maneuverable in the big city and that hadn’t been done in a very long time. She used detergent the purchasing manager wanted to update the fleet, allowing oil, then drove it on the Interstate the 15 miles to the dealer- us to quote new GMCs that offered an equivalent cab/chassis ship. Not good. configuration.

NOVEMBER 2020 • SMOKE SIGNALS 7 GMC Truck did indeed have a product that was similar to customer’s used trucks for sale at the GMC Truck factory store the old IHCs, the GMC TE67513*. The GMC steel SBA was the for New York City. GMC Truck buying the trade-ins was great T/W cab (“T” if single rear axle, “W” if tandem rear axle). It was as I didn’t want ten of the same trade-in on my used truck lot. actually designed in the late 1950s. Back in Pontiac, Michigan, Especially since all ten trade-ins were thoroughly beat up. Gulp! GMC Truck Division was rather happy to learn of my impend- I made an appointment with the customer for GMC’s dis- ing fleet deal as the T/W cab was not a hot-selling item at all. trict sales manager to appraise the used International Harvest- We would eventually sell er trucks. He did a slow walk- eight of these GMCs with new FINALLY, MY CURIOSITY GOT THE around each one, recording their 22' van bodies to them. With that individual condition and appear- many new units, GMC would BETTER OF ME. I HAD TO ASK, ance in exacting detail. As it was offer my dealership (and any my deal, I shadowed his every other GMC dealer quoting to that “WHAT DOES ‘N-Y-S-M’ STAND FOR?” move. fleet) something known as Com- I then noticed on the appraisal petitive Equalization (CE). Essentially, if I agreed to sell very form for each of the trade-ins, as he reviewed the banged-up close to or below invoice, GMC would issue a rebate so as to doors, front grille and the sides of the van bodies, he would match the price offered by dealers of other manufacturers, such switch to a red ink pen and scribble “N-Y-S-M” to document as Ford and International. The CE would make us competitive. their condition. Further, as there were so many trade-ins, GMC Truck would Finally, my curiosity got the better of me. I had to ask, “What in turn purchase from me — at wholesale — all of this does ‘NYSM’ stand for?” “New York Sheet Metal,” was his matter-of-fact reply. * In GMC model designations of that time period, T was the cab style, E referred to a V8 gasoline engine (366cid here), He wasn’t wrong. The trade-ins had definitely seen a lot of 6(5) was the weight series – 6500, 75 indicated the “CA” time on New York City streets! We made the deal using the distance – 150" – from the back-of-cab to centerline of rear numbers that GMC Truck would pay us for the trade-ins. axle, and 13 indicated the presence of air brakes. Questions? Comments? I’d love to hear from you! Email me at [email protected]

BELOW: My fleet customer sought to trade his battered batch of IHC 1610 trucks for a comparable new model from the GMC Medium Duty lineup, but in order to consummate the deal, a thorough appraisal by my district sales manager was needed to document the condition of each unit.

8 SMOKE SIGNALS •NOVEMBER 2020 GMC Truck did indeed have a product that was similar to customer’s used trucks for sale at the GMC Truck factory store the old IHCs, the GMC TE67513*. The GMC steel SBA was the for New York City. GMC Truck buying the trade-ins was great T/W cab (“T” if single rear axle, “W” if tandem rear axle). It was as I didn’t want ten of the same trade-in on my used truck lot. actually designed in the late 1950s. Back in Pontiac, Michigan, Especially since all ten trade-ins were thoroughly beat up. Gulp! GMC Truck Division was rather happy to learn of my impend- I made an appointment with the customer for GMC’s dis- ing fleet deal as the T/W cab was not a hot-selling item at all. trict sales manager to appraise the used International Harvest- We would eventually sell er trucks. He did a slow walk- eight of these GMCs with new FINALLY, MY CURIOSITY GOT THE around each one, recording their THE EXPERIENCE BEGINS AT MECUM.COM 22' van bodies to them. With that individual condition and appear- many new units, GMC would BETTER OF ME. I HAD TO ASK, ance in exacting detail. As it was offer my dealership (and any my deal, I shadowed his every other GMC dealer quoting to that “WHAT DOES ‘N-Y-S-M’ STAND FOR?” move. fleet) something known as Com- I then noticed on the appraisal petitive Equalization (CE). Essentially, if I agreed to sell very form for each of the trade-ins, as he reviewed the banged-up close to or below invoice, GMC would issue a rebate so as to doors, front grille and the sides of the van bodies, he would match the price offered by dealers of other manufacturers, such switch to a red ink pen and scribble “N-Y-S-M” to document as Ford and International. The CE would make us competitive. their condition. Further, as there were so many trade-ins, GMC Truck would Finally, my curiosity got the better of me. I had to ask, “What in turn purchase from me — at wholesale — all of this does ‘NYSM’ stand for?” “New York Sheet Metal,” was his matter-of-fact reply. * In GMC model designations of that time period, T was the cab style, E referred to a V8 gasoline engine (366cid here), He wasn’t wrong. The trade-ins had definitely seen a lot of 6(5) was the weight series – 6500, 75 indicated the “CA” time on New York City streets! We made the deal using the distance – 150" – from the back-of-cab to centerline of rear numbers that GMC Truck would pay us for the trade-ins. axle, and 13 indicated the presence of air brakes. Questions? Comments? I’d love to hear from you! Email me at [email protected]

M BELOW: My fleet customer sought to trade his battered batch of IHC 1610 trucks for a comparable new model from the GMC Medium Duty lineup, but in order to consummate the deal, a thorough Y appraisal by my district sales manager was needed to document the condition of each unit. CM

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NOVEMBER 2020 • SMOKE SIGNALS 9 Roadkill story by Darren Schmitt • photos by Tim Dye

bought this Pontiac in 1989 from a starving college student. through a few Michigan winters because I had no other de- He bought the car to fix up but ended up not being able pendable vehicles. Those winters were hard on it and heavy to. The car was in decent shape except for the crumpled rust began to take its toll. rear quarter and mismatched trunk lid. The rear bumper On April Fools Day, 1994, during my first drive of the year, occupied the back seat. I hit black ice on I-94 and put the car nose first into the con- I thought it would be an easy restoration as all it really crete barrier. To fix the damage, I collected parts out of my needed was to have the rear quarter replaced. Finding a rear basement. At this point I primered the front half of the car so quarter turned out to be impossible, so driving the car “as it wouldn’t look so bad. is” turned out to be fine. Unfortunately I had to drive the car Originally, the car came with a 350 2-barrel which ran

10 SMOKE SIGNALS • NOVEMBER 2020 The evolution of an average 1971 LeMans Sport Convertible into the one-of-a-kind Roadkill Pontiac

well but it wasn’t too powerful. I was in the process of install- axle is a 8.2” with 2.73 gears and Safe-T-Track. (I wanted trac- ing a 455 into my GTO so I decided to put the GTO’s 400 into tion with a good mileage gear.) The best modification I did was this LeMans. This 400 was the first engine I had built and had to install disc brakes up front — no more reminding myself some pretty hard usage in the GTO. It was a cheap rebuild that the car doesn’t stop like my others! because I was in college without a lot of money. Some time around 2013 I changed the white top and inte- Before installing the 400 in the LeMans I installed a custom rior to black. The parts came from a car I had recently bought cam from Bruce Fulper and added a set of three-tube headers mainly for its Texas body. Even its interior looked much better. that I had laying around. The TH350 trans has been rebuilt to At one point I spray-bombed the car orange and white with handle some abuse and I rebuilt a replacement rear axle. The the intention of copying Arnie Beswick’s famous tiger-themed

NOVEMBER 2020 • SMOKE SIGNALS 11 1971 LeMans Sport Convertible purchased in 1989.

Darren Schmitt with his Roadkill 1971 LeMans Sport convertible.

Wrecked in April 1994. paint job, but I never got around to doing the stripes. I merely drove the car like that for the next couple of years. I was just beginning to think again of giving the LeMans a new paint job when I started watching the Roadkill show (available to view on YouTube’s Motor Trend channel). That’s when I decided to leave the faded, haphazard paint and rust alone. It was on my first Hot Rod Power Tour when I thought it would be different to let people sign the car. It would be a good reminder of people I’ve met and the places the car has been. One favorite autograph is from an older gentleman from Norway whose name is Monty. It turned out that he was semi-famous as a rally driver in Europe. Nowadays, at home in Nor- way, one of his cars is a 1970 Olds 4-4-2 W-30 convertible. Front end repaired, 1995. I have run the car at the dragstrip many times without any problems and decided I should start taking it on some long drives. I have since taken it on the Power Tour twice more as well as on other road trips. The latest was to the Bonneville Salt Flats and Pikes Peak, covering no less than 4,300 miles. My fuel mileage is 15-16 mpg Darren with daughter Christie; new paint 2000. and I am able to run 87 octane which helps keep fuel costs down. The car has been through 15 states, from Nevada to Virginia, and Michigan to Tennessee. This past winter I was T-boned in my driveway by a drunk driver. The only real damage was Transformation nearly complete, fall 2013. a bashed-in passenger

12 SMOKE SIGNALS • NOVEMBER 2020 door. I had collected a replacement out of my basement. His insurance paid me $400 in damages, so once again, I came out ahead.

Darren and his Roadkill Pontiac on the Bonneville Salt Flats.

NOVEMBER 2020 • SMOKE SIGNALS 13 1948 Pontiac Streamliner 8 HOT ROD! Its past might be forgotten, but its future looks bright! by John Gunnell

George’s ’48 Streamliner on the Symco bridge by the Unionville grist mill.

14 SMOKE SIGNALS • NOVEMBER 2020 was beating a path to the door at weren’t cheapies or port-a-walls. family eventually stripped down an ‘86 the 2020 Symco Hot Rod & Kustom On the ground in front of the low- Caprice that Jay owned and put this der- Weekender on August 7. The only big slung coupe was a car club banner elict ’48 Pontiac Streamliner body atop show held in Wisconsin this year had which read “Wisco Kings: Southwest that chassis. been big and successful (see Smoke Sig- Wisconsin.” I was intrigued. George’s grandfather passed away nals, October 2020) and I had snapped Then, sitting nearby, I noticed the midway through what they called the almost 200 photos of the cool cars there. young man who turned out to be the “gow job” project. That’s a term that It was time to head home for the day, car’s owner. He introduced himself as “camfather” Ed Iskendarian used to but that’s when I noticed this ‘48 Pon- George Jester — a 20-something with a describe early hot rods. Jay got the tiac Streamliner Sedan-Coupe parked real passion for old cars. Caprice chassis running and driving. amongst a row of cars. The Pontiac was built and brought to As a fellow owner of a ‘48 Stream- George’s high school graduation. At liner Sedan, naturally I was drawn to The Story of George’s that point it had the Caprice grille, its this Pontiac — even though it had worn 305cid V8 and Chevy Rally wheels. paint, surface rust and a low-to-the There were about 300 machine screws ground stance which at first I assumed ‘48 Pontiac Hot Rod holding things together. might be the outgrowth of a tired, sag- “I’m a third-generation George ging suspension. That certainly didn’t “I remember this Pontiac from when Jester, and we all were hot rodders,” prove to be the case at all... I was six,” he revealed to me. “It was George proudly admitted. “I was going Upon closer inspection, the car’s sitting behind a shed at Wigbaldys Con- to out-of-state car shows before I could “jalopy” look was obviously put there struction, down the street from my house even walk. I’d go around the shows and on purpose. There was nothing shoddy in a south suburb of Chicago.” guess the years of cars before looking about the build, other than there be- His dad, George Jr., knew a couple at window signs with the actual year. ing no attempt to make the sheetmetal of Wigbaldys’ drivers, so he decided to My dad always had people over to work shine or to make the interior stitch-per- inquire if the old Pontiac was for sale. in the garage after Saturday breakfast. I fect. The oodles of chrome and stainless “Apparently, they were just about to loved seeing hot rods in the driveway steel that decorate ’48 Pontiacs actually have it hauled off for scrap,” George ex- and rode my mini-bike around all day. by John Gunnell benefitted from contrast with the body’s plained, “so they said to my dad, ‘If you On Sunday I would go to church with on-purpose patina. Some (but not all) of pull it out, then you own it!’” my grandma, then read hot rod maga- the bright metal parts actually looked The car was being stripped for paint- zines with my grandpa.” like new-old-stock items. ing, but had been forgotten over time. George’s grandfather taught him The Poncho’s chromed reverse “I remember sitting on my dad’s lap as about different cars and builders. George rims, topped off with baby moon caps, he pulled it with a tractor,” said George. was nicknamed “Hot Rod” because he looked brand-new and expensive. The “It was cool because its front windshield liked pre-1949 cars. He and his grand- lakes pipes that barely fit in the space had a bullet hole! I then became the car’s father dreamed about him having a hot between the car and the ground ac- ‘designated driver’ when dad winched rod he could drive to shows. His grand- centuated the “factory” front fender the relic onto his trailer.” father kept the idea alive. and rocker panel moldings. A mix of Once home, his dad thought the Pon- When he was 18, George saved aftermarket and factory accessories in- tiac was too far gone to be turned into a graduation money and money he had cluded a spotlight on the driver’s side street rod, so he gave it to his buddy, Jay, earned detailing cars at a dealership. He of the windshield frame, amber fog who kept it on the side of his garage for was going to buy a Harley or a father- lamps, bumper guards, fender skirts, an years. Jay helped George’s grandfather — and-son build or a hot rod. outside sunvisor and chrome headlight George Sr. — put a ‘48 Lincoln on a late- “I didn’t know which,” he recalls. visors. And, the gangster whitewalls ‘70s GM chassis. That went well so the “I planned to take my savings and go with Dad to the Frog Follies Car Show in Evansville, Indiana. Jay was putting the ‘48 Pontiac up for sale to fund another project. He asked me to drive it down there to help him sell it.” After driving it, George fell in love with the Pontiac. It rode terribly, it was noisy, and it used a quart of oil on the way to the show, but still George made an offer and bugged Jay about it all weekend. Jay took him to get a milk- shake at a retro Denny’s near the hotel and they clinched a deal. In less than a week, George cut the coils and added a Shiny can be cool, but unshiny can be cool, too! bench seat.

NOVEMBER 2020 • SMOKE SIGNALS 15 George loaded the Pontiac to go to “I found a guy who was an hour joke, and won! college in Wisconsin. There, everyone away who had the correct bumpers,” “I got a huge hug from my dad,” he re- knew his car. He’d be done with classes George explained. “Jay helped me sec- called. “I had Jay ride along in the trophy and have time before baseball practice, tion them and then we flipped the front ceremony. I wanted to leave the car at my so he would drive it around. Being a stu- bumper. When I graduated from col- dad’s to sell, but I got hooked again.” dent athlete, George didn’t have much lege, I had a void to fill from the hours After more car problems and girlfriend time or money to upgrade the car, but spent playing baseball, so I got more se- problems, George decided he had a hot he kept it up, “Like changing a starter in riously involved with a club that is now rod that needed to be rebuilt. He bought a parking lot before a test,” he laughed. called the WiscoKings.” a GM Goodwrench crate engine, had it Gaining the attention of a local car About this time, George was also shipped to his dad’s and, with the help of club, various members told him about starting to get serious with his college his brother, installed it over the course of shows for “traditional” hot rods that girlfriend and began saving for a ring. a weekend. He then made plans for the he might consider attending. George He put the ‘48 up for sale, but whenev- January Retro Rewind car show and rent- couldn’t make many events due to player he put a sign on it, something broke. ed a garage space for December. ing baseball games on weekends. That, He bought a Chevy 350 V8 that turned There, George painted the car purple and his car was also too much of a “rat out to be junk. He was depressed, but inside, put in sound deadener and car- rod” for some of those events. He decid- decided to attend the NSRA Nationals pet and fixed some rust. It was 35 de- ed he wanted to make it more of a tradi- North in Michigan. He entered their grees outside, but he didn’t care. tional hot rod. Under 29-Year-Old Builder contest as a “I was on Cloud Nine driving to a

16 SMOKE SIGNALS •NOVEMBER 2020 For some strange reason, George Jester’s car called out to me at the 2020 Symco show. car show in Wisconsin on my birthday,” core support and installed an alumi- he said. num radiator. He added new hoses, With the assistance of WiscoKings new bumpers and an original ‘48 Pon- Car Club President Jeremy Kisting, they tiac grille. He drove back to Chicago for took the front end apart and rebuilt it the World of Wheels show featuring Ed over another weekend. George later Roth’s “Beatnik Bandit.” found a cheap ‘47 Chevy grille at the After COVID-19 hit, car shows were Jefferson, Wisconsin swap meet. An- cancelled. George is an essential work- other club member offered up the set of er, so he kept working the entire time. chromed reverse wheels. Since he couldn’t leave the state to see 2020 has been hard for George. His friends and family, he needed something grandmother Mary passed away in Jan- to keep him sane and started driving the uary. He drove the Pontiac to Chicago Wisconsin back roads looking for weird in 20-degree weather (while wearing six things to use as a backdrop for photos layers of clothing) just so that her favorite of his car. car would be at the wake. On the way Today, George proudly continues to home, he hit something on the road that use his rodded Pontiac as a daily driv- pierced the radiator. He smelled cooler. He’s been to 10 different states and ant, but the engine’s temperature didn’t has logged over 100,000 miles behind rise much since it was so cold. its wheel. The future looks only bright for Soon after, George built a radiator this Streamliner!

NOVEMBER 2020 • SMOKE SIGNALS 17 The Inner Beauty of a Beater Wagon

18 SMOKE SIGNALS • NOVEMBER 2020 Vintage Pontiac wagons carry a lot more than cargo! story & photography by Scott A. Scheel

wenty years ago, your humble trucks that were beyond repair, I started author was a first-time home- to get the impression my search was fu- owner who very quickly came tile. But then, a Smoke Signals ad for a to the realization that he had Cameo White ’71 Catalina Safari wagon no way of getting various large items in California caught my eye, priced right home from the home improvement at my $2,500 budget. I called to learn store without renting a truck or bor- that is was basically a zero-option car, rowing one. equipped with the standard 400 2-bbl Yes, while I was thrilled to have a powerplant and three options: THM400, nice three-bedroom ranch with lots of AM radio and a power tailgate. attic space plus an oversized garage However, the cost of getting the for my ’73 Formula and ’77 Trans Am, car delivered to me 2,300 miles away something as simple as picking up four- would have almost doubled the price of by-eight sheets of plywood was always the car itself, so I opted to keep looking. an ordeal. Thus began my search for an Next, a 1976 Grand Safari popped “old beater” pickup truck of my own — up online in Springfield, Massachu- ideally a 1968-’72 GMC — but a later setts for $2,800. The option mix was square body would have been okay, intriguing: Firethorn Red over Saddle, too, on my $2,500 budget. but again, very few options: AM radio, I scoured the online ads and local cruise control, power windows, seat classifieds, plus I put the word out to and tailgate — and nothing else. Being my friends. Numerous candidates ma- a Grand Safari, the car had 455 4-bbl terialized — most of which were rust- as standard in addition to the up-level ed beyond repair — but still they were interior. each priced far above my budget. It so happened that I was going to After looking at several $5,000 Boston on business, so I contacted the

NOVEMBER 2020 • SMOKE SIGNALS 19 problem in GM B-body wagons). The One of the wagon’s tires refused to new owner dubbed the car “Big Red,” hold air and was deemed unrepairable, fixed the gas tank and drove the car for but no one in town had a replacement. two years until the transmission failed. So, out came the original 24-year-old He priced the car high to ward off Uniroyal spare for mounting on the the demolition derby guys, and only right rear. confided in me (after he determined After two days of thrashing, I drove I was a bona-fide Pontiac enthusiast the wagon 400 miles home, praying who wanted the car for its utility) that the entire time that the antique spare he’d take just $800 for it. Still, I had the issue of transporting the car 1,000 miles home, but he as- sured me a buddy of his had a good TH400 transmission that I could buy for $100 and drive the car home once it was installed. So, off we went to visit his buddy and purchase the transmission. There I discovered that his in-laws lived in Loaded but well-used ’76 Grand Safari Morgantown, West Virginia, where switchgear shows plenty of wear and some very good friends of mine also tear, but it’s all functional. Dash lay- lived and had a shop big enough to out will be familiar to 1971-’76 B-body install the transmission and go through Pontiac enthusiasts, although the wide the wagon. The guy then offered to Red ’76 Grand Safari odometer shows accessory switch bank is more com- trailer my wagon from Springfield to monly seen on wagons. This example 00,000.0 for the third time. The car Morgantown with his brand-new GMC shows a completely-filled panel with currently has almost a quarter-million controls for passenger side mirror ad- Sierra Duramax — solely for the cost miles on the original 455-V8 motor. justment, power rear window, rear de- of his fuel! (Aren’t Pontiac people awe- froster and power tailgate. some?) My new wagon turned out to be a wouldn’t let go. Fortunately, it didn’t, al- seller to make an appointment to view typical little-old-lady car that had been though the carb cleaner we sprayed had the car in-person. maintained throughout the years by her settled in the valley pan and flashed on It turned out to be a 135,000-mile local service station. Lots of items were a steep grade shortly into our trip. Glad wagon that was special-ordered new still serviceable but showed their age, I always carry an extinguisher! by a couple in their seventies from so we replaced all of the worn items in Over the next few months, I patched Cartelli Pontiac in Holyoke, MA. The the fuel, ignition and cooling systems, some of the rust in the wagon’s flanks and widow, who was still driving the car in installed the used TH400 along with a continued fixing issues that developed 2000 at the age of 98, had sold it due new torque converter, and then treated now that the car was once again being to a leaking gas tank (a very common the car to a thorough cleaning. driven regularly. The water pump, radiator, tires, brakes, suspension and exhaust were all replaced with high-quality and heavy-duty components. I hit my favorite junkyards to col- lect some cool options including Pulse wipers, Rally II wheels, a stereo, bullet mirrors, gauges, Safe-T-Track and a tilt wheel. With the refurbished suspension and working accessories, the car was so comfortable and reliable that it soon became my favorite roadtrip car in addition to the utilitarian use that had prompted me to buy it in the first place.

The SoCal origins of this Palm Springs Grand Safari is confirmed by the sun-fried-but-solid sheet metal and thoroughly decimated interior vinyl and plastics.

20 SMOKE SIGNALS • NOVEMBER 2020 It’s one thing to have someone make a comment about the wagon at a gas stop or parking lot. The reaction when I tell them I own a pair of them is priceless!

dine radiator), but daily use eventually began to take its toll on the Pontiac. The original paint faded to a dusty orange, seat seams split and began showing foam, and the tin worms were dis- solving the car’s sheet metal faster than I could repair it. The rear main seal could no longer contain oil and compression was fading due to loosening tolerances which no doubt could be measured with a yardstick today. Still, the car’s will to survive led me to give the car a nickname. She was christened “Gloria,” referring of course to The well-optioned but well-used the Disco-era anthem I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor. Grand Safari interior is spacious and Daily-driving a mid-’70s station wagon carries some still comfortable. The ubiquitous Pon- liabilities I had never expected. It’s impossible to stop for tiac Custom Cushion steering wheel is gas or park anywhere without some passerby commenting extremely difficult to clean once it gets to this point. The center section was about growing up “...in one of those.” So now I’ve learned to removed to fix a broken horn contact. budget extra time for casual roadside conversations. I’ve also worn out the clamshell tailgate while proudly Miles quickly accumulated despite its insatiable 10-mile- demonstrating it for curious folks — especially millenni- per-gallon thirst. Still, it ran fine on pump gas and was a als who think power tailgates were first pioneered on their comfortable cruiser on all but the hottest of days. mom’s Honda Odyssey. A job change in 2005 led to me no longer having a com- Of course, plenty of people feel compelled to remind me pany car, so the wagon was pressed into daily service. The my wagon gets lousy fuel mileage ...as if I hadn’t already fig- car never once failed me either near home or on a 1,000- ured that out. The wagon is a great litmus test: “car people” mile road trip, so I never felt compelled to buy a new or look past the faded paint, rust holes and leaks to offer their newer-used car. It was driven through torrential rains, snow, thoughts about how the car remains in great shape for its age. ice and blazing sun. The temperature gauge never exceeded But then there are the folks who don’t understand, won- 195 (thanks to a 180-degree thermostat and heavy-duty Mo- dering why I would drive that “...piece of junk.” It’s that

NOVEMBER 2020 • SMOKE SIGNALS 21 You never know who you might encounter on road trips. At a gas stop in Cross Plains, Tennessee, I filled the wagon’s 20-gallon tank under the friendly wave of Chief Pontiac himself. crowd who I thoroughly enjoy sharing tales of my latest 1,100-mile venture with when I have chased body panels, engines, jukeboxes (yes, some of them will actually fit inside) or anything I need for a home project. The most precious cargo I’ve ever carried inside Gloria was my two kids, each brought home from the hospital during their first-ever rides. It turns out the old-style ratcheting lap belts and spongy upholstery did a great job securing infant seats, so the hospital had no problem sending our newborns home once the nurses checked that the carriers were properly anchored in the back seat. Currently, Gloria has 248,000 miles. The heads have never been off of the 455 and the internals haven’t seen human hands since they were assembled in 1976. She still fires right up every time I turn the key in any weather, although the rust has finally compro- mised the car’s structure to the point where a long-distance drive is an un- wise proposition. This only prompted me to search for a donor wagon in hopes of saving Glo-

ria; the sentimental attachment is too strong to part her out, plus I still needed a good utility vehicle. Enter “Griswold,” the Alpine Green ’76 Grand Safari that I located through a “clamshell wagon” enthusiast group in the spring of 2018. This wagon came from Palm Springs, Califor- nia, so it was relatively solid, but what was truly amazing was its option list. Griswold was built with every available factory option except deluxe wheel covers and a vinyl top. The window sticker is two pages long and the retail total came to over $9,000! (You might think of it as the 1976 equiva- The low-option Grand Safari engine bay is so large that it actually makes lent of a fully loaded Yukon Denali today.) the 455 look puny. Changing all eight spark plugs takes about 25 min- My plan was to make one good car out of the utes, start to finish. Chrome dress-up accessories came from various oth- two, but Griswold was so complete and undefiled, er Pontiac projects, and early metallic spray paint was applied as a low- I couldn’t bring myself to change anything. The de- cost alternative to mixing the correct Strato-Blue paint which was not yet cades in the Southwestern U.S. had not been kind available at the time. to him. The deep metallic Alpine Green paint had

22 SMOKE SIGNALS • NOVEMBER 2020 Workin’ that wagon! 4x8’ sheets of plywood, drywall, pegboard (and just about anything else needed for a project) fit just fine inside. 1976 Pontiac literature warns potential buyers that they’ll need a CDL if they want to haul more cargo than the 107 cubic feet that Catalinas and Grand Safaris can handle.

will receive restorations worthy of the service and utility they’ve provided for over four decades. I bought my 20-foot-long, three-ton Pontiac Grand Safari because I already had a bunch of Pontiac parts, needed a cheap utility vehicle and thought the power clamshell tailgate was cool. I initially had no idea the car could carry home twenty four-by-eight- Th e foot sheets of drywall in a thunderstorm mere sight without them getting wet. I had no idea been almost com- of a green sta- of all the warm memories my wagon pletely baked off tion wagon will inev- would elicit at every gas pump and the wagon’s horizon- itably elicit movie quotes parking lot. I had no idea how much I tal surfaces, and every plastic and vi- from Vacation, (hence the car’s would enjoy just driving the car even nyl surface throughout the once-sump- nickname), and old Griswold was though it’s not as fast or pretty as my tuous interior was split, cracked or the obvious choice to fetch our fami- Trans Am, Formula or Grand Prix. disintegrating. ly’s Christmas tree last I started going through the mechan- year. If the tree farm ical items just as I had done to Gloria, had valet parking, we addressing electrical, cooling, exhaust, would have gotten the lighting and safety issues. The power prime spot! options added a layer of complexity I While it might only hadn’t had to deal with on the spartan be common sense to red wagon. part-out Gloria in an ef- In most cases, the grease had con- fort to restore Griswold, gealed and the electric motors were le- all of my memories and

Engine bay of my green wagon is still cavernous, even with its multitude of options and accessories. Hacked wiring and poorly-done repairs from previous owners needed repair. Stra- to-Blue paint on the front of engine was applied during the water pump’s replacement.

With boxed perimeter frames, flat-load I also had no idea that owning a floor and heavy-duty leaf springs, clam- classic station wagon carries the pride shell wagons were intended to work attachment remain on the dance floor hard. While GM engineers and design- with Gloria. She’s never once failed me of preserving the heritage of America’s ers may not have been expecting wag- in 17 years of ownership, so I feel it’s preferred mode of family transportation on owners to haul 12-foot 2x6’s home, my duty to return the favor by finding until the minivan took over. these cars can easily manage that! a more suitable donor to restore her for Whether they’re junkers or jewels, another go-around on the odometer. these wagons carry far more than car- thargic from disuse, so power windows, A good friend and fellow Pontiac go — they carry the legacy of Pontiac, locks, tailgate and seat were again opera- enthusiast expressed interest in buying the innovation of GM, and the pride of tional following a thorough clean, re-lube the loaded “Griswold” wagon, so we ownership of any family guy willing to and an occasional motor replacement. struck a deal and now both wagons put forth the effort to maintain one.

NOVEMBER 2020 • SMOKE SIGNALS 23 Twin Sprints Separated shortly after birth, this pair of ultra-rare Pontiacs has just recently been reunited.

photos & story by Tim Dye

Although 1977 Ventura Sprint #1 (top) may appear to be too nice for our special Not-So- Nice-themed issue, trust me when I say that when viewed in-person, it most definitely qualifies! Mean- while, Sprint #2 (foreground) requires no imagination to understand why it is featured here.

24 SMOKE SIGNALS •NOVEMBER 2020 me, the overdrive, as it was the only Ventura I’d ever seen like it. I story began phoning various Pontiac friends, asking if perhaps of how they’d ever seen anything similar or knew any details about these two exceedingly rare it. For the most part, no one had ever seen or heard of one, 1977 Ventura Sprints fell into but I did get two positive responses. such disrepair began in 1992 when Steven Doris of Michigan told me he used to see one I first purchased the white example from driving around his town, but as a fifteen-year-old car back a friend. (For this story, the white car will be in 1992, it was already extremely rusty. He hadn’t seen it referred to as Sprint #1; the mostly red car will for quite some time, so he figured that the rust must have be referred to as Sprint #2.) finally taken its toll. My friend, Jeff Graham, was an ardent Pontiac fan A second positive response proved to be quite a bit and owner of a 1977 Pontiac Can Am. His Ventura Sprint, more valuable, but sadly I am unable to remember just ex- however, dressed in Cameo Ivory (white) paint and similar red, actly who I was speaking with back then. I do clearly recall orange and yellow stripes, looked somewhat like a scaled-down our conversation, though. This individual had never heard version of his Can Am. Jeff claimed to be the Ventura’s second of a ‘77 Sprint but seemed to recall a neighbor with a car owner, and he took pride in adding the “shaker” hood scoop to that matched my description. “But,” he said, “the sticker on make it look even more like the Can Am. it read Can Am, not Sprint.” Soon after I purchased the car from Jeff, my curiosity went into Even though this individual’s claim sounded as though

NOVEMBER 2020 • SMOKE SIGNALS 25 FAR LEFT: The Ventura Can Am prototype car in all its rusty glory, being saved from the crusher in the early ‘90s. Oddly, many years later, I would have another transaction with this same wrecking yard in Granville, Ohio when I purchased a rare Fiero “engineering chassis” and body panel set for the museum.

ABOVE RIGHT: This is me with the prototype car in 2007 in my back yard. Shortly after this photo was taken, its situation would improve slightly when I erected a sturdier fence and prepared a gravel pad for the cars to rest upon. In comparison, for the last 10 years it has had deluxe indoor storage accommodations (right). he may have still been a bit confused fellow then provided me with the yard’s by my original question, he offered me phone number. the neighbor’s phone number which I Calling the yard, I was told that this GM at the major new-car shows. Further, promptly called in order to verify things ailing Pontiac soon had a date with the it was actually a 1976 model, not a ‘77 for myself. crusher. Now keep in mind that I hadn’t model as one might first think. “Oh, I sold that Pontiac to the junk- even seen a picture of the car, but based After its factory show car duties were yard,” was the neighbor’s response. That solely upon everyone’s description, I de- completed, this Ventura (along with a Le- cided to buy it — whatever it was. Mans) were returned to PMD where it was The wrecking yard was located in painted white and fitted with rear spoilers, Granville, Ohio, and I was in Oklaho- window louvers, shaker scoops, painted ma, so my dad and one of my brothers bumpers and exhaust splitters. Orange, (who reside in Ohio) volunteered to re- yellow and red stripes were added along trieve it for me the next day. with Can Am decals which had a very unique star shape within the letter “C.” Origins of the ‘77 Yes, these were the factory’s two prototypes — two different models that would Ventura Sprint be scrutinized to determine which would receive the official Can Am package that are Tied to Origins was to later be offered to the public. To- day, of course, we know that the A-bodied of the Can Am LeMans was selected to receive that honor. Pontiac Engineer Tom Goad was orig- Sure enough, this car turned out to be inally involved with PMD’s Can Am proj- a Ventura, and it did wear Can Am decals. ect. Years later (after I had acquired this And, it turned out to be an obscure “discarded” Ventura Can Am prototype), piece of Pontiac history along with a he visited my home in Oklahoma to check key to understanding the consequent up on this rare machine. pair of 1977 Ventura Sprints being Graciously, he walked around the car while pointing out the various modifica- I’ve since learned that featured today. tions made by his staff. The car’s white this Ventura began life as a loaded “com- paint was flaking off in places, revealing pany car” that had been displayed by its original black finish underneath. Else- These fuzzy images are the only factory photos we currently have of the Ventura Can where, a few small, crumbling pieces of Am prototype car. From these we are able to make out some of its features including body filler revealed where the rear deck painted bumpers (white on top, black on the bottom), shaker scoop, window louvers, rear spoiler had once been attached. spoiler, body-colored Rally II wheels and exhaust splitters. These frames were culled from Tom then explained that when Ponti- an image which Jim Wangers displayed at one of his club presentations many years ago ac was done showing this “idea” car, the which featured a litany of Can Am oddities — including a Carousel Red Can Am! He was spoiler, shaker scoop and other unique gracious enough to let me borrow the slide to lift this image. I suspect that somewhere, items were removed and the car was sold somehow, there just has to be more pictures of this car! to an employee (thus explaining how

26 SMOKE SIGNALS •NOVEMBER 2020 This is the LeMans Can Am prototype car. Based upon the distinctive wall and trees seen in the background, we can be quite certain that this photo was shot at GM’s Tech Center Styling Dome in Warren, Michigan. This car has many of the same features as the Ventura Can Am such as painted bumpers, rear spoiler and shaker scoop. Instead of Rally II wheels, this car has Snowflake wheels. We don’t know the whereabouts of this car — or if it even still exists — but PMD Engineer Tom Goad’s son, Ted, constructed a replica of it many years ago and still owns it. it fell into private hands). You’d have to son listed on WISCO’s wholesale Dealer Can Am used the same colors, howev- closely look at the VIN to confirm that it Order Form was a Mr. Bill Schmidt. His er, the order in which those colors were was a 1976 model with ‘77 trim installed. package came bundled with a three- used were different on the Sprint package. Now you may be wondering how the piece rear spoiler, right and left-quarter Still, they perfectly matched the prototype 1976 Ventura/Can Am prototype relates window louvers, Sprint logos and tri-tone cars. Likewise, the Can Am lettering style to the two dealer-prepped ‘77 Ventura stripes in red, yellow and orange on the on production Can Ams differed from the “Sprints” that have been recently reunit- spoiler and body sides. WISCO’s price to prototype cars, but the Sprint lettering ed for today’s story? I don’t have all the dealers for all this was listed at $115 plus matched perfectly to the prototypes. answers, but we can guess that when shipping. The spoiler and louvers were It is not known how many Sprint pack- Pontiac picked the LeMans as the model shipped in primer, meaning that the local ages were assembled and sold by individ- to receive the official Can Am treatment, dealers had to paint these pieces before ual dealers nationwide as an add-on pack- someone close to this project recognized installing them on a car that was offered age, but based on so few sightings and the an opportunity. to their customers. known remaining cars, it could not have It is obvious that whoever envisioned Since Pontiac had offered a Sprint op- been very many. I know of four that ex- this Sprint package — something that was tion on the X-bodied Ventura in previous ist still today, and I have the spoiler from offered as an aftermarket “add-on” pack- years, and because no such option was a fifth example. There are pictures ofa age directly to Pontiac dealers by WISCO offered in 1977, it became the perfect white hatchback Sprint in a wrecking yard Corporation of Ferndale, Michigan — was name for WISCO to use! on the internet and the one shown on the privy to what was going on at Pontiac and One big tip-off that the Ventura Sprint WISCO brochure is a white hatchback, so was able to gain their approval. package was a direct descendant of the it is possible those two might be one-and- I don’t know if he may have been the prototype Can Am package was the tri- the-same. After over 20 years of research, company’s principal, but the contact per- tone striping and decals. The production those are the only units that I’m aware of.

This is an example of a stock 1977 Can Am of which 1,377 were produced. You can readily see its family resemblance to the Ventura Sprint. Penny and I completed the purchase of this car on December 22 of 2006. We have a long history of Can Am ownership, owning three others prior to this example.

NOVEMBER 2020 • SMOKE SIGNALS 27 dered the white Sprint which I purchased in 1992. He is no longer with us, and at the time I never thought to ask him how and if this was all connected. However, it is not much of a stretch to imagine that the Can Am he had recently learned about was on his mind when he ordered Sprint #1 in Cameo White with body-colored Rally Wheels, white-lettered tires, Radial Tuned Sus- pension, sport mirrors, a Formula steering wheel and a V8. The car was Dealer Order KB0609 and was likely ordered in mid January soon after he received the WISCO information. The shipping date from the factory was February 11, 1977. Shortly after purchasing this same Ventura as a non-running car in 1992, I started to work on it. Overall, it remained in fairly good shape, but it required a Sprint #1 shown here in top shape, as it was kept during my first instance of own- new cam, lifters, and new tires. Most im- ership. The shaker scoop had been added by a previous, private owner, and was not portantly, and for what I had in mind, I part of the original Sprint package; no doubt that one item would have substantially wanted to get the A/C working again. increased the WISCO package cost! After some detailing, we felt comfortable enough to drive it to the 1993 soon-to-be offered LeMans-based Can POCI Convention in Irvine, California. The Story of Sprint #1 Am at the PMD Zone Merchandising We packed up the kids and had quite an Come 1977, Ernie Miller Pontiac, Meeting. adventure following Route 66 for much at 4700 S. Memorial Drive in Tulsa, The brochure for the 1977 Ventu- of the trip. Oklahoma, was a very active dealer- ra Sprint package suggested that the We stopped at the Grand Canyon ship, selling more than their fair share package would work best with certain and tested the Radial Tuned Suspension options including Ra- on a section of the original historic route dial Tuned Suspension, loaded with switchbacks from Kingman body-colored Rally to Oatman, Arizona. We stopped at the Wheels, white-lettered Wigwam Motel, the Roy Rogers Muse- tires and sport mirrors. um and many other noted roadside at- I spoke to Ron years tractions; it was quite memorable. The ago and I know that he car did great and the A/C kept us cool was the one who or- the entire trip.

This advertisement from an automotive trade magazine is the only known piece where discounts are offered to dealers who bought multiple Sprint packages.

of Pontiacs. So, when Sales Manager Ron Shirley received the mailing from WISCO offering the Sprint package for En route to the 1993 POCI Convention in Irvine, California, we stopped at the Wigwam 1977 Venturas in early January, he was Motel in Holbrook, Arizona. Loaded with kids and luggage, the Sprint’s rear end sagged intrigued. Keep in mind that just weeks a bit. The car’s functioning A/C system was an appreciated luxury for us back then! before he had been introduced to the

28 SMOKE SIGNALS •NOVEMBER 2020 Meanwhile, I continued to seek out any additional infor- it to let it go back to the bank. From there the trail went cold. mation about the 1977 Ventura Sprints, but little was to be Many years passed, but I managed to catch back up with found. I wrote a short story about it which my friend, Ken Sprint #1 again in 2008 when it was located in Coffeeville, Kan- Fredericks (yet another fellow Can Am owner), posted on his sas. I was on my way to a swap meet in Wichita and stopped website — somewhat of a novelty back then. I also continued by to see it. I was saddened to see the condition it was in. The to search for other examples, figuring I could learn more from original 305 engine was gone and the passenger side louvers their owners, but that really didn’t work out — there were sim- had gone missing. It obviously had been sitting outside and ply none to be found! had begun to deteriorate. To add insult to injury (and again, I One exception occurred in 1996 when another Can Am don’t recall the exact figure), the owner wanted crazy money enthusiast, Dan Rhodes from Arkansas, sent me pictures of for it. I had to walk away. a red-painted example available for purchase at K&L Motors Yet more years passed. I don’t know how or where he heard in Quitman, Arkansas. It looked to have been repainted with about it, but yet another Can Am owner and friend, Verne incorrect Sprint lettering, and it wore Chevrolet Monte Carlo Howard, told me he heard the car had popped up in Kansas City but had been crushed. Penny and I were crushed as well. How could the car go from this guy in Coffeeville thinking it was worth a million to being worth nothing and crushed in Kansas City?

In 2008, I located Sprint #1 in Coffeeville, Kansas. The motor was missing, as was one of the window louvers. The seller was asking way too much for it. The car was eventually offered on eBay in 2009. wheels. He included a picture of the dealer’s sign and phone number, but I simply couldn’t afford to do anything about it at the time. Besides... who would want two of them? (I would, that’s who!) For reasons unclear to us now, we eventually sold our Sprint, but it wasn’t long before we regretted doing so. Penny, who at that time was often indifferent to (but still tolerated) my hobby better than most wives, surprised me: She seemed to Here is part of the package that dealers received from the WISCO miss the car more than I did! Corporation of Ferndale, MI. 1977 would be the Ventura’s final Casually, I started to track it down. I began by calling the guy year, as the X-bodied Phoenix would take its place. I sold it to, but he had sold it and the person to whom he sold Figuring we had seen the last of that car was a hard pill to Here we are on February 1, 2017, retrieving Sprint #1 swallow. As the years went by and not being able to locate any from the Kansas City used car lot. This is by far the best other examples, it made us appreciate that car even more. angle to view the car in the condition it was in. Then, on January 31, 2017, I received an unexpected text from Verne. He urged me to check the Craigslist offerings in Kansas City. There it was! Sprint #1 was being offered for sale by a used car lot! This car lot was one of those “finance and pay-by-the- week” places and it was not their kind of car so they advertised it on Craigslist. I called immediately, asked the price, and told them I would be there the next day to pick it up. And yes, Pen- ny was fully onboard with this decision! When we arrived to look at it, in some ways it was in even worse condition than when I had last seen it. The salesman said it had been traded in along with two other cars towards a single vehicle. Someone had painted its grilles and headlight bezels flat black, installed gauges in the A/C vents, replaced the original radio with an aftermarket unit, and so on. On the good side, it now had a motor and it ran, but it was also a lot cheaper. We were happy to get it back!

NOVEMBER 2020 • SMOKE SIGNALS 29 LEFT: This is one of the pictures I received in 1996; it looks like a pretty decent car. BELOW: What it looks like in 2020... not so nice!

FAR LEFT: This is another one of the pictures from 1996. With the exception of the driver’s seat, the interior looks fairly nice.

LEFT: By 2020, the condition of the interior appears to have suffered greatly. It was this picture with the white paint visible on the floorboard — plus the presence of a Formula steering wheel — that prompted me to won- der if this car came from the same dealership as the other Sprint.

original Sprint. and knew of the seller, I bought the car. “What are the odds,” I asked Penny, The coronavirus had just kicked-in “that this car also came from Ernie Miller and I did not feel comfortable traveling. Pontiac in Tulsa — just like our other car?” Enter Sprint #2 After a little while, I called Ken (who Upon ordering the car’s invoice from also lives in Arkansas) and asked if he Pontiac Historic Services, I was able to Fast forward to March 2020 when could go get it for me and hold onto it confirm that indeed, it was! I was contacted by a fellow in Arkan- until I could retrieve it. I thought to myself, “That Ron... He sas. He had found that old story from “No problem!” You can’t have too didn’t tell me he ordered two of ‘em!” the 1990s that was still posted on Ken’s many friends. They were identical cars with the ex- website. He told me that he was going to In the meantime, I studied the pic- ception of the interior. Sprint #1 came go look at a ‘77 Ventura Sprint the next tures and determined there was no with a white bench seat with black ac- day and he had some questions. doubt that this red Sprint #2 was the cents while Sprint #2 was ordered with He was stunned when I asked him if same car from the 1996 photos — only white bucket seats and red accents. the car was painted red. “How did you in much worse condition. The owner Sprint #2 was Dealer Order KB0600 know that?” he wondered aloud. sent me the title in the mail, and guess — just nine units before the other one. He and his grandson were looking at what? The seller listed on the title was However, it was shipped from the factory it for a project. I answered his questions the car lot in those old photos. Alan on January 31, 1977, exactly 11 days be- and told him to let me know if he bought Kennedy had purchased it from the car fore the other example. it or not. I’d be happy to help him if he lot in February of ‘97 and owned it all Bob Adams, who years ago ordered wanted to fix it up, but otherwise I’d be these years until his passing, then the much of the new inventory for his fam- interested in buying the car if he decided person I bought it from acquired it, but ily’s dealership (Bert Adams Pontiac of the project wasn’t right for him. He called never transferred the title. Joliet, Illinois), reports that it wouldn’t be the next day to say he did not buy it and As I studied the pictures, I noticed unusual for a dealership the size of Ernie gave me the seller’s number. a spot where some carpet was miss- Miller’s to have ordered “groups of cars.” After a series of phone conversations, ing. There, white paint was visible on He even suggested that it was very possi- looking at photos and talking to a POCI the floorboard. And then, I noticed the ble that both of our Venturas could have member who lived right down the street Formula steering wheel — just like our been ordered on the very same day.

30 SMOKE SIGNALS •NOVEMBER 2020 Separated from Ernie Miller Pontiac in Tulsa in early 1977, these two “twin” Moving Pontiacs (from the factory) have now been reunited 43 years Forward later. What are the odds of So, what’s that happening? next for this distinctive duo? Even though these Pon- tiacs are quite rare, I never expect their collector values to soar. I don’t envision anything like frame-off restorations in their future, but still, my intention is to fix them both. As you can see, I’ll need quite a few interior pieces. I am most concerned about re- placing the missing louvers on the passenger side of Sprint #1. They both came originally equipped with a 305-2bbl V8, but now they are each motivated by a 350-4bbl motor. So, mechanically, everything should be fairly simple to repair or replace.

The Bookmobile Initially, the ‘77 Ventura Sprint package was only briefly mentioned in Thomas Bon- sall’s Pontiac: The Complete History 1926-1979, on page 256. Later, when John Gunnell was composing 75 Years of Pontiac, the Official History, I submitted a pho- to of Sprint #1 which he kindly included in his book. But today, this Smoke Signals piece offers the most up- to-date information currently available.

NOVEMBER 2020 • SMOKE SIGNALS 31 Members’ Motors The Not-So-Good, The Bad and the Ugly expanded edition of Member’s Motors. 32 SMOKE SIGNALS • NOVEMBER 2020 Dave Erickson - 1974 LeMans GT I’ve been driving Pontiacs for over 45 years and have always been attracted to the oddballs. I’ve owned a Limefire Green 1974 Grand Am 4-door 4-speed, even more unique in that it was ordered without A/C or tinted glass but with Honey- combs, dual exhaust, HD cooling, and cornering lights. It was ordered new by a Lt. Colonel in the U.S. Army, in Arizona. Another oddity was a 1976 LeMans Sport Coupe with a factory Olds 260-V8 and a B-W T50 5-speed. While it was common in Oldsmobile Cutlasses, Pontiac only offered it in ‘76, and only on the Sport Coupe. It is supposedly one of just 20 built. I’ve also owned four 1979 Grand Ams, one being a 4-speed, and one with the factory wire wheels, sunroof, and automatic temperature control (ATC). There have been many others, but I’ll get to the ones we currently own. Mine, a 1974 LeMans GT Sport Coupe, is a factory louvered-window-delete car (a $35.00 credit), 455, THM400 and 3.42 Saf-T- Trac. It was ordered new in South Bend, Indi- ana by Odell Carr at Don Medow Pontiac. Mr. Carr moved to California, and the GT spent CONTINUED

NOVEMBER 2020 • SMOKE SIGNALS 33 much of its life out there. In 2012, it came up for sale by the second owner. I planned to buy it but couldn’t get the details worked out in his time frame, so I called Lyndon Fitzgerald and told him about it. He was able to buy it and I asked him to let me know if he ever planned to sell it. In late 2018 he offered it to me and I picked it up in June of 2019. My wife Pam bought the car for me as a gift. One reason I wanted this car, aside from the uniqueness of it, was back in 1980 I had a near twin to it that I sold to my dad and he drove it for a few years. It was also Cameo White but had a black bucket seat, no-console interior and was a 350 4-barrel, 3-speed. It also had the louvers. It is mechanically sound, and drives a lot better than it looks.

Ken Murray - 1953 Chieftain Deluxe These pictures are of our all-original 1953 Pontiac Chieftain Deluxe with the 239cid Flat- head Six with three-on-the-tree. The car was purchased new in 1953 at Payne Pontiac in West Jefferson, North Carolina by my grandfather, Fields Absher. He was a road crew fore- man and was killed by a prisoner in a prison break in 1959, three years before I was born. The car was driven by my grandmother until she parked it in a shed in 1973. It remained there until my aunt transferred the title to me in September 2016. So, I am the third owner — all the same family. It now resides 30 miles from where it was purchased new. It took a year and a half to get the motor unstuck and running. It’s very rough inside, and rough around the edges, but it is good for going to the local Boone, North Carolina cruise-ins. And, the Chief Pontiac hood ornament that still lights up is always a hit! These pictures show the car with my aunt, mom, and uncle in front of their dad’s car, my kids in the car, and various shots of the car as it is now. Yes, that is a bullet hole in the trunk. That happened shortly after the car was new while parked at the prison camp one day. No one ever confessed. My first car was a ‘78 Trans Am, then a ‘84 S-15 Jimmy. I have had an ‘84 6000STE, a 2000 Grand Am GT and a 2005 Sierra 1500. Currently I have a 2014 Sierra 1500 and I have a 2020 Sier- ra on order. I wish I still had that ‘78 T/A back in my garage to go with the ‘53 Chieftain! And, I love Smoke Signals... It is my favorite read!

34 SMOKE SIGNALS • NOVEMBER 2020 Dick Riblett - 1964 Tempest Custom Wagon

I found this wagon around 1992, fitted with a ‘71-vintage 400-V8 and THM400. Recent changes include front 550-pound springs, Koni shocks, camber correction unit, disc brakes, 1.25-inch front sway bar, Lee power box (fast ratio/high effort). Un- derhood is a 428 that is bored .060” over, 8.7:1 068 cam, Q-Jet, HEI, Muncie 4-speed with a 2.54 first, and a 10-bolt 2.56 rear. We are at 287,000 miles.

Peter Lungulow 1967 Catalina 4-Door My “Not So Nice” Pontiac is a 1967 Catalina 4-door hardtop. The car escaped from Florida in 2004 and made it to Toledo, Ohio where it was captured by a neighborhood car lot. After chas- tising the car lot owner for having such a piece of junk downgrading his car lot , I told him I would remove the eyesore from his lot. I low- balled his asking price and, to my surprise, he accepted my offer. Driving the car home revealed several issues that required prompt attention. The A/C system did not work, which I promptly removed because you do not need A/C when you live in the garden spot of Ohio. The engine had a bad exhaust valve in cylinder Number 5. I replaced the 400-2V engine with one from 1973. The brakes were reconditioned, transmission filter changed, tires replaced, interior refurbished, and suspension components inspected and defected ones replaced. I added a new coat of paint and, man, what a ride it is! Fast forward through 16 years of daily driving and outdoor parking. Things have changed. The offers do not come as they once did. My ‘67 Catalina is still on the road after 53 years and continues to perform daily. You cannot ask anything more than that from a Pontiac. Oh, and my cat also loves the Catalina.

Ross Tuggle - 1973 GMC Suburban

Here’s a picture of my 1973 GMC 4WD Suburban — or what’s left of it for your Not-So-Nice issue. It’s now a Buick 455-powered huntin’ rig. I even had a gal tell me, “I didn’t know Mercedes made one of those,” after I installed the grille ornament. Thanks for all your work on a great magazine!

NOVEMBER 2020 • SMOKE SIGNALS 35 Steve Schupp 1929 4-Door Sedan I‘ve been working on a 1929 Pontiac Big Six. It is a two-owner car with just 44,000 miles, last driven in 1958 (and it still wears its license plates from that year). Yes, it’s a solid car with a nice interior. It has both original books, all registrations, and the original title (since new). The motor was disassembled in the 1980s. I hope I can get it back together and running.

Bill Meiers - 1966 Bonneville Convertible Here is the history of my back-burner Pontiac. I bought it brand new at Ace Wilson’s late in 1966. The ‘67s were already on the showroom floor. I laid out close to $3,400 for it and drove it home. I have the “A” title, dated August 25, 1966. Marina Turquoise with a green top, no A/C, 325-horse 389, automatic, with just 54,000 actual miles. It’s never been back to the dealer for anything. I replaced the engine at 41,000 (1975), but took it off the road in 1978. I put it back into service in 1982 with new paint when I joined POCI. Out of service again in 1985 due to a divorce, but it is just waiting for me to get back to working on it again — it has been on this lift for about eight years now! I had the seats recovered, and I have a brand-new 389 all ready to go inside. It needs brakes, top, repaint, tires, etc. This explains why the pics ain’t much. Too much stuff to move right now to get it down, but I might be doing it soon? Perhaps I could send an updated pic at that time. P.S.: I love Smoke Signals. Good work!

36 SMOKE SIGNALS • NOVEMBER 2020 Ken Burmeister 1938 Coupe

If you’re looking for a ROUGH and TUMBLE candidate for your Not-So- Nice edition, I think my ‘38 Pontiac fits that description to a tee! I have always raced and hot-rodded Pontiacs, and about ten years ago, this ‘38 coupe popped up on eBay. I have always had GTOs or Tempests but I really liked the 1930s-era coupes because I grew up watching the gas- sers at the local dragstrips and really thought they were cool. This ‘38 was a stalled gasser project on its way to being another bor- ing smallblock Chevy-powered cookie cutter race car. NO WAY! When I got it home, it was a roller with a front clip from a 1970 A-body, set up for a Brand-X smallblock. An extremely narrowed Ford 9-inch hung from a four-link, attached to a square tube back half-frame.The one feature I did think was neat is the 1959 Chevy dash that has been tack-welded in place of the original. I changed the motor mounts around to fit a Pontiac engine, connected to a THM400 transmission. Then, I sold the narrowed 9-inch rear and replaced it with an 8.8-inch Ford rear along with the leaf

springs. I installed a Rebel wiring kit to have lights, turn signals and such to make it street legal. My first outing with it was to the POCI/GTOAA Co-Vention in Dayton, Ohio. We had a blast there! I drove it to the dragstrip and raced it and cruised around the show area. At that time, the ‘38 had a tired Pon- tiac 350 with Tri-Power and I finally got it to run low 14-second ETs. Since then, I’ve replaced the 350 with a 455 with 6X heads and, of course, the 1965 Tri-Power. Now it runs high-12s with a best of 12.40. It is still a pump gas, street-legal car that I take to cruises and drive around. Now, about that paint job... When I was a kid (I’m now 71 years old) I built model cars, but I was always messy with glue, fingerprints in the paint and, overall, I was a terrible builder. Fast forward... a number of years have passed and I am still a terrible painter, welder, builder and only a fair mechanic. I never intended to build a Rat Rod but I wound up with a full-scale car just like one I had built long ago as a model. I some- times think about painting it to make it look nice, but I am having way too much fun with the car the way it is. I think the most fun thing about my P38 is that no one ever comes up and says, “I had one just like that.” I hope you enjoy the photos and the story behind this unique and fun car!

NOVEMBER 2020 • SMOKE SIGNALS 37 Lee Sutherland 1972 GTO Here is my 1972 T-coded GTO. I bought this in the winter of 2003- ’04. It was listed for sale locally for $4,000 and came with P/S, PDB, a non-original 455 with headers, worked 6X heads, THM400 and a 3.55 10-bolt rear. After negotiating with the seller for quite some time, I bought it for just $2,200, as he was needing cash badly! The car also came with extras like a rear quarter panel, fender, hood and front valence panel. The car’s condition, body-wise, is almost exactly as As for the interior, well, let’s say I made this into my dai- the day I bought it some 17 years ago with the exception of a ly driver. I added original options such as tilt, sport steering replaced rear trunk lid. Same “different shades of red” faded wheel, Rally Gauges, clock, power windows, electric rear paint, primer, rust and rot. in-glass defrost, power trunk release, and then a hood tach. Since making it roadworthy, the 455 that came in the Still to be installed at some point would be a power seat engine bay blew up on a highway drive. So, I had anoth- and door locks, and a rear spoiler. er 455 built and put that in using quality parts, the worked The car has run a 13.5@101mph at the dragstrip. ...Not 6X heads, Performer RPM intake, MSD distributor and a re- bad in my book for a car that weighs-in at over 4,000 built QuadraJet. When I sent the THM400 to get a rebuild, pounds, carrying all those options — including me! I added a 12-bolt 3.07 rear end and a Flowmaster 2-1/2” Hopefully one day I’ll be able to send it off to have body- exhaust. Underneath the car, I installed rear Hotchkiss upper work and a nice, shiny paint job. You know... to have “the and lower control arms, “fat” front and rear sway bars, and show” to match “the go,” and to have another wonderful upgraded to 15-inch tires and rims all around. Pontiac still driving down the road all these years later.

Charles Leonard Coker 1953 Chieftain Custom Catalina Here’s my still-work-in-progress 1953 Chieftain Custom Catalina. After having owned my 1953 Pontiac for 47 years, I’m still working on it. As a part restoration/ part custom, it will be powered with a 1959 389-V8 mated to a 1955 B&M Hydro-Stick Dual Range Hydra-Matic. I modified the 1953 Oldsmobile wire wheel hubcaps with 1953 Pontiac rear fender emblems. The list of options and accessories is likely more than any other Pontiac of the 1950s.

38 SMOKE SIGNALS • NOVEMBER 2020 Gary & Jill Wojcik 1956 Chieftain Here is our new project, a 1956 Chieftain. In July, while finishing up wedding arrangements, I saw this car for sale online. After contacting the seller, we borrowed a car trailer and drove to Minnesota. We bought the car and brought it back to Indiana. The car had been sitting in a barn since 1966. It looks to be missing only a few parts. Sadly, all of the glass was broken and the engine is stuck, but we are in the process of rebuilding it. We are now married and looking forward to getting this car back on the road!

Keith Knudsen 1970 Trans Am When I saw the request for some Not- So-Nice cars in the latest Smoke Signals, I knew I had a candidate. My 1970 Trans Am has a fair amount of patina, but it is a numbers-matching 4-speed Ram Air III car with air conditioning that came originally with the relatively uncommon Deluxe San- dalwood cloth interior. It’s in the queue for a proper and comprehensive restoration someday. But, even with 150K miles, it still drives pretty nice!

NOVEMBER 2020 •SMOKE SIGNALS 39 Todd Smith 1958 Chieftain Wagon It was 2019 when my family and I drove our 1948 Pontiac 4-door family cruiser to the Frog Fol- lies Show, just as we have done for many years. My wife, youngest daughter and I were walk- ing the swap meet and I happened to overhear a woman who had run into a fellow she knew and said, “I was just thinking of you. Did you see those two Pontiac wagons for sale?” He responded with, “Yes I did... Pretty cool cars and if I needed another project and a divorce, I’d have them!” I soon found them in the swap meet — a 1956 Chieftain 2-door and a 1958 Chieftain 6-passenger 4-door. They both caught my eye but I have always been attracted to ‘58s. It seemed like it spoke to me, just like Christine (the possessed ‘58 Plymouth). I went for it. I started looking things over and all was super straight, with all-original paint, solid, but the driver-side floor pan was rusted out. I got to talking with the owner, Jeff Petterson from Ridin’ Dirty Rod Shop in Madisonville, Kentucky — one of the nicest guys you would ever run into. Jeff said his dad had bought the pair in Texas at an auction. My wife reminded me that we already had too much going on with finishing the ‘48, as well as my ‘67 Chevelle Super Sport that I’ve owned and have been driving since 1987. I reminded her that she had expressed an interest in owning an old woodie or a station wagon to drive in the summer, and here it is! Fast forward a couple of weeks... Because our soon-to-be-15- year-old daughter does Junior Drag Racing (which is very time con- suming), the cars had been put on hold. I could not get that ‘58 out of my mind. I mentioned it again to my wife (not 100 times... well, maybe), and she finally said “Yes!” After getting her clearance, I was on the phone leaving a message for Jeff, but heard nothing back. Finally, after a week, he texted more pictures, claiming a lot of people were interested but that he still had it! We immediately talked and he said it was still on the trailer ready for an upcoming swap meet. By the next weekend, my buddy Ron, along with his son Kinzer and I, were off to Madisonville, Kentucky (nearly six hours from Pesotum, Illinois). We agreed on a good price with four new floor pans in the deal that he had not told me he had, and now we have the wife’s wagon to start on. We are actually hopeful that the original 395 motor is not locked up and will work. The add-on air-power brakes and everything else is untouched and original. Unfortunately, Jeff knew no history on the car except for it was from Texas. The original name plate puts it in Muskogee, Oklahoma from Kuykendall Pontiac. Our plans are a question as with the patina thing being so popular right now, I’ve been told just to clear coat it and drive it. I’m not that fond of the color and patina on it. Our plan is to make it a driver with presentable paint and a good reliable drivetrain. Our ‘48 Pontiac has been so much fun because — unlike the Chevelle — we take it everywhere, don’t worry about dings, bugs, etc. But actually, it’s hard to dent that tank! Unfortunately with it being a ‘58 and reminding me of how drawn we were to it, I keep saying “Show Me!” (unlike the movie). So far, nothing.

40 SMOKE SIGNALS •NOVEMBER 2020 Scott Shockley 1966 2+2

I wanted to share some pictures and the story of the Pontiac that was my introduction into the car hobby. My family has always been fans of the Pon- tiac brand, with many passing through the family before I arrived, and many more as I grew up. My uncle was a Flathead Pontiac man while my father was always a fan of Bonneville convertibles. My father, Wendell, purchased his first Bonne- ville in 1959 and usually got a new one every couple of years, culminating in him and my stepmoth- er buying a new 1975 GrandVille convertible as a wedding gift to themselves. It still sits in the garage today. In 1970, one of my father’s colleagues came into the That was it, I was hooked! office driving a new Hemi Challenger. My dad promptly The 2+2 took a back seat to other things over time and asked him what he had done with his old Pontiac, to was regulated to the back of one of dad’s storage buildings which he replied, “It was at home in the garage because — along with his stories of his old factory hot rod. the dealer only wanted to give me $700 in trade.” It migrated around from one place to another when My father quickly made him a deal and brought home moves took place but was usually behind something else. a slightly less-than-perfect 1966 Pontiac 2+2 coupe. ...That was until about 18 months ago when I took it upon As those were the days of single-car garages, there myself to excavate it and attempt to awaken it from its were some incidents of rash and other superficial dam- slumber. I couldn’t believe that it had been so long and age to which my father added one additional wrinkle in realized that I had not been able to open the hood in 18 the rear quarter in the ten years that it was the primary years!It was uncovered, washed and moved to a work bay commuter vehicle. to begin the reawakening process of fluids, gaskets, tires, It was last registered in 1980 and still wears those exhaust, carburetor, and every other system rejuvenation. plates. Dad was a proponent of seat belt use long before With preservation as the focus, my goal was to be able to they became fashionable. When I was six, my legs were take Dad for a ride again before it was too late. not long enough to reach the end of the seat when I was The first ride has taken place and he still regales in strapped into the Strato Buckets. With my feet sticking the tales of days past and how any scar seen on the car straight out — and with only a limited view of the sky was added — at least the ones in which he was involved. and overhead traffic signals — my vision was of my fa- Perhaps one day a restoration will be in the cards, but ther gripping that Hurst shifter peeking out from the con- for now the mere fact that it lives and breathes again is sole along with the visceral noise and feeling of being enough... but this time with him fastened firmly into the thrust back into the seat as he ripped through the gears. passenger seat!

NOVEMER 2020 • SMOKE SIGNALS 41 John Bocchieri 1968 Firebird I put this ‘Bird together from two cars, drove it to the Car Craft Nationals in ‘80 and ‘81. It made it into Thunder Am (June ‘82) and Car Craft Street Freaks issue Number 6. I had a Sprint Six for the trips, got 29 mpg, and it could run a 16.50-second quarter mile with a Nash 5-speed. Now, it waits for me to get it going once again.

A portion of the story from the June 1982 issue of Thunder Am magazine.

Cliff Mursch 1930 Coupe

This is my 1930 Pontiac 3-window Coupe. I have had it since 1976 when I bought it from a used-car lot in Ashboro, North Carolina. It was always to be my retirement project. I got it running when I first brought it home and kept it in a pole barn for many years. It always looked good, but the wood was weak. I finally pulled it into my garage and started taking it apart and found the wood to be very bad. My desire was always to just make a parade car out of it — not a first-class restored car. It is cute and would be fun to drive around the local area, but not out on main highways. It would be a good “sad story” car that I hope to get back together some day.

42 SMOKE SIGNALS •NOVEMBER 2020 cause of all the stuff that we require cars to have now. Mark, Bryan & Sue Burrell I purchased this car in the early 1990s. The seller had some work done on the car by a “reputable” mechanic, but then it would not run right. It had a horrible miss and would 1988 Fiero Formula barely pull itself around the block during the test drive. I quietly paid for it, loaded it on my trailer, and then This is my ugly 1988 Fiero Formula, automatic, in faded ran the firing order when I got home. Routing three of the red with a gray interior. This car is kind of unusual because it does not have a sunroof. Thank goodness, because they all leaked! Notice that this car has the aftermarket Hol- ley-branded scoop, before the Holley company made the manufacturer stop making them. After several lawsuits, the outlaw company kept making them with the name misspelled as “Holey” to get around the infringement. Before I purchased it, there were several paint repairs over the years that did not color match. A few years back, the clear was coming off so I decided toremove all the clear coat because I wanted a faded look. It has faded nicely and makes it look like a real old car. It is a real old car [(ha ha)] — at 30-plus years old. When children tell me it is an old car, I just smile and agree, even though I think it is a new car. I use this car mostly in the spring when I go to farm equipment auctions. It gets real good mileage, and looks good at an auction within a sea of farmers’ pickups. spark plug wires to the correct plugs made it run perfect. There will be 100 pickups and just one old, faded red Fiero! When purchased, the transmission would not shift correct- After the auction season, I take my gas receipts to my ly and would not go into overdrive. By chance one day, an local Chevrolet dealer salesman and brag about the great old farmer came in to buy some parts. He noticed some of mileage that my 30-year-old car gets compared to the new my Fieros in the shop and told me that he had worked at cars they sell. They think the public should be impressed a Pontiac dealer when these cars were new. I immediately with new cars that make 20-22 mpg. I tell them that’s a joke asked him about my shifting problem, and he told me how compared to my super gas-sippin’ ol’ 1988 car. to fix it. He said there was a small screen on the side of the In 2020, all cars should make 50 mpg, right? What has transmission that was likely plugged with clutch material. happened in the last 30 years for mileage improvements? Sure enough, I found the little plugged screen, cleaned My dealer friend says that the cars weigh too much, be- it, and it has worked perfectly ever since.

Mike Ingersoll 1963 Tempest Wagon Here’s my entry for a “Not-So-Nice” feature car. It’s a 1963 Pontiac Tempest wagon. This car was the backup body for the well known “Grocery Getter” wagon, as campaigned by the Bag Boys out of Ohio. It was also briefly owned by Arnie Beswick as he was the one who found it for the Bag Boys. The car was extremely rusty when I bought it, but the price was right and I wanted to save it due to it being owned by well-known Pontiac racers and its “almost” race history! The car currently runs and drives, but my intention is to build it into a street/strip car. I have had it to the drag strip a few times, running a best of 10.56@126mph through the exhaust! Future plans call for factory-style silver exterior with a red interior.

NOVEMBER 2020 • SMOKE SIGNALS 43 Larry Burns 1965 Bonneville Convertible I bought my 1965 Bonneville convertible in the spring of 1985. Actually, I “rescued” it from a guy who bought it solely for pulling boats at the marina because his Jeep wagon didn’t have the oomph to pull the larger ones out of the river. I paid $3,000. Needless to say, the car’s trunk was like Swiss Cheese. It showed 88,000 miles on it and I have put on over 150,000 more with one rebuild of the 389. This Bonneville was built and sold in California, and the original Build Sheet came with it. Its base price was $3,500, but the original buyer added $2,000 worth of options. It has 8-lug wheels, PS, PB, PW, P/Vent windows, sport interior with bucket seats (Driver side 4-way power) and console with THM400 automatic, vacuum gauge, low fuel warning light, speed alert with Electro Cruise, ATC-A/C, and AM-FM with reverb. This is a true road warrior as we have taken it to Washington, DC to see the wall (I am a Viet Vet), Niagara Falls into Canada, and out to the middle of Montana for our honeymoon. We had seven days so we drove up to U.S. Route 2 in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and then drove as far west as we could in two-and-a-half days, turned south and drove to about the middle of Wyoming then turned east and drove back. We also did Historic Route 66 all the way from Chi- cago to Santa Monica and then back home via Interstate 10 through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and Louisiana, and then turned north on I-55 at New Orleans to Memphis, then jumped on I-57 to Chica- go and back home to southwest Michigan. All that, plus a myriad of round trips to Chicago. In February of 2014, the garage collapsed on my Bonneville and I haven’t driven it since. When I first saw it under the downed roof and tons of snow, it looked like the tires were popped, the shocks and springs were gone, the tailpipes were almost touching the floor, but after the roof and snow were removed it rose up to it’s normal driving stance. The ridge board caught the left corner of the windshield frame and drove it down about three inches. I haven’t had the extra cash to get it fixed, and I don’t know if the windshield frame can be straightened or fixed. Well, that’s my saga.

Carlos Jimenez - 1955 Star Chief I‘m a finance manager at a Toyota dealership. I bought this Pontiac from a man in Chico, California where it sat in a shed for many years. I saw his ad on Craigslist and called him. I paid a car hauling company $500 to have it brought down to Southern California. I bought it without looking at it for myself, just though pics and videos. I took it and had the motor swapped for an LS motor. It will squeal the tires with a small push on the foot pedal. I had it repainted, trying to stay true to the original colors as was shown in the picture here and as it sat when I purchased it. Even though I was born in 1967, I love the 1950s-era cars. My dad got me interested in General Motors cars when I was young. He owned mostly Buicks, but I really fell in love with old cars when I saw him restore a 1956 pickup. I plan on passing it on to one of my two grandsons, Malakai or Josiah. For the other one, I’ll help him build whatever 1950s classic he wants.

44 SMOKE SIGNALS •NOVEMBER 2020 Marty Boyum - 1969 GTO & 1965 Catalina Back in 2000, when I was 15, I got a loan from my dad to buy a 1969 GTO. Growing up, I always loved the Carousel Red ‘69 Judge and wanted to build one. My dad knew of a car that belonged to a friend of a friend who once was a bodyman at Art Gobel Ford. After a few phone calls and a viewing, the car was bought for $1,200. The car had been sitting in a shed for quite a few years. Once I was 16, I did manage to briefly get the Judge running and put about six miles on it driving to the gas station and back with a big smile on my face! The car had a 455 in it with Ram Air III heads, headers and, of course, a 4-speed. That was the extent of me driving it — still to this day, besides up and down from the house to the pole barn to tinker with it. During high school I decided to rebuild the engine as part of a shop class course. The heads and deck of the block looked like somebody took an angle grinder to it, so I ended-up trad- ing the block/rotating assembly for a early ‘90s Buick or Olds daily driver with club member Tom Vankempen. Sometime shortly afterwards, I was given a ‘62 Grand Prix by another local club member, Craig Ahl- man. That was a black-and-gold car, but he wanted the engine back, so I talked the neighbor into letting go of a ‘70 400 from a Grand Prix so I could put it in the ‘62. Tom (mentioned earlier) then did a “budget” freshening of that engine for me. I then started a new job at a motorcycle dealership and got into that hobby, too, so within a few years the ‘62 got sold and the engine sat along with the ‘69 GTO.Fast forward to 2013 when I was in a better career, making decent wages and done with the party-like-a-rockstar lifestyle. I decided it was now or never — time to dive back into the GTO project. In 2014, I had the car stripped down and taken to several shops for paint and body work quotes. I finally found a guy that was recommended by another club member and took the car to him. Once again, Tom got the 400 engine back in his garage for a check-up, as many years had passed (and during that time the Ram Air III heads went back on along with fuel injection and a couple other little things). In 2019, the engine was finished and I got the chassis back for me to restore and prepare for the body to be put back on when completed.I am now done with blasting and painting on the frame. Lines are now plumbed and I’m ready for the rear and suspension to go back, after which I can install the driveline. Over the years my mind has changed and I have decided on not doing a Judge tribute. I am going to stay with the original Matador Red/Black vinyl top with a few added options (Ram Air, spoiler and hood tach). This has turned into my lifelong restoration project, and hopefully in another few years or so my ugly duckling GTO might just be a nice, presentable car to drive. I purchased the 1965 Catalina this summer (June of 2020). Greg is a good friend of my dad’s and I’ve known him ever since I can remember. The car belonged to his dad (Milt), who was a member of AACA. He had the car for quite a long time. I vaguely remember when I was around 10 years old my dad storing the car in his pole barn for a year or two. Greg talked with my dad about selling the car. He had just lost both his dad and wife within a month of one another. That’s when I stepped in and wanted to go look at it. I ended up purchasing it from him, initially as a daily driver since my ‘06 Impala was on its last legs. It had been sitting for about four or five years, so I drained out the old gas and added fresh gas and a battery and it ran pretty well!Milt had the engine and transmission gone through years earlier, so no major issues there. I have also gone though the brakes and have enjoyed driving it this summer. I plan to park it over the winter as it is a lot nicer than initially expected. The car has power steering, power brakes, air conditioning, the original higher-compression, 290-horse, 389 2-barrel V8 and THM400 transmission. It is an excellent running and driving car that I’m proud to have acquired while assuming the role as its next caretaker.

NOVEMBER 2020 • SMOKE SIGNALS 45 Anthony Burger 1971 GTO I just purchased this numbers-matching 1971 GTO from Iowa, sight-unseen during COVID as a gift to my parents for their 55th wedding anniversary. The car runs and drives and I installed a new brake system to make it safe. It came equipped with a YS-code 400 motor and A/C, working cruise control, 8-Track player and power windows.

Steve Liebert - 1985 Grand Prix

I picked this car up from a Craigslist ad in July of 2017. It was a sad sight. The picture in the ad showed a faded GP with a right-front flat tire and the bumper pushed in, asking $500. I was looking for a replacement for my rusting Sunfire, but I decided to go for an “older” car. The individual selling the GP was adamant that I was going to show up. He had to get a ride to the property where the car was, and had been burnt several times. I did indeed show up, did a walk-around of the faded metallic brown and rusted paint while noting the four different tires. I checked the engine, and it spun by hand. According to the expired New Jersey inspection sticker, it had been sitting at least six years next to his mom’s bungalow on one of those twin concrete-strip driveways you see in New Jersey. I took a chance, went to pick it up, and I got it for $400.00. He put $300.00 on the title for me. He also mentioned the 44,000-plus mileage was original. I take those things with a grain of salt. When I started going through it to prepare it to drive, I found a build sheet in the passenger door. I took both doors apart to lube the window tracks, as it has power windows. It also has the original window motors in it (riveted). So now I’m thinking maybe the mileage is indeed true. I’ve had it over three years now — a dependable ride. The pictures don’t really show the poor condition of the paint (it appears the car was outdoors its entire life). Sur- face rust, primer spots, and the vinyl roof is fried and split. I call it the “Hoopty,” and it kind of fits. It took my wife some time to even ride in it. I added the wheels.

46 SMOKE SIGNALS •NOVEMBER 2020 Jill Luhn - 1970 Trans Am Here is an interesting story about a 1970 Trans Am that was originally featured in the August 1992 issue of High Performance Pontiac but was then “lost.” It was just found again late last year. The motor that is back with the car is a story in itself. And it is kind of a crazy story. The motor had sat in a machine shop since the early 2000s, unaware a car is tied to it somehow which sits elsewhere. We stumbled onto the motor when Arnie’s race car had motor problems (the white ‘63 with blue lettering that Jeff Sams from Ari- zona owned at that time), so we took it to the closest machine shop that had automotive repair facilities. The motor sat there until 2017 when another Pontiac collector was looking for an original RA IV motor for his 1969 RA IV Trans Am. So, I made some more serious inquiries about this motor, still having no idea what it was or its history. That is when the story about a barn full of cars surfaced, one being somehow attached to this engine. That is also when I was given the picture of the car on the race track. Still, I had no idea what was going on and had no idea the car was in a magazine article. In August of 2018 we were able to buy the car and then we were able to purchase the motor in October of 2018. It was then when we started doing research. As a side note, all of the paperwork — including the original window sticker, Leader Automotive engine work and racing history — is with the third owner.

Cooper Ellison - GMC Trucks

Cooper sent this photo of three well-worn GMC trucks, but we were unable to hear back from him with further information. So, we are left to our own imagination to fill in the rest of the story. Based on the surroundings, it looks like they were work trucks on a ranch or farm and put out to pasture after they were replaced by a newer generation of GMC. What do you think? —editor

NOVEMBER 2020 • SMOKE SIGNALS 47 Jeff Duranso 1966 LeMans Convertible

My “beater” 1966 LeMans convertible is a life-long Wis- consin car, so it is too rusty to restore but is still a fun, dependable driver that gets a lot of attention wherever I take it. And, it has been the most fun I’ve had with any old car in a long time.

Tom Diot - 1974 Firebird Formula 350 I bought my 1974 Firebird Formula 350 about 13 years ago in Lake- side. The guy selling it said it was his son’s car who just went into the Naval Academy. The car had a flat tire and a bunch of pine needles all over the hood. We aired-up the tire and drove it and I handed over about $3,500 cash, as he was firm on his price. My original Buccaneer Red ‘Bird has a 350 V-8 engine and a 2-speed automatic transmission, Rochester 2-barrel carburetor, air conditioning, Deluxe interior, Rally Gauges and a rear spoiler. I always wanted a For- mula over a Trans Am because I loved how the hood scoops protruded over the front grille. One of the first things I did to the car was to have Poway Muffler replace the incorrect “walrus tooth” exhaust pipes with the proper ones. I also replaced some trim and headlight pieces as someone had installed gold trim — maybe from a Trans Am. Jim’s Upholstery replaced the torn front seat covers, and I had an alarm installed from San Diego Car Stereo. When I worked for Pratt and Whitney AeroPower, I drove my car every day, usually seven days a week. Since I now ride the bus daily to North Island (working for the U.S. Navy), I usually drive my car only on weekends, for club events and to our monthly meetings. I really cannot complain about this car; she starts up almost every time. I have had a few breakdowns (who hasn’t?) and have run out of gas a few times because the gas gauge doesn’t work. When the fuel pump died, I installed an electric one. I used JB Weld to seal the thermostat cover. When I win the lottery, I will give her a full restoration for a correct Formula steering wheel with horn, repair the hood hinges, door jam, seat belt, headliner, heater, window handles, interior door straps and the A/C. I still need to fix the leaky roof, affix some emblems, snap on some window trim, replace the bronze side body trim with chrome, replace the ugly, incorrect-year Snowflake wheels with Rally IIs, get rid of all the rust and repaint the entire car to the original shade of Honduras Maroon. It really doesn’t need much! The previous owner hacked up the dash to install a CD player and put rear speakers in the sail panels. Even with all the work this car needs, it is a lot fun to drive, even if I am just going to the store, driving around my neighborhood or attending a chapter function. As you can see by the photos, it is not a show car. The front scoops are the reason I bought this car and I love the 160mph speed- ometer! I will not win any awards at car shows in this condition, but maybe someday in the future...

48 SMOKE SIGNALS •NOVEMBER 2020 Mark, Bryan & Sue Burrell 1972 Catalina

This is my 1972 Catalina 400, automatic, in Springfield Green. I enjoy driving it in as-found condition. It reminds me of the way we ran our cars in the 1970s with its high rear stance. The car is in unmolested condition and looks original under the hood (hoses and clamps look original). It has a lot of black sap on the body from sitting under a tree. I do not plan to wash it, but God does rinse it occasionally. This car was traded to the local chiropractor by a lady who could not pay her bill. It looks like she stole it from her grandma. The chiropractor is a car guy who drives old, junky cars to work. He drove it for a while, and then traded it to me for a non-running 1953 DJ3 Jeep (think Mail Jeep) and an AMC Gremlin. We were both happy, I got a running car, and he got some cars he had been trying to buy from me for a 4WD project. He gladly traded me the original plain rims back for the chrome rims that I found vulgar. I powder-coated the rims and installed some H78-15 Redline bias tires that are held on with double-sided dirt track lugnuts. This car was built in Kansas City, Kansas, and sold new by Len Roberts Motor Company in Kingfisher, Oklahoma.

Dave Wyatt - 1964 Catalina Here are a few pics of my 1964 Catalina. I found it in southeastern Kentucky a few years ago. My inten- tions were, and still are, to build a period-correct Super Stocker to drag race in nostalgia events, particularly in the South East Gasser Association’s (SEGA) new Super Stock class. Early this year I took a nasty-looking 1969 400 block to the machine shop to start the build process. I purchased that engine and a 1973 400 from a buddy who had them sitting in a dirt floor shed with a leaky roof. It had to be bored .060” over to clean up the pitting in the cylinder walls, with an additional .005” taken out to take advantage of a better ring package. It will get a steel stroker crank to end up at 468 cubes. A 4-speed transmission will be used, per SEGA rules. We took advantage of some COVID-19 downtime to strip the body down to a rolling shell, and had it blasted using a dustless method. No major surprises, as we knew it was a tad bumpy and bruised, but still fairly solid. Due to the high number built, it would never be a candidate for a high-end restoration, but it would be perfect to clean up and build into a drag car. So far, so good.

NOVEMBER 2020 • SMOKE SIGNALS 49 Pontiac-Oakland Club International

lounge chair. Please take your Smoke Signals I continue to see good reports and membership recruitment bro- relating to our upcoming 2021 POCI chures with you whenever you have Convention; the interest shown by our the opportunity to speak to those who members is quite encouraging. We aren’t yet members. When you start are hoping that everything will move noticing the vehicles around you each forward in a positive direction and that day, the number of Pontiacs and older we will be able to soon get back to fully GMC Trucks still seen on the road is enjoying our vehicles and meeting up remarkable. Brighten up that person’s with friends. day by giving positive attention to With so many bad vibes being their vehicles. As a tool to encourage spread throughout our country and membership, don’t forget to mention world these days, I’d like to remind all that POCI’s e-membership is only $25 social media administrators, newsletter per year. editors and chapter officials to please I will end for now, encouraging you refrain from posting any political to head out for that fall cruise. Safe comments in your chapter publications travels, everyone! SSN and communications. We don’t need to get our members involved in a political war with each other! Just stay positive VICE PRESIDENT’S PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE and try to unite your group with the Larry Crider excitement of our vehicles and chapter MESSAGE activities. appy Fall to those members With so few automotive activities Ron Berglund who live in areas where sum- to report on, the past few months have hanksgiving is just around the H mertime has come to an end. been somewhat tough on our chapter corner and autumn is in the air. I for one am enjoying the crisp, cooler newsletter editors. I’d like to tip my hat T Even with the ongoing pandem- air in the mornings and the beautiful to every member who has helped out ic, we can still feel thankful for many autumn colors. by submitting a story to their editor things including all the “honey do’s” The pandemic continues to cancel for publication. As a result, I have that we’ve finally had the chance to or postpone many of our favorite auto- seen quite a few outstanding, creative catch up on... not to mention all the motive activities, but here in Oklahoma efforts. Be sure to pat your newsletter Pontiac projects we were able to finish. we have managed to still attend a few editor on the back and thank him or Thank you, pandemic! car shows and now fall cruises. We have her for all their hard work; they’ve all Our feature chapter story this also resumed our monthly in-person been doing an outstanding job! month highlights the Street Rod/Mod- ified Chapter. This was the first spe- meetings. Everyone seems anxious to With each passing day, our popula- cialty chapter that was added to POCI. get back to normal and continue on tion only continues to age. With this, They have members throughout the with life. But with that, I would like to we see many friends and family mem- country (and the world!) with mag- remind all chapter leaders to stay in bers passing on. I know for a fact that nificent Pontiacs, Oaklands or GMC contact with their respective state and POCI numbers decline each year with Trucks. city officials regarding any restrictions the passing of many of our members. It I had the opportunity to be on the that are intended to keep our members seems like every week I hear of a good judging team at the 2019 POCI Con- and families safe and healthy. Pontiac friend passing and it always vention in Gettysburg, and that was a Also here in Oklahoma, with the ad- makes me stop and cherish the memo- real eye-opener for me. In my judging vent of fall comes the excitement of col- ries made with that person. career with POCI and at various other lege football. In my photo this month I can only hope that each and every concours shows, the stated goal is typi- is legendary Sooner running back and cally to deduct points for imperfections. POCI member actively takes the time However, when judging a modified car, Heisman winner, Billy Sims. With a to expose younger generations to the things are somewhat different: Points limit to the number of fans allowed in excitement we have experienced in our are added for enhancements or im- the stadiums this year, it looks like most lifetimes. It’s more than just our cars; it provements found on the vehicle being games will have to be watched from is also the friendships that have been reviewed. home in the comfort of your favorite created. At Gettysburg, there were some

50 SMOKE SIGNALS • NOVEMBER 2020 VICE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Silver Streak News

vehicles. Our group has won many News- letter Awards, Chapter of the Year Awards, and awards for the Largest Percentage of Members Attending a convention. At the 2016 convention in Bettendorf, Iowa, the Street Rod/Modified Chapter received its 40th Year recognition. The only other charter member on our roster today who is still active is POCI founder Don Bougher. (If we have inadver- tently left anyone out, please understand this is an oversight; let us know!)

The first officers were: • Interim President: Dave Reed (New Palestine, IN) • Interim Vice President: Fred Menger (Minnetonka, MN) • Interim Secretary/Treasurer: Karen Reed (New Palestine, IN) • Newsletter Editor: Gale Menger (Minnetonka, MN) truly outstanding cars. All I can say is, official charter by President Joe Stout in Current Officers are: “Keep up the good work, gang!” 1976. The chapter was originally called the • President: Lou Calisabetta The story below is written by Fred “Street Rod/Street Machine Chapter,” but • Vice President: Ray Schwedhelm and Gale Menger, charter members of after a few years the name was changed • Treasurer: Steve Cook POCI’s Street Rod/Modified Chapter. to the “Street Rod/Modified Chapter” in an • Secretary: Gale Menger At the 2021 POCI Convention in Unc- effort to include more cars. • Directors: Ron Chalmers and asville, Connecticut, the Street Rod/Mod- The chapter struggled at first (as many Fred Menger ified Chapter looks forward to celebrating new chapters do). At conventions, we would • Newsletter Editor: Dan Marsh its 45th Birthday! take our membership list, go through the How did the Street Rod/Modified Chap- cars on display and, if we spotted someone If you are interested in joining us, ter get started? 1975 was the first year of who was not yet a member, we handed please send your name, address, phone, any modified cars at a POCI Convention. them a flyer which read, “Nice car! We email address and $15 (in U.S funds) to: The meet was held in Pontiac, Michigan, would love to have you and your car be a Steve Cook, Treasurer, 16565 Lancaster Est. and was actually hosted by Pontiac Motor part of our chapter.” Today, our chapter is Drive, Grover, MO 63040-1700. (Please Division. There were three modified Pon- about 100 members strong and, just like remember: You must be a member in good tiacs on the showfield that day, including POCI, is open to members worldwide. standing of POCI to join this specialty a blue 1960s-vintage Street Machine from 1986 was probably the most exciting chapter.) Minnesota, a yellow 1936 Street Rod from year for our group. The POCI convention November is the time to think about Illinois, and our very own plum-colored ’39 was held in Charlotte, North Carolina that families who are in need during the Street Rod Business Coupe. year. NASCAR champion Richard Petty Christmas holidays. My local chap- After this convention, thoughts ran to (who, at the time, drove a Pontiac) attend- ter, the Pontiacs of Central California organizing a chapter. The new chapter ed our convention. He also gave tours of his (POCC), has been involved with Toys charter sign-up was started by Bob Rowe shop to all interested POCI members. for Tots for over 20 years. The Marine of Broken Arrow, OK. Ultimately, we At this convention, the Street Rod/Mod- Corps is in charge of collecting toys amassed nineteen signatures on the peti- ified Chapter won an award which Richard and cash donations for this cause. Our tion for a new chapter. Petty proceeded to autograph. And, it was chapter has sponsored their annual car POCI Chapter 7 was awarded its at this convention that the Street Rod/ show (open to all makes and models) Modified Chapter presented with the entry being an unwrapped toy. Richard Petty with an honor- This show attracts hundreds of cars; ary membership. The award in fact, one local enthusiast with a 1955 was presented to “The King” at Chevy Nomad arrives each year with one of his races in the pit area his car packed full of toys! We’re proud by our then-chapter president, to note that this event is one of the larg- Dick Anderson. est car shows in the area. We commend Over the years, many all the chapters that have charity in of our members have won their hearts. awards and outstanding I wish each and every one of you a recognition for their modified blessed Thanksgiving! SSN

NOVEMBER 2020 • SMOKE SIGNALS 51 Gift Ideas for the Pontiac Fan on Your Christmas List Museum Museum Shirt Long sleeve Mug all shirts available in $27 L & XL $20 Includes shipping Includes shipping Short sleeve About the

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52 SMOKE SIGNALS • NOVEMBER 2020 Vacuum-To-Electric HEADLIGHT CONVERSION KITS For Vintage Vehicles We have a solution for you!

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We’re actively seeking individuals who own Holden manufactured Pontiac vehicles to join our chapter. Our goal is to preserve and promote the rich history around these limited production Pontiac vehicles produced in Australia. We’re are the youngest chapter of POCI, founded March 28th, 2018, and already Museum Hat have more than 115 members around the world. Contact us for more information on how to join!

NOVEMBER 2020 • SMOKE SIGNALS 53 Pontiac-Oakland Club International CHAPTER NEWS

Custom Safari Chapter 2021 is the 60th anniversary of the were built in 1961, 143,353 were built in introduction of the propeller shaft 1962 and 131,490 in 1963. With a total num- Our West Coast gathering of Safari- (ropeshaft) Tempests. The club plans to ber of 375,626 built, and if only 1% sur- ans in August took an unexpected lane celebrate the event with some special sto- vived, that would mean there are roughly change. We had planned to gather at the ries and interviews about the history and 3,756 still out there. Wounded Warrior Show in Redondo development of our special cars. The an- This issue’s parts interchange tip has Beach, CA, but City officials cancelled nual PowWow theme will center around a couple parts that are rumored to fit, the show due to impacts from COVID-19. the 1961 models. Let’s hope the virus has but I have not verified them. First is that Instead, we gathered at Bob Garacochea’s run its course by August of next year and the ropeshaft bearing, minus the rubber all Pontiac events return to normal. recently remodeled hobby shop in El insulator, can be replaced by a VXB6005- It is time to start thinking about Segundo. Bob co-owns the famous Bay 2RS bearing. It is listed as a motorcycle getting your car ready for colder tem- Cities Italian Deli & Bakery in Santa wheel bearing. Secondly, the automatic peratures. Most important is checking Monica, CA. We are thankful that his deli transmission control cable from a Corvair the coolant antifreeze to protect against survived with little harm from the mass is supposed to interchange with the Tem- freezing unless you plan to completely damage caused by recent demonstrations pest cable. If anyone can verify these two drain the system before it freezes. I will and riots in front of his business. For- parts, drop me a note. Keep having fun go through the entire regimen in the next with your “propeller shaft” cars. tunate for us Safarians, Bob was able to edition of the RopeShaft Reader. supply a plethora of delicious sandwiches The Little Indians chapter continues —Jerry Bolton and side dishes for lunch. to grow with a target of getting 389 active Once everybody was well fed, Tom members. There is something special Young displayed his fully restored, ready- about that number since so many Pontiac Professional & Commercial to-install ‘57 Pontiac fuel injection unit. engines were built with that size in cubic Most everyone had never seen a unit inches. It amazes me to keep seeing 1961, Vehicle Chapter (which is always covered by sheet metal 1962 and 1963 Tempests show up on the in show cars). Bob had built one of our internet and in this newsletter. Some are Once again it’s time for another uplift- Country’s best ‘57 Bonneville’s years ago projects and others are drivers that are ing President’s Message. I wish I had that so it was easy for him to explain how fuel for sale. Many of these have not been message, but with a whole year so far with- injection works. Everyone had a great seen before. It makes me reassess how out a car show or swap meet, there’s not time while taking sensible COVID-19 pre- many may still be out there. According to too much to discuss. I have been keeping cautions. Plans are to meet again either in John Gunnell’s book “Standard Catalog busy the past two months though. Forty the late fall or early spring. of GTO 1961- 2004,” 100,783 Tempests years ago, a friend of mine (now deceased)

—Tom Young Little Indians Chapter

I am writing this on the first day of fall. So, where did summer go? Summer of 2020 will go down as “unforgettable,” but who wants to remember it? Most major car events were cancelled or downsized to the point they barely resembled past events that they were known for. Susan and I did not attend a single Pontiac event this summer. We did a little cruising 1926-1954 Pontiac owners: you need to check out POCI’s around town in her LeMans with the top Early Times Chapter! We are devoted to stock (original down. Most of my contact with Little Indian or restored) flat-head Pontiacs from 1926 through 1954. members and Pontiac enthusiasts was by Check out our website for more information: phone calls or online. Person-to-person is best, but these calls and messages were www.earlytimeschapter.org better than no contact at all. So, keep your Chapter president Arnold Landvoigt emails and calls coming as I think it will help us through a long winter. (301) 498-0070 ~ [email protected]

54 SMOKE SIGNALS • NOVEMBER 2020 CHAPTER NEWS Silver Streak News

took apart his ‘56 Safari. He had the motor Impact of America’s fight to preserve the potentially recruit new members! rebuilt and put on an engine stand. A freedom we all hold dear. I asked Mr. Lovejoy if he would take few years later, after I met him through We are meeting at Tucks Trucks, on the responsibility of orchestrating another car club, I helped him fill-in the 244 Washington St., Hudson, MA at such an event (either on its own as a door handle holes, as we were both into 11:00am. This event is $25.00 per person GP Chapter event or as part of another customs. The car sat outdoors for all these and includes a tour of the antique car gathering). He politely declined, citing years. The house caught fire but didn’t collection and airplane hanger plus a that’s not really his forte, so I’ll put it out hurt the car, although it burned up some self-guided tour of the heritage muse- to the club at large: Anyone want to take um. I need a head count of who will be of the parts. Last year his son asked me if I this on? If no single person is interest- attending by October 16th. Please call or ed, there’s no reason we couldn’t put a could find a buyer for the car, so I trailered email me with your RSVP. it to my shop (at home now) where it sat committee together and coordinate with for a couple of years, covered up. I finally —Ron Senesi the host chapter for the 2021 convention found a buyer, but nobody would ship in Connecticut, the Pontiac Museum, or the car in pieces. So, I have been re-as- another club, as I’m sure they wouldn’t sembling it. No big problem, as I thought Grand Prix Chapter mind a bunch of added registrants. As a all the pieces were there. They weren’t. ‘74 SJ owner, I’m all in on such a gath- Anyway, I got everything I needed to put I received a call from POCI GP mem- ering — IF I can have the bodywork it together and put all the other pieces ber Richard Lovejoy last week about the and paint completed by the time this (some trim, brackets and replacement possibility of putting together a gather- kicks off! I think just about everyone side and rear lift gate glass) inside the car. ing of 1973-’77 Grand Prixs. Mr. Lovejoy is in major car show withdrawal after was inspired by the 2009 reunion of Surprisingly, almost all of the parts were all of the COVID-related cancellations 1969 Grand Prixs held in conjunction still in his garage, which wasn’t destroyed. this year, so I think Mr. Lovejoy is onto with the Woodward Dream Cruise that Now the buyer is trying to find a shipper something. Who’s in? year and was very enthusiastic about who will take a non-running but fully the prospect of having a large number —Scott Scheel assembled car. By the way, the new owner of mid-’70s GPs in one place. I think wanted door handles, so I had to reverse his timing is pretty decent as the ‘70s all of our years-ago work. cars are gaining traction in the collector Blackhawk Chapter So that’s how I have spent my summer. car hobby, values are rising steadily I hope yours was as safe and busy as mine. and nice examples continue to surface, The seasons are rolling over and Until next time, stay safe and well. making this a strong opportunity to autumn is officially upon us. At this late —Gary Minor showcase one of America’s most beloved stage of the month, I don’t know if I am and best-selling cars of that era, but also doing a late September editorial or a Yankee Chapter

Just want to say congratulations to the NorEast Chapter on a successful car show at the North East Motorsports Museum in New Hampshire. They had 100-plus cars and everyone who attended followed the social distanc- ing guidelines. I am very proud of our Yankee Chapter for the overwhelming support by coming out. Congratulations to the chapter members who brought home a trophy. I have a special event planned for October 18th — a fall event at The American Heritage Museum in Hudson, MA. The American Heritage Museum at the Collings Foundation featuring the Jacques M. Littlefield Collection ex- plores major conflicts ranging from the Revolutionary War until today. Visitors discover and interact with our Amer- ican heritage through the history, the changing technology, and the Human

NOVEMBER 2020 • SMOKE SIGNALS 55 Pontiac-Oakland Club International CHAPTER NEWS really early October one! As I said to the course, these have all been cancelled this held at the “Gathering,” it was decided members at the ‘Gathering,’ it has been year so we will have to watch the sched- that we would continue to avoid indoor tough to come up with stories of interest ules next year and support these events meetings at this time. As an alternative, when car events have been limited. It accordingly. it was decided — for those who are com- was really nice to see those who turned The weekend of September 19-20th fortable in attending — to attend the up at Scott County Park. was the All Pontiac show in Pontiac, Last Gasp Dwyer and Michaels Season As I touched on the September Illinois. Around 230 Pontiacs registered Ending Car Show. This will be held at ‘Gathering,’ I will expand a little more. for the event. I am guessing that would the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds on It was a beautiful day and also the park have been the largest all-Pontiac event in October 11th. This starts with a cruise is in great shape with lots of room to this region this year. Gary Firch picked and then ends up back at the fair- spread out and socially distance. We up a first-place trophy for his ‘81 “Bandit” grounds for a show. We will be there to had around 30 people show up and I T/A... Congratulations! represent the Blackhawk Chapter. was happy to see the respect between As I conclude writing this, we just The pandemic still has a presence in participants whilst there. We had around held the 2020 BOP Nationals at Cordova our community, and continues to influ- a dozen Pontiacs show up and some of International Raceway on September ence our lives in one way or another. I these we had not had the pleasure of see- 26th. The weather was good, but way do want to send good wishes to all. Stay ing before. Thanks to those who came. more clouds and smoke than was antic- safe, and we continue to look forward to It’s been mentioned, but I’ll say it again, ipated. Keeping you all in suspense, we seeing you in the not-too-distant future. the “long distance” award goes to our will save any further details until our new member, Carl Jenkins, who drove all October newsletter. —David Nankivell the way from Central Indiana! On the topic of regional events, it is Of particular note is that our chapter normal at this time of year to promote has chosen to get an engraved paving the MCACN show at the Convention Garden State Chapter stone as a donation towards the new Center in Rosemont, Illinois. Unfortu- Pontiac Transportation Museum in nately, this event has been cancelled for Michigan. I want to thank the chapter 2020, but will resume again in 2021. Star date: August 29, 2020. A week for their support in this. It should be As I mentioned in the last newsletter, until Labor Day Weekend, 2020. Six noted that individual pavers can also be we have seen increases with the chap- months of living in a pandemic. In purchased and, if you want to associate ter roster and this only continues. We some respects, it feels like March was yours with the chapter pavers, that can welcome new members Brian and Tanya just yesterday; in others, March was be arranged. Let me know if you need Gould who own an immaculate 1985 eons ago. Hope all our members are details. Trans Am. On behalf of the chapter, I well and staying safe. With regards to donations: You may extend a welcome to them. I also hope everyone has had an remember that we made a donation to We will not be having a typical opportunity to get out and enjoy some the Honor-Flight of the Quad Cities. Of meeting in October. During the meeting local events. John and I have been attending a few local cruise nights. Feels good to be able to mingle with CHECK OUT POCI’S our car friends. We’re looking forward to attending the Long Island POCI and GMC TRUCK CHAPTER GTOAA chapters’ annual car show on August 30th in Islandia, New York. Hopefully, we’ll pick up some pointers Join other GMC Truck enthusiasts and for our show in October. support “The GMC Times” newsletter. Unfortunately, the Nutmeg Chap- ter’s Fall Show in Connecticut had to be For more information contact cancelled because outdoor gatherings Dennis Carol (810) 610-5714 in their area are still being limited. www.gmctruckclub.wordpress.com Time to really get ready for our chapter’s car show on October 4th at the Masonic Lodge on Van Houten Avenue Stock or All years! in Clifton, New Jersey. A few things will Modified! be different, but hopefully we’ll be able to show everyone a good time. Please spread the word to any other Pontiac owners you may know. Our next regular chapter meetings are September 17 and October 15, 2020. We will plan to have the meetings in-person at the Maple Valley Diner 56 SMOKE SIGNALS •NOVEMBER 2020 CHAPTER NEWS Silver Streak News in Clifton. Come and find out how you discuss when and how to have in-person offered up a couple of options. Assuming can lend a hand at our car show. I’m meetings, and talk over how we want to we can still meet at Griots, option one sure most of you will recognize this handle this year’s elections. We’ll have to would be to wear masks, no potluck and line, “Let’s be careful out there!” Stay make a decision on this year’s Christmas social distance. Option two would be safe, WASH YOUR HANDS and WEAR Party, too. So, express your ideas on the to set up a virtual meeting over Zoom. YOUR MASK! list above. I would appreciate hearing from our If you’re like me and not getting a lot members on which format they feel of use out of your car (or could use a little —Dianne Lennox would prefer for a productive meeting. extra cash), I came across a car rental We also have to work up a plan for company operated by Hagerty Insurance lunch. We could bring our own individ- called DriveShare (https://driveshare. ual meals or order take out from a local Kansas City Chapter com/) that you might want to check out. restaurant and send a crew to bring it In short, DriveShare will deliver and back to Griot’s. Hard to believe the summer is almost rent you a classic car on a daily basis. Last, but far from least, is a reminder over and so few car shows and trips were You can list your car for rent if you’re to all that it is time to renew our mem- logged by members this year, along with looking for some extra dinero. berships. Obviously, we haven’t been no Tribute Day. Frankly, some of that —Dale Fox able to enjoy our club outings and events has been on me. After organizing our this year. All would agree that this pan- cruise and trip to the Stone Haus Winery, demic has had an unprecedented effect I didn’t do much other than post some events on our Facebook page and in the Puget Sound Chapter on our car fun. Think about how next newsletter. year’s event season will inspire us and then use this time to get ideas from fel- Looking back, I wish we had done As if the pandemic didn’t already low club members to improve our rides more to promote more properly social- create enough havoc on our car shows and find new places to go. For instance, I ly-distanced club events. On the other and events, our air quality issue a couple want to thank Les Leslie again for a solu- hand, I am not aware of any members weeks ago almost became the “straw tion to get my backup lights working! who have contracted COVID-19, so that broke the camel’s back.” No one maybe we did our part to help prevent its could enjoy the last weeks of summer. A —Gary Tripp spread. few days of rain and wind has left us in There are a few season-end events much better shape, thank goodness! which a few members have indicated they plan to attend. Please review Bill’s If you want to share what’s We have our yearly business meet- list at the end of the newsletter and post going on in your chapter anything you have planned to attend on ing coming up on November 14th. It is send an update to the club Facebook page. I am thinking scheduled to be at Griot’s Garage and of going to this Friday’s cruise event in I will have to check to see what their [email protected] Pleasant Hill. policy will be for gatherings. Grant has Bill, Tim, Maria and I had a call last week and we’re considering some Statement of Ownership, Management & Circulation options. We’d like your feedback and in- 15a. Total Number of Copies (Net Press Run) 7,376 7,138 terest level. Let us know what you think. 1. Publication Title: Smoke Signals 2. Publication Number: 1042-4571 15b. Paid Circulation (By Mail & Outside the Mail) 1) A club meeting using a telephone 3. Filing Date: 10-30-2020 4. Issue Frequency: Monthly 15b1. Mailed Outside-County Paid Subscriptions 7,376 7,138 conference call. We’ll try this in October. 5. Number of Issues Published Annually: 12 6. Annual Subscription Price: $45.00 15b2. Mailed In-County Paid Subscriptions 0 0 Look for an email about how to call into 15b3. Paid Distribution Outside the Mails 0 0 7. Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication (Not printer): 15b4. Paid Distribution by Other Classes of Mail 0 0 the meeting. 2) A club meeting back at 205 N. Mill St., Pontiac, IL 61764-1906 Contact person: Tim Dye, Ph. (815) 844-0282 15c. Total Paid Distribution - Sum of 15b (1)-(4) 7,376 7,138 the Blue Moose with each member/fami- 8. Complete Mailing Address of Headquarters or General Business Office (Not Printer) 15d. Free or Nominal Rate Distribution 112 110 ly at their own table. 3) A gathering of in- 15e. Total Free or Nominal Rate Distribution 112 110 terested Pontiac owners, including non- P.O. Box 421, Long Lake, MN 55356 9. Full Names & Complete Mailing Addresses of 15f. Total Distribution (Sum of 15c and 15e) 7,488 7,248 club members, at an outdoor site. This Publisher, Editor and Managing Editor (serving in all 3 capacities) Tim Dye, 205 N. 15g. Copies not Distributed 50 50 would be in lieu of Pontiac Tribute Day. Mill St., Pontiac, IL 61764-1906 10. Owner: Pontiac-Oakland Cars International 15h. Total (Sum of 15f & g) 7,538 7,298 15i. Percent Paid (15c divided by 15f times 100) 98.50% 98.48% It would not be widely promoted and we dba Pontiac-Oakland Club International, P.O. Box 421, Long Lake, MN 55356 16. Electronic Circulation would not have any activities such as a 11. Known Bondholders, Mortgagees & Other Security Holders Owning or Holding: None 16a. Paid Electronic Copies 521 528 DJ, raffles, T-shirt sales, etc. 4) Another 12. Tax Status ( For completion by nonprofit organizations authorized to mail at 16b. Total Print Copies (Line 15c) cruise to park, winery, ice cream shop, + Paid Electronic Copies (line 16a) 7,897 7,666 etc. One of the reasons to consider a nonprofit rates). The purpose, function, and nonprofit status of this organization 16c. Total Print Distribution (line15f) meeting, even if only by phone, is that we and the exempt status for federal income tax purposes HAS NOT changed during the + Paid Electronic Copies (Line 16a) 8,009 7,776 preceding 12 months. 13. Publication Title: Smoke Signals 14. Issue Date for Circulation 16d. Percent Paid (Both Print & Electronic Copies) don’t otherwise have a way to conduct of- (16b divided by 16c times 100) 98.60% 98.58% ficial business or make plans as a group. Data Below: Nov. 2020 15. Extent & Nature of Circulation: Membership Publication. This includes reporting out our finances I certify that 50% of all my distributed copies (electronic and print) are paid above a nominal price. Publication of this statement is required, it will be printed in the November 2020 Issue. to the members, giving the members an Signature & Title of Editor, Publisher, Business Manager, or Owner Tim Dye, Editor 10-30-20 opportunity to bring up topics for a vote,

NOVEMBER 2020 • SMOKE SIGNALS 57 Pontiac-Oakland Club International Calendar of Events Calendar of Events O N T I A C T R A N P S P Was Your Pontiac Assembled mble Nov. 7, 2020 - Jacksonville, FL - The asse d at O po R nt T Annual Fall Classic Pontiac/GMC/Oak- ia A

c T

’s at Pontiac’s Home Plant?

land Show. Sponsored by POCI’s Dixie I

h O

m N There has always been a little extra Chapter. Being held at the Autozone, e

p M

248 Blanding Blvd, Orange Park, FL

a U pride of ownership associated with a car

S t

32073. 10am-3pm. Door prizes, goodie

E assembled at the home plant. Celebrate

bags, dash plaques, and trophies for

12 classes plus Best of Show. For more Certified that pride with one of these 3” stickers info and show registration, visit our M A D E I N P ONTIAC applied to your car window or 1.5” website at DixieChapter.com or contact p for your door edge. [email protected] o Matt Clarke or n t n 904-613-2214. i a c , m i c h i g a Send a check or money order in the amount of - $10 each for the 3” or $4 each for the 1.5” plus $1 shipping to: Send your chapter’s upcoming Or to pay with a credit card call: Pontiac Vintage Press event to: 815-842-2345 205 N. Mill St., Pontiac, Illinois 61764 Smoke Signals Editor 205 N. Mill St. Pontiac, IL 61764 ATTENTION or email: [email protected] POCI CHAPTER Future Convention Sites NEWSLETTER EDITORS! 2021... Uncasville, Connecticut Mohegan Sun Casino We’d like to help spread the word about your chapter on 2022... Catoosa, Oklahoma social media. Please be sure that you email a copy of your Hard Rock Casino newsletters to Paul Bergstrom at the club office:Help us KEEP THE PONTIAC LEGACY ALIVE!

[email protected]

We’ll share the newsletter coverAlthough on membership a Facebook in POCI is currently not postrequired for Streetwith Rod/Modified a Chapter membership we strongly recommend, if you are not a member of our parent club, that you consider renewing if you membership has lapsed or joining POCI if you have never been a member. POCI publishes a full color link to your chapter website96-page and/or magazine EVERY contact month. Classified person.advertising is free to POCI member... EVERY month. Plus the benefit of FREE access to POCI's full staff of Technical Advisors. POCI has over 70 local and specialty chapter. And, don't forget the annual POCI International Convention. Most car clubs Let’s all work togetherallow and only one help free classified grow ad per year andPOCI! many publish their magazines only every other month. For 39 bucks a year you can't beat POCI's benefit package. You can join online or the old fashioned way by sending a check. Check out POCI.org or drop your editor a note and I will send you a POCI’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/poci.orghardcopy application by mail.

Only $15 per year Bimonthly Newsletter

Chapter #7 - The "Dare to be Different" ChapterSend - Founded your 1976 check to: 2 Steve Cook 16565 Lancaster Estates Dr. 1969 Ram Air IV GTO Judge Grover, MO 63040 Bob & Sheryl Ore - Edmond, OK

58 SMOKE SIGNALS •NOVEMBER 2020 Pontiac-Oakland Club International MEMBERS’ BULLETIN BOARD WHAT’S GOING ON IN YOUR WORLD? Post your Comments, Photos, Notes and More!

Hello Tim, Attached are a couple of photos of our ‘67 GTO. My dad and I bought this car 30 years ago (October 1990). It was cus tom painted in the early ‘70s and we loved the look. Whoever - did the work stripped all the chrome off the sides and added Rally Stripes to the hood and trunk and pinstriped everything in cluding the fender wells. So, we rebuilt the car around the paint.- We did everything ourselves except the motor and upholstery. It actually needed everything including the trunk floor, and it took us 12 years to make it roadworthy. The paint has bubbles and chips, but we think the car looks great from 10 feet away. It has the original 400 and 4-speed. It came to us with an aftermarket intake and carb, but many years ago at the POCI convention in Springfield, Illinois, we found a ‘67 manifold and QuadraJet carb. We added exhaust cut-outs (my idea) and my dad really loved those. Unfortunately, my dad passed in 2014, but we really had a lot of fun with the car and I will continue to do so. I continue to take it to car shows and cruises whenever possible along with summer runs for ice cream!

Eric Langelund

Jim Ploof of Sauk Centre, Minnesota thought that after 33 years it Smoke Signals to let us know he and his was time to check back in with car were still kickin’! He sent a current photo of his 1954 Chieftain De- luxe, known as “Old Red-Top.” It was featured on the cover of the June 1987 issue. Thanks, Jim. Good to hear from you! —editor

I enjoyed reading about Ron Vaseleski’s 1968 Firebird project in a recent edition. It really hit home. When I entered the service many years ago, I sold my 1968 Firebird 400, with 4-speed, 4.33 gears, etc. Guys were dreaming about the girls back home but I kept thinking about my Firebird. When I was discharged and before I even went home, I somehow remembered where the buyer lived and knocked on his door (actually, he came up the driveway riding a bike at that very moment). I asked him if I could buy the car back. He told me it was a great car but he sold it two weeks prior to someone he did not know and didn’t keep his contact information. Forty-plus years later and the “oh, s__t!” feeling is still with me. Congrats to Ron! His car looks great and I wish him all the best while enjoying it for many more years to come!

Mark Porcaro

NOVEMBERFEBRUARY 2020 2016 • • SMOKE SMOKE SIGNALS SIGNALS 5957 Pontiac-Oakland Club International Members’ Motors

7 Cars at the AACA Grand National by Scott Nickett

hen I learned that the 2020 AACA Grand National show was to be held in Allentown, Pennsylvania — venue from Allentown to Gettysburg. That was a game changer W within an hour of my home in Doylestown — I want- for everyone! Suddenly, my one-hour drive to the show became a ed to make the most of the opportunity. I have been restoring cars three-hour drive, requiring a hotel stay. After locating a trans- as a hobby for the last eight years, and I own seven cars that were porter to take five of my “smaller” cars, the remaining two were eligible to be shown and judged at the meet. With the help of my hauled inside separate 24-foot trailers. friends, I was determined to get each of those cars there. The weather was great and all the cars made it to the show Due to COVID-19 related logistical issues, and with only a without a hitch. Over 500 cars representing the best of the best month to go before the show, AACA was forced to change the from all over the country were competing. In the end, six of my cars (1965 Ford Fairlane HIPO, 1965 Ford Fairlane 2-door hardtop, 1960 Plymouth Fury convertible, 1960 Plymouth Fury hardtop, 1960 Continental Mark IV and a 1959 Pontiac Bonneville convertible with continental kit) won a Grand National award! The Bonneville, with its Tri-powered engine and mylar-speckled carpet, was a great conversation starter. My seventh car — yet another 1965 Ford Fairlane — won its Senior Grand National award. The August 21-22 event was the once- in-a-lifetime experience and did not dis- appoint. The cars were fantastic! All-in-all, we were very fortunate to have a safe trip while meeting many great people. SSN

60 SMOKE SIGNALS •NOVEMBER 2020 Buy a memento. 48th Annual POCI 2020 Convention Help support the Indian Nations chapter! Merchandise Now Available - Cool Wrap - Convention Shirt $10.00 $20.00 $23.00 Cool Wraps with both the POCI and convention logos. These items are super great in hot S - XL XXL - XXXXL temperatures and can be reused for years to come. Cool Wraps are cooling bandanas filled with polymer crystals that expand when wet. When worn around the neck, they feel cool and refreshing. - Drag Race Shirt - Dash $23.00 Plaque $20.00 XXL - XXXXL S - XL $5.00 Some shirt sizes limited, first come, Front first served! Front (pocket area) Make checks (pocket area) Back payable to POCI and send to: Margaret Tarrant 10411 E. 116th St. South Bixby, OK 74008 Add $3.00 For Shipping Back

New Member Recruiting Incentive

For every new member you Join Us in Keeping the recruit, you will be given a 1-month extension on your Driving Excitement own membership. Alive Have the new member give us your name and POCI member- sŝƐŝƚƵƐĂƚǁǁǁ͘ůŝƚƚůĞƌŚŽĚǇƉŽŶƚŝĂĐ͘ŽƌŐŽƌ&ĂĐĞŽŽŬĂƚ ship # when they sign up. ŚƚƚƉƐ͗ͬͬǁǁǁ͘ĨĂĐĞďŽŽŬ͘ĐŽŵͬŐƌŽƵƉƐͬ>ŝƚƚůĞZŚŽĚǇWŽŶƚŝĂĐͬ ŽŶƚĂĐƚĚŽůůĞƚƚĞĂƚϱϬϴͲϯϳϰͲϯϳϮϯ Help Grow Our Club! NOVEMBER 2020 • SMOKE SIGNALS 61 Mohegan Sun for Wicked Fun in ‘21! Additional New England attractions Await You!

Last month’s Smoke Signals provided just a brief introduction to the rich historical and maritime background of the area immediately surrounding Uncasville, Connecti- cut, the site of our 2021 POCI Convention. This month, the Yankee Chapter highlights a few additional major attractions — each located within a two-hour drive of the Mohegan Sun Casino and Resort — which you might also wish to consider adding to your New England vacation agenda. Old Sturbridge Village

Old Sturbridge Village is the largest outdoor history museum in the Northeast, depicting a rural New England town of the 1790s to the 1830s. In the mid-1920s, founder A. B. Wells began collecting unique, handcrafted tools and implements of an earlier day. His hobby, both collecting and storing tools, became an obsession, and today you can step inside more than 40 different buildings, some of which are original and were moved to the site from various towns in the region. Take time to explore homes, meetinghouses, a district school, country store, bank, working farm, three water-powered mills, and trade shops — all situated on more than 200 scenic acres. Talk with authentically costumed historians as they work at the printing office, blacksmith shop, pottery shop and shoe shop. There is dining available at the Bullard Café, ice cream and beverages at the Scoop Shop, and a main gift shop. Old Sturbridge Village is located about 70 minutes away from the Mohegan Sun. The link is www.osv.org.

62 SMOKE SIGNALS • NOVEMBER 2020 The Yankee Chapter of POCI and the Mohegan Sun Hotel and Casino look forward to welcoming you to the 49th Annual POCI Convention in Uncasville, Connecticut, July 11-15, 2021.

NOVEMBER 2020 • SMOKE SIGNALS 63 strives to offer its members and the public a comprehensive view of each property’s architecture, interiors, landscapes and social history. The properties include: Arnold Burying Ground, founded 1675; Hunter House, built 1748–1754; Kingscote (originally George Noble Jones House), built 1839; Cha- teau-sur-Mer, built 1852; Chepstow, built 1860; Green Ani- mals Topiary Garden, built around 1860; Isaac Bell House, built 1883; Marble House, built 1888–1892; The Breakers, built 1893–1895; The Elms, built 1898–1901; and Rosecliff, built 1899–1902. Newport is located a little more than a one-hour drive from the Mohegan Sun. Visit www. newportmansions.org for more information. Newport Mansions Battleship Cove Rhode Island’s largest cultural organization, The Preservation Society of Newport County, proudly As a non-profit memorial and museum located in Fall protects, preserves and presents the best of Newport River, Massachusetts, Battleship Cove has provided County’s architectural heritage. Its 11 historic prop- the preservation of both the military heritage of New erties and landscapes (seven of which are National England and the United States since 1965. “America’s Historic Landmarks) trace America’s architectural and Fleet Museum” includes the battleship USS Massachu- social development from the Colonial era through the setts (BB-59), destroyer USS Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. (DD- Gilded Age. In keeping with its mission, the Society 850), submarine USS Lionfish (SS-298), PT Boats 617 and

64 SMOKE SIGNALS • NOVEMBER 2020 796, and German missile corvette Hiddensee. Visitors from around the world have walked the decks of these historic vessels and viewed the legendary aircraft on display. There is a lot to see at Battleship Cove, so plan to spend at least 2-3 hours if not the entire day visiting these proud vessels of the WWII through Vietnam War eras. Visit www.battleshipcove.org for more information.

preserving aviation history in New England. It consists of six buildings (Civilian, Military, 58th Bomb Wing Me- morial, restoration hangar and two storage buildings). Today, the museum houses one of the world’s most outstanding collections of historic aviation artifacts: more than 80 aircraft and an extensive collection of engines, instru- ments, aircraft parts, uniforms and personal memorabilia. The collection contains the last remaining four-engine American “flying boat,” the Sikorsky VS-44A, donated by its previous owner, actress Maureen O’Hara and restored to original condition; an expertly restored B-29 Super- fortress; Silas Brooks Balloon Basket (1870) believed to be the oldest surviving aircraft in the United States; the Also nearby is the New Bedford Whaling Museum] which Bunce-Curtiss Pusher (1912), the oldest surviving Con- boasts a half-scale model of the historic whaling ship necticut-built airplane; the Sikorsky S-39, the oldest [Lagoda] plus five fully articulating whale skeletons. surviving Sikorsky aircraft; and a Kaman K-225 helicop- The link is www.whalingmuseum.org. Both museums ter, the oldest surviving Kaman-built aircraft. are about 75 minutes away from the Mohegan Sun. The museum is located near Brad- ley International New England Airport which is Air Museum about an hour from the Mohegan The Connecticut Aeronautical Historical Society Sun. Visit www. is the parent organization of New England Air Museum. neam.org for more The museum was founded in 1959 with the mission of information. NOVEMBER 2020 • SMOKE SIGNALS 65 Newport Car Museum

The Newport Car Museum opened in 2017 inside a former missile manufacturing facility situated on seven acres of land in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. It is a private collection featuring 75-plus automobiles that showcase seven decades of modern industrial automotive design while celebrating cars as works of art. There are cars from the 1950s to the present, including separate exhibits of Ford/ Shelby Cars, Corvettes, MOPARs and American Muscle. The cars have been carefully selected to appeal to both sexes and all generations. The vehicles reflect a time when artists, who might have been considered great sculptors during the Renaissance Age, became stylists, designers and industrial engineers for the Big Three American auto be gained from the history, design and beauty of these ve- manufacturers and leading European companies (such hicles as well as the eclectic Mid-Century furnishings that as Jaguar, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz and BMW), perhaps echo the personality of these eras and further enhance the enjoying more creative freedom than will ever be experi- modern design experience at the Newport Car Museum. enced by their counterparts today. The museum is located about 80 minutes from the Mohe- There is something educational and inspirational to gan Sun. Visit newportcarmuseum.org to learn more.

Plimoth Plantation

Telling the iconic story of Plymouth Colony Grist Mill (2013). Plimoth was the fulfillment of a young archaeologist’s Plantation is a recreation of boyhood dream. Henry Hornblower II started the original village built by the museum in 1947 as two English cottages the Pilgrims after landing and a fort on Plymouth’s historic waterfront. in what is now the town of Since then, the museum has grown to include Plymouth, Massachusetts. Mayflower II (1957), the English Village (1959), Today, on its main cam- the Wampanoag Homesite (1973), the Hornblower pus at the State Pier on Plym- Visitor Center (1987), the Craft Center (1992), the outh’s waterfront and at the Maxwell and Nye Barns (1994) and the Plimoth Plimoth Grist Mill on Town Brook, Plimoth Plantation provides an engaging personal encounter with history based on thorough research about the Wampanoag Peo- ple and the Colonial English community in the 1600s. The permanent exhibits and the numerous costumed volunteers tell the complex and interwoven stories of two distinct cultures — English and Native. The Mayflower II just returned to the State Pier after completing a three- year, 11.2-million-dollar restoration at the preservation shipyard in Mystic, Connecticut. This historic landmark is located about two hours from Mohegan Sun. Visit www. plimoth.org for more information. SSN

66 SMOKE SIGNALS • NOVEMBER 2020 2021 Convention Registration Form Silver Streak News Office Use Only 2021 POCI Convention Registration Form Order # ______Date ______

49th Annual Check # ______

Pontiac Oakland Club International Convention Wichita, Kansas

July 11-15, 2021 Venue: Mohegan Sun

1 Mohegan Sun Blvd, Uncasville, CT 06382 www. mohegansun.com

This is a “Sunday – Thursday” Convention. Registration is required for all members, even if not entering a vehicle.

Member Registration Fee: $65.00 ~ After June 20, 2021: $85.00 (Registration Fee Includes Member, Spouse and Children) Pay by credit card, or mail in a check or money order made payable to: “2021 POCI Convention”. You may register on line at: WWW.POCI.ORG

Name ______POCI #______

Address ______

City ______State ______Zip ______Home phone ______Cell # ______

E-mail: ______

Credit Card # ______- ______-______-______

(Visa, MC or Discover) Exp. Date ______/______Security Code: ______Mail this form to: Convention Activity Packets with POCI 2021 Convention detailed car show registration PO Box 421 information and an activity sign up Long Lake, MN 55356 sheet will be mailed to you on 3/15/21.

Mohegan Sun (Host Hotel) On-Line Reservations: https://book.passkey.com/go/POCI21 Reservations (866) 708-1340, group code POCI21

Convention Coordinators: Art Barrett (417) 737-1469 [email protected] Larry Crider (918) 798-2765 [email protected]

Host Chapter Contacts: Ron Senesi (978) 503-8057 –or– Merle Green (978) 973-2148

Convention updates are posted at www.poci.org For convention questions, call the POCI Club Office (763) 479-2111

The convention registration fee is non-refundable.

NOVEMBER 2020 • SMOKE SIGNALS 67 68 SMOKE SIGNALS •NOVEMBER 2020 POCI Membership RENEWAL Form Your subscription to Smoke Signals magazine and membership in the Pontiac-Oakland Club International may be due. If the renewal date on your mailing label (which is to the right of your membership number) is between Nov. 1, 2020 and Dec. 31, 2020, please complete this form and return it immediately with payment (photocopies are acceptable). We don’t want you to miss a single issue of Smoke Signals or any other important information about POCI. $25.00...... Worldwide E-Membership: Web Site access & downloadable version of Smoke Signals Smoke Signals magazine is mailed) $45.00...... U.S. Membership (Includes 2 Associates) (NO $74.00...... (U.S. Funds) Canadian Membership (Includes 2 Associates) $74.00...... (U.S. Funds) Foreign Membership (Includes 2 Associates) 1 Year 2 Years 3 Years NAME: ______POCI MEMBERSHIP NUMBER:______RENEW! Online: www.poci.org • (763) 479-2111 • Mail: POCI World HQ, PO Box 421, Long Lake, MN 55356

Visa MasterCard Discover Please provide any UPDATES to your information below: Credit Card Number:______NAME:______Expiration Date:______ADDRESS:______Security Code (Mandatory):______ASSOCIATES:______Name as it appears on card:______VEHICLES (additional):______Signature :______VEHICLES (no longer owned):______

Join POCI Now! NEW MEMBERSHIP Form Pontiac Oakland GMC YEAR STYLE NAME / NUMBER Number of CYLINDERS Annual Membership YEAR STYLE NAME / NUMBER Number of CYLINDERS $25.00...... Worldwide E-Membership $45.00...... U.S. (Includes 2 Associates) $74.00.... Canada (Includes 2 Associates) $74.00....Foreign (Includes 2 Associates) YEAR STYLE NAME / NUMBER Number of CYLINDERS

NAME:______Visa Mastercard Discover Number______ASSOCIATE MEMBER(s):______ADDRESS:______Expiration______Security Code______CITY / STATE / ZIP + 4:______Signature______COUNTRY:______EMAIL ADDRESS:______PHONE: ( )______REFERRED BY (Name & Member #):______Make checks payable to: POCI • Mail to: POCI World HQ, PO Box 421, Long Lake, MN 55356

NOVEMBER 2020 • SMOKE SIGNALS 69 POCI DIRECTORS, DIVISIONS AND CHAPTERS

NORTHEAST DIVISION GREAT LAKES DIVISION Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio New York, Rhode Island & Vermont DIRECTORS DIRECTORS Wayne F. Beran, 5128 Oak Center Dr., Oak Lawn, IL 60453; John Cappelmann, 1 Country Oaks Dr., Kings Park, NY 11754; 708.425.2826; [email protected] 631.269.9489; [email protected] David Luken, 416 1/2 Barber Creek Rd., Port Byron, IL 61275; Ron Senesi, 23 Greenwood St., Gardner, MA, 01440; 309.523.3870; [email protected] 978.503.8057; [email protected] Mark Tilson, 1104 Hillrock Dr., S. Euclid, OH 44121; 216.291.0202; Merle R. Green, Jr., 4 Mt. Lebanon St., Pepperell, MA 01463; [email protected] 978.433.6016; [email protected] CHAPTERS CHAPTERS Blackhawk Chapter (IL, IA), c/o Dean Fait, 1606 2nd Ave., Garden State Chapter (NJ), c/o Dianne Lennox, 333 Milburn Ave., Rock Island, IL 61201; 309.788.7636; [email protected] Lyndhurst, NJ 07071;201.842.9118; [email protected] Hoosier Chapter (IN), c/o Harold Hankins, 1408 Maria Lane, Avon, IN Long Island Chapter (NY), c/o Dan Fiore, 617 S. 5th Street, Lindenhurst, NY 11757 46123; 317.840.4333; [email protected] Little Rhody Pontiac Chapter (RI), c/o Stephen Freitas, Illinois Chapter, c/o Wayne Beran, 5128 Oak Center Drive, Oak Lawn, IL 131 Arnold St., Lincoln, RI 02865; [email protected] 60453; [email protected]; www.ilpoci.org Mohawk Valley Chapter (NY), c/o Ray DeCrescenzo, 8 Marcel Road, Lincoln Highway Chapter of Ohio, c/o Bonnie White, P.O. Box 126 Clifton Park, NY 12065; 518.857.2468; [email protected] Sulphur Springs, OH 44881; [email protected] NOR-Eastern Chapter, c/o Stephen Shellchock, 34 Grant St., Motor City Chapter (MI), c/o Gains McDonald, 626 W. Eighth St., Manchester, NH 03104; 603.315.6298; [email protected] Monroe, MI 48161; 586.943.2804; [email protected] Nutmeg Chapter (CT), c/o Starr F. Evans, 10 Church Hill Rd., Michigan Widetrackers, c/o President Arnold Boersma, 1801 Moffat Rd., Washington Depot, CT 06794 Six Nations Chapter (NY), c/o Natalie DiBaise-Eymer, 614 Jamesville Leonard, MI 48367; 248-330-0209; [email protected]; Ave., Syracuse, New York 13210; 315.422.0229 http:// www.miwidetrackers16.org; Newsletter: Dave Todd; South Jersey Pontiac Chapter (NJ), c/o Chuck Catalano, 112 Park Ct., [email protected] Medford, NJ 08055; 856.596.0937 Mid-Ohio Valley Widetrackers, c/o Art Lambert, 12089 Dupont Rd., Western New York Chapter, c/o Barb Fuller, 20 Circle Court, Washington, WV 12089; [email protected] East Aurora, NY 14052 North Coast Ohio Chapter, c/o Mark Tilson, 1104 Hillrock Dr., Yankee Chapter (MA/ME), c/o Ron Senesi, 23 Greenwood St., Gardner, S. Euclid, OH 44121; 216.299.2716; [email protected] MA 01440; 978.503.8057; [email protected] Northwest Ohio Chapter, c/o Pete Lungulow, 829 Jean Road, Toledo, Ohio 43615; [email protected] CENTRAL EAST DIVISION Pontiacs of Central Illinois Chapter Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, , c/o Roy Franklin, 1403 Highland South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia Place, Decatur IL; 217.877.5525 Pontiacs of Southeastern Indiana (POSI), Paul Freese, 130 N. Smith St., DIRECTORS Batesville, IN 47006; [email protected] Michael Murray, 27153 Coach House Ln., Salisbury, MD 21801; Tri State Arrowhead Cruisers, c/o Mark A. Monroe, 601 E. Strain St., 410.726.3553; [email protected] Fort Branch, IN 47648; [email protected]; 812.753.5985 Jack Anderson, 25 Renee Lane, Newark, DE 19711; 302.353.0244; West Michigan Chapter, c/o Club President Ryan Snyder, [email protected] [email protected]; www.wmpontiac.com CHAPTERS DelMarVa Chapter, c/o Jack Anderson, 25 Renee Lane., Newark, DE MIDWEST DIVISION 19711; 302.353.0244; [email protected]; Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, www.delmarvapoci.com South Dakota, Wisconsin Keystone State Chapter (PA), c/o Dick Stover, 2314 Fonthill Ct., Lang- horne, PA 19047; 215.499.8530; www.kscpoci.org DIRECTORS National Capital Area Chapter, c/o George Richardson, Jeffery Redhage, 1154 Bill St., Sullivan, MO 63080; 1509 Baltimore Rd., Alexandria, VA 22308; 703.768.1569 573.842.3171; [email protected] [email protected] Alan Fanning, 502 Johnson Rd, Fremont, NE 68025; 402.721.6875; Old Dominion Chapter (VA), c/o Michael L. Abernathy, 1400 Fortingale [email protected] Cir., Sandston VA, 23150; www.olddominionpoci.org 804.328.1419 Palmetto Chapter, c/o Maxie Burns, 205 Bryson Dr., Laurens, SC CHAPTERS 29360; [email protected]; www.palmettopontiacs.org Arch Chapter (MO), c/o Jon Havens, 126 Afshari Dr., Florissant, MO Piedmont Chapter, c/o Larry Sprinkle, 34 Windsor Cir., 63034; 314.623.8842; [email protected] Thomasville, NC 27360; 336.225.4570; [email protected] Badger State Chapter (WI), c/o David Keach, 1155 N. 46th St., Star City Chapter, c/o Bill Cullop, P.O. Box 853, Daleville, VA 24083; Milwaukee, WI 53208; [email protected] www.starcitypontiac.org Colorado Chapter, P.O. Box 56, Arvada, CO 80001; www.copoci.org Western Pennsylvania Chapter, c/o Gary Gordan, 4507 West Seventh Empire Chapter, c/o Russ Hoogendoorn, 1538 Dipper Ave., Larchwood, Ave., Beaver Falls, PA 15010-2013; 724.843.5195; [email protected] IA 51241-7722; 712.478.4455; http://empirepontiac.motortopia.com

70 SMOKE SIGNALS • NOVEMBER 2020 God’s Country Chapter of Wisconsin, c/o Pat Reda, 2064 Steven St., Sacramento Chapter, c/o Pasquale Cignarella, 9926 Ferragamo Way, Sun Prairie, WI 53590; 608.825.3832; [email protected] Elk Grove, CA 95757 Greater Ozarks Chapter (MO), c/o Rob Snelling, 1855 E. Nottingham St., San Diego Chapter, c/o Tom Diot, 11229 Eagles Creek Ct., Springfield, MO 65804; 417.886.7959; [email protected] San Diego, CA 92128; 858.472.7145; [email protected] K.C. Arrowhead Chapter, c/o Steve Young, 4803 NE 144th St Silver State Chapter, c/o Dan Marquez, 7600 Palms Verse Circle, Smithville, MO 64089; 816.215.8002; [email protected] Reno, NV 89502; 775.219.6918; [email protected] Nebraskaland Chapter, c/o Claudia Mathes, 7304 Cty. Rd. 25, So. California Chapter Kennard, NE 68034-5002 Tomahawk Chapter (MN), Tony Miller; 651.786.1214; [email protected]; www.tomatalk.org INTERNATIONAL DIVISION DIRECTORS

SOUTHERN DIVISION Lars-Ingvar Elofsson, Byastensvagen 10, Gards-Kopinge 29177 SE Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, (Sweden) Phone: 04644235031; Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas [email protected] DIRECTORS Verne Howard, 4400 Bittersweet Ln., Blue Springs, MO 64015; Larry Crider, 12510 West 67th St., Sapulpa, OK 74066; 918.798.2765; 816.739.1737; [email protected] [email protected] Peggy Mullinax Cox, 7345 Old Springville Rd. Pinson, AL 35126; NON-REGIONAL SPECIALTY CHAPTERS [email protected]; 205.602.6463 2+2 Chapter, c/o Jack Anderson, 25 Renee Lane, Newark, DE 19711; CHAPTERS Alabama Chapter, Dennis Philo, 407 Forsythe Street, Birmingham, AL 302.353.0244; [email protected] 35214; 205.798.7688 All-American Oakland Chapter, c/o Steve Cook, 16565 Lancaster, Alamo Area Chapter, 1118 Moon Light, San Antonio TX 78245; Grover, MO 63040; [email protected] www.classicpontiac.org Australian Performance Pontiacs Chapter, c/o Richie Lovan, PO Box Arkansas River Chapter, c/o Richie Lovan, PO Box 193, Hiwasse, AR 193, Hiwasse, AR 72739; 479.899.3437; 72739; 479.899.3437; [email protected] [email protected] Central Oklahoma Pontiac Assn., Joel Mayhan, 1115 Prairie Hills Rd., Custom Safari Chapter, c/o Robin Petry, 2806 Scarlett Dr., Tuttle, OK 73089; 405.830.0320; [email protected] Augusta, GA 30909; [email protected] Dixie Chapter (Jacksonville Area), c/o President, Gary Harrison, Early Times Chapter, c/o Arnold Landvoigt, 8521 William St., 904.868.9207; [email protected] Savage MD 20763; 301.498.0070; [email protected] Florida Chapter (Tampa/St. Pete), c/o Rich Fedor, 8110 West Dr., Grand Prix Chapter Wesley Chapel, FL 33544; 813.929.3405; [email protected] , c/o Ron Maurer 712.229.1974; Indian Nations Chapter, c/o Larry Crider, 12510 W. 67th St., [email protected]; http://grandprixchapter.com/ Sapulpa, OK 74066; 918.798.2765; [email protected] GMC Truck Chapter (GTC), c/o Dennis Carol; Lone Star Chapter (TX), c/o Tom Brackett, 7204 Randall Way, [email protected]; 810.610.5714; www.gmctruckclub.wordpress.com Plano, TX 75025; [email protected]; 972.527.3167 Little Indians Chapter (’61-’63 Tempest/Lemans), c/o Jerry Bolton, 544 Louisville Pontiac Club, c/o President, Rick Kaiser, 502.241.2253; www. Christopher Circle, Jesup, IA 50648; 319.827.1943; louisvillepontiacclub.com [email protected]; www.littleindians.com Pontiacs of Tennessee, c/o President, Tom Hart, 615.521.3853; 5300 Pontiac Commercial & Professional Vehicle Chapter, Wayne Guy, Fredricksberg Way, Brentwood, TN 37027; [email protected] 856.423.3073; [email protected]; WESTERN DIVISION www.pcpvchapterpoci.wordpress.com Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Overhead Cammers Chapter, c/o David Kantarges, Secretary, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming 227 Belgrade Ave., Roslindale, MA 02131-2754; 617.947.7322; [email protected]; www.overheadcammerschapter.com DIRECTORS Firebird Chapter John Froehle, 7513 South 2050 East, South Weber, UT Ron Berglund, 2101 West Spruce Ave., Fresno, CA 93711-0460; 84405; 801.920.1756; [email protected] 559.259.2079; [email protected] Street Rod Modified Chapter, c/o Steve Cook, 16565 Lancaster, Grover, Rick Gonser, 2452 Ostram Ave., Long Beach, CA 90815-2420; MO 63040; [email protected] 562.397.5644; [email protected]

CHAPTERS Arizona Chapter, c/o Thom Sherwood, 4348 E. Timrod St., Tucson, AZ 85711-4245; 520.798.3200; [email protected] Desert Renegades of Arizona, c/o Tom Knecht, 602.708.6960; [email protected]; http://pontiacclubofphoenix.org Pontiacs of Central CA, c/o Joel Garrett, 1682 Houston Ave., Clovis, CA 93611; 559.765.4865; [email protected] Puget Sound Chapter, c/o Chuck Johnson, P.O. Box 5873, Lacey, WA 98509; [email protected]

NOVEMBER 2020 • SMOKE SIGNALS 71 The purpose of the Pontiac-Oakland Club International is (1) to pool together as much information as possible to assist Pontiac, Oakland, and GMC owners in the restoration and preservation of their vehicles, (2) to promote interest in Pontiac, Oakland, and GMC vehicles, their history and restoration and preservation and, above all, (3) to make owning a Pontiac, Oakland, or GMC an enjoyable experience.

Club Founder & Director Emeritus: Donald A. Bougher, PO Box 5108, Salem, OR 97304-0108; Chaplain: 503-393-4500; [email protected] Richard Erman, 7675 N. Walters Lake Rd., Fremont, IN 46737; 260-495-9167; [email protected] DIRECTORS EMERITUS (In chronological Order of Presidency) Convention Coordinator: Art Barrett, 211 West Alice, Mt. Vernon, MO 65712 Byron Joe Stout, 150 S. Old Manor Rd., Wichita, KS 67218; 316-686-6407; [email protected] Assistant Convention Coordinator: Larry Crider, 12510 W. 67th St., Sapulpa, OK 74066 Don Barlup, 228 Old Oak Rd., New Bloomfield, PA 17068; 717-582-3209; [email protected] POCI Car Show Coordinator: Steve Cook, Lancaster Estates Dr., Grover, MO 63040 Arthur Ruscher, 4015 57th St. E, Bradenton, FL 34208; 941-745-2031; [email protected] New Chapter Coordinator: John Cappelmann, 1 Country Oaks Dr., Kings Park, NY 11754 Todd Schafer, 1020 NW 39th St., Topeka, KS 66618; 785-286-2443 Legislative Affairs Coordinator: Ben Deutschman, Bldg. 11, Redfield Village Apts. A-1, Metuchen, NJ 08840 Gale Menger, 1725 Chateau Way, Maple Plain, MN 55359; 952-472-1115; [email protected]

Technical Advisors: When requesting information from technical advisors, please enclose a business size (#10) self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE) and your POCI membership number. Technical advisors DO NOT locate parts for members. Any information provided by any POCI source is intended only for general knowledge You should seek professional mechanical advice for specific mechanical conditions. Please note that Tech Advisors DO NOT locate parts.

Visit the Tech Forum at: http://www.poci.org Pontiac 1946-48: Bill Harris, 7836 N. Gray Rd., Mooresville, IN 46158; 317-831-1568; [email protected] Australian Pontiacs/Imports: Dave Clee, P.O. Box 135, Oak Flats NSW Australia 2529. Pontiac 1949-52: John Harvey, 5256 Heritage Lane, Oakley, IL 62552; 217-763-5691; Telephone: 011-61-42571230 Fax: 011-61-42571190; [email protected] Fax: 217-763-6107; [email protected] Auto Paint & Bodywork: Paul Freese, 14279 North Morris East St., Batesville, IN 47006; Pontiac 1953-54: Charles Coker, PO Box 51, Taneyville, MO 65759; 417-693-5219; 812-614-3332; [email protected] [email protected] Auto Woodwork: Jeff Heisler, 404 N. Fairview, Mt Prospect, IL 60056; 847-255-9429; [email protected] Pontiac 1955: Chuck Conway, 303 N. Friendswood Dr., Friendswood, TX 77546; Can Am Registry: Verne Howard, 4400 NW Bittersweet Ln, Blue Springs, MO 64015; 816-554-2099; [email protected] [email protected] Pontiac 1956: Larry Gordon, 344 West Avenue, Palmdale, CA 93551; 661-622-2100; Canadian Pontiacs: Walter Campbell, 29 Hexham Dr., Scarboro, Ont. Canada, M1R 1J5; 416-757-5484 Web Site: www.pontiacsafari.com Commercial & Professional Pontiacs (Sedan Deliveries-Ambulance-Hearse): Paul Bergstrom, PO Pontiac 1957-58 Fuel Injection: Lyle Haley, 15550 Linnet St. #301, Andover, MN 55304; 763-464-1286 Box 68, Maple Plain, MN 55359 Ph/Fax: 763-242-6734; [email protected] Pontiac 1957: Todd Crews, 160 Home Ave., Forsyth, IL 62535; [email protected] Drag Racing: Mike Cooper, 66 NW 85th St., El Dorado, KS 67042; 316-322-8818 Pontiac 1958: Rollie Pederson, 16819 Owatonna Circle, Ham Lake, MN 55304; 763-434-7400 (8pm to 11pm) Eight Lug Wheels: Les Kasten, 12501 Danbury Way, Rosemount, MN 55068; 651-280-9681 lars-Ingvar Elofsson, Byastensvagen 10, Gards-Kopinge 29177 SE (Sweden); Phone: 04644235031; Electrical & Electronics (exc. radio): Chuck Conway, 303 N. Friendswood Dr., Friendswood, TX [email protected] 77546; [email protected] Pontiac 1959-64 (Full Size Except Grand Prix): Rick Gonser, 2452 Ostrom Ave., Long Beach, CA Fiero: Carl Harcourt, 4937 W. 900 S., Milroy, IN 46156; 765-629-2532; [email protected] 90815-2420; 562-596-2043; [email protected]; Fax: 562-397-5644; Pager: 714-647-8116 Pontiac 6000: Carl Harcourt, 4937 W. 900 S., Milroy, IN 46156; 765-629-2532; [email protected] Pontiac Super Duty 1960-63: Tom Schlauch, 393 Los Altos Ave., Long Beach, CA 90814; Firebird: Eric Vicker, P.O. Box 0033, South Park, PA 15129; [email protected] 562-243-0570; [email protected] Firebird/Trans Am (1977-1978): Arnold Goldstein, 751 E. Stark, Palatine, IL 60074; Pontiac Catalina 1962-63: John Mead, 1025 Dear Run Dr., Earlysville, VA 22936; 434-977-2671; 847-815-6257 [email protected] Firebird (1977-79 W72): John M. Witzke, 5017 Providence Rd, Council Bluffs, IA 51503; Pontiac 1965-66 (Full Size Except Grand Prix): John Pokryfky, 9215 Florida, Livonia, MI 48150; 712-322-4697; [email protected] 734-776-6449; [email protected] Firebird/Trans Am 1993-2002: Chris Grupido, [email protected]; 469-525-1051; Pontiac 1967-70 (Full Size Except Grand Prix): Ron Berglund, 2101 West Spruce Ave., Fresno, CA GMC Motorhomes 1973-78: John Biwersi, 2938 Mary St., Maplewood, MN 55109; 651-779-6498; 93711-0460; 559-259-2079; [email protected] [email protected] Pontiac 1967-85: Duane Stumpp, 301 Park Charles Blvd. North, St. Peters, MO 63376; GMC Trucks 1998 to Present: Cliff Curtis, 1564 E. Carleton St., Springfield, MO 65804; 417-365-4070; [email protected] [email protected] Pontiac 1968-69 A-Body: Paul Freese, 14279 North Morris East St., Batesville, IN 47006; 812-614-3332; Grand Prix (all): Mike Grippo, 584 Broomspun Street, Henderson, NV 89015; 702-568-5433 [email protected] Fax: 702-568-5158 Pontiac 1970-72 A-Body: Doug Pulskamp, 22209 Vine St., Oldenburg, IN 47036; GT-37: Jeff Sawruk, 667 Oxhill Ct., White Lake, MI 48386; [email protected] [email protected] Clyde Rowley, 2222 Broad Oak Drive, Bandera, TX 78003; 210-305-9277; [email protected] Pontiac 1973-77 A-Body (including 1977 Can Am): Rick Lightfoot, 242 W. Williams St., Corning, NY GTO & Intermediate (1964-79 Engine & Drivetrain): Jerry Boulay, 218 Broadmoor Lane, 14830; [email protected] Rotonda West, FL 33947; 203-695-6510 Pontiac 1985-92 Tuned-Port Trans Ams & Formulas: Gene Werst, 10631 Mission Lakes Ave., GTO & Intermediate (1964-72 Body & Interior): Richard Erman, 7675 N. Walters Lake Rd., Las Vegas, NV 89134; 702-496-5870; [email protected] Fremont, IN 46737; 260-495-9167 Pontiac 1986-2010 (All Models): Matthew DiStasio, 211 School St., Acton, MA 01720; 978-263-2647 GTO (1968): Arnold Goldstein, 751 E. Stark, Palatine, IL 60074; 847-815-6257 Pontiac 2+2 (not including 1986 GP) Larry Kosek, 104 Center Dr., Silver Lake, KS 66539; GTO/G8 2004-2009: Carl Palmquist, 1061 Hayward Circle, Milford, OH 45150; 513-348-2542; cpalm- 785-582-4207 [email protected] Pontiac Astre/Sunbird 1975-80: Paul Bergstrom, PO Box 68, Maple Plain, MN 55359 Ph/Fax: 763-242- High Performance: Mike Cooper, 66 NW 85th St., El Dorado, KS 67042; 316-322-8818 6734; [email protected] Interiors Soft Trim (1952-72): Harry Samuel, 18106 Dunblaine Ave., Beverly Hills, MI 48025; Pontiac 265/301/301 Turbo V-8: Shawn Gurney, PO Box 1535, Point Roberts, WA 98281; 778-999-5235; 248-258-6269; [email protected] [email protected] Judge 1969-71: Ray Herman, 512 Columbia Creek Dr., San Ramon, CA 94583; 925-829-4059; Ram Air V 303-428: Tom Schlauch, 393 Los Altos Ave., Long Beach, CA 90814; 562-243-0570; [email protected] [email protected] Oakland 1909-31: David Green, 5020 Hutton, Kansas City, KS 66109; 913-626-6301; Straight Eight Engine: Charles Bolten, 15607 N. 30th Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85053; 602-375-0866; [email protected] [email protected] Parts Interchange: David Silarski, 12715 Old Pine Lane, Houston, TX 77015; [email protected] Street Machine: Bob Cella, 31 Crissey Ave., Geneva, IL 60134, Phone/Fax: 630-232-0600; Pontiac 1926-27: Clark Adams, 277 Longbranch Trail, Lexington, NC 27295; 336-243-1336 [email protected] Pontiac 1931: Jim Koenigsmark, 24348 S. 80th Ave. Frankfort, IL 60423-9726; 708-674-4908; Street Rods: Rex Bumgarner, 4928 Northcrest Street, Claremont, NC 28610; 828-241-4947; [email protected] [email protected] Pontiac 1930-32: Robert Guzzetta, 1410 Santa Inez Dr., San Jose, CA 95125; 408-265-7578; Tempest/LeMans 1961-63: Keith A. Collier, 2007 N. 59th Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85035; 602-315-8602; [email protected] [email protected] Pontiac 1933-34: Kurt Kelsey, 14083 P Ave., Iowa Falls, IA 50126; 641-648-9086; [email protected] Transmissions Automatic: Steve Peluso, 93 Blackstone St., Mendon, MA 01756; 508-478-8900 Pontiac 1935: Kerry Klotzman, 7460 Rollingbrook Trail, Solon, OH 44139; 440-349-1509; Transmissions Manual/Differentials: Brad Duerst, 800-208-8242 [email protected] Engine Machining: Lyle Haley, 15550 Linnet St. #301, Andover, MN 55304; 763-464-1286 Pontiac 1936: Robert Shafto, 451 Blackstrap Rd., Falmouth, ME 04105; 207-272-7403; Flat Head Engine Machining: Lyle Haley, 15550 Linnet St. #301, Andover, MN 55304; 763-464-1286 [email protected] Tri-Power: Rick Gonser, 2452 Ostrom Ave., Long Beach, CA 90815-2420; 562-596-2043; Pontiac 1937-38: Arnold Landvoigt, 8521 William St., Savage, MD 20763; 301-498-0070; [email protected]; Fax: 562-596-1160; Pager: 714-647-8116 [email protected] Volunteers for Open Positions and for New Categories are needed! Pontiac 1939-42: James Patterson, 8951 Henry Clay Blvd., Clay, NY 13041; 315-652-5794; Please contact the Technical Advisor Coordinator (below) for details. [email protected] Technical Advisor Coordinator: Mark Tilson, 1104 Hillrock Dr., S. Euclid, OH 44121; Andrew Ameden, 27 W. Carbon St., Minersville, PA 17954; [email protected] 216-291-0202; [email protected]

72 SMOKE SIGNALS • NOVEMBER 2020 Pontiac-Oakland Club International

POCI CLASSIFIED ADS • Advertising Policy The Pontiac-Oakland Club International, Inc. publishes the classified section ofSmoke Signals magazine as a courtesy to its active members. This is made possible through the members’ dues contributions. POCI makes no claims, either stated or implied, concerning the quality, authenticity or availability of any items offered. Furthermore, POCI claims no responsibility for any transactions good or bad, as a result of the Smoke Signals Classifieds Ad section. We discourage any member from submitting a “For Sale” Classified Ad when they have also submitted a “Feature Car” contribution. Time delays between production of these two sections can result in an overlap in the same issue. Automobiles and trucks featured in this magazine – current or past issues – neither claim nor can claim any endorsement by POCI as to their quality or authenticity; they are featured strictly for entertainment purposes. Advertisers or members will have three weeks to respond to any complaint received by the Pontiac-Oakland Club Interna- tional. After three weeks, if the complaint goes unanswered and/or a satisfactory solution is not found, the member or company listed in the complaint could lose all advertising privileges.

IMPORTANT CLASSIFIED AD RULES • Please read before placing an ad The classified ad section ofSmoke Signals magazine is reserved for our members seeking information, services, parts, cars, etc. Display advertising is available for members and non-members alike at reasonable rates. Any ads submitted which do not conform to the following rules will be set aside – they may not be sent back, and you may not be contacted. Please read and follow these rules to avoid any inconvenience.

1) Please use the classified ad request form on the next page for your 7) A POCI member name must be included in the ad, not just on ad submission. A photocopy or a facsimile is acceptable as long as it the form. A business name may be listed, but a member’s full name includes the same data requested. Please type or print neatly. If we can- must also be included in the ad. not read your ad, it will be published as best we can figure out. Please 8) Price must be included. All ads for any cars, parts or services must check your ad immediately. Neither POCI nor Smoke Signals produc- have prices. The only exception is for the parting-out of a car. tion company are liable for your ad content or the reproduction of it. 9) No phone-in ads or ad renewals will be accepted. Only mailed, 2) Classified ads will run for two months and then be pulled. The code faxed, or e-mailed ads will be accepted for publication. at the end of the ad will reflect the last issue the ad will appear. The same ad can be renewed for an additional two months. 10) All ads are subject to review. 3) Each month, POCI members receive one free ad up to 50 words with EXTENDED ADS: Members who are vendors or permanent suppliers one free picture. Words over 50 cost 20 cents per word. Additional ads and wish to place an Extended Ad for PARTS, LITERATURE, MEMORA- are 20 cents per word and additional pictures are $5.00 each. The fol- BILIA, INFORMATION or SERVICES may do so. No other categories can lowing do not count as words in the ad: name, business name, price, have Extended Ads placed. Ads are subject to review (and rejection) by the ad- address, email address, or telephone number. vertising committee. Extended Ads cannot exceed 50 words and just one picture is allowed. These members may still place a personal ad without the 50 word 4) Your POCI number and expiration date must be on the form. limit being affected. Extended Ads run for one year and are renewable. 5) Only one ad per form. Please check the category for the ad to SCHEDULE: All ads are placed in the next available Smoke Signals appear in. issue after they are received. Expect a deadline around the 20th of each 6) Only Pontiac, Oakland, and GMC requests are allowed. The only month.Example; ads received by March 20 should appear in the May issue. exceptions are the “Services” and “Other” classifications, but they must REVISIONS: Revisions to an ad already running must be mailed, faxed, be Pontiac/Oakland/GMC related (i.e.: car care services or products). or e-mailed. No phone changes will be made. • Mail to: Smoke Signals Editor, 205 N. Mill St., Pontiac, IL 61764 TO PLACE AN AD • FAX to: 815-844-0285 (If there is no picture) • Email to: [email protected]

NOVEMBER 2020 • SMOKE SIGNALS 73 Please read the important information on the SMOKE SIGNALS • Classified Ad Form previous page before completing this form. • Mail to: Smoke Signals Editor, 205 N. Mill St., Pontiac, IL 61764 (Photos will not be returned) ways to submit • Email to: [email protected] (attach a .jpeg photo if desired, with at least 800 x 640 resolution) your classified ad: • Fax to: (815) 844-0285 (only if no picture required) PHONED-IN ADS ARE NO LONGER ACCEPTED! I WANT MY AD TO RUN: 2 MONTHS EXTENDED (Vendors Only & Information, Services, Memorabilia, Literature & Parts for Sale Categories Only) Extended ads will run for one year and are renewable. Today’s Date ______POCI Number ______Exp. Date ______Name ______

Address ______City ______State ______ZIP ______Country ______

Phone ( ) _____ — ______NOTE: Your ad MUST include your name and phone number. All items for sale must include prices except when “parting out” a vehicle. I WANT MY CLASSIFIED AD TO APPEAR IN THIS CATEGORY (check only one): Information Literature For Sale Literature Wanted Pontiac, Oakland & GMC Vehicles For Sale Services Offered Pontiac, Oakland & GMC Vehicles Wanted Pontiac, Oakland & GMC Parts For Sale Memorabilia Pontiac, Oakland & GMC Parts Wanted Lost & Found Other

FREE ______

FREE ______20 cents a word ______.20 ______.40 ______.60 ______.80 ______1.00 ______1.20 ______1.40 ______1.60 ______1.80 ______2.00 20 cents 4.00 a word ______2.20 ______2.40 ______2.60 ______2.80 ______3.00 ______3.20 ______3.40 ______3.60 ______3.80 ______20 cents 5.60 3.80 6.00 a word ______4.20 ______4.40 ______4.60 ______4.80 ______5.00 ______5.20 ______5.40 ______

POCI DISPLAY ADS •Advertising Policy POCI DISPLAY ADS •Ad Sizes and Rates Cover (Outside, Back), CMYK, Full Bleed*...... 8.75x11.25”...... $600.00 The Pontiac-Oakland Club International, Inc. publishes the Display Ad- Cover (Inside, Front or Back), CMYK, Full Bleed*...... 8.75x11.25”...... $500.00 vertising section of Smoke Signals magazine as a service to Pontiac-oriented Interior Pages (B/W or CMYK):...... width x height Monthly businesses and organizations. POCI makes no claims, either stated or implied, Full Page (Full Bleed)*...... 8.75x11.25”...... $400.00 concerning the quality, authenticity or availability of any items or services Full Page (No Bleed)...... 7.5x10”...... $400.00 offered. Furthermore, POCI claims no responsibility for any transactions good 2/3 Page Vertical...... 4.93x10”...... $300.00 1/3 Page Vertical...... 2.36x10”...... $160.00 or bad, as a result of the Smoke Signals display ad section. Additionally, POCI 1/3 Page Square...... 4.93x4.9”...... $160.00 and/or the Smoke Signals advertising committee reserve the right to accept or 1/2 Page Horizontal...... 7.5x4.9”...... $225.00 reject any advertisement from any person or organization for any reason and 1/2 Page Vertical...... 4.93x7.45”...... $225.00 1/4 Page Vertical...... 3.65x4.9”...... $125.00 without justification for any decision made. 1/4 Page Horizontal...... 7.5x2.35”...... $125.00 Display advertisers in this magazine, current or past issues, shall neither 1/6 Page Vertical...... 2.36x4.9”...... $75.00 claim nor can claim any endorsement by POCI as to their quality or authentici- 1/6 Page Horizontal...... 4.93x2.35”...... $75.00 ty; they are featured strictly for informational purposes. 1/12 Page Square...... 2.36x2.35”...... $45.00 Ads should be submitted as either PDF (fonts embedded) or JPEGs built to proper size and minimal compression. Editor reserves the right to adjust sizes as required. For Display Advertising questions/submissions, contact: * Full Page Bleed Display Ads trim to 8.5x11”. Do not use borders near trims. Paul Bergstrom, P.O. Box 421, Long Lake, MN 55356 All ads (except cover positions) are Run of Publication (ROP). Non-contracted, monthly rates shown. Contact Display Ad Manager (at left) for contract rates. (763) 479-2111 • E-mail: [email protected] DEADLINE: All new and updated advertisements must be received by the 1st of the month prior to the publication date (Ex: January 1 for the February issue). Do you need help producing a commercial Display Ad? Please inquire! We offer computer graphics services.

74 SMOKE SIGNALS •NOVEMBER 2020 Information Wanted Memorabilia Very Rare Pontiac Diecast: 1/18 ‘64 GTO nostalgic Pro-Stock 1 of 25, item #1842. 1/18 bare metal Monkeemobile 1 of ??? never seen another, item #33150, no Monkees in the car. Resurrection Auto Restoration: Providing New 1/18 gold plated Monkeemobile #89 of 100 England with the finest level of craftsmanship, #33398. $350 each or $900 for all three plus concours restoration and preservation services shipping. Remco 1/64 Monkeemobiles - yellow, for historic, specialty and collector automobiles & blue, green and red. These were mail-in order antiques. Specializing in Pontiac vehicles. Follow only, no public sale, all four cars plus copy of us on Facebook.com/ResurrectionLLC; Jake Cryan, mail-in card $175. Mike Swerbinsky (440) 585- Pontiac 2+2 Registry: Dedicated to the preser- Pepperell, MA. Phone: (978) 877-7499 Email: 1590 (OH) (11/20) vation of the history & lore of the 2+2. All 1964- [email protected] (MA) (5/21E) 67, 1986 & Canadian-built 2+2s are welcome! Car Glasgo Performance: Serving the Pontiac Registry, Discussion Forum, Photo/Video Gallery, community for over 30 years. All phases of Articles. Visit www.Pontiac2plus2Registry.com, or restoration services performed to national show contact Jack Anderson at (302) 353-0244. (12/20E) quality level. Engines from stock to race, inspections ‘69-‘72 Grand Prix Convertibles: Would like and appraisals. Always buying GTOs. Contact Paul or to hear from present and past owners of ‘69-’72 John Glasgo, Akron, Ohio (330) 773-4004 or visit our Grand Prix custom convertibles. I’m aware of a few website; glasgoperformance.com (OH) (5/21E) such as 1 red, 1 blue, 1 copper, 2 black (1 of which is mine). Contact Gary Derner at (507) 202-0806 or email; [email protected] (12/20)

Services Offered 1:18 Die Cast Cars: All new in box. 1) Arnie Beswick 1963 Tempest new in box $75 plus S&H. Pontiac Window Sticker Reproductions: Accurate, 2) 1958 Bonneville convertible in various colors detailed window sticker reproductions for 1964-1979 $75 each plus S&H. 3) 1962 Catalina 421 SD in Pontiacs. Only original window stickers are used as black or red $125 each plus S&H. Pete Mlot (630) references. Show car quality, meticulously detailed Custom Showboards: For your classic vehicles. I 205-2838 (IL) (1/21) and researched. These exceed other reproductions in design & produce these using your digital photos accuracy and authenticity. Satisfaction guaranteed! and data. 18” x 24” x 3/16”. Gloss Laminate, Contact Mike Noun at www.MusclecarFilms.com/ weather resistant. Email the data and photos you PontiacWindowSticker for samples and feedback, or want on the showboard. Digital photos must be [email protected] (IL) (12/20E) high resolution. I will email you a layout for your Hood Hinge Restoration: Restore your hood review. Upon approval & payment I will produce hinges to original condition by rebuilding your the showboard and deliver it to you. $200.00 + loose worn out hinges. Ream rivet holes round, tax & shipping, George Disque. Visit my website straighten arms and assemble with OEM type www.showboardsbygeorge.com or contact me rivets. Can mark rivet heads. Rowland Hall, 1901 at [email protected], (413) 221- Jackson St., Burbank, CA 91504. (818) 845-3574 6450, (MA) (4/21E) cell (818) 726-9440. (11/20E) Woodward Restoration Services: Specializing Royal Racing Team Banner: Royal Pontiac PMD Performance Report: PMD Performance in quality rust repair and painting. From a minor Racing Team 24”x36” Garage Shop Banner. New Restorations is proud to offer a NEW service for scratch to complete disassembly, repair and paint. 11 oz polyester vinyl banner $18.00 plus $5.90 1964-1979 Pontiacs! We will inspect, photo- Over 45 years experience in all aspects of body shipping in continental US PP (frankhnegron@ graph, document, and provide a detailed report repair. Located 30 miles north of Pittsburgh, PA. gmail.com), check or MO are fine. Thank you, Woodward Restoration Services. Wes Woodward Frank Negron (631) 921-4654 (NY) (10/21E) for your original (or restored) Pontiac. Valuable (724) 865-9684 or (724) 272-3467 (3/21E) information when buying or selling a rare Pon- Tri-Power Restoration: All years ‘57-’66, 25 years tiac. Please contact Dave Armstrong; pmdper- experience, can repair your unit. Also can build stock [email protected] or call (847) 951-4357 for or modified unit to your specifications. Jon Havens (314) more information. (12/20E) 838-5533 (MO) [email protected] (11/21E) National Firebird and T/A Club: For all years Firebirds and Trans Ams including the Formula, GTA and Firehawk. Offers color magazines, Lost & Found technical advice, e-magazines, free classified Fender Covers: Dark blue border and Pontiac ads that appear in the member magazine, club name. Indian and arrowhead logos in red on white website, message board, Facebook and Twitter. ‘64 2+2 Conv.: Help me find my old 1964 2+2 Established 1984. $35 Annually, $45 outside convertible. Sold in 2004 to Tom Davis of Georgia. background, length 34 1/2”, width 24 1/2”, tool tray USA, $25 e-membership. NFTAC/Frank Ochal, Red exterior, white top with black interior. It’s a 5 1/8” wide. Logo panel, 13 1/2 “ wide, including 5433 N. Ashland Ave., Chicago, IL 60640 USA, 389 auto, installed A/C dash and mechanicals but borders. $30, PPD. Hoosier Pontiac-Oakland Club. Bill (773) 769-7166, [email protected], www. never got it working, VIN 834P27561. Contact Frank Harris, 1001 Cedar Glen Dr., N. Plainfield, IN 46168 firebirdtaclub.com (12/20E) Chamberland (508) 364-1132 (MA) (1/21) (317) 839-1656 (06/21E)

NOVEMBER 2020 • SMOKE SIGNALS 75

found dealership and then stored away. There are signs of wear, some staining and some paint Oakland/Pontiac Cars drips. I have not tried to clean it. I will ship & GMC Trucks For Sale internationally. $1,100 [email protected] Paul Frics (402) 544-8147 (NE) (11/20)

Literature For Sale

‘39 Sedan Street Rod: Chevy 350, Turbo 350 trans, Ford rear, ‘69 Camaro front frame clip, front disc brakes. Custom dash and interior, older build, low miles, very nice condition. $30,000 or best offer. Contact Tom Hoholik (708) 738-1988 Pontiac Memorabilia: Selling some my (IL) (1/21) memorabilia collection. Call or email for prices. Have other items for sale. Nick McInchak (734) 301-8963 or email; [email protected] ‘70 Salesman Manual: Over 230 pages, (MI) (1/21) embossed loose leaf binder. No splits, rust, writing or mold. Has ”Judge” and “Trans Am” sheets. Very nice piece. $300 includes shipping to US address. Email [email protected] for more pictures or information. Adolph Rydzewski (302) 239-9716 (DE) (11/20)

‘50 Silver Streak Sedan Delivery: 53,000 miles, excellent restored condition. Options include exterior visor, fog lights, skirts. Show quality car $39,500. Chuck Schneider (248) 821-0752 (MI) (12/20) Stained Glass Suncatcher: Beautiful real glass suncatcher made with old world craftsmanship. GREAT GIFT 12” $150 each + $20 extra for shipping. Call Rich Kroon at (773) 597-7714 or email me [email protected] (IL) (9/21E) ‘68 Dealer Albums: Rarer than brochures and contain more information. I’ve had a number of these albums for other model years and these are among the very best condition, with correct binders. Salesperson Data Facts Sales Manual ‘52 Chieftain Tin Woody: Restored California $450; Colors Interiors Accessories (oversize 7-ring car. Used in several movies. Featured in July 2017 binder) $550. Both $900 OBO, includes shipping Smoke Signals. 122hp 8-cylinder, auto trans, within US. Alan Ziglin [email protected] well equipped, skirts, exterior visor, rare third (770) 352-0801 (GA) (11/20) seat, lighted ornament $49,500. Chuck Schnei- Rare Literature For Sale: ‘62 original Super der (248) 821-0752 (MI) (12/20) Duty 15 page booklet $35. ‘63 original 28 page Pontiac Ash Tray: From Pannell Pontiac, Louisa, Special Equipment catalog and reference guide KY. Green color with white lettering and Pontiac $45. ‘63 reprint of Special Equipment catalog and Arrowhead Logo. Light wear to lettering. Good reference guide $35. ‘63 Pontiac owners guide condition $35. Russ Colwell (937) 402-8815 $15, ‘64 Pontiac owners guide $20. ‘68 original email: [email protected] (OH) (1/21) order blanks for Firebird, GTO, GP, Bonneville $20. All post paid, contact Don DeLo (417) 241-0337 (FL) (1/21) TO PLACE AN AD BY MAIL: ‘55 Star Chief Conv.: Car has a clean title, comes ‘58 Dealership Announcement Banner: Smoke Signals Editor with large truckload of parts including fenders, This is a genuine 1958 Pontiac Dealership 205 N. Mill St. doors, trunk lids, plus extra complete motor. The Announcement Banner. It is canvas material, price is $12,500. Please call Joe Cascio (402) 968- measures 19’4”x34”, has been displayed at a Pontiac, IL 61764 7863 (NE) (1/21)

76 SMOKE SIGNALS •NOVEMBER 2020 body-off restoration. This car is equipped with all rods, Bullet 55mm roller cam, Jesel rocker arms, 9.04 the bells and whistles. Multi-car show winner that Crower bushing lifters, Smith Brother pushrods. Grif- has been written up in magazines like Car and Driv- fin aluminum radiator, Moroso vacuum pump MSD er many times. Asking $119,500. Please contact crank trigger, Mallory Hyfire 7 Pro CD ignition, Stephs Pete Balasis at (973) 747-5723 (NJ) (11/20) 8-quart oil pan. Dual 750cfm Carter AFB carbs, ‘58 Bonneville: White with continental kit. 4BBL, Wenzler guts. Ram aluminum intake, Edelbrock automatic. AM Wonderbar radio. Power seats, race-ported heads, Barry Grant BG400 fuel pump. ‘57 Star Chief Conv.: Caribbean Coral/white top. A steering, brakes, windows, dual exhaust. Spectac- G-Force GF-2000 clutchless 5-spd trans, Boninfante beauty! Gorgeous interior, 347 V-8, all power, sell- ular correct interior. Correct rugs with matching 10” clutch assembly, Quicktime bellhousing. Chrome ing due to moving and downsizing. Price reduced to mats. Speed alert, electric wipers, spinner hubcaps. moly ProStock 4-Link Jerry Bickel rear housing, $48,000. Contact Sally Szabo (352) 754-7211 (FL) Extremely high quality restoration, $75,000. Rose- Strange Engineering 9” Ultra Case w/ 40-Spline gun- (11/20) drilled axles, 4.86 Pro Gears, 4-wheel Strange disc mary Cala (716) 649-7294 (NY) (11/20) brakes, Strange Double Shocks (front/rear), Bogart aluminum wheels w/ 33x10.5x15 MT slicks. Lexan windows, fiberglass bumpers/decklid and carbon-fiber hood. Chrome moly 12-point cage. Includes 28’ Hallmark Edge trailer. $48,000. Contact John Brady: (770) 713-3807 (GA) (11/20) ‘58 Chieftain Catalina: A true barn find drag car ‘57 Fuel Injection: Owned for 60 years! Very that successfully raced in the Tri-State area many good condition. Extra parts and manuals. $110,000 years ago. This 2-door hardtop features a non-orig- OBO Darlene Hammon (608) 429-2259 or email; inal 370 V8, auto trans, 9.3” Posi rear end, vintage [email protected] (WI) (11/20) Mallory dual point distributor and coil. Engine Two ‘57 Super Chief Projects: Cars are both ti- turns over but has no spark. Bodywork was started tled in the state of Virginia and are disassembled. years ago with new door skins, solid rockers and new rear quarters. I have both bumpers and most ‘62 Catalina Royal Bobcat Super Duty: This is These cars are either two projects or a project and it! The most famous S/D of them all. This is the a parts car. Both have the rare optional Tri-Power of the trim. Interior has a vintage bucket seat and no rear seat, original dash and steering wheel with original car featured in the May 1962 issue of Mo- engine. Both bodies are in epoxy primer. One is a tor Trend Magazine that was modified by Royal 4-door hardtop, black and white. The other is a vintage Sun tach. If this old girl could talk, what a story she would tell! Restore or nostalgic racing, Pontiac and driven by Jim Wangers . Beautiful and 2-door hardtop, red and white. The chassis and rare Aquamarine color, serial #362P20980. Winner drivetrain on the 2-door is rebuilt, restored and al- you decide! Asking $4,000. Contact Randy Scott (269) 535-7221 (MI) (12/20) Best of Show 2015 POCI National Convention. Ten most complete. Both cars are in need of some rust page feature article in October 2008 High Perfor- repair on the bodies. Some photo documentation mance Pontiac magazine. GoodGuys 2009 Muscle of completed restoration work is available. E-mail Car of the Year Finalist. Numerous impossible-to- [email protected] to request photos. find NOS parts (steering wheel, upholstery, trim, Asking price is $20,000 OBO. Please call Lori Bassler etc.) acquired over a twenty year period before at (304) 821-01326. (WV) (12/20) completing a no-expense-spared restoration. The results speak for themselves. All original numbers matching car from carburetors to the rear differential. Special cylinder head work by Pete McCarthy. Concours restoration with riveted ball joints! Trac- tion bars, badges, special paint and original 8-lug knock offs per the original Bobcat package as installed by Royal Pontiac. Number 1 off the line, see Pete McCarthy’s book. First S/D built and sold to ‘61 Catalina 4-Door Hardtop: Solid, nice in- the public. Full documentation plus original win- ‘57 Safari: 1975 400, 200R4, Vintage air & heat, terior, nice older paint, very good chrome, front dow sticker and bill of sale from Royal Pontiac. A PS, PB, VDO gauges, tilt, cruise, tan & beige interior, clip, transmission and engine out of car but sup- one of a kind 421 S/D car. Own a piece of Pontiac bucket seats & console, Burgundy/Rose, American plied with car. All new brakes, wheel cylinders, History. $395,000, Keith Perry (402) 813-4047 (NE) Racing wheels, $39,000 OBO, Contact Richard Ne- and brake lines, 4 new tires, positraction rear end. (1/21) mechek (785) 769-6262 Email - carolnemechek@ Coronado Red exterior with ivory roof $7,500. Con- yahoo.com (KS) (1/21) tact Rosemary Cala (716) 649-7294 (NY) (1/21)

‘62 Grand Prix: Resto Rod, LS2 engine, 4L60E ‘62 Catalina Super Stock: Nostalgia Super Stock trans, eight lugs, A/C, custom digital dash, power drag car. Frame-off restoration, 535cid Kauffman windows, seat, remote entry. White interior, com- Pontiac aluminum block w/ 940 dyno’d horsepow- plete resto front to back, too much to list, one of ‘58 Bonneville Conv.: 1958 Pontiac Tri-Power er. SCAT billet ultralight crankshaft, 4.500 stroke, a kind $38,000 or best reasonable offer or trade. convertible. Show car, totally restored by owner, Diamond pistons, 15:1 comp, GRP 6.800 aluminum Frank Chamberland (508) 364-1132 (MA) (11/20)

NOVEMBER 2020 • SMOKE SIGNALS 77 believe! $28,000 Jeff Arnold (352) 219-0616 (FL) (11/20)

‘62 Catalina: PB, 8-Lug wheels, headers, mini high torque starter, original interior(except carpet) seat belts have been installed. Restored & owned since the ‘80s. $23,500 Terry Fry (717) 371-8730 or ‘64 Catalina Conv.: 19,600 original miles, 389, email: [email protected] (PA) (1/21) auto, black interior, PS, PB. 2nd and 3rd place winner at Hershey several years, $18,500 neg. Robert Stegmeier (570) 778-1045 (PA) (12/20)

‘63 Catalina Coupe: Frame-on resto by former owner, built 389 motor, 4-speed, 3x2s, 3.23 posi, 8-lugs, factory tach. New ‘63 bucket seat interior, console, Nocturne Blue. Very nice to excellent ‘64 Bonneville: Sunfire Red with white interi- condition, all ‘63 parts used, tilt wheel, PS, PB, or. Working air, 17 inch American Racing wheels, and lot more, $36,500. Dave Inman (712) 732- new tires and original wheel caps and Coker tires. 3372 (IA) (1/21) 71,000 miles, located in Northern Illinois. $24,500 obo, Brian Borger (815) 238- 0796 (IL) (11/20)

‘63 Catalina Conv.: 24,000 miles, 389 with original Carter 4 barrel, HydroMatic 3-speed, Marimba Red, tri-color seats, new convertible white top, appraised at $37,500. It will be tough to find a nicer ‘64 Catalina Conv.: In family 35 years, garage ‘63. Asking $35,000, Douglas Arney (269) 303-4838 kept. New top, new top motor, glass rear window, (MI) (11/20) rebuilt engine and transmission. Newer interior, 389 engine, 88,000 miles, located in southern Ohio, $17,500. Contact Lorri Hively (740) 441-2896 email; [email protected] (OH) (1/21)

‘63 Parisienne: 2-door, Chev. 6 cyl, automatic, rare - 250 built, 100K miles, new upholstery & carpet, Impala stering wheel. $20,000 Harlan Cosper ‘65 GTO Conv.: Tiger Gold with black top and black (509) 760-1925 (WA) (11/20) interior. 389 motor with 4-speed manual transmis- ‘63 Bonneville Conv.: Custom paint, nice top, re- sion. 26,000 miles, all original $50,000 Sherri Bom- done interior, factory 8-lug wheels, V8, auto, PS, PB, er (402) 679-5929 (IA) (11/20) factory A/C, runs and drives $15,850. Contact Nicole Wieseman (618) 635-7056 (IL) (1/21)

‘64 Bonneville: Survivor with 30,000 original miles. Excellent condition, 389 motor with 4bbl ‘66 2+2 Conv.: Rare column shift auto, YH 421 carb. Tri-color interior. PHS documents, must see to 4-bbl numbers matching. Previously NC car, NY ti-

78 SMOKE SIGNALS •NOVEMBER 2020 RETIREMENT SALE - NO TRADES

NOVEMBER 2020 •SMOKE SIGNALS 79 tle, w/114k original miles. PS, PB, AM radio, 8-lug better-than-factory gaps, mini tubbed. Floors: Factory chrome with baffle. Camshaft: Comp wheels, new tires and battery, brakes serviced. New metal. Trunk: New metal. Hood: 1969 T/A Cams hydraulic roller camshaft. Duration @ .050: Original interior, new carpet, older restoration, nice (replica) fiberglass hood. Fenders: New metal. 236 intake, 224 exhaust, Lift: .520 intake, .540 conv. top, has glass rear window. Car located in Doors: New metal. Rockers: New metal. Rear exhaust. PRW 1.5-ratio roller rockers. Ignition: Upstate NY. $22,500 contact Joe Karas, (413) 246- quarters: New metal. Deck lid: New metal. Two Taylor plug wires. Total Timing: 38 degrees. RPM 8386 (NY) (1/21) coats epoxy primer. The paint was wet-sand- that total timing is reached: 2800rpm. Power ed between coats; Grit used: 400 grit; Final Master hi-torque starter. Exhaust: Doug’s D568 wet-sanding: Process 800 down to 1500. Bum- ceramic coated headers. Primary size: 1 7/8”; pers: New. Car alarm, HD back-up camera. ALL Collector size: 3 1/2”; Exhaust pipe size: 3” into CUSTOM INTERIOR: Custom Lambo-style seats mufflers, 2 1/2” out; SPINTECH Performance Muf- with embroidered Firebird logo; custom fiber- flers, Sportsman Street XLF Series (low profile). glass door panels by Marquez Design (altered for Transmission and rear: Rebuilt “Racing” Turbo roll bar); Flaming River steering column; Fosgate 400 with 2200 stall converter, Gear Vendors over- pmx 3, two Alpine PDX-1.1000. Amplifiers: PDX drive unit. Mark Williams 12-bolt rear end, 3.73 Mono Power Density Digital, Type-R SPR-17S. Car gears. $74,000 contact Andy Musil (904) 940- speaker system: 110 Watt 6-1/2” coaxial 2-way 4981 [email protected] (FL) (1/21) ‘66 LeMans Sedan: All original, automatic on the speakers, 6-1/2” component 2-way speakers, column, white interior, bucket seats, factory A/C, two Alpine Type-R SPR-57C coaxial speakers, AM/FM radio, Safe-T-Track rear, power steering & 5”x7” coaxial 2-way speakers, two Alpine Type-R brakes, rebuilt engine and transmission, 80K on SWR-1242D car subwoofers, driver - 500 watt odometer, asking $12,000, call Roger Hansen (419) 12”. The custom speaker box takes up the back 345-0728. (OH) (1/21) seat area, and the racing stripes go through the box and line-up with the painted stripes. SPW power windows. Vintage Air A/C (working). CHASSIS: All Ridetech/Air Ride, Flaming River rack and pinion. Wheels: American Racing Rogue ‘67 Ram Air GTO: 1 of 63 YR code 4-speed Ram black wheels, 18x8.5” rear, 17x8.5” front. Wil- Air cars produced. Numbers matching engine. wood disc brakes, 6-piston calipers with slotted Runs & drives well. Unrestored, originally Signet rotors. ENGINE: 1967 Pontiac 400 (4.180” bore, Gold, black vinyl top, black bucket seat interior. 4.5” stroke, forged crank). Edlebrock Pro-Flo 3 Rally gauges, tinted windows, console, PB AM ‘67 Grand Prix Conv.: Restoration almost com- EFI system. Engine built by Harrison Racing En- radio, ride & handling pkg. I have PHS & Protect- plete, Florida vehicle now in Illinois. Runs and terprises (Gary Harrison) Jax., FL. March Perfor- O-Plate $42,000. Ken Colacino (917) 660-5804 drives good $13,995. For details contact Steven mance serpentine system, Ron Davis aluminum (NJ) (12/20) Kravitz [email protected] or (561) 262-3008 (IL) radiator, custom engraved valve covers from Tin (1/21) Indian performance. In-tank AC Delco electric fuel pump, Rick’s stainless-steel fuel tank. Edel- ‘67 LeMans Conv.: 326 auto, buckets, console, brock 877cc cylinder heads. Valves: 2.11” intake, P/S, P/B, P/TOP, black plate CA car. Frame and body 1.77” exhaust. Valve springs: Lunati. Pushrods: mounts perfect. Some pin holes in floorboards and Custom chrome moly pushrods. Bottom end trunk, could use paint $16,500. Contact Ed Raines pistons: Ross custom pistons +.060” 400 4.180 (440) 781-7300 [email protected] (OH) (1/21) bore. Rings: Total Seal piston rings. Rods: Eagle ‘67 Pro Touring Custom Firebird: Cover H-Beam 6.700 ESP connecting rods. Compres- car, High Performance Pontiac magazine. Gold sion ratio: 10.9. Crankshaft: Ohio forged, 4.5” award trophy at 2019 POCI in Gettysburg. Amaz- stroke. Mods: BOP Neoprene rear main seal. Mill- ‘67 Firebird Conv.: 326, 4-speed, $38,000, all of- ing detail and performance with this “spare no ing double roller timing chain. Oiling System: fers considered. Contact Dennis Weaver (319) 350- expense” custom build. Over $120,000 in re- Melling 60 psi oil pump. Oil pan, brand/type: 1886 (IA) (11/20) ceipts. Multiple Best In Show winner and has true Pontiac power under the hood, not an LS! This custom semi-famous 1967 Pontiac Firebird was featured on the cover of High Performance Pontiac magazine with a six-page spread on the inside, including the centerfold (Septem- ber 2010 issue). Over $120K invested in this Pro Touring ‘Bird, not including any of my time. I have about 3,000 miles on this motor, and it runs AWESOME! The car has won many Best of Show awards (which stay with the car), and will give the new owner many more. This car is in great condition... you must see to appreciate! VEHICLE HIGHLIGHTS: Bodywork: Completed 2010 (repainted 2019), Black top, Dark Silver two-tone with tribal flames and racing stripes. Roll bar,

80 SMOKE SIGNALS •NOVEMBER 2020 battery 08/2020 $65,000. Contact Gerald Betterley (303) 972-1405 (CO) (1/21) ‘68 GTO Coupe: Ram Air code 347, 4-speed, power antenna, sport wheel, power steering, disc brakes, power windows, HD 4.33 rear with THE TOP Safe-T-Track, head restraints, bucket seats. Orig- inal window sticker and Protect-O-Plate with manuals. $10,500, Call John Meyers at (585) RESTORATIONS 394- 5738 for more information. (NY) (11/20) Use Original Parts Group ‘67 Executive Safari: Semi modified. 400 low as their source compression 2bbl regular gas detailed engine with Unsurpassed quality, in-stock selection 105,000 miles. Rebuilt TH 350 automatic. Has dual & ﬁercely competitive pricing exhaust, new power disc brakes, PS, tilt, roof rack. since 1982 New suspension including custom made springs to USA & increase height. Interior is in very good condition OPGI.COM / 800.243.8355 Canada with new carpet, Grant wood wheel, padded dash, International, Dial 562.594.1000 power seat, gauge package. Has an AM/FM radio, CD player. Cargo area has new vinyl flooring. New ‘68 GTO: Second owner. Nordic Blue exterior, paint on lower half (champagne and blue/green). Parchment interior, 40,000 miles on motor re- Chrome mag wheels with excellent tires. Bumpers build. Numbers matching, 18 options and PHS have been re-chromed. Power tailgate window has documents $47,500. Contact Bill Corbin (520) a new motor. Asking $12,500. Contact Rick DiGia- 219- 3481 or (520) 591-4488 (AZ) (11/20) como (401) 934-0663 or [email protected]. (RI) (1/21)

‘69 GTO Conv.: Second owner since 1977. Green exterior, interior, top. 400 4 bbl AT. 13,000 miles since motor rebuild. About 160,000 miles on solid chassis. All original except for radio and wheels. ‘67 Bonneville Conv.: Rust free, 400 4bbl, A/C, Drives well, used for driving tours and cruise-ins. 3-speed auto trans. At 10’ the maroon paint looks VIN 242679B119565 $38,000 or reasonable of- good. Good original white interior, but not perfect. fer. Contact Tim Maddox (304) 410-7602 email Front disc brakes added with 15” new wheels and [email protected] (KY) (1/21) tires, needs a top but works, and A/C not working call/text (520) 360-8033 Alan Thiem (AZ) (12/20) ORDER YOUR ‘67 Firebird 400 Coupe: Auto with vinyl top. Pur- FREE PRINT CATALOG chased from original owners in 1971. Only 7,402 ONLINE AT OPGI.COM miles since ground up restoration 07/1994. Current mileage 158,852. New seat covers 07/2015, factory A/C installed 11/2015, new tires with only 10 miles on them, new valve cover & trans. pan gaskets ‘69 Bonneville 428/370hp: P/S, P/D/B, A/C, 08/2020, new windshield 08/2020, new Optima glass out beautiful paint job. New vinyl roof,

G T O • T E M P E S T • L E M A N S GRAND PRIX • BONNEVILLE/CATALINA*

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NOVEMBER 2020 •SMOKE SIGNALS 81 As a retired Pontiac-GMC Truck dealer, I’ve had headliner seals and carpet. Seats original excel- tures upon request. Runs and Drives great!! $25,000 posi, custom deluxe interior, rear console. A well lentBOOK condition. Restored REVIEW Rally wheels with new FINSor best Harleyacceptable Earl, offer. the Call Rise Ron Goodellof General (414-764) Motors, preserved and original the Glory car. Runs Days and of drives Detroit great. No my share of one-of-a-kind automotive adventures. radials. Dual exhaust. Would drive cross country. 9884 oremail; [email protected] (WI) (11/20) rattles, squeaks or shakes. Owned 23 years, fully Here are some fun nuggets from the many Not just another book about the charismatic, captivating and impenetrable Harley Earl, $17,500, Rob Albino (917) 478-8350 (NY) (11/20) FINS is a landmark work which reveals deeply burieddocumented historical withdetails original of the build General sheet, Motors PHS, man- great years spent with my two favorite brands. V.P. of Styling’s life and his unquestionable love foruals, automotive literature, salesdesign. brochures Along andthe dealerway, wealbum. learn how the meteoric rise of GM as the world’sYou largest will not corporation find a nicer, seemsmore original to directly car for the parallel the growth of the iconic tail fins that definedmoney. Earl’s A deal Motorama at $55,000. dream Call Joe cars Januzzi of atthe (585) THe CAse OF THe 1950s. The topic is broad, but the level of detail fully259-6614 delights, (NY) entertains (1/21) and educates. The author’s interwoven tales are so engrossing that, while in the midst of what seems to be a willful wandering from the topic at hand, one might suddenly question the extent of MIssing License PlAte the journey that we’ve hitched our wagon to. But then, as a true master devoted to the full understanding of his subject, Knoedelseder quickly brings his narrative full circle, rendering ‘69 GTO: 400 V-8, auto, Judge badging, black it all germane. The reader is now fully rewarded with a better contextual understanding of buckets, great looking car, over 100 trophies. Harley‘76 Trans Earl’s Am:self-important Original owner, status 34,706 — not miles,just within the microcosm of automotive design, hen we moved our Pontiac deal- brother, Joe, asked the State Highway distribution of plates was not really what Runs and drives great, fast, Flow Master exhaust, but400, within 4-speed. the history This is an of unrestored the entire car. American First time automobile ‘78 Trans industry Am Vintage in the broadest Drag Car: of terms.406, roller ership from our old facility at 9 Commissioner for help, and we were the DMV envisioned. By the time in 1969 mag wheels with redline tires. Have original Pon- everOf offered.note to thisHave audience, all paperwork FINS including has only abuild scant fewrockers, passages Comp whichCam, Turborelate 350 directly with toB&M our shift WThames Street in Norwich, Con- able to get the X-400 series. when I returned to the dealership after tiac items for extra cost. Not a real Judge but not favoritesheet, windowPontiac sticker.marque. Hood Strangely, decal, front two console, of them arekit, perhapsMoser 9” theFord book’s rear, roll most cage, memorable also have orig- necticut, to our new modern (for 1965) When an employee needed a plate my stint in the Army, all dealers had been asking Judge price. Downsizing, would like to sell, anecdoteslamp group because and rear of floortheir irreverentmats are only toilet options humor: inal One, wheels/seats, where the rear designer axle, exhaust of Pontiac’s manifold & facility at 400 West Thames St., we to drive an unregistered car on the high- advised to keep accurate records of who asking $44,900. Contact Vern Frederickson (920) original$39,500 1935 Kevin Silver Kloubec Streak (630) 208-0968motif, Franklin (IL) (11/20) Hershey,more. becomes Solid FL acar, target no rust. of RanEarl’s 10.99s. breaking No room thought it would be a good idea to way, they would take one from the of- used what plates and when. 428- 9166 (WI) (1/21) wind during a men’s room encounter, and anotherto keep where it $35,000 designer Michael Sparky Kelso (312) Bonstedt 907-4862 change our license plate issued by the fice and return it when done. However, Rather than haphazardly assigning experiences a severe, gut-wrenching reaction [email protected] upon learning that (FL) his (11/20) fear-inducing State of Connecticut Department of Mo- a few plates weren’t returned. One such plates as needed, I instituted a plan that boss is soon to pay an unexpected visit to the Pontiac Studio. Regardless, FINS is quite worthy of our time and attention and is a must-read for any tor Vehicles. Maybe a number like 400 allowed employees to chose one plate serious automotive enthusiast. Its impact ranks alongside Patrick Wright’s On a Clear Day Author: William Knoedelseder was available? and be responsible for it. You Can See General Motors and Jim Wangers’ autobiographical Glory Days. The net The plates issued to automotive deal- “The PlAte some- The service department was quick to Publisher: HarperBusiness Release Date: September 9, 2018 takeaway from FINS, however, is a greater understanding of how and why Earl’s unrelenting ers in Connecticut featured a contiguous claim XS-400 as they were already using how becAme ‘Lost.’ • Illustrated (B&W photography) pursuit for longer, lower and wider cars drove not just General Motors, but also the entire series of numbers or letters. New-car it; I chose XG-400. Others, within the • Hardcover, 320 pages American automotive industry, directly influencing nearly every four-wheeled creation — dealers were Xa-nnn where “a” would pecking order at the dealership, chose finned or not — that we drive or lust over still today. Highly recommended. ImAgine thAt.” ‘74 •Grand ISBN-10: Am: 0062289071 Original owner, older total frame ‘80 Trans Am: All original with matching num- be a letter from A to Z and “nnn” would and were assigned their own plates. Now • ISBN-13: 978-0062289070 — Thom Sherwood, Rally Reels on restoration inside and out, .60 over built 455. ‘77 S/E Trans Am: Y82, 4-speed, numbers match- bers. 75,565 miles. The paint, hood bird, wheels, be a number from 1 through 999. Used- plate was XS-400, which our Service De- if someone wanted to know who had Original 4-speed, Auburn positraction. More pic- ing drivetrain, loaded, A/C, PW, PL, tilt, 3.23 and 301 4bbl engine are original. The brake sys- car dealers were Da-nnn and auto repair partment decided to keep in the service been driving XA-400 over the weekend, shops were Ra-nnn. Our street number write-up area. we knew it was our New Car Sales Man- at the new location was 400, so my This practice of mostly haphazard ager, Fran, and so forth. The only problem was now that we had cars like the Trans Am with a 400cid V8, which when the new version came out in a few months, would be my dem- onstrator. I really wanted XS-400 on the back. However, even as the boss’s son, I wasn’t about to upset my Service Man- ager who also really liked that combo. Periodically, the State would replace all plates, typically switching colors from white to blue and the following year blue to white. We turned in all plates, paid our substantial plate fees, and started using the new plates. Well, except for the ones that had become lost — as some were wont to do. It seems that just before the changeover one year, the XS-400 plate suddenly became “lost.” Imagine that. Later when it was found, it somehow ended up in my desk drawer. There is absolutely no truth to the ru- mor that it occasionally showed up on the back of one of my cars at various car shows, especially when I was showing a car which had a 400 engine. Nope, not a shred of truth to that whatsoever! Share your thoughts with Gerson at [email protected]

82 SMOKE SIGNALS •NOVEMBER 2020 tem and exhaust have been updated. Red velour interior looks amazing. I have owned, garaged, and maintained this car for 34 years, $23,500. Con- tact Larry Kaminski (386) 235-0006 (FL) (1/21)

‘86 Grand Prix 2+2: This is a rare car only built one year and a mere total of 1,225 ever left the factory. What’s more, this Grand Prix sports very low mileage at just 15,670 on the odometer. It has the “Corporate” ‘82 Trans Am: WS-6, 305 ci engine, 4 bbl, 4-speed V8-305/4bbl with a 4-speed automatic, limited slip manual transmission. 85K miles, one owner, adult differential 3.08:1. The 2+2 specific pieces include driven. Blue Ext/Blue int. Appraised at $15,500. the aero-nose, bubble rear glass and a fiberglass Sell at $14,000. Call Gary Canady (303) 632-8727 trunk lid with integral spoiler. There is a two tone (CO) (12/20) ‘85 Parisienne Safari: This station wagon fea- paint job Silver over Gray, Pontiac 2+2 decals, red tures a 305 V8 with 4 spd. auto O/D. Purchased striping and 15 x 7 Rally II wheels. It is loaded with new by my father, always garage kept. 9 passen- AC, PW, PL, Cruise, AM/FM stereo with cassette play- ger. Fully optioned (except) no power windows er, sport mirrors. The interior is gray cloth bucket or locks. Mostly like new and exceptional con- seats and console. This award winning car is garage dition throughout. Always beyond well main- kept and the buyer will receive much documentation tained- synthetically. Outstanding fuel mileage! of its history. Asking $20,000.00, contact Edward $5,900 OBO. Additional photos upon request. Joe Ferrelli (508) 380-4607 (MA) (1/21) Bush (410) 592 7926 email; [email protected] (MD) (11/20) TO PLACE AN AD BY MAIL: ‘86 2+2 Grand Prix Aero Coupe: Great condi- ‘85 Fiero: #1 show condition, 13,000 miles. Arizona tion, looking & driving car. Drive anywhere. R12 Smoke Signals Editor car, stored inside. 4 cylinder mid engine, automatic A/C, P/S, P/B, Cruse Control, P/S, AM/FM Radio 205 N. Mill St. transmission, A/C, sun roof, all original, $8,400. Con- $18,500, located West Coast of FL. Joe Alterizio Pontiac, IL 61764 tact Richard Slater (520) 625-0355 (AZ) (11/20) (352) 527-2950 (FL) (11/20)

NOVEMBER 2020 •SMOKE SIGNALS 83 ‘98 Bonneville SSEi: Supercharged 3.8, extremely clean, 105,000 miles. Silver Mist Metallic, drove ‘91 Firebird: 33,300 actual miles. Sport Appearance this car in the summer only. No modifications of any and Special Edition packages. Color is Bright Aqua kind except 17” rims. Never smoked-in Charcoal gray ‘06 GTO: Red with red leather interior/black trim. with caramel interior. I am the 2nd owner and have leather interior, still has grain texture on the steering 6.0 LS2, 6-speed, 1,900 miles. All original, new in owned it since 1993. It’s always stored indoors. It’s wheel. $4,500, I live between Cleveland and Akron and out, garage kept and covered. $29,500, contact in excellent condition, and meticulously maintained. Ohio. Call Brian Rott (440) 786- 7886 (OH) (12/20) Al Collins (229) 220-5440 email; collinsa01@bell- $7,200 Todd Kurtz (701) 751-0822, (701) 391-8935 south.net (GA) (1/21) after 5 or weekends, texts anytime, rarebird80@ ‘07 Solstice: Selling for a friend that had a gmail.com (OH) (1/21) stroke. Car has 2,596 miles. Red with black top, black leather interior. 2.4 litre, auto, non turbo. Still smells new, $17,000. No pictures available at this time. Call only, no text! Ron Owsley (573) 263-5362 (MO) (11/20)

‘00 Trans Am: WS6, T-tops, auto, red w/black leather, 10,800 adult driven miles, like new, mint condition, only mod is stainless headers, I have orig manifolds. Call for more info. Contact Bill Settem- ‘94 - 25th Anniv. Trans Am: T-Tops, air, PW, PS, brino (914) 523-6665 (NY) (1/21) ‘09 G8: Leather interior, moonroof, clean inside. PB, LT-1 engine just had 100,000 miles tune. One Had timing belt, instrument cluster and computer of 600 built like this. Driver, but has won trophies. replaced recently. Dealer couldn’t update the actual Runs great, looks great, will probably rise in value. mileage on the used instrument cluster so it shows Asking $11,000 OBO. Call Robert Goebel (321) 289- 95k but should be more like 110k. Call or text Mark 2012 (FL) (1/21) Korecko (216) 407-6142. Need to sell, $5,900. (OH) (11/20)

‘05 GTO: This 2005 Pontiac GTO Coupe is Torrid Red, powered by the Corvette’s 6.0 liter LS2 V8 that has 400HP and a 4-speed automatic transmission. 35K miles. Unique added ventilation detail on the hood and sunroof give it a sharp look ‘96 Formula Firebird: Almost new condition, that stands out. Interior is a rare red leather with ‘09 G8 GT: One owner California car. White Hot ex- 6-speed, leather, new tires last year, like new top, black accents. This car is super clean, well kept! terior, Onyx/Red interior. 61,300 miles, new Miche- under 37,000 miles. Don’t know of any options not Serious buyer with $21,000 cash only! Deborah lin Pilot III Super Sport tires. $18,900. Contact Jeff on this car, $11,000. Michael Strong (563) 543- Mowatt (240) 388-7410 damowatt@comcast. Robinson (818) 917-5274 captainthermo2000@ 3894. (IA) (12/20) net (MD) (11/20) gmail.com (CA) (12/20)

‘09 G8 GXP: Don’t miss this one! 6-speed manual, like new with only 6,936 miles. Exercised routinely but preserved as new. 100% original, a perfect example of a “preservation” Pontiac! Offered by original owner with all documents. Asking $47,000 OBO. Other “preservation Pontiacs” available. Contact Larry DeLay (630) 554-2268 (IL) (1/21)

84 SMOKE SIGNALS •NOVEMBER 2020 necting rods $25 each. Contact George Weaver (717) 354-5280 (PA) (11/20)

‘09 G8 GT: Two owner car, adult driven 44,995 actual miles. Clean CARFAX. Tastefully done engine modifications, (no internal work). I have all of the original factory parts. Extremely clean. New- er Conti-Control Contact Sport A/S tires (12,000 miles), Mobil 1 oil changes. Beautiful white finish, $22,500. Bill Lawson (917) 693-5781(IL) (12/20) ‘28-’58 Fuel Pump Kits: Top quality kits compatible with today’s gas. Double action are Oakland/Pontiac Cars $76.50, single actions are $52.50 & $8 shipping. & GMC Trucks Wanted Also, excellent reproduction of the 1512015 temperature sending unit that fits 1939-1952 ‘30-’31 Oakland Coupe: Looking to acquire a 1930 Pontiacs. $65 & $7 shipping. Visa, Mastercard, or 1931 Oakland coupe. Would be most interested in a Paypal, Kurt Kelsey (641) 648-9086 kelsey@ vehicle that is in driver condition. I am capable of most prairieinet.net (11/20E) mechanical repairs. Less interested in a car with body ‘37 and ‘39 Radios: 1937 Pontiac radio repair needs. Ryan Noble (703) 403-8310 (CA) (1/21) #983527 with built-in speaker, no controls, ‘58 Bonneville Convertible: Any condition but missing parts, decent case and speaker $100 or should be mostly complete. Would also consider b.o. plus shipping. 1939 Pontiac radio #983569 highly optioned parts cars. Paying Cash. Contact with remote speaker, dash control panel no Frank Karabetsos, (630) 330-8522 [email protected] knobs or cables $250 or b.o. plus shipping. Email (IL)(12/20) [email protected] (978) 597-0816 Matt Wanted: ‘59 or ‘60 Pontiac 2-door driver. No Vista Ranger (MA) (11/20) tops. Also looking for ‘63 2-door LeMans, V8 only, no projects, no dealers. Call Eldon Beers (602) 377-5894 (AZ) (11/20) ‘62 Catalina/Grand Prix: Looking to purchase a 1962 Catalina or Grand Prix. Bob Olson (509) 822-7452 (WA) (11/20) ‘65 Safari Wagon: Looking for a 1965 Safari wagon, Catalina or Bonneville, 9-passenger preferred, A/C a plus. No rust bucket please. Ed Codd (410) 340-5085 (MD) (11/20) ‘66 2+2: Looking to buy 421 Tri-Power, 4-speed. Prefer tach, gauge package, 8-lugs, console. Hardtop or convertible. Authenticity and condition are important. ‘48 - ‘58 NOS Hydra-Matic Parts: Sold in one Contact Kevin Simpson (585) 233-0658 or ksimpson@ lot, approximately 140 pieces. A few older and twc.com with pictures, Thanks! (NY) (1/21) newer. Many fit Olds also $150. Contact Dennis ‘76 Trans Am: Wanted 1976 T/A project car. Complete Klubertanz (715) 732-4647 (WI) (12/20) car would be nice but it does not have to have engine or trans. Auto or 4-spd. Must have A/C. Of course the least To Access the amount of rust possible. Looking for father/son project. Call or email anytime. Will pay cash, Fred DeFrancesco POCI Library (914) 772-3231 (NY) (11/20) • email: Pontiacs Wanted: ‘95 - 2005 Bonneville with low [email protected] mileage, no gray or black. Vibe, any year, low mileage, • phone: no gray or black. Trans Sport ‘95? Low mileage, no gray 815-842-2345 or black. Greg Williams (731) 253-7288 (TN) (11/20) • To set up an appointment to visit the library in person (best results) call the number above. The library is located at the Pontiac-Oakland Oakland/Pontiac Cars & Museum, 205 N. Mill St., Pontiac, IL. Keep in mind the POCI library is mostly GMC Parts For Sale comprised of brochures, shop manuals, owner’s manuals, dealer albums, some color ‘28-’31 Oakland Parts: ‘28 taillight bezel $25, chips, press photos and misc. There are no Oakland V8 pistons $25 each, Oakland V8 con- assembly manuals.

NOVEMBER 2020 • SMOKE SIGNALS 85 ‘62, 389 Engine and Trans: 303hp Pontiac engine 3,100 miles. All accessories, drop in / start up, $3,000. Also available for additional cost, standard shift bell housing and all related parts including working 3-speed transmission in excellent condition. Contact seller for price. Bob Pantin (979) 777-0034 or (979) 777-0969 (MS) (11/20) ‘59-’63 Full Size: Power steering pressure hoses for full size Pontiacs. These new hoses are exact NOS Hood Ornaments: 1950 $350, 1951 reproductions of the originals that I tooled up for $550. Nick McInchak (734) 301-8963 or email; because I couldn’t find any originals for my own [email protected] (MI) (11/20) restorations. Pressure hose $85.00, return hose ‘49-’54 NOS Exhaust Extension: NOS exhaust with clamps $15.00 plus shipping. Martin Hirsch extension, still brand new in the box, $325.00 (845) 753-5025 (12/20E) plus postage to USA address. Charles L. Coker, 1953 tech advisor (417) 693-5219 charlessdv8@ yahoo.com (MO) (11/20) ‘55-’58 Parts For Sale: Battery trays, straps, hold downs, varying condition. ‘57-’59 headlight switches, reconditioned, $119 W/O core, to your door. ‘57 P/S change over, complete, $550. ‘57 Bonnie air conditioning crank pulley, $475. 3.23 Gears drop out, excellent, $275. Dave Snodgrass (262) 789-8460 (WI) (11/20) ‘57 Chieftain: 2- or 4-door rolling frame, solid ‘63 Tempest Headers: Headman #28140 head- except for two small areas of rust holes. Includes ers that fit 1963 Tempest 326. New in the box, 1956 rear end and steering column. $300, Dave would not fit my project $175. Contact Bob Sim- Reinhold (618) 284-3465 (IL) (12/20) mers (701) 220-8623 (ND) (12/20) Parts For Sale: ‘55-’56 transmission cross ‘63 Tempest 4-Door: Front and rear seats and members $10 each. One Safari rechromed tail gate door panels in very good condition, $400 for all. bar $50. Five tail gate bars needing rechromed Many other parts, call with needs. Ventura front $90. ‘55-’57 sedan rear glass (clear) $40. ‘55-’57 header panel with grilles, bumper and braces sedan rear Eze-Eye $75.’55-’57 hardtop rear glass $300. Misc 389 heads and ‘65 intake. Contact Da- (clear) $50. ‘55-’56 2-door hartop roof, complete vid Simeone (412) 335-3704 (PA) (11/20) with “A” and “B” pillars $75. One ‘65 like new spare ‘59 Parts For Sale: Hardtop door ventilator ‘63 Parts For Sale: L&R power vent motors tire with 1 1/2” white wall $75. Data tag and VIN frame (pair) $125, backup lights blankouts (pair) $300pr., 421HO pan $400, original Delco master tag for a ‘55-2519 car including paperwork $75. $50, good used (was NOS) STD master cylinder cylinders, standard & power, $100 each, manual Terry Schnurbusch (573) 788-2147 (MO) (11/20) $50, rear bumper $200, oil filter assembly $20. bell housing w/tin $375, flywheels aluminum ‘55, 287 Engine: 1955, 287 Pontiac engine Catalina taillight bezel $20, front fender mould- $175 iron $150, NOS intake and exhaust valves partially disassembled, $500. John Zaborowski ing (over bumper) pair $25, lower quarter mold- 421HO $250. Contact George Knevelbard (616) (814) 739-9421 (PA) (11/20) ing (curved) pair $35. Mike Musicaro (352) 263- 340-2030 (FL) (12/20) ‘56 Pontiac Parts: Selling 30+ yr parts collection 1060 [email protected] (FL) (12/20) Pontiac Engines: 1963-389 complete manual including sheet metal, trim, mechanical and GMC Pickup Box Parts For Sale: ‘60s tail gate for trans 2-barrel 8.6CR. 1962-389 complete autotrans accessories. Most refurbished ready to use or 4-barrel 10.25CR a/c. 1965/’66 389 shortblock NOS; some driver condition used or repairable. wide side box $500, ‘60s front box panel for wide side like new take off $400, 1988-’98 tail gate for 2-barrel auto trans 10.5CR. 1969-428 shortblock Located in Lake Havasu, AZ. Will send photos, stock crank, Eagle forged rods, Ross/Butler forged written description and price for any parts I have. step side box like new take off $800. Will consider serious offer. Contact Dale Pedersen (608) 214- pistons, oil pump, oilpan, installed double row tim- [email protected] Bob Johnson (951) 789- ing chain $300. 389 complete engines $200, 389 5842 (AZ) (11/20) 9500 leave message so I can call back. (WI) (1/21) Extensive 40YR+ Liquidation ‘61 thru ‘81: shortblock $1,500. 428. Scott Wells (631) 974-2889 ‘58 Pontiac Parts: Moving and trying to reduce [email protected] (NY) (12/20) inventory. I have a large amount of 1958 Pontiac Bonneville, Grand Prix, Catalina, Ventura, GTO parts which are mostly Bonneville: Seats, side LeMans, Tempest, some TA/Firebird too! Options, trim, bumper guards, parking light housings, trim, wheels, wheel covers, interior, exterior, etc. fender birds, taillight lenses, fenders, hoods, Specializing in tachs, gauges, emblems and sport bucket seats, sparkle carpet, FI parts, hubcaps, steering wheels. Two well stocked locations in dash pieces. Also a lot of various 8-lug wheels and Upstate NY. Call with all your needs. Parts loca- drums. David Evans (409) 771-4239 or email; bon- tor access as well. Please gimme a try first. David [email protected] (TX) (11/20) Cardella (518) 339-5531 (NY) (12/20E) Parts For Sale: Many rare parts for 1959, 1963 ‘62 Super Duty: 16-1.65 rockers excellent $450, and 1964 full size Pontiacs. Please call or email 9-intake, 7-exhaust valves NORS $300, SD axle ‘63 & ‘64 Parts: Parting out two 1963 Grand Ed Kodet with any inquiries. (612) 377-8256; shaft $175. Contact George Knevelbard (616) Prixs and one ‘64 Bonneville. Many good body [email protected] (MN) (11/20) 340-2030 (FL) (12/20) parts, drivetrain and interior pieces. Lots of trim,

86 SMOKE SIGNALS •NOVEMBER 2020 consoles, shifters, vacuum gauges, bumpers, multiple dash boards and more. Rare 1963 Per- fect Circle cruise control. Very reasonable prices. Contact Scott Lanza (602) 228-1821 (AZ) (11/20) NOS ‘64-’67 Parts For Sale: ‘64-’70 GTO and full size parts (all NOS) - ‘67 GTO drivers conv. rear quarter $3,500, ‘67 GTO front fenders $3,000, ‘67 GTO rear quarters $5,000, ‘67 GTO passengers rear quarter $2,500, ‘67 GTO passengers front fender $1,500, ‘68 GTO passengers rear quarter $2,500, ‘70 GTO drivers rear quarter $2,000, ‘70 GTO Judge rear spoiler $2,000, ‘70 GTO Judge front chin spoil- ‘67 GTO Parts For Sale: Front fender splash er $500, ‘64 full size front fenders $2,000. Chris shields $35 each, door edge guards $250 pair, #16 Heads: Pontiac #16 heads, date code B218. Kostohryz (440) 465-5868 [email protected] (OH) heater controls $115, AC controls $175, AM/FM With original rocker arms, lifters, pushrods, valves, (11/20) radio $775, clock $125, steering column mounting etc. as shown. Bought in 1980s from running GTO bracket $75.00, rear speaker switch $75, remote that was parted out. I covered them with oil and mirror $175, open hood scoop $175, Radiator newspaper, stored them indoors as a spare set, but bracket $40, cigarette lighter $45, windshield never used them. I may be able to deliver for a fee. wiper switch $45, NOS quarter emblems $150 pair, $800, price negotiable. Tim Maddox (304) 410- NOS transistor regulator $125, NOS dome lens $45. 7602 (KY) (12/20) Lots more! Greg Spreitzer (440) 382-8161 or email; Pontiac/GTO Parts For Sale: Cleaning out near- [email protected] (OH) (12/20) ly 40 years of Pontiacing. Much has been sold but ‘67 3-Speed Manual Transmission: Borg-War- many items still avail. Bob Vidan (360) 693-7487. ner T-16, 3-speed manual transmission from a 1967 Website: zboosnwpontiac.com (WA) (12/20E) ‘64 Wheel Covers: Pair of ‘64 full size wheel cov- 400 HO Firebird. 2.41 first gear. Includes factory ‘66 Catalina, Ventura: NOS right rear taillight ers, very nice condition. $50 for the pair. Contact shifter that mounts to cross-member. Also includes assembly for 1966 Ventura and Catalina only, in Jeff Reade (310) 570-5554 (CA) (1/21) a shifter and mount for a G-body car. I used it in original box, $90 plus shipping. Don Monroe (253) ‘65-’66 A/C Parts: Pontiac air conditioning parts. several cars, it works great and is quiet. This is a rare 566-8488 (WA) (11/20) Dash control panel $30, blower motor $35, com- HEAVY DUTY transmission, $500. Mark Blaho (718) pressor $40, heater box $35, evaporator $35, inlet 464-7945 (NY) (12/20) and valve assembly $35, condenser $40, interior ‘67 LeMans Doors: Will fit coupe or convertible. duct assembly $30, lower compressor support Complete with glass, door panels and hardware. $25. Shipping extra, contact Pete Lungulow (419) Good condition, garaged, will only sell as a pair. 865-7858 or; [email protected]. (OH) (12/20) Will consider offers. Call Tom Stephanou (610) 623- Parts For Sale: Chrome headliner strips for a ‘56 8055 or Email; [email protected]. (PA) (12/20) wagon $100, ‘67 GTO radiator in excellent condition $50, ‘65 GTO doors and trunk lid no rust $100 each, Ram Air IV titanium valves $25 each, four 8-lugs two front two rear $200. Contact Bill Radamacher (217) 556-5381 (IL) (12/20)

OHC 6 Parts: New and used for ‘66-’69 Firebirds, Tempest, LeMans: camshaft $195-$425, motor mounts $180-$220, followers $10.75, fuel pumps $75, oil pump kit $80, water pump $150, plus much more. ‘The OHC Source’, Jerry Woodland 11361 N 2000 E, Richmond, UT 84333 (435) 258- 5660 (UT) (2/21E) Selling 40 Years of Pontiac Parts: GTO, Trans Am, Firebird, Grand Am. Pulleys, brackets, starters, alternators, distributors, exhaust and intake man- Hurst Wheels: Very nice set of Hurst wheels, big ifolds, drive shafts, auto shifters, consoles, HVAC car 5 x 5 bolt pattern, $4,500, also have excellent control panels, inside, outside boxes, gauges, set of 4 3/4 GTO bolt pattern Hurst wheels, Full oil filters, thermostat housings, cross members, polished centers, $4,600, Contact Tom Rubinate heads, ‘74 and up taillight housings with lenses. (480) 390-9058 (CA) (1/21) Jerry Lee Smith (228) 355-9554 (MS) (11/20)

NOVEMBER 2020 • SMOKE SIGNALS 87 ‘69 Firebird NOS Quarter: 1969 Pontiac Fire- bird NOS right 1/4 panel - poor indoor storage, had surface rust, cleaned up well, some pitting that will fill with a good primer surfacer, Goodyear Eagle GT Tires: Set of four straight. Many before and after pictures avail- P215/65R15, date coded 077 (7th week of 1987), able, all crated and ready to ship $895. Contact 20K miles, were in use up to 2 years ago, always Alan Koberle (608) 836-7956 or (608) 279- stored inside, never any repairs. $800. Contact 1848 (WI) (1/21) Rodger Airey at (856) 596-9235 or 52rodger@ ‘75 Grand Am/LeMans: NOS Bumper Guards Parts For Sale: Five fender panels for late ‘70s comcast.net (NJ) (12/20) #498590 and #4985591 $95.00 plus S&H. Front side early ‘80s full size Pontiacs, excellent, $25 each plus shipping. Ten wheel covers, four wire, six plain. Centers for two wire covers late ‘70s. Early ‘80s full size Pontiac wire covers $25 each. William Wiggers (716) 269-8521 (NY) (11/20)

Phillips Muscle Car Parts: We have over 40,000 NOS GM-Muscle Car Parts and thousands of Used parts for the 1960s - 1970s. Specializing in Chevy, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Buick, Firebird, GTO, The Judge, Chevelle, Camaro, RS, SS, Z-28, Trans Am, Cutlass, 442, Skylark, GS, Grand Prix, Monte Carlo, Nova, Impala, El Camino, Corvette, LeMans, Bonneville, Catalina. To search by part # go to; www.phillipsmusclecarparts.com Parts shown by appointment. We ship nationwide, PayPal accepted (918) 745-0784. (OK) (11/20E)

‘73 Ventura For Parts: Parting out 1973 Ven- tura 4-door, titled, all original Pontiac 350/350. All glass good, running when parked. Rick Breen (503) 393-2008 [email protected] (OR) (11/20)

88 SMOKE SIGNALS •NOVEMBER 2020 SOLD

POCI Classifieds on Facebook

New Benefit for POCI Members

Our thanks to Justin LaClaire for launching and moderating another great new feature for POCI PONTIAC ALUMINIZED STAINLESS members! We now have a dedicated Facebook Group that will allow POCI members to share 1928-’54 ...... $280 ...... $550 Pontiac, Oakland and GMC vehicles and parts 1955-’74 Single $330 ...... $625 1955-’74 Duals $360 ...... $800 for sale and wanted. Search for “POCI Classifieds” on Facebook and read through the rules. Once you ask to join the group and are approved, you will be able to post your on-line ad on our group page, and view the other ads members have posted. Questions? Contact Justin: [email protected] marker light ‘73 to ‘75 #486139(?) $15.00 plus S&H. ‘05-’06 GTO Parts: NOS complete hood $900. ‘30 Parts Needed: Looking for a steering wheel Contact Chuck McGurk (215) 544-5462 (PA) (11/20) Used door panels (sets of 4) in colors $400. Rear for my 1930 Pontiac Roadster. Also need windshield Parts For Sale: Cleaning out garage, Center spoilers in colors $175 each. More parts available. frame in good condition. Contact Lester Noyes (207) Line racing wheels, 2 at 15” x 12”W and 2 at James Witowski (219) 879-2195 (IN) (1/21) 781-3116 (ME) (1/21) 15”x3”. 4 American early spoke type mags 14”, ‘52 Right Fender: In need of 1952 right fender. 4 American early cross X style alum 15” for GTO, Must be from a convertible or hardtop. Appreciate any help finding one. George Ade (304) 492-5890 5 WS6 TA 16”. Original ‘65 GTO high comp heads (WV) (1/21) $200, wheels $75 each. Bill Radamacher (217) 556-5381 (IL) (10/20) Flywheel Cover & Shield: 1955-’60 manual trans. Engine Blocks, Heads & Intakes: Five 455 flywheel cover & shield. Cover #518262 and shield #518144 or #532125. Call or text John Keating (910) blocks and crank $550. ‘68 number 16 head $200. 685-2802 (NC) (1/21) ‘75, 455 HO rebuilt, valve covers, carb, intake includ- ‘58 - 3.42:1 Safetrack: Recently purchased 1958 ed. Five drive shafts, four need blast and paint $75. Bonneville that has the Tempest 395A option and Extra heads 15, 6X-8, 7M5 $100. Extra intakes, alu- original owner swapped out the 3.42:1 safetrack unit minum and cast iron. Please call Larry Yates (815) for a 2.69 non posi 3rd member. Looking for a good 932-2493 (IL) (11/20) OEM drop-in. Prefer a 29 spline set up, but will take 31 if available. Contact Gary Gettleman (408) 472- Solstice Exhaust New In Box: 2009 Magnaflow 1525 [email protected] (CA) (1/21) #16645 Solstice GXP 2.0 Turbo Stainless steel exhaust system. Street series Cat-Back performance 3” tubes with twin polished tips. Fits 2007-2009 Solstice GXP, $400 plus shipping. James Smith (317) 847-5565 (IN) (1/21) Oakland/Pontiac Cars & GMC Parts Wanted Grand Am Tail Panels: 1985 and 1989 Pontiac ‘37 Parts Wanted: Looking for hood trim, grille ‘58 & ’60 Pontiac/GMC Bellhousings: Wanted, ear- Grand Am taillight panels with wires. ‘89 has two pieces, and bumper emblem for a ‘37. Mark Kief- ly bellhousing for 1958 and 1960 389, V-8. Need one different panels. ‘85 not sure if Grand Am. $100 er (314) 420-7440 markk@theinsurancesource. of each, got a nice 1960 389 and need to finish . John each Dennis Klubertanz (715) 732-4647 (WI) (1/21) com (MO) (12/20) Keating (910) 686-0899 (NC) (11/20)

NOVEMBER 2020 • SMOKE SIGNALS 89 90 SMOKE SIGNALS •NOVEMBER 2020 ‘58 Bumper Jack: Need a 1958 bumper jack, com- ‘65 Bonneville Safari: Need good used uncracked plete assembly required or parts. Terry Mahaffey A/C dash pad and windshield stainless reveal mold- (303) 644-4180 (CO) (1/21) ings. Tom Rubinate (480) 390-9058 (CA) (1/21) ‘59 Pontiac: Need a 389 engine oil dipstick tube ‘75 Grand Ville Brougham: Need a BROUGHAM and dipstick. John Harding (330) 939-4300 (OR) fender emblem for my ‘75 Grand Ville convert- (12/20) ible. Let me know what you got, contact Bob ‘62 8-Lug Wheels: Need a set of 1962 8-lug wheels. Duber (216) 780-6961 (OH) (11/20) Eric Freeman, (414) 552-4021 (WI) (11/20) ‘76 Grand Prix: We are looking for a complete ‘62 Tempest Grille: Looking for a 1962 Tempest white interior for a 1976 Grand Prix. Bucket seats grille. Ken Runyan (503) 267-1337 (OR) (12/20) and console, shifter and correct steering column are preferred but a bench seat would be considered. Also need white door panels and all trim in white. Don’t need any dash components. Ponti- ac-Oakland Museum (815) 842-2345 (IL) (1/21) ‘77 Can Am Parts: Would like headlamp bezels (LH/RH), park lamps (LH/RH), bumper close out panel, AC condenser. Good condition (expecting to restore them anyway). George Thornton, (313) 348-7637 thanks. (MI) (11/20)

‘55-’81 Pontiacs: Parts & memorabilia wanted. Other The Arizona Pontiac Heaven Museum project is closer to reality. Acreage paid for, building purchased/delivered. Over 400 vintage Pontiacs, For Sale: Wisconsin restoration shop w/tools and hundreds saved from the crusher for the future. equipment. Includes $50,000+ car literature col- Accepting donations of items. Looking for volun- lection. Work at what you love and live safely in the teer help. Follow “Pontiac Heaven” Facebook. country. 2 acres. Iola Old Car Show and Symco Rod & Steve Barcak, HC30 Box 13, St Johns, AZ 85936 Kustom show within 10 miles. $200,000. (715) 281- email: [email protected] (AZ) (2/21E) 5925 or (715) 445-4262 or [email protected]. John ‘60 A/C Pulleys: Can anyone assist with 2nd hand Gunnell PO Box 87, Iola, WI 54945 (WI) (11/20) pulleys for air conditioning on my ‘60 Bonneville? I require the water pump pulley and harmonic balancer... any assistance is much appreciated. Allan Woolcock Pontiac Email: [email protected] (AU) (1/21) PONTIAC Documentation ‘62 Grand Prix Spindle: Need right front spindle from for 1962 Grand Prix. Call Robert Olson (509) 822- TRANSPORTATION 7452 (WA) (1/21) MUSEUM Parts Wanted: Looking for two right and two left BUY THE FOOT PHS Automotive Services, Inc. taillight lenses in good condition for a ‘64 Bonneville CAMPAIGN 2-door hardtop and convertible. John Mitchell, (705) Looking for the best source to document your 292-5788 (ON - Canada) (11/20) Pontiac? Check in with PHS. PHS, an independent ‘64 Grand Prix: I am looking for a 1964 Grand Prix corporation, has been authorized by GM to provide nose piece in good to repairable condition. Contact owners of 1961 and newer Pontiacs with copies of Dennis Aldrich (360) 388-0248 (WA) (1/21) factory billing history and production information. PONTIAC, MICHIGAN Document your car’s authenticity, find out what options it came from the factory with, as well as the “BUY THE FOOT” original delivering dealer. Your donation of $250 per square Send your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), foot will assist in the renovation along with a check or money order for $85.00 to: of this building prior to its open- ing as a museum. Donors will receive a unique memento for PHS Automotive Services, Inc. each square foot desired. Patrons who have designated funding for PO Box 183251 four or more square feet will also receive a certificate suitable for Shelby TWP, MI 48218 framing. And, all donor names will appear upon a commemora- tive plaque to be displayed Ph: (586) 781-5164 at the museum. To donate via credit card, please phone Fax: (586) 781-5167 (815) 822-5259 www.phs-online.com For further information, please call the above Please do not fax your order in more than once. We are not number or send an email to: responsible for duplicate orders and there will be no refunds. [email protected] If you have any questions on your order please contact us. [email protected] - www.speedsportchrome.com

NOVEMBER 2020 • SMOKE SIGNALS 91 Let’s Build It Together

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Mag_2011SM.indd 1 9/28/20 9:29 AM