Classic Car Collections

PONTIAC EDITION

Pontiac MuseumGrand Opening

Keeping Up WithYour Classic Car

Fixing your ClassicOn a budget

march2013

features

3Pontiac MuseumGrand Opening

5Keeping up withYour Classic Car

16Fixing Your ClassicOn a Budget

Letter From The Editor

In this issue we are going to take you around in the class of a classic Pontiac!

This issue is dedicated to the Pontiac and is full of tips on how to keep yours running on a budget without compromising the quality. We also take a look into the new Pontiac car museum in Illinois. The collection they have is just breath taking and free to the public, so make sure to take the family. We have a special article on how to keep up with your classic car and the signs you should look out for when fixing it on your own or even if you are in the market for one. I hope you enjoy this issue of pure classic quality.

Tavis Redmond

march2013

features

3Pontiac MuseumGrand Opening

5Keeping up withYour Classic Car

16Fixing Your ClassicOn a Budget

Letter From The Editor

In this issue we are going to take you around in the class of a classic Pontiac!

This issue is dedicated to the Pontiac and is full of tips on how to keep yours running on a budget without compromising the quality. We also take a look into the new Pontiac car museum in Illinois. The collection they have is just breath taking and free to the public, so make sure to take the family. We have a special article on how to keep up with your classic car and the signs you should look out for when fixing it on your own or even if you are in the market for one. I hope you enjoy this issue of pure classic quality.

Tavis Redmond

by Tavis Redmond

3. ccc - march - 2013 ccc - march - 2013 4.

Features a 1968 Ram Air II FirebirdPONTIAC CAR MUSEUMGRAND OPENING

“The city approved this (museum) because they wanted to increase tourism”

photos & article by Tavis Redmond

n advance look at the museum was offered on July 22 and those who came included Marge Sawruk, the widow of John Sawruk, who was the company’s official historian. Pontiac collector Frank Kemp came from Pennsylvania and GTO creator Jim Wangers came from California. Denise Clumpner – known as “The High Priestess of Pontiac” – was on hand with her husband, Jesse. Pontiac drag racing legend Arnie Beswick posed next to a Pontiac buggy. Chuck Cochran, of Henderson, Nev., donated many items from his Grand Prix Museum and helped set up exhibits. Former Pontiac-Oakland Club International editor Ron Panzer played an old-time mechanic fixing a ’50 Pontiac.

The museum features 15 Oakland and Pontiac cars, the Pontiac buggy (one of two known to exist), more than 300 linear feet of literature and printed promotional items, thousands of “factory” publicity photos, a historical library, dealer sales training films, pamphlets and guides, 2,000-plus gas station road maps from the 1930s-1960s, Pontiac models and toys and more than 2,000 oil cans. Pontiac enthusists visiting the gift shop can purchase T-shirts and collectibles.

Collectors loaned five cars to the museum and 10 will be displayed permanently. Many in the latter group are set in historical dioramas. A 1924 Oakland Touring car – the first to use “True Blue” nitro-cellulose lacquer paint – is presented as a barn find car. Another features a 1964 Parisienne Safari station wagon in a camping scene. The ’50 Pontiac sedan that Panzer pretended to work on was displayed in a garage setting, complete with old oil cans.

Other cars currently on exhibit include a 1934 Pontiac coupe, 1963 “Swiss-Cheese” Catalina, 1910 Oakland, 1968 Firebird, 1977 Can Am, 1968 GTO, 1931 Oakland Sport Coupe and the 1966 Pontiac GTO “Indian Tin” – a famous Bill Knafel Pontiac drag racing car. A Pontiac chassis with drive train also was included to show the general public what goes into a restoration.

Many community events were planned in conjunction with the museum’s opening and a car show featuring Oaklands and Pontiac was staged directly in front of the new museum. According to Dye, another large Pontiac event is scheduled for September, when Pontiac clubs will visit the museum.

by Tavis Redmond

Features a 1968 Ram Air II FirebirdPONTIAC CAR MUSEUMGRAND OPENING

“The city approved this (museum) because they wanted to increase tourism”

photos & article by Tavis Redmond

n advance look at the museum was offered on July 22 and those who came included Marge Sawruk, the widow of John Sawruk, who was the company’s official historian. Pontiac collector Frank Kemp came from Pennsylvania and GTO creator Jim Wangers came from California. Denise Clumpner – known as “The High Priestess of Pontiac” – was on hand with her husband, Jesse. Pontiac drag racing legend Arnie Beswick posed next to a Pontiac buggy. Chuck Cochran, of Henderson, Nev., donated many items from his Grand Prix Museum and helped set up exhibits. Former Pontiac-Oakland Club International editor Ron Panzer played an old-time mechanic fixing a ’50 Pontiac.

The museum features 15 Oakland and Pontiac cars, the Pontiac buggy (one of two known to exist), more than 300 linear feet of literature and printed promotional items, thousands of “factory” publicity photos, a historical library, dealer sales training films, pamphlets and guides, 2,000-plus gas station road maps from the 1930s-1960s, Pontiac models and toys and more than 2,000 oil cans. Pontiac enthusists visiting the gift shop can purchase T-shirts and collectibles.

Collectors loaned five cars to the museum and 10 will be displayed permanently. Many in the latter group are set in historical dioramas. A 1924 Oakland Touring car – the first to use “True Blue” nitro-cellulose lacquer paint – is presented as a barn find car. Another features a 1964 Parisienne Safari station wagon in a camping scene. The ’50 Pontiac sedan that Panzer pretended to work on was displayed in a garage setting, complete with old oil cans.

Other cars currently on exhibit include a 1934 Pontiac coupe, 1963 “Swiss-Cheese” Catalina, 1910 Oakland, 1968 Firebird, 1977 Can Am, 1968 GTO, 1931 Oakland Sport Coupe and the 1966 Pontiac GTO “Indian Tin” – a famous Bill Knafel Pontiac drag racing car. A Pontiac chassis with drive train also was included to show the general public what goes into a restoration.

Many community events were planned in conjunction with the museum’s opening and a car show featuring Oaklands and Pontiac was staged directly in front of the new museum. According to Dye, another large Pontiac event is scheduled for September, when Pontiac clubs will visit the museum.

earning how to restore a classic car only requires a few simple steps, but implementing them will take time and budgeting. Time is an important factor in full restoration projects since it can take around 1,000 hours to fully restore a classic car. You're going to need a lot of parts

ways to accomplish the task without breaking the bank.

Finding Your Car

you need to spend on the restoration by buying a classic car that's already partially restored, or

work but which won't cost you much on an initial basis. Talk to other classic car enthusiasts who may be aware of a potential project, look at magazines and check any online ads. Don't be in a

spend on parts.

Finding PartsYou need a number of replacement parts when you restore a classic car. If you're lucky, you will

still be a lot of items that you'll need to buy.

collector groups, where members offer parts for sale.

Restoring Your CarThe only way to restore a classic car on a budget is to do the work yourself. That means you

You also need a full range of auto tools, the owner's manual and plenty of experience. Talk to

teach you.

Expect to take about a year to restore a classic car. Don't try and rush the project. Always take time to locate the cheapest sources for parts before you buy and do as much of the work as you possibly can yourself.

LKEEPING UP WITH

YOUR CLASSIC CAR