Did Pontiac Ever Build a Truck?

[Frosty]

Today's question. Did Pontiac ever build and sell a truck under the Pontiac name? We know that Pontiac has built vehicles and parts that have sold under the GM Trucks/GMC banner before. We also know that Pontiac Engineering built several El Camino concept vehicles from the early 1960s to the early 1980s. Pontiac intended to produce the G8 ST (based on the Holden Ute) but instead killed it in 2008 before the first production G8 ST ever rolled off the assembly line due to GM's financial problems. Nine '77 Grand Prixes were converted into El Caminos by a third party but doesn't count in my book since it was a special conversion and sold by a third-party and not Pontiac.

So did Pontiac actually ever build and sell a truck under the Pontiac name? 

Edited April 19, 2018 by Frosty

[Ringo64]

Does this photoshop count?

[Last Indian]

23 minutes ago, Frosty said:

Today's question. Did Pontiac ever build and sell a truck under the Pontiac name? We know that Pontiac has built vehicles and parts that have sold under the GM Trucks/GMC banner before. We also know that Pontiac Engineering built several El Camino concept vehicles from the early 1960s to the early 1980s. Pontiac intended to produce the G8 ST (based on the Holden Ute) but instead killed it in 2008 before the first production G8 ST ever rolled off the assembly line due to GM's financial problems. Nine '77 Grand Prixes were converted into El Caminos by a third party but doesn't count in my book since it was a special conversion and sold by a third-party and not Pontiac.

So did Pontiac actually ever build and sell a truck under the Pontiac name? 

To my knowledge they built a 1929 pickup truck. I think!?

[Frosty]

1 hour ago, Ringo64 said:

Does this photoshop count?

That would be very cool!

[Frosty]

2 hours ago, Last Indian said:

To my knowledge they built a 1929 pickup truck. I think!?

How sure are you Last Indian??????? 

I am not going to tell if you are right or wrong just yet but I will soon. I am going to tease you first (NOT like that notallthere!).

Ponder this.... Pontiac designed a 1927 Panel Delivery.

I just have one problem with this.....

Edited April 19, 2018 by Frosty

[Last Indian]

31 minutes ago, Frosty said:

How sure are you Last Indian??????? 

I am not going to tell if you are right or wrong just yet but I will soon. I am going to tease you first (NOT like that notallthere!).

Ponder this.... Pontiac designed a 1927 Panel Delivery.

I just have one problem with this.....

Pretty sure,

 

I believe they also built this as a panel truck too, but the sides were just roll down fabric with a fabric top attached to a skeleton frame structure. Right? But maybe I’m notallthere!

Edited April 19, 2018 by Last Indian

[Ringo64]

Is a panel van considered a truck then if you remove the paneling? 

[Frosty]

3 hours ago, Ringo64 said:

Is a panel van considered a truck then if you remove the paneling? 

The panel van/delivery has non-removable sides. However, it is often considered a truck. In later years, when GM made both panel delivery and sedan delivery, a panel delivery was built on a truck chassis and drivetrain. Sedan deliverys were based on automobile chassis and drivetrains. However during this time period that distinction didn't exist.

Now according to the Standard Catalog of Pontiac, 1926-2002 edition, by John Gunnell, during the 1926-1/2 model year (October 1926), Pontiac introduced a 3/4-ton deluxe delivery truck. However he doesn't state a body code for the deluxe delivery in his breakdown. There is no breakdown of production by body type during this era either. He shows pictures of 1926 1/2 to 1928 model deluxe deliveries. However, Gunnell fails to mention the deluxe delivery after 1928, nor (like 1926) is it broken out as a separate body type.

https://books.google.com/books?id=NnkrFxw9AMcC&pg=PT96&source=gbs_toc_r&cad=3#v=onepage&q&f=false

So what is up with the picture Last Indian posted? I will tell you soon.

[JUSTA6]

CAREFUL...I might learn something.

[Frosty]

10 hours ago, Last Indian said:

Pretty sure,

 

I believe they also built this as a panel truck too, but the sides were just roll down fabric with a fabric top attached to a skeleton frame structure. Right? But maybe I’m notallthere!

Now let's address Last Indian's mysterious 1929 Pontiac truck......

I know this ad is hard to read. I had to download and enlarge the text to read it. However, it does answer some questions.....

The 1929 Pontiac Express Delivery was indeed made......in Australia. However, I can't find any production figures for this particular Pontiac. The body was made by Holden Body Builders, who were custom coach builders for GM as well as other car manufacturers at the time. Holden Body Builders was purchased by GM and eventually became GM Holden.

To be fair...Cadillac, Buick and Oldsmobile made trucks at one point in time or another.

1907 Cadillac Light Delivery

1910 Buick truck

1918 Olds Service Wagon pickup - note that it is also a roadster (convertible)

1919 Olds truck

1938 Olds

Edited April 20, 2018 by Frosty

[31pontiac]

     Pontiac did sell trucks in the U.S.A. beginning late in 1926 as 1927 models. They offered the panel delivery and the screen -type  delivery.   After that,  GMC  took over selling the very same truck with the same Pontiac engines, but with a GMC grille. It was called the GMC T-11.  They also made  ( in the U.S.) sedan deliveries from 1949 through 1953.

[Frosty]

Thanks for sharing Last Indian. I had not seen the screen side version. So I learned something too.

I had not forgotten about the sedan deliveries. As I pointed out earlier, the distinction in the 40s/50s between a panel delivery and sedan delivery was the truck vs. a car chassis respectively. Since the topic was focused on truck, I omitted the sedan deliveries. If we are talking about sedan deliveries, let's not forget the Vega/Astre/Sunbird sedan deliveries of the mid-to-late 70s.

[SPRINT 6]

For anyone interested in the Pontiac's History The excerpt 31 posted is from (IMHO) the BEST book written on the subject. Pontiac The Complete History by Thomas E. Bonsall. The first edition published in 1979 then a second in 1985/86 This is an Excellent book and is very complete. Another worthwhile book is 75 Years of Pontiac by John Gunnell while not as detailed with the early stuff it too is a great read.  

Cheers! 

[Frosty]

SPRINT6 - do you know if Thomas Bonsall extended his book all the way thru the end of Pontiac (2010)? Just curious.

[SPRINT 6]

Not that I'm aware of.

[31pontiac]

    Let's not forget these 3, my favorite of which is the Crestline  "75 Years of Pontiac Oakland ".

[31pontiac]

   Back to the subject of Pontiac trucks, here's an interesting picture of a local butcher shop's 3 Pontiac panel delivery trucks  ( 1 '35 and 2 '36's ). Don't know anymore about them, but the delivery bodies look very much like the body on the '27.  The local Pontiac dealership was only 1/2 mile away from the butcher. 

[SteveW]

I think Pontiac did make a truck.  I am not an expert and I am not looking for a fight of the facts. I own this truck and according to the notes it came from Australia and it is a right-hand driver. It's been stateside for about 25 years and in our collection for the last 14 years, the title reads "1930 Pontiac  Pickup VIN: P690049". I will be looking to sell the truck, it was my father's, and he passed in 2020 and I don't have room for so many vehicles.  Have any of you Pontiac buffs ever seen a truck like this? alia. 

Edited October 28, 2023 by SteveW
Correction of the facts

[SteveW]

 

 

[Ringo64]

Wow, very interesting and news to me. I'm no expert by any means so not saying anything one way or another. Interested to hear @Frosty 's thoughts on this. The whole built in Australia too is interesting.

[Frosty]

Yes Pontiac did make trucks early in its history. Buick and Cadillac did so too. Pontiac made 1/2 and 1 ton trucks from 1926.5 until 1928 in the US. After that the only Pontiac trucks produced that I am aware of were made from assembly kits sent to and built in Australia. I have heard of a 1929 model but this is the first 1930 model I’ve seen.Thank you for sharing this.

 

Also in the 1930s, GM produced taxi cabs for the Yellow Cab Company. They were Pontiac built automobiles but badged and sold as a GMC.

[Doug B]

Here's proof of a Pontiac pick-up:  I have the registration for my grandfather's truck.  Dated 1/1/5/42, it is for a 1928 model Pontiac pickup, serial 292637.  He bought it used in 1932 for his sign business in Gainesville, Florida.

[Frosty]

Any chance you have an old family photo of it - perhaps in front of his business?

[Doug B]

I don't think so.  I have photos of the prior truck (early 1920's), but I will check one that is possible.

[Doug B]

Just re-checked the photo I have- just another of the first (older) one, a model T.