Jump to content
Forums Gone... but not forgotten!
Pontiac of the Month

FBIRD69's 1969 Firebird

2024 March
of the Month

  • Rev up your passion for Pontiacs and join our vibrant community of enthusiasts!

    Whether you're a die-hard fan of classic muscle cars or you've got a soft spot for sleek modern models, you've found your home here at Forever Pontiac. Our community is dedicated to celebrating everything Pontiac, from the iconic GTO to the legendary Firebird and everything in between.

    Unlock access to expert advice, stunning photo galleries, engaging discussions, exclusive events, and more!

    Start your Pontiac journey with us today!

    Sign up now! 🏁

What is Going On Here?


Recommended Posts

I found these on the internet the other day. Care to guess what is going on here?

5abd4e9568229_PontiacTranportationMuseum.jpg.4dba04fb0c42f31e32c830c9a0b3caa6.jpg

5abd4e962d32a_PontiacTransportMuseumRunnerUp1.jpg.9e3e19688cabc306dd0971c0ad1b1732.jpg

5abd4e96dc686_PontiacTransportMuseumRunnerUp2.jpg.06fc0c907ad51ddfb52ecb84c16a3e3d.jpg

5abd4e9765836_PontiacTransportMuseumRunnerUp3.jpg.441e95435da50b311c2e4ff1a34cec1c.jpg

5abd4e982ef3d_PontiacTransportMuseumRunnerUp4.jpg.8cb5317df5a704cec84cfbd64d7fa536.jpg

5abd4e98bd27e_PontiacTransportMuseumRunnerUp5.jpg.c659568016b3fbd83a5d48c0be2d535c.jpg

5abd4e995b1ba_PontiacTransportMuseumRunnerUp6.jpg.848f6278cd74911c06718b914f2b5037.jpg

I know that JUSTA, notallthere, and Jim Larson know the answer to this question. Finding this stuff out on the internet makes it more interesting.

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tired of these Ads? Register Today!

Yup. Actually according to the website I got these off of, the logos were part of a judged contest with the first one being the winner.

I find it interesting that the first two logos include the 1908 The Pontiac High Wheel Runabout, the first car with the Pontiac name and built in Pontiac Michigan but it was not built by Oakland Motor Car Company.

The scope is that Tim and Penny Dye, owners of the Pontiac Oakland Museum, in Pontiac, Illinois, have purchased a former elementary school just a block or two off the south bound loop of Widetrack Boulevard (a.k.a. Woodward Avenue) in Pontiac Michigan. Tim and Penny are working with a local car collector to help set this up. This new museum will feature Pontiacs, Oaklands, GMCs, Cartercars, and anything else that was built in Ponitac, Michigan over the last century. I have no idea when this will open but I've heard that September is the target but things could still delay this. I also have no idea what this means for the museum back in Pontiac, Illinois.

Mind you, there has been no formal announcements or press releases on this. This has all been word of mouth.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Perhaps. I had not heard that.

I've also heard that things aren't going so well in Pontiac Illinois between the mayor's office, the downtown development authority and Tim and Penny. If you've ever been to the museum, you know it is very small. They don't have a ton of display space. They'd like to expand but they are rather land locked currently even though it is right off Historic Route 66

Edited by Frosty
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...
  • Founders
1 hour ago, Frosty said:

I just got this in an email today.

 

PTM Event Flier.pdf

 

This is a fund raiser event for the PTM. I am going to try to get there and see what it is all about.

Cool. Let us know what happens!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

After the Motor City POCI Round Up, I had some time to kill before the Widetracker's monthly club meeting so I thought I'd swing by Crowfoot Elementary - the future home of the Pontiac Transportation Museum in Pontiac Michigan. It's not much to look at now.

1276128662_IMG_30771.thumb.JPG.f6e82c629d93a2dd2fb78676dae62d80.JPG

1491172660_IMG_30801.thumb.JPG.5faea6c25dd9ffc1527c04230da7ec2e.JPG

 

1316433709_IMG_30781.thumb.JPG.080cdb191d7617699185a0eb9bec4301.JPG

1837250652_IMG_30841.thumb.JPG.de6c305ce9bf6572d89cf5ed8f03fcf7.JPG

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No idea. The building itself is currently owned by a man named Mark Thomas, and he is quite the car collector. However, I doubt he'd be driving it.

Edited by Frosty
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I got to the Pontiac Transportation Museum's fund raiser / tour on Friday night. I was late getting there due to some personal things with my dad. So it was close to sunset when I got there and there was not a lot of lights on in the building either. So I had to take a lot of flash photos. Therefore some of the photos are not as good as I'd like them to be.

Outside the building.

IMG_7709.thumb.JPG.aef3387ec82eb6add71b6d112009ea50.JPG

Crofoot Elementary school is being transformed into....

IMG_7772.thumb.JPG.552c655964417805e189c322bf3c3771.JPG

They tell me they want to open next summer - summer 2019

In front of the building were....IMG_7715.thumb.JPG.5b6877fc93a37ea81a1a8a85093a37aa.JPG

A Grandville

IMG_7716.thumb.JPG.60d6296227784ea4cde1948c5287f714.JPG

JimLarson's Grand Prix

IMG_7717.thumb.JPG.36d8216a155c010bc95afad1c8372046.JPG

1972 GTO

IMG_7710.thumb.JPG.f5598365af04bb649a43e259de23c8d4.JPG

IMG_7767.thumb.JPG.c3260434e351a4259de596aec77933d3.JPG

IMG_7765.thumb.JPG.ae9a758154878eea8800bf050c352b9c.JPG

A 1955 GMC-Built Greyhound Scenicruiser PD-4501-301. This bus has 2.3 Million miles on it when it left Greyhound. It has been converted into an RV by Dave and Jeannie Hartshorne of Indian Springs, Ohio. More on this later.

Inside the 55,000 sq-foot building.....

IMG_7718.thumb.JPG.e4f19703fc072b1ef7eafb2b3203c2e3.JPG

A 1908 The Pontiac High Wheel Runabout. It's one of four known to still exist. Its the second one I've seen. Only about 50 were ever made.

IMG_7760.thumb.JPG.e4b3abba1362b5b3bbb2274c6e1e08b6.JPG

A Cartercar. They bought out Pontiac Spring and Wagon Works - who built "The Pontiac", and were never part of Oakland Motor Car Company. Although it was Byron Carter's death that was the inspiration for the creation of the electric starter in the 1913 Cadillac. Carter was the founder of Cartercar and he was close friends with both Henry Leland (found of Cadillac) and Boss Kettering.

IMG_7720.thumb.JPG.2cd367404f993207c5d3d9b06e42771d.JPG

A 1907 Rapid 12-passenger sighseeing car. Rapid and Reliance became the basis for GMC trucks.

IMG_7722.thumb.JPG.705c843e8628a1da03eba58639c647e1.JPG

A stage area and the cafeteria area behind it that will be removed to make display area space.

IMG_7724.thumb.JPG.e35c03c3a14d477c576e198bb3e4d704.JPG

The gymnasium will make a large display area.

IMG_7727.thumb.JPG.41827d8f66d0f9c98d360cc48519c7d1.JPG

This area will be the research area. The ceiling above this picture will be removed and a body drop display will be installed here.

 

IMG_7726.thumb.JPG.152569aa35478d3b3413e120eac542f6.JPG'

What the front entrance will eventually look like.

IMG_7756.thumb.JPG.8345432bf030774157a6115ece1df8da.JPG\

This chart lists 48-50 different manufacturers in the Pontiac area over the years. The museum hopes to collect at least one example of each make for eventual display.

IMG_7729.thumb.JPG.b56cb945cc791f416bd6703f79d7a642.JPG

On the left is a 1917 Olympian. On the right is a 1916 Oakland.

IMG_7731.thumb.JPG.605f5d5fa6d2f53fca6e9def0b45d4b1.JPG

Tim Dye brought the Pontiac Mobile Training Unit - this was covered in a past issue of Smoke Signals

 

IMG_7733.thumb.JPG.bec3ec9d4ec74e8cd1dcd1008a452e6c.JPG

1940 GMC pickup built in Pontiac

IMG_7740.thumb.JPG.1167ff5e9db6469d25448c69b9cd0f06.JPG

1973 Grand Am 4-door with a 4-speed!!!!

IMG_7742.thumb.JPG.89e064a8c18593d2ab7e5c22015486eb.JPG

1977 Can Am

IMG_7744.thumb.JPG.6d2fa22485ed8700276f8dba298ff96b.JPG

IMG_7743.thumb.JPG.9fb7b19f94122a84de828353eb4aa864.JPG

This was a $75,000 Solstice brand new. It is a Mallet-conversion to an LS7. The car cost $25k new and $50k for the conversion. The car was sold brand new (as is) at Art Moran Pontiac in nearby Southfield Michigan.

IMG_7747.thumb.JPG.30159601206fd30165f803d56ecc9398.JPG

1924 flatbed GMC pickup.

The Pontiac Transportation Museum (PTM) is building in at least two phases. They are looking for donations. I will post the forms tomorrow for anyone that is interested. They have a brick program, at $250 per square foot. They have other donation methods as well. The PTM is looking to display vehicles manufacturer in the Pontiac area (see the list above).

 

 

IMG_7735.JPG

1935 Pontiac

Edited by Frosty
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Founders

Awesome! Looks like they have some great roots to start from here and great plans to keep moving. Excited to see what they continue to build here

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I totally agree Ringo. It's exciting to get in on the ground floor for something like this and watch it grow and change.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

 

NICE PREVIEW FROSTY, THANKS FOR SHARING! That '35 V8 "INDIAN MAIDEN" Is Sweet 😛

 

35-V8.jpg

Edited by SPRINT 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Sprint6. The lack of lighting and my flash didn't do these cars justice.

I forgot to scan the donation paperwork last night. I will get it on it - I promise.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

I thought you folks might enjoy reading about what else is coming to the Pontiac-Oakland Transportation Museum. Seems like Chief Pontiac is moving to Pontiac. I understand that an article about this statue and it's restoration will be featured in a future article in Smoke Signals, for those of you who are POCI members.

I am sure that JUSTA6, Indymanjoe, notallthere or I will take photos of it once it arrives and the museum opens.

 

https://www.wsoctv.com/news/north-carolina/chief-pontiac-statue-gets-cosmetic-surgery-before-move/860702150?

 

Exchange-Chief_Pontiac_Statue_58671_1349

 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

I spoke with JimLarson. Big Chief is currently stored in a warehouse in here in Michigan. The question is what to do with him. Place hime two blocks from the museum - on Woodward Avenue? Place him outside the museum? Both locations he could get vandalized. Or place him on the roof of the museum? That would make him tougher to see. He won't fit inside either.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes he has his hands. I think vandalism is a real concern in downtown Pontiac, given that area.

It's a cool landmark, but it was not a well thought out decision before it was obtained for the museum. This would be more suited for Pontiac Illinois than Pontiac Michigan - at the moment.

Edited by Frosty
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Founders
22 minutes ago, Frosty said:

Yes he has his hands. I think vandalism is a real concern in downtown Pontiac, given that area.

I would be concerned with vandalism in downtown Naples :lol: 

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

So why can't a 23' Indian stand proud in the Gym or Research Area? These areas are clearly taller then that.

Edited by SPRINT 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can't answer that with any certainty Jim did not elaborate. My only guess is they already have plans for those areas and they don't include a 23" tall indian.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Tired of these Ads? Purchase Enhanced Membership today to remove them!
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.