Pontiac Question

Sir,

Last year a nephew of mine imported from Australia a Pontiac 1927, with a homemade pick-up body, and a T-Ford truck of 1923. The T-Ford is in an excellent condition and is needing only little attention, mostly the bodywork, but the Pontiac was, apart from the chassis, in a poor state. However, we are busily restoring it. But now there are questions raised and I hope that perhaps some of your readers may throw a light on them. Though the wheel hubs and cooler cap have the true Pontiac Indian head emblems,! think that this car is in fact an Oakland, but of much older date, for there are only rear brakes. while there is no provision for shock absorbers. The engine is in good .condition and is a six-cyl side-valve.

Reading once again your article in the February issue about the history of General Motors, I think the chassis really dates from 1923 / 1924 with the new six-cyl engine.

So far I know, all the American cars had in 1927 four-wheel brakes and shock absorbers. The name Pontiac appeared for the first time in 1927, but only as an Oakland type, like Roosevelt (Marmon), Plymouth (Chrysler) and so on.

Oaklands were still made in 1928, with the Pontiac as a cheaper version. Could it be that, concerning the bad sales in America, the Oakland works had still a number of old frames over, and exported them to some rough countries, but equipped with, for export reasons, the new name Pontiac?

I would be very obliged for getting an answer to these questions and perhaps more data about Oakland / Pontiacs.

Being a faithful reader of Motor Sport since 1963. I thank you for your attention, while congratulating your fine magazine.

G. P. KRAAYEVELD