Pontiac is a brand of the GM corporation that, although now defunct, made lasting contributions to the world of the automobile. In production for almost a century, the 1928 Sedan featured today is a testament to Pontiac’s earliest roots and its golden era of production.

Originally a companion make for the Oakland brand of GM, Pontiac’s critical success during the first decade eventually led to the discontinuation of Oakland in 1933. For many years after that, it became a companion make to Chevrolet.

GM Pioneers “Companion Make” Program

GM was the first automobile company to pioneer the idea of targeting financial and aesthetic brackets of society through an automotive product ladder. Each brand was created with a specific price point and demographic in mind. GM believed that catering to the socioeconomic limits as well as desires of an individual would cause buyers to aspire to elevate within that product ladder. This, to them stimulated a long term relationship with their consumers.

In the 1920’s the product ladder was simple and straight to the point. Chevrolet was their price leading and economic brand, the power and performance division consisted of Oakland (eventually replaced by Pontiac), Oldsmobile, and Buick, while the highest cost bracket was reserved for the luxury Cadillac segment.

Pontiac was the first companion marque to be introduced between the above parent companies. It was created with the intention of being a light step above Chevrolet in order to compensate the wide price gap that existed between Chevys and Oaklands. Over the years each parent company followed suit. Eventually GM created a streamlined ladder of brands that the consumer could conveniently climb throughout their lives.

The Owner – Michael Carr Sr.

We got a chance to speak with the owner of this beautifully built 1928 Pontiac and we can say that, in the sincerest meaning of the word, he is a simple hard working man with zero ego involved in his passion for cars. Mike lives in the beautiful state of North Carolina in the city of Hudson and works with his son who own’s a boat dealership. Continue reading on and you’ll see how that played into this build. Let’s just say, we admire the innovation and resourcefulness that guys like Carr Sr. bring to the table. Those two things are what spark a passion for car enthusiasts, especially the hands on crowd.

Mike has been into cars for the better part of 30+ years. He said his first experiences were helping out his Father in the garage as a kid, but it was in his 20’s that he really started to develop a passion for classic cars on his own. He learned over the years and dedicated a lot of time to developing his skills and having several builds over the course of his life, the ’28 being his most recent.

Carr has no club affiliation, has never taken his Pontiac out to the strip for a quarter mile reading or ran it on a dyno or done anything to gauge or measure up. During the interview he simply said, “I’m not into that.”I had to divert from our phone conversation for a second and let him know that I personally admired his passion to simply build and drive a car with zero competition involved. His club is his family and his dedication to what he loves are worth more than any dyno reading or trophy.

He exhibits a spirit that is rooted in the golden age of customization. Even before clubs, it was just the owner and his car. No readings, no officials, no fees, or outside influences on the build. Just a man coming home after a hard day of work in order to weld, strip, and swap his way to accomplishing a personal vision.

The car was sitting somewhere along the Smoky Mountains region of Gatlinburg between Tennessee and North Carolina’s border with a for sale sign. Apparently, the old owner had passed away so Mike found the car and took the opportunity to purchase the ’28 for $7,500. The Pontiac had been in storage for over 50 years with 22,650 miles on it. It was in close to immaculate original condition, with only a few minor dings.

We’ve explored articles that talk about the culture of naming cars so we had to ask Mike if he had a name for his snow white beaut of a ride. He said he hadn’t ever given the ’28 a name but that his grandchildren often refer to it as the “musclecar.”

The Car – Carr’s 1928 Pontiac Specs:

Chassis: 

• Original chassis with reinforced crossmembers
• Front suspension: Mustang II
• Rear suspension: 8-inch Ford with coilovers and ladder bars

Body:

• Paint: Cadillac White
• Modified aluminum back end
• Extended skirt step 
• ’29 Model A bumper
• ’33 Ford taillights
• ’33-34 Bucket headlights
• Highlight: Modified aluminum roof with 2-inch padding upholstered with same material used for pontoon boat covers

Wheels:

• Black walls
• Big and little combination
• 15-inch fronts

Interior:

• Front seats: BMW with full recline and leg support
• Back seats: Original ’28 seats
• Color: Taupe
• Gauges: All original
• Steering Column: Late model Chevy column, telescopic
• Heating: Compact heating system that bolts directly to the firewall
• Highlight: Dash was renovated using wood that was previously used as a chopping block. A buddy of his from Charlotte, NC applied the finish.
• Highlight: Original running boards were stripped, replaced by three resized metal panels that were previously used for housing fishing rods on boats.

Under the hood:

• Ford 5.0 ’94 Model built at Ford’s Cleveland, Ohio engine plant
• RPM intake
• 600 Edelbrock Carburetor
• Wraparound headers
• Transmission: Cobra “R” Tremec 5-Speed HD with Cobra clutch and housing

The build process for Mike’s ’28 was possible through the combined efforts of some friendly neighbors with a fully operational aluminum shop, inspiration from his son’s boat dealership, and buddies from neighboring cities. He wanted to extend a warm thank you to the companies involved including Ford Raceparts Distribution Inc., Speedway Motors, Yogis Inc., Griffin Radiators and Mac’s Antique Auto Parts.

Carr also wanted to extend a special thank you to the crew at Summit Racing. He shared with us that over the course of his build the genuine and helpful team over at Summit were always friendly, accommodating, and exhibited exceptional customer service throughout the entire build to help him when he needed it most.

This ’28 exemplifies the spirit of community, being rooted in the idea that the connection between an owner and his car is the most important, innovation by looking for inspiration outside the world of cars, and simply maintaining the hobby because it’s something peaceful to do after a long day at work.

Mike, we here at Rod Authority commend your principles, undiluted reason for loving cars, and dedication to the build. Thank you for your time and inspiration – beautiful ’28!