[John V.]

Originally Posted by psw

Funny, there is a barber pole mounted on the wall of the dealership shown in post 2918!

That's because it IS a Barber Shop inside that storefront. Can't quite make out the proprietor's name on the door, but says something like "GARY'S BARBER SHOP". Chances are the guy in the white shirt crossing the street is about to get a hair cut.

The dealer's service garage entrance is thru the open overhead door. Not sure what the storefront space on the other side of the overhead door was being used for, perhaps vacant at the time.

But looks to me the dealership sales office and showroom is at the far corner, inside the 2 story block building.

The sign above the glass windows on the first floor reads "Schwartz Pontiac Oldsmobile Co.". In addition to the Pontiac sign and the GMC sign jutting off that building, a Rambler sign is partially obscured (I think by the back side of the signs identifying the approaching highway junction on a tall signpost). I figure they had a couple cars on display in that building and the sales guys hung out there.

My guess is that Harry Schwartz owned all of that property, including the Texaco station on the corner (which looks to be closed down) and leased the storefront to the barber.

Harry Schwartz seems to have died in 1997 just short of his 79th birthday. He incorporated Schwartz Enterprises, Inc. in 1971 at 203 S. Davis St. in Nashville, GA (the address of the dealership) and the corp. was dissolved in 1999, perhaps to settle his estate. Might have been when Jerry Kelley Pontiac bought out that dealership location.

I sent an email to Jerry Kelley GMC in Adel to see if anybody there had any info on the history of Schwartz Pontiac Olds but got no reply.

I have it on good authority that the Mustang was taken on trade for a '65 GTO.

[mkeene455]

Behind my high school, spring 1978. '68 350 4 speed. great car.

[MikeNoun]

Found this photo, and was curious what "French Pontiac Co." was. I found the address of 2120 Canal St, and it's Pattison Pontiac in New Orleans, LA.

Was this Pattison's advertising scheme, perhaps being in the French Quarter of New Orleans?

[John V.]

Originally Posted by MikeNoun

Found this photo, and was curious what "French Pontiac Co." was. I found the address of 2120 Canal St, and it's Pattison Pontiac in New Orleans, LA.

Was this Pattison's advertising scheme, perhaps being in the French Quarter of New Orleans?

Mike, I doubt it. I think most likely this Dealership existed as French Pontiac and then George Pattison bought out the previous owner and renamed it after himself.

Not long ago I did some digging about Pattison Pontiac but don't recall in what thread or why I did it. I don't recall if I learned when Pattison became a dealer but I would bet it wasn't before the '50s. Your photo (which is an excerpt of a larger photo) is much earlier, circa 1941 or 1942 by Model Year I believe and suspect it was indeed called French Pontiac at that time.

One thing almost certain, when it was French Pontiac, it was identified by one Dealer Code and when Pattison bought it out and renamed it, a new Dealer Code would have been issued to maintain the alphabetical integrity of the Zone list. Later, I think that alphabetical integrity may have been lost, but when Pattison owned that dealership, I believe it was still intact.

Edit: Pattison Pontiac was incorporated in Louisiana on Sept. 25, 1951. Seems like he may have taken over at the start of the 1952 Model Year.

French Pontiac Company Inc. was registered in Louisiana on July 24, 1947 (and presumably operated prior to that registration unless I'm wrong about the vintage of the car in your photo).

[MikeNoun]

Great research again, John!

You're correct about the photo being cropped. Here's the other half.

[2manyT/A'S]

Originally Posted by MikeNoun

Great research again, John!

You're correct about the photo being cropped. Here's the other half.

That's pretty COOL....A Pontiac truck with Buick portholes in the hood....

[MikeNoun]

I have no idea about the pickup truck. I was hoping someone here could shed some light on it.

[60man]

Found these in shop yesterday...
I got them back in 2003 at the Muscle Car Madness show in PA.
My car was on the showroom so I was allowed in a few hours before they opened up to public to clean up car. Had a few talks with Malcolm & Grumpy. Also had chance to talk to Ronnie Sox before he passed on (RIP). Joe Jaconno is a funny man ..and Fred Bears twin brother I think..
Hope these pics come through...
For some reason I can only do one to a post...WTF is with that ??