[OldS-man]

I heard threw the grapevine that several tractor - trailer trucks were moving
a collection of Pontiac cars to Pontiac Il. Is that someone here?

[goatless]

They're heading to the new Pontiac Museum.

[T Syron]

They are opening a Pontiac - Oakland museum in Pontiac IL. Here is a news report


Pontiac Car Museum Coming to Pontiac, ILBy Eric Shangraw


Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player. January 4, 2011

Updated Jan 4, 2011 at 9:35 PM CDT

City leaders in Pontiac, Illinois feel like they've won an old fashioned drag race with a cash prize at the finish line.

The city council Monday night approved an operating agreement with an Oklahoma businessman to develop a new museum dedicated to the Pontiac automobile.

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Eric Shangraw has details on the upcoming attraction.

The owner of a 1962 Pontiac Catalina squeals its tires and shows off its tri-power engine after hearing a museum dedicated to this original muscle car is opening in Pontiac.

The Livingston County community is providing ten-thousand square feet of space in this downtown city-owned building to collector Tim Dye.

Dye's Pontiac memorabilia collection, said to be the biggest in North America, has been featured in the New York Times.

Pontiac's mayor says Dye approached the city about opening up shop here just as General Motors phased out the Pontiac model last year.

"We were in the right spot at the right time," said Mayor Bob Russell.

"We are on Route 66. We are getting a lot of traffic. We have the name Pontiac and he said, where else should this thing go? We'd like to bring it here if we can work out a deal and place," Russell said.

In exchange for the space, the deal gives the city a fifty-percent cut of the museum's gift shop recipes and a share of Dye's speaking and publication fees.

State tourism officials say Pontiac generates 14-million dollars in tourism dollars each year. The mayor is hoping the new museum will double that figure. -Sweet math to local businesses.

Bernardi's II restaurant is right next door to the planned car museum on the downtown square.

"Anytime you can get more people downtown, just by your front door, it has got to help your business. It is just very exciting to have people around," said restaurant manager Mark Johnson.

"It is going to be a real exciting time for Pontiac. And in this economy, this is gong to be a real boost," added the mayor.

The museum dedicated to all-things Pontiac is scheduled to open July 21, 2011. The mayor says at first, admission will be free.

[Stuart]

There have been a number of discussions here about the new museum, here are a few of the recent ones.

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...d.php?t=659521
http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...d.php?t=654229
http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...d.php?t=652793

[OldS-man]

cool, thanks guys.

now I have date to shoot for on the 62 Tempest to get done.
Either way I will be there since it is only about 20 min. drive for me.

[UPC-WU2]

I'll be there and it's 3 hours each way for me.

[stevep]

Some of the stuff probably belongs to Tim Dye.

[Brewster]

Wonder if Rob Lozin is sending part of his collection down? It would take a couple semi's to put a dent in his building.
Trying to talk a couple bro's to travel down in some second gens for the opener, will see?

[Old Blue 66]

Im pretty sure Rob is sending a new gen GTO there as he has several. All the stuff thats being brought out there belongs to Tim. As I understand it, many have made donations. One of our local club members will be loaning his car for the endura bumper display (hes an original owner of his 68) and my friend who owns a trucking company is supplying the transportation.

We had Tim and the mayor of Pontiac come up for a Cruisin Tiger meeting in February. All I can say is this thing is gonna be VERY cool. We'll be doing a caravan on the Saturday if anyone is interested.

[OldS-man]

Old Blue, are you guys going to take I-55 down or Rt66 ?

if things work out right I will look for a good place to video that caravan.

[andyg]

If that does open in July, I'll head down route 66 starting all the way downtown to get there.

[2002Z4CSS]

Sounds like a great place to visit.

[Old Blue 66]

Originally Posted by OldS-man

Old Blue, are you guys going to take I-55 down or Rt66 ?

if things work out right I will look for a good place to video that caravan.

I have no idea. No plans have been set yet. I/we live way north of there. Not sure what the route will be.

[Drew W]

Originally Posted by UPC-WU2

I'll be there and it's 3 hours each way for me.

Me too! Only 1.5 hrs! Good motivation to get the old gal into primer and
new treads.

[OldS-man]

That museum / area is easily accessed from ether exit from I-55.
There is one on the north end and one more a little south / west.
For those that would be coming from the north on Rt66, there is a little town
called Dwight. Right on a 4 way stop on 66 and 17 there is a old service station
that has been restored. Its a cool place for some pictures. Then once in Pontiac
at the Rt 66 Museum the have one of ( or THE ) the largest Rt66 murals and
you can park in front of for another cool picture.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/il-route-66-...museum-pontiac

[Norwood]

Originally Posted by Brewster

Wonder if Rob Lozin is sending part of his collection down? It would take a couple semi's to put a dent in his building.
Trying to talk a couple bro's to travel down in some second gens for the opener, will see?

HMMMMMM..........

[INJUNTOM]

Found this: Pretty interesting


"Pontiac, Illinois Welcomes Historic Pontiac Museum on Route 66
by Gordon McDonald on January 18, 2011

Pontiac enthusiast and author, Tim Dye, is taking his fascination up another notch. When some decide to do that, they set up a new website or build another race car. For this Indian lover, it means uprooting his life and moving it to a town on Route 66 in Illinois. You may not find it coincidental that the town is called Pontiac.

An extensive collection of Pontiac memorabilia will join vehicles at the proposed museum.
Dye runs a web site where an extensive collection of Pontiac memorabilia is available for sale. Since Dye wrote a book on the topic, you can expect a comprehensive approach to the subject. He also keep three garages, near Tulsa, OK, filled with his three decade-long collection of all things Pontiac.



The closing of the Pontiac Division by General Motors, saddened the collector and led him to consider setting up a museum but local businesses were unable to help, he told the Tulsa World in November of last year. Subsequent discussions with the city of Pontiac, Illinois, proved more fruitful. That city has been open to providing space and hiring Dye as the museum curator. “I’m reluctant to move it from here, but I have to do what’s best for the collection,” he told the Tulsa publication. “It shouldn’t be locked away.”

Not all Pontiacs on display need to be rare or historically significant. One of the cars in his personal collection is a gold 1964 Pontiac Safari station wagon. His oldest Pontiac, however, may well be. It is a 1890 Pontiac horse-drawn buggy. All told, Dye’s collection amounts to twenty Pontiac vehicles.

Dye is well known within the grassroots enthusiast community and area Pontiac car clubs. A number of them have offered assistance in getting the museum up and running, loaning their own vehicles and soliciting support from other sources.

A location in downtown Pontiac has been identified, in the town square on North Mill Street. According to reports, it is expected to open to the public by July 21 this year.

More info http://visitpontiac.org/webpages/index.php?art=961 "

[Old Blue 66]

Originally Posted by OldS-man

That museum / area is easily accessed from ether exit from I-55.
There is one on the north end and one more a little south / west.
For those that would be coming from the north on Rt66, there is a little town
called Dwight. Right on a 4 way stop on 66 and 17 there is a old service station
that has been restored. Its a cool place for some pictures. Then once in Pontiac
at the Rt 66 Museum the have one of ( or THE ) the largest Rt66 murals and
you can park in front of for another cool picture.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/il-route-66-...museum-pontiac

Thats an old Shell station if my memory is correct. But it may be in Odel which is the next town over and just off original RTE 66 pavement. Last time we were there we lined up about 20 GTO's in front of it and took pics.

Heres a couple of pics. We had to go to the local airport because a few required racing fuel and it was the only place to get it.

[OldS-man]

Originally Posted by Old Blue 66

Thats an old Shell station if my memory is correct. But it may be in Odel which is the next town over and just off original RTE 66 pavement. Last time we were there we lined up about 20 GTO's in front of it and took pics.

Heres a couple of pics. We had to go to the local airport because a few required racing fuel and it was the only place to get it.

you are correct on the one in Odell, but there is also one in Dwight.

If any one is going on I 80 by Ottawa, you can take the exit that is Rt23
to Streator. There is one station that sells race fuel 110 for $6./ gal. if needed.
then stay on 23 to Pontiac.