in Vehicles & Transportation

Fascinating Vintage Photos of People with their Pontiac Automobiles from the Past

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The Pontiac automobile brand was founded in 1907 in Pontiac, Michigan, by Edward Murphy, a horse-drawn carriage manufacturer owned, manufactured, and marketed by General Motors. Pontiac was initially intended as a companion for GM’s more expensive Oakland automobiles, but in 1933, it surpassed Oakland in popularity and supplanted it entirely. GM sold it in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, putting it above Chevrolet but below Oldsmobile, Buick, and Cadillac in the hierarchy of GM’s five divisions. Beginning in 1959, the marketing campaign focused more on selling the lifestyle that ownership of the car promised than the car itself. Through its “Wide Track” design, it positioned itself as General Motors’ performance division, which “built excitement.”

In 2008, facing financial challenges and restructuring efforts, General Motors announced it would follow Oldsmobile’s path with Pontiac. By the end of 2010, Pontiac would cease manufacturing and marketing its vehicles. One final Pontiac-badged car was built in January 2010, following the last build in December 2009. After the Pontiac dealership franchise agreements expired on October 31, 2010, GM focused on its four remaining North American brands: Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac, and GMC.

Here is a collection of family photos from Vintage Cars & People posing with their Pontiac automobiles from the 1920s to the 1950s.

#1 A cheerful young lady posing in the passenger seat of a 1928 Pontiac Landau Coupe in a suburban street.

A cheerful young lady posing in the passenger seat of a 1928 Pontiac Landau Coupe in a suburban street.

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A sign reading "Tulsa Okla – The Magic City" can be seen attached to the car's tie bar, 1928

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#2 A stylish couple embracing in front of a 1929 Pontiac on a rural driveway in wintertime, 1929

A stylish couple embracing in front of a 1929 Pontiac on a rural driveway in wintertime, 1929

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#3 A young mother and her daughter posing with a 1929 Pontiac in winter sunshine.

A young mother and her daughter posing with a 1929 Pontiac in winter sunshine.

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The car is equipped with a radiator grille cover for winter driving and registered in the city of Berlin, 1930

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#4 Two young ladies, possibly sisters, posing with a 1928 Pontiac in a suburban street.

Two young ladies, possibly sisters, posing with a 1928 Pontiac in a suburban street.

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The palm trees in the background suggest that the location could be somewhere in Southern California, 1930

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#5 An elegant lady wearing a dark female suit, opera gloves and a white jabot-style collar posing with a shiny 1934 Pontiac Economy Eight Sedan in front of a row of timber houses, 1934

An elegant lady wearing a dark female suit, opera gloves and a white jabot-style collar posing with a shiny 1934 Pontiac Economy Eight Sedan in front of a row of timber houses, 1934

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#6 A family of three enjoying a picnic in the countryside.

A family of three enjoying a picnic in the countryside.

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A 1933 Pontiac Eight Coupe can be seen in the background.

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#7 A middle-aged lady and her German shepherd posing with a 1934 Pontiac Economy Eight Sedan in the countryside.

A middle-aged lady and her German shepherd posing with a 1934 Pontiac Economy Eight Sedan in the countryside.

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The words "Canada, 6. September 35" are handwritten on reverse, September 6, 1935

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#8 A cheerful lady posing with a 1936 Pontiac Coupe in the countryside, 1936

A cheerful lady posing with a 1936 Pontiac Coupe in the countryside, 1936

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#9 A dapper fellow dressed in a white shirt and white slacks posing with a 1934 Pontiac Convertible in an exotic location.

A dapper fellow dressed in a white shirt and white slacks posing with a 1934 Pontiac Convertible in an exotic location.

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The car is registered in the Territory of Hawaii, 1936

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#10 A stylish lady posing in the driver’s seat of a 1936 Pontiac Deluxe Six in the drive of a private home.

A stylish lady posing in the driver's seat of a 1936 Pontiac Deluxe Six in the drive of a private home.

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In the background, a single-story house with a striped awning can be seen, 1936

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#11 An elegant lady posing with a 1936 Pontiac in dramatic contre-jour lighting.

An elegant lady posing with a 1936 Pontiac in dramatic contre-jour lighting.

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The shiny automobile is equipped with whitewall tires, 1936

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#12 Three ladies, probably a mother and her daughters, posing with a 1936 Pontiac Business Coupe on a snow-covered road on a sunny winter’s day, 1936

Three ladies, probably a mother and her daughters, posing with a 1936 Pontiac Business Coupe on a snow-covered road on a sunny winter's day, 1936

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#13 A blonde lady posing on the bumper of a 1938 Pontiac Six on the side of a country road in summertime.

A blonde lady posing on the bumper of a 1938 Pontiac Six on the side of a country road in summertime.

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The car is registered in the state of Texas, 1938

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#14 A middle-aged lady proudly posing with a 1936 Pontiac De Luxe 6 on a cobbled road in the countryside.

A middle-aged lady proudly posing with a 1936 Pontiac De Luxe 6 on a cobbled road in the countryside.

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The words "Bouillon, Juillet 38" are handwritten on reverse. The American sedan is registered with Belgian number plates, July 1938

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#15 A young lady with a bunch of flowers in her hands posing with a 1938 Pontiac.

A young lady with a bunch of flowers in her hands posing with a 1938 Pontiac.

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The words "As ever Mary Ellen" are handwritten on the bottom of the print, 1938

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#17 An adolescent girl in a striped dress posing on the running board of a 1939 Pontiac Sedan.

An adolescent girl in a striped dress posing on the running board of a 1939 Pontiac Sedan.

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The lettering on the brick building in the background reads "Central Hotel", 1939

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#18 Two bespectacled ladies posing with a 1937 Pontiac on a dirt road in rural America.

Two bespectacled ladies posing with a 1937 Pontiac on a dirt road in rural America.

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The car is equipped with a radiator grille cover and registered in the state of Pennsylvania, March 23, 1939

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#19 A fellow changing a tyre on a 1940 Pontiac Four-Door Sedan, while his wife (and the photographer) are looking on.

A fellow changing a tyre on a 1940 Pontiac Four-Door Sedan, while his wife (and the photographer) are looking on.

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The location is a dirt road somewhere in rural America on a sunny day in early spring, 1940

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#20 A young lady posing with a 1940 Pontiac Torpedo Eight Sport Coupe in a residential street, 1940

A young lady posing with a 1940 Pontiac Torpedo Eight Sport Coupe in a residential street, 1940

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#21 An adolescent girl dressed in the fashion of the late thirties seductively posing with a Pontiac in wintertime, 1940

An adolescent girl dressed in the fashion of the late thirties seductively posing with a Pontiac in wintertime, 1940

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#22 Three stylish ladies posing with a 1940 Pontiac on a sunny winter’s day, 1940

Three stylish ladies posing with a 1940 Pontiac on a sunny winter's day, 1940

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#23 Two cheerful ladies posing inside a 1940 Pontiac on a country road under bleak winter skies.

Two cheerful ladies posing inside a 1940 Pontiac on a country road under bleak winter skies.

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The Pontiac is registered in the state of Illinois with 1941 license plates, 1941

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#24 Two ladies, probably mother and daughter, posing with a 1941 Pontiac Streamliner Torpedo Eight in front of a middle class home, 1941

Two ladies, probably mother and daughter, posing with a 1941 Pontiac Streamliner Torpedo Eight in front of a middle class home, 1941

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#25 A cheerful young lady in a floral dress posing on the fender of a 1942 Pontiac Streamliner Sedan Coupe.

A cheerful young lady in a floral dress posing on the fender of a 1942 Pontiac Streamliner Sedan Coupe.

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The location looks like a farmyard, somewhere in rural America, 1942

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#26 Two cheerful young ladies posing with a light-colored 1937 Pontiac in a suburban street, 1942

Two cheerful young ladies posing with a light-colored 1937 Pontiac in a suburban street, 1942

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#27 A young lady in a checkered dress with flowers in her hair posing on the bonnet of a 1941 Pontiac Custom Torpedo Six Coupe.

A young lady in a checkered dress with flowers in her hair posing on the bonnet of a 1941 Pontiac Custom Torpedo Six Coupe.

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The car is registered in the state of Illinois, 1945

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#28 A man in a double-breasted suit and a lady with a fancy hat posing with a 1941 Pontiac Business Coupe.

A man in a double-breasted suit and a lady with a fancy hat posing with a 1941 Pontiac Business Coupe.

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The location seems to be a small town in the American West. The car is registered in the state of California.

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#29 A middle-aged lady in a floral dress posing with a 1946 Pontiac Streamliner Sedan on a sunny day in the countryside, 1948

A middle-aged lady in a floral dress posing with a 1946 Pontiac Streamliner Sedan on a sunny day in the countryside, 1948

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#30 A young blonde lady posing on the fender of a 1946 Pontiac Torpedo Convertible, 1948

A young blonde lady posing on the fender of a 1946 Pontiac Torpedo Convertible, 1948

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#31 A dark-haired girl wearing white moccasins and a knee-length skirt posing with a 1940 Pontiac Special Six in a residential street.

A dark-haired girl wearing white moccasins and a knee-length skirt posing with a 1940 Pontiac Special Six in a residential street.

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The car is registered in the state of California with 1949 license plates, 1949

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#32 Two ladies, probably mother and daughter, posing with a 1948 Pontiac Torpedo Deluxe Convertible on a gravel road in the countryside.

Two ladies, probably mother and daughter, posing with a 1948 Pontiac Torpedo Deluxe Convertible on a gravel road in the countryside.

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They are dressed in female suits in the fashion of the forties, 1949

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#33 A brunette lady posing on the bumper of a 1949 Pontiac on the side of a mountain road.

A brunette lady posing on the bumper of a 1949 Pontiac on the side of a mountain road.

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She's wearing a dark-colored woolen coat with a brooch on the collar, 1950

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#34 A fellow in a white shirt and a lady in a summer dress posing with a 1949 Pontiac Chieftain Eight Convertible.

A fellow in a white shirt and a lady in a summer dress posing with a 1949 Pontiac Chieftain Eight Convertible.

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A sign reading "Hospital Quiet" can be seen in the background, 1950

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#35 An elegant lady posing with a 1949 Pontiac Sedan in the drive of a suburban home.

An elegant lady posing with a 1949 Pontiac Sedan in the drive of a suburban home.

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She is wearing a 3/4-length dress, a fur stole, nylon stockings, and heeled sandals, 1950

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#36 Three ladies, possibly grandmother, mother, and daughter, posing with a 1950 Pontiac Chieftain on a gravel road in a forest.

Three ladies, possibly grandmother, mother, and daughter, posing with a 1950 Pontiac Chieftain on a gravel road in a forest.

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The car is registered in the state of California, 1950

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#37 Two fashionable ladies posing with a 1950 Pontiac Chieftain Sedan in summertime.

Two fashionable ladies posing with a 1950 Pontiac Chieftain Sedan in summertime.

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They are both holding wooden tennis rackets in their hands. The car is registered in the state of California, 1950

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#38 A stylish lady posing with a 1951 Pontiac in the backyard of a private home.

A stylish lady posing with a 1951 Pontiac in the backyard of a private home.

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The car is registered with Belgian license plates, 1951

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#39 A fellow wearing a Basque-style beret and a raincoat posing with a 1952 Pontiac Chieftain Convertible on an Alpine road.

A fellow wearing a Basque-style beret and a raincoat posing with a 1952 Pontiac Chieftain Convertible on an Alpine road.

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The location is Fuscher Törl on Grossglockner High Alpine Road, September 1952

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#40 A middle-aged lady in a fur coat posing at the passenger side door of a 1950 Pontiac Chieftain Sedan on a bleak winter’s day, 1952

A middle-aged lady in a fur coat posing at the passenger side door of a 1950 Pontiac Chieftain Sedan on a bleak winter's day, 1952

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#41 A young lady posing with a shiny Pontiac in a suburban street.

A young lady posing with a shiny Pontiac in a suburban street.

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She is wearing an A-line dress and a white hat with matching handbag, gloves and shoes, 1955

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#42 Two young Latinas posing on the hood of a 1950 Pontiac Chieftain Convertible.

Two young Latinas posing on the hood of a 1950 Pontiac Chieftain Convertible.

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The face of a third girl can be seen through the windscreen in the background. The car has California license plates, March 1955

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#43 A girl posing on the hood of a 1955 Pontiac Chieftain in wintertime.

A girl posing on the hood of a 1955 Pontiac Chieftain in wintertime.

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The words "Daryl's Car" are handwritten on the print, the car has New York license plates, 1958

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