certificate

Certificate of Registration issued on September 8th 1999 to Michael Mott for pride of ownership of the 1947 Canadian Four Door Sedan as identified below :

Signup form Data:

Condition: Restored
Owned Since: 5/21/1999
Engine: Original Eight
Transmission: Manual
Paint Condition: Repainted to Original
Plate Error: N/A (Canadian Model)*

Michael Mott
5408 48 Street
Stony Plain, Alberta
Canada T7Z 1B4
mikesm@telusplanet.net

Michael tells us about his "new" Pontiac:     "This car takes me back to the first car that I had when I was 16 years old. It was also a beauty. I read a book that was about following your heart, and on a thursday evening a few months back, I had been driving past an old car lot looking for the "Right Car" and there it was. I drove it off the lot the next afternoon.
    My wife Judy didn't know about the car, so I parked it next to my old beater and then met her for supper a few blocks away at a restaurant. Judy drove me back to my car and I exclaimed what a great looking car. I said "I must have a look", so I went up and looked in. Judy was sitting in her car watching me, I opened the door of the Pontiac looked at her and shrugged, she thought I was mad. I climbed in and she was getting very worried. I fired her up and suddenly Jude yelled you bought it didnt you! I smiled, and we have been smiling ever since.
    The interior has been redone and the engine has just had a complete rebuild. The paint had been changed to a slightly darker grey than the original. The best is that it is almost rust free. I placed 2nd in the Stony Plain 1999 summer parade."

* This car was a real first for me! It appears to be a U.S. model, and as far as I can tell from the nice photos Michael sent, the only thing that is different is the ID plate that says it was made in Oshawa Canada! I have heard about Pontiacs that were assembled (with U.S. made parts) in other countries, but still am a bit unclear on the details of that and need some more information about those cars. Most Canadian Pontiacs had Chevy engines (6cyl. OHC) and looked more like Chevy's than Pontiacs. But not this one! It has the Flathead 8 cyl. engine and all the other features of the U.S. models. All of this raised my suspicions at first, but Michael sent away to GM of Canada for more info on his car and it validates and authenticates the questionable (to my mind anyway) VIN plate.
Fortunately the people there kept better care of their records than did the people in Pontiac Michigan! Here is the info that was sent to Michael from GM of Canada:

Hi Don,
Today I received a set of manuals from Faxon, The 1942 shop manual ,The 1947 suppliment, and the 1947 Fisher body manual.
The Wiring diagram is great and I have scanned it into my computer and am in the proccess of redrawing it with modern wire color codes and the drawing is in color. When it is finished I will E-Mail you a copy. I now have a copy and let me now if you would like to have a look at it. I also received a reply from GM.
I will transcribe the info exactly as it is written.

DATE:                     June 15, 1999
CUSTOMER :       Mr. M. Mott
VEHICLE:                1947 Pontiac Torpedo 8
VIN:                        7271900513
TRIM:                    397
PAINT:                    709 - Sky Gray No 2
BODY NUMBER:    278
PRODUCTION PLANT:    Oshawa, ON
PRODUCTION DATE:     September 10,1946
SHIPPING DATE:               September 11,1946
MODEL NUMBER:             2719- touring sedan with qtr window
ENGINE:                            248.19 CID straight 8 Cylinder
ENGINE NUMBER:            1548

NUMBER PRODUCED FOR SALE IN
CANADA:(SAME MODEL NO. ONLY) 471

This would be the smallest production series to be registered so far. 278 of 471 OPTION INFORMATION NOT RECORDED FOR 1947 PONTIAC.
Documented by Gerge Zapora.

All this on official GM stationary.
Also included with the package was an Automobile Manufactures Association
Consolidated Specification Questionnaire for 1947 Models
and the header details include,MAKE OF CAR: Pontiac, Model 1947-27
NAME OF MAKER: Pontiac Motor Devision ADDRESS 196 Oakland Ave. ,Pontiac Mich.

Next year Michael wants to start building a very lightweight period travel trailer to go camping in the rockies, between Banff and Jasper. Be sure to send photos of that road trip! Thanks-Don

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