An enthusiastic Pontiac fan is opening a new museum in Pontiac, Michigan dedicated to the defunct General Motors brand.
‘Pontiacpreneur’ Tim Dye is working to set up the new Pontiac Transportation Museum in an old grade school located just west of the Michigan town. He told The Detroit Free Press that he already has 55 cars in the budding museum, 12 of which are his, and hopes the site will one day attract around 50,000 visitors a year.
Dye, who lives in Oklahoma, is not a rich car collector by any means. He worked in a printing plant for most of his life and earned a middle-class wage, but his unwavering enthusiasm for the Pontiac brand has enabled him to amass quite the collector over the years. Dye owns about 20 Pontiac vehicles in total and also has what refers to as the largest collection of Pontiac literaturein existence.
“I only own 20 cars, but I have the largest Pontiac library in the world,” Dye said. “When GM announced they were discontinuing the Pontiac, I looked at my wife and said, ‘I guess it’s up to us.’ We had to preserve this.”
While the Pontiac Transportation Museum is well on its way to an eventual grand opening, there’s still lots of work that needs to be done to the building itself before Dye can open it to the public. He’s currently trying to raise $1 million to renovate the old grade school and bring it up to a presentable standard – but the COVID-19 pandemic has made fundraising for the non-profit museum difficult. Dye is now hoping that September’s Motor Bella outdoor auto show in Michigan, which will be held at the M1 Concours racetrack just outside of Pontiac, will give him an opportunity to raise awareness about the Pontiac museum and find more backers.
“Motor Bella can really put us on the map,” Dye told the Free Press.
Readers who want to know more about the Pontiac Transportation Museum or make a donation can visit the organization’s website at this link.
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Comments
Tim is a great historian and restorer. But with one well established museum in Pontiac IL I really wonder if there is room for two?
I hope they can compliment one another vs compete and both suffer.
Running a museum is not cheap or easy. Just ask Chrysler.
The loss of the Walter P Chrysler museum in Auburn Hills was really a tragedy. I loved going there and that was all about Fiat wanting to kill the heritage of Chrysler.
I don’t see how a museum dedicated to Pontiac will be able to make it very long. When all the folks who have owned pontiacs die out, how are they going to get folks to come in numbers to sustain the museum?
I ain’t dead yet.
There is a massive Pontiac following. Most own the real Pontiac’s back when they had real Pontiac engines and were not dressed up Chevy models.
The largest concentration of them is in the mid west in Il, OH, IN and MI so the museum is in the target area.
The worlds largest Pontiac show is in Norwalk OH with over 600 plus show cars and 600 plus Pontiac Powered race cars. It is an amazing show.
To be honest the Pontiac shows are stronger than most as they usually meet as a collective group. So many of the others like at Chevy sub divide into smaller groups and it hurts attendance outside a Super Chevy event.
While I don’t agree with much of what C8.R has to say I do agree with the popularity of Pontiac. What makes this interesting is Tim Dye is the owner of the Pontiac museum in Pontiac Il. I’m thinking Tim is just moving the museum to it’s rightful home. The museum in Pontiac Il. is superb. Tim needs more space so this move provides the opportunity.
That is ok as I seldom notice anything you post.
My concern here is I hope this is not a separation. I don’t believe Tim owns the IL museum. He is responsible for getting it started but it is a non profit organization.
Many of the cars are donated or on loan as my boss has a few of his cars there on display. I will have to ask him what the thinking is here and why Tim is expanding or moving.
There was a split with the POCI and The Crusin Tigers Pontiac Club. This has made it hard on both as they compete for the same members.
Clubs and Museums have been struggling for the last ten years as memberships have dropped. Unity is often the path forward but egos get involved and it hurts everyone.
I looked up the web site and see this is set up as a 501 org. The board has POCI members on it. I see Mr Toth the SD legend is involved.
The cars are in the building as they are doing work. Many of the cars are Tim’s.
I wonder if he is still involved with the other museum?
This museum might better be part of the Gilmore Auto Museum complex in Hickory Corners, Mich. There are several individual nameplates with a display pavilion. Ex: Cadillac, Lincoln etc.
Well would Gilmore want it?
A lot of politics with clubs and museums. Often this stuff gets messy.
The Shelby club has worked well as it is a privately owned club and museum. Running as a business helps cut down the arguments and keeps funds coming in.
Never will make it with that “racist” logo. That cultural appropriation. They’ll be sued out of existence.
Pontiac was a great leader and the first and only person I know of in Native American history to be involved in the victory over a European army. Braddock during 7 years war. Appropriation would be claiming another history. Since when is the emulation a war hero racist?
Great all we need is some new Pontiacs and we’re in business……..
Pontiac would have been a great compliment to Buick and GMC dealers even if only a few models were offered. GM really wasted a brand that sold consistently half a million units annually.
Unfortunately US automakers autistic “derp truck ” business plan makes it all but impossible to have a sporty but practical sedan in the lineup for mainstream makes. Can you imagine if the G8, Caprice and SS (or combined Caprice/SS) continued today made in Canada on Alpha and Omega?. Even the CT6 would still be offered here since you’ve have supporting vehicles
It’s a transport museum in Pontiac .not just a car museum.
Car museums have had a tough time in Michigan. Anyone remember Auto World in Flint?
The last time I visited Pontiac, Michigan, it was in sad shape. I hope this museum helps.