Early Times Chapter January 2007

January 2007 Feature Car

This month we feature the 1929 Pontiac 2 door sedan belonging to Tom Belovich of Strongsville, OH. He and his
wife, Helen, have been married for 56 years. Tom purchased this car from the original owner in 1958; at that time
he learned from the owner that it was a cash-in-full purchase in early October of 1929. The stock market crashed
in late October and the car spent its first year in storage as the owner couldn’t afford to drive it. Tom also kept the
car stored in his garage for years; as an Air Force officer with 5 children, he traveled often and didn’t have the
funds to really work on his early Pontiac.

He had the car professionally restored in the early ‘80’s; the engine was rebuilt using aluminum pistons, which he
said greatly smoothed its performance. It cruises very comfortably at 35-40 miles an hour, but he has had it up to
about 55 mph and that was fast enough for him. He found the heater at a swap meet; it was for a 1933 Pontiac but
the seller told him that his ’29 car should have mounting holes in all the correct locations and that turned out to be
the case. There is also a rear-mounted luggage rack on the car.

Tom said the car was in very good condition when he purchased it, and he did drive it occasionally, but did have
some rust. He has been retired for nearly 25 years now and lives near a metro-park; he likes to drive his Pontiac 2
or 3 times a week in good weather within the confines of that park, giving rides to his grandchildren. He said it’s
also quite popular with the park rangers. The car is rarely shown, and then only locally; but it attracts attention
when he does have it out.

At nearly 85 years old, Tom doesn’t want to travel far from home; but it was great to speak with him on the
telephone. I’m sure everyone in his neighborhood enjoys seeing the Pontiac whenever he has it out and about.