1926 Pontiac Boat Tail Racer

1926 Pontiac Boat Tail Racer 1926 Pontiac Boat Tail Racer 1926 Pontiac Boat Tail Racer This hill climb is the oldest documented Pontiac race car in existence. It was manufactured very early in 1926, Pontiac's first year of production. It began life as a standard two-door sedan sold to McRorie-Sautter Motor Company, an Oakland dealership and distributor located in Útica, New York. General Motors introduced the Pontiac as part of its Oakland line - a quality six-cylinder car, designed to sell at the price of a four. The car was a runaway success; Pontiac bears the unique distinction of being the only GM offspring to kill its parent company as Oakland became Pontiac in 1932.

Shortly after the car's sale, the owner suffered a fire, which destroyed the passenger compartment. The car returned to the dealership where the chassis was taken across town to the Willoughby Company, a local coachbuilder with a national reputation for building custom, quality vehicle bodies on high-end automobile chassis. The rough finish of the boat-tail body and the lack of a Willoughby number plate seem to indicate that the conversion was a quick and dirty job, certainly not in keeping with their usual high-end coachwork.

The car first raced at the Sherrill Hill Climb on August 14, 1926 where it won first in class and in unlimited displacement, taking home two trophies and $20 in prize money. The car was named 'Hill Climber' and went on to compete as a dealer-sponsored racer until its retirement in 1932. The car stayed in the McRorie family through three generations. It left the Útica area in 1983 after the dealership closed. By that point it had fallen into disrepair.

1926 Pontiac Boat Tail RacerIn May of 1997, current owner, Arnold Landvoigt responded to a computer bulletin board ad for a 'one of a kind 1926 Pontiac Boat Tail Racer.' He and his wife, Lois, fell in love with the car and purchased it on the spot. They have since restored the car and researched its history along with that of racing in upstate NY in the 1920s. Hill Climber is now a certified AACA Competition vehicle that has toured the country.
By Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2007

Source - AACA Museum
1926 Pontiac Boat Tail Racer 1926 Pontiac Boat Tail Racer 1926 Pontiac Boat Tail Racer This 1926 Pontiac Boat-Tail Racer was called the 'Hill Climber'. It was converted from a 1926 2-door sedan during Pontiac's first year of production. It is Pontiac's earliest documented race car.

Its first race was in August 14, 1926 at the Sherrill, New York Hill Climb. It won 1st in class.
'Hill Climber', the earliest known Pontiac race car, was produced very early in 1926, Pontiac's first production year.

Starting life as a standard 2-door sedan, it was sold in Utica, New York. McRotie-Sautter dealership re-acquired the car and had the chassis rebuilt into an open, boat-tailed racer to compete in local hill climbs.

On August 14, 1926 it raced for the first time at an event in Sherrill, New York. On its first outing it won first in class and third in unlimited displacement class, taking home two trophies and $20 in prize money.

Mr. and Mrs. Landvoigt acquired the car un-restored in 1997. They have done most of the restoration as well as extensive research documenting the history of the car.

1926 Pontiac Boat Tail Racer Vehicle Profiles

1926 Pontiac Boat Tail Racer vehicle information

Recent Vehicle Additions

Related Automotive News

Jesse Colwell Secures POWRI Championship For Toyota

Jesse Colwell Secures POWRI Championship For Toyota

Earns Title in Rookie Season with Keith Kunz Motorsports PLANO, Texas (October 25, 2019) – What a difference a year makes. This time last year, Jesse Colwell was one of more than 60 aspiring drivers from across the nation competing in...

Team Toyota Adds 14 U.S. Olympic And Paralympic Summer Athletes And Hopefuls To Its Roster

Athletes personal journeys inspire others to break down barriers, pursue dreams PLANO, Texas (March 6, 2019) – For Team Toyota, mobility is more than just physical, its facing challenges and chasing dreams. In advance of the Olympic...
MECUM AUCTIONS TO FEATURE STUNNING VEHICLES AT SEMA SHOW

MECUM AUCTIONS TO FEATURE STUNNING VEHICLES AT SEMA SHOW

63 Corvette Split Window Coupe Resto Mod plus Thor and Cotton Vintage Motorcycles on Display WALWORTH, Wis. – Oct. 18, 2016 – Mecum Auctions, the worlds largest collector car auction company, returns to the SEMA Show on Nov. 1-4 wi...

Audi honors 61 dealers with 2013 Magna Society Awards

- Recognized dealers represent the best of the best among all Audi retailers in the U.S. - Dealers must meet customer and business objectives set by Audi to earn the award - Audi dealers across the nation continue to invest in their network and focus...
Lincoln at Los Angeles Auto Show Press Days: Celebration of Its Past and Future As Brand Rolls Out Its Reinvention

Lincoln at Los Angeles Auto Show Press Days: Celebration of Its Past and Future As Brand Rolls Out Its Reinvention

The brand pays tribute to its heritage today, displaying seven of the most influential Lincoln designs Thursday sees a display full of the all-new MKZ premium midsize sedan and MKZ Hybrid, the future of Lincoln, on the Lincoln stand Lincoln launches...

Vehicle information, history, and specifications from concept to production.