Wes Grycki's
1956 Pontiac Laurentian

The following was an article in the
April 23, 2004 issue of the
Winnipeg Free Press.

All content is copyright of Winnipeg Free Press,
the author
Larry D'Argis
and photographer
Ruth Bonneville.

If you haven't already visited Wes's 1956 Pontiac Laurentian within the Manitoba Pontiac Association's web site, please go there now.

When it comes to family heirlooms, they can come in all shapes and sizes, and that even includes cars.  Many vehicles that start out as daily transportation for one generation become cherished classics years later.

While few will end up as concours showpieces and their value may be based more on sentiment than price guide ratings, these cars have an endearing quality that goes far beyond monetary value.

For Wesley Grycki of Garson, it all started in 1956 when his great-grandfather Nicholas and his son Louis picked up their new Pontiac Laurentian sedan.

Instead of the usual local dealer delivering the car, Nicholas Grycki decided to make a family trip out of it and drove the car back from the General Motors factory in Oshawa, Ont.

Wearing it's two-tone blue paint finish and a healthy dose of stainless and chrome trim, the Laurentian certainly showed it was the lead model in the Canadian Pontiac lineup.

Like most vehicles from the fifties, the Pontiac served as the family car until the early sixties, when was passed on to Nicholas's grandson Gary in 1962.  Gary used it as a daily driver until 1972.

Placed into a storage shed, the car wasn't forgotten, as Gary would regularly service the brakes and take the car and his son Wesley for a drive around the section of land.

"I fell in love with it at five years old and remember talking to my dad about restoring it," says Grycki.  It was 1997 when Grycki got his chance to begin restoring the car.  To add incentive to the project, Grycki promised his girlfriend that the car would be completed in time to use as their transportation for their 2002 graduation from Springfield Collegiate in Oakbank.
Beginning with the chassis, the car was dropped off at Selkirk Tire where it received a thorough rebuild of the suspension, steering and braking components with parts supplied by Norm Dumontier at Mid-Canada Suspension.  To improve road handling, the bias ply tires were replaced with a new set of 15-inch Goodyear whitewall radial tires, capped off with the factory-correct full wheelcovers.
After Grycki stripped the body the car went to Dudeck Motors in Tyndall.  The rocker panels and rear floor area had rusted so new metal panels were welded in place before the car received its new two-tone paint finish.  Newly chromed bumpers were installed and Grycki polished and reinstalled the stainless steel trim.
Moving inside the passenger compartment, the original interior was in need of replacement.   SMS Auto Fabrics in Portland, Ore. supplied the correct General Motors cloth upholstery and vinyl that was expertly installed by Eagle Upholstery in Garson.   Family friend Ron Balinski rebuilt and detailed the car's unique dash cluster.   Adding to passenger comfort is an electric clock and deluxe pushbutton AM radio.
As graduation day approached Grycki put every free moment he had into completing the car, right up to the evening before.  Grycki says, "I was still putting things together right up to the last minute, but the car was ready for our grad and made for some interesting photos at our reception outside the Fort Garry Hotel."
In 2003 the inline six-cylinder engine was removed for rebuilding.  Mid Canada Classic supplied new piston rings and an overhaul gasket set while Custom Crankshaft tended to the machining of the block and crankshaft.  Both Garson Garage and Harold Zylstra were on hand to assist in the rebuild and make sure everything went together properly.  The new exhaust system was supplied and installed by Bender's Brake and Muffler.  Displacing 261 cubic inches, the "Big Six" powerplant is a Canadian Pontiac exclusive.  Producing 145 horsepower and 238 ft./lbs. of torque, it is coupled to a three-speed manual transmission with column-mounted shift lever.
Since the completion of the restoration the Pontiac has attended various local shows and even made a trouble-free trip to Banff.  At 19, Grycki is not only the youngest member of the Manitoba Pontiac Association, but he also holds the distinction of having the oldest operational vehicle in the club.  Now studying film at the University of Winnipeg, he's looking forward to having the Pontiac out for a number of summer cruises.  Grycki says, "I just really enjoy driving it and hopefully the time will come down the road when I can give it to my kids."

© Copyright 2004 Wes Grycki