1933 Pontiac brings memories of father and son adventures
On a cold and rainy day in the autumn of 1961, Arthur Sessler spotted a black 1933 Pontiac with white pinstripes for sale.
“My dad saw it,” William Sessler said, “and took it home.”
The handsome Pontiac sedan had a handbrake sprouting from the floor, positioned alongside a gearshift lever that operated a three-speed synchromesh transmission. Most importantly, Sessler said, “This was the first year for this engine. It’s the king of the straight eights.” The 223-cubic-inch engine produced 77 horsepower, and four large vertical louvers on each side of the engine hood helped keep the eight cylinders running cool.
For the next two decades, both father and son enjoyed driving the 3,020-pound, four-door sedan on special occasions. Even in the heat of summer, the Fisher No-Draft Ventilation system, featuring the wind-stream principle, kept the occupants comfortable.
Bumper-to-bumper the Pontiac stretches 1½ inches longer than 15 feet. It rides on a 115-inch wheelbase with a ground clearance of 8 inches.
One day while heading to an antique car gathering in Hersey, Pennsylvania, William recalls that a rod came blasting through the side of the engine. The mishap certainly ruined their outing, but after getting the Pontiac towed, the gentlemen proceeded on to the event and spent the day shopping for a replacement straighteight engine and assorted parts. With the disabled Pontiac at home, Arthur asked William what he wanted to do with the car.
“We might as well restore it,” the younger Sessler said. That’s when they began to take the car apart. They bought a couple of similar-parts cars; one provided the engine, the other donated the metal shroud for the spare tire at the rear of the car. Its carburetor came from the Hershey flea market.
The entire car was restored, from the gracefully tilted, shovel-style, V-shaped radiator up front to the gas cap on the 18-gallon tank at the rear. An unhappy surprise revealed that the wooden framework around which the body was formed needed to be replaced. “New wood for the top and the doors was necessary,” William said. “Each of the four doors required about a thousand dollars of woodwork,” he said.
After the body was stripped, he was pleased to discover, “It had never even been dented.” With a perfectly pristine body before him, he decided to paint it Martini Brown with Wilshire Brown fenders, accented by Apple Green wheels and pinstripes.
The rear window and the rear quarter windows were capped with pull-down privacy shades, a nice touch designed to differentiate the Pontiac model from its Chevrolet sibling.
A single visor is located above the three-spoke steering wheel. The upscale Pontiac does have two wipers and a 100-mph speedometer. “I’ve had it up to 65 mph years ago,” he said. After about three years of labor, the restoration of the Pontiac was as complete as it could be. Thereafter, the Sesslers took their car to several Antique Automobile Club of America shows and won several prestigious awards. Since his father’s death, the son has retired the car; it makes only occasional appearances now.
When William does take the top-heavy Pontiac on an outing, he makes certain that the radiator, crankcase, and gas tank are full, as well as the 5.25-by-17-inch tires.