Pontiac Dealers List - 59 pages !

[Jan Larsson]

Here's another document we been looking for helping us identify the dealership based on the dealer code in the list of TTA's.

This (along with a number of other original documents) been kindly made available to us and we have had them scanned and will post them for us all as a reference for the future.

If this is a complete list or not I can't confirm however the TTA's I've looked up so far are all there.

The way this list works would be you first find the dealer code in the normal TTA VIN list we have posted (or that you find on pasincorporated.com).

The left hand column (dealer list attached) will have the dealer code in the format like this: 2003386 for instance ... then the TTA dealer code in the VIN list only list 03386 so when you search for yours simply omit the "20" in the left hand column.

The street address column have some cryptically letters/numbers in front of them that I don't know what they mean.

Also the very last column have some coding in there that again I don't know what that might represent.

I made this PDF searchable however due to the way the information "connects" in between columns search wont work properly all the time (need spaces before and after all keywords) ... so manual labour is needed to find what you are after.

Maybe at some point we can get this all into a Excel spread sheet helping to cross reference the VIN list we already have in Excel and the dealer codes however time will tell if this can be done or not.

Hope this comes in handy for you all.

 

[Jan Larsson]

I had a play to see if I can automate the process getting this into Excel; character recognition and some Excel "magic" ... anyway attached is what can be done fairly simple however would need some manual labour to clean it up and also to split the address line up ...

Comments; is this worth doing?

Note attached zip file contains the Excel file (latest version of Excel so .xlsx).

 

[Mark T-TB]

That looks pretty good :thumbup:
(I'm sort a newbie, but just putting in my $.02.)
It seems like being able to actually search the dealer "name" and "code" would be the biggest help - which does work in the "sample, thus not sure that any other "manual labor" is needed(?).

 

[Jan Larsson]

That looks pretty good :thumbup:
(I'm sort a newbie, but just putting in my $.02.)
It seems like being able to actually search the dealer "name" and "code" would be the biggest help - which does work in the "sample, thus not sure that any other "manual labor" is needed(?).

I think you are right Mark and that would be doable ... still some pages need more work than others due to the quality of the original pages scanned but that should be doable.

With 59 pages and 60 dealer codes per page that is more than twice the number of dealers that sold TTA's new ... but once all is in Excel then that can easily be filtered out to narrow it down the 900 or so dealers that did sell a TTA when new per the VIN list at least.

I did clean up the sample page (attached) but lots of work however this is what I really would like to end up with ... but we are looking at around 40 hours of manual labour and it gets very boring really quickly :down:

 

[Mark T-TB]

Yeah, sometimes I find that the written word doesn't convey the intent(?)

What I mean is that if the first "sample" excel format gets "us" 75% of the benefit, yet is "only" 20% of the work to achieve (totally "made up" %s)... I would call that a big "Win".
40 hours of slogging thru data... not so much :wall:

Thanks!

 

[WQ59B]

5 years later....

Some tips on the dealer list:
• Dealer zone/codes always were traditionally written with a space, IE: '17 500'. Also easier to read.
• Punctuation should be avoided, as people doing searches tend to omit or at least be inconsistent in entering it. "ABC Pontiac-Buick Inc" is probably the best approach for searching.
• P.O. Boxes are immaterial- they have no bearing to anyone anymore.

I have been compiling Pontiac dealers in an Excel file for almost a year now. I started the project decades ago, didn't get all that far, then shelved it. Have been busy since last November - have listed just over 4900 total and the TTA list will swell that (tho it's missing a number of zones). Obviously, this encompasses way more than sold TTA's new, but it's my opinion that the project is worthwhile and I'd like to document as many Pontiac dealers as possible.

Once I have gone thru incorporating the TTA list, it will be possible to create a new Excel file with just the TTA list codes.

 

[Jan Larsson]

Glad someone took on this project, look forward to a nice searchable way to find dealer info!

Thanks for working on this and contributing to the hobby much appreciated

 

[KyleWasTaken]

I don't see it in the list, but I don't suppose you are able to locate Zone 07, Dealer 753. It was for a Pontiac purchased in late 1963. I don't see 2007753 anywhere on the PDF.

I know it's not a Trans Am.. but I thought I would ask since you're are pretty knowledgeable about preserving Pontiac History. I haven't found your records anywhere else.

I believe the dealer was somewhere in Michigan, but I don't know the dealership name (or address).

Thanks!

EDIT: It's Soo Machine & Co. in Sault Sainte Marie, MI.