Pontiac Superfan’s Stash Of 16 Classics Up For Auction

Seed salesman Tom Minnick had a penchant for Pontiacs. The Scottsdale man bought a 1971 Pontiac Grand Prix with a 445 V8 and never looked back.

At the time of his death in 2021, the 41-year Army reservist had 16 classic Pontiacs in the garage, many of which were project cars he scooped up on trips around the Southwest.

Winnick was born and educated in Missouri, but followed his profession west, according to his obituary.

“After graduation he started as an agronomist for Trojan Seed CO in Des Moines, Iowa. An opportunity working with Peto vegetable seed took him to California and he then moved to Glendale, Arizona after purchasing Liefgreen Seed Co. He had offices in Arizona and New Mexico and exported vegetable seed worldwide. He also established Frontier Seed Co. to capture the Mexican market. Tom owned parent stock of the well known Sweetie 82 sweet corn.”

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Among the cars were a 1970 GTO Convertible with a 455 V8 with 108,649 miles and a 1968 GTO coupe with its numbers-matching 400 V8 and a four-speed, both of which he’d had restored.

One eye-catcher is a red, white and blue 1963 LeMans that was built into a drag racing car with a 400 V8 and Turbo Hydramatic 400 transmission. It ran when parked and is still wearing its rear slicks.

Minnick’s wife, Edna, is ready to part with the collection, which includes several project cars, hundreds of parts, tractors and several vehicles from other brands, including a 1941 Willys Jeep Model CJ-3A modified with a 302 V8.

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It’s all being offered for sale through VanDerBrink Auctions on Saturday, March 29 in Wickenburg, Ariz., but bids can also be placed online now.

The 1971 Grand Prix is on the docket. It’s a silver premium SJ coupe with a white vinyl roof that was stored inside has shows the 81,094 miles that Winnick drove it over the years as its only owner.