R on Thomas is a dyed-in-the-wool Pontiac collector who comes from a Pontiac-loving family. With the exception of once straying into the van world, his automotive heartbeat has led him to search for, buy and restore several Pontiacs that required considerable effort and expense. But he also owns an exceptionally well-preserved Pontiac Safari station wagon that practically followed him home.
A Pontiac past
Ron bought his first new car in 1967, a Pontiac Firebird with a 326-cid two-barrel V-8 and three-speed floor-shift transmission. He married his wife, Betsy, a year later. The Thomases lived in wintery Ohio, and they found the Firebird wasn’t very good for winter driving.
Before long, Ron and Betsy also had two young boys
