John M. Sawruk, P.E. (Professional Engineer), Pontiac Motor Division Historian, author and columnist for Pontiac Enthusiast magazine, High Performance Pontiac magazine, The Legend (memberzine for the GTO Association of America), and Smoke Signals (memberzine for the Pontiac Oakland Club of America), technical advisor for both the GTOAA and POCI, and dedicated Pontiac enthusiast, passed away at age 61 on November 12, 2008 after a prolonged battle with cancer.
John will be remembered by family and friends alike as a talented engineer and as an extremely active and dedicated member of the Pontiac hobbyist community–locally in the southeast Michigan area, nationally, and worldwide.
Beginning in 1968, John served his entire automotive career with General Motors. Early on, John worked in Mac MacKellar’s PMD engineering group on projects dealing with engine development. He contributed to programs such as the 455HO, SD-455 and Pontiac’s "Iron Duke" 4-cylinder engine. In fact, one of John’s highest professional honors at General Motors came in the form of a "Boss Kettering Award" that was bestowed upon him in 1979 as a result of his engineering efforts on the Iron Duke’s intake manifold design. His work history encompassed positions in PMD engineering, as manager of Pontiac Motorsports, and as Director of Engineering for the GM L-platform (Corsica/Beretta/Tempest). That 34-year sojourn took him from engineering lab to NASCAR superspeedway paddocks and NHRA dragstrip pit rows, to assembly plant floors and management committee meeting rooms. His extracurricular corporate experiences included participation in the restoration of the Silvermist Gray 1964 LeMans GTO currently residing within the General Motors Historic Collection and assisting in the creation of the concept Grand Am "sport truck." He had a developmental hand in the creation of the SD-4 Fiero, and served as a post-retirement consultant for the planning and marketing group charged with bringing a new GTO to the American roads in 2004. At one time or another during the past forty years, most major aspects of the creation and production of the modern Pontiac product was experienced by this man. Thankfully, he chose to share this priceless knowledge freely, tirelessly, and extensively with the Pontiac faithful.
In early November, 2008, illustrator and fellow Pontiac enthusiast, Eric White, created the portrait displayed above and presented it to John and his wife, Marge. The image represents the 1971 1/2 Pontiac GT-37 that the Sawruks purchased new in 1971. Special ordered in Starlight Black, it features the late-year-design GT-37 "sword style" side stripe appliqué in reflective gold. In the mid-'70s the Sawruks sold the GT-37. After suffering several years of seller's regret, the Sawruk family located and reacquired their favorite black Pontiac. In the early 1990's the faithful GT-37 was treated to a world-class restoration by Scott Tiemann and the craftsmen at Supercar Restorations in Portland, MI. The exceptional quality of the restoration was recognized by the GTOAA when the car was awarded a "Concours Best of Show" at the 1994 GTOAA International Convention.
In memory of her late husband, Marge Sawruk has given permission to White House Graphics to reprint this artwork and offer it to the public. Of the thirty-five dollar purchase price, twenty-five dollars will be donated, in John Sawruk's name, to the kidney cancer research programs of the University of MIchigan and the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Research Center in New York City.
Size: 19" x 13"
Method of Production: Six-color Ink Jet
Material Stock: 100# Strathmore Bristol Board
Signed and dated by the artist
Price: $35 ea. ($25 to be donated ) + $6 shipping
Method of Payment: Personal Check, Money Order, Paypal