John Beltz

Beltz was survived by two daughters, Johnna and Anna, and wife Loentine. Beltz's eldest daughter, Johnna Beltz-Snyder, succumbed to pancreatic cancer in 2007. Johnna is survived by two children, daughter Elizabeth and younger son John. John Snyder is now heavily immersed in the auto industry as a writer for Winding Road magazine. Beltz's daughter Anna is married to Mike Miller (mentored by Beltz in his formative years) who went on to race for Jack Roush in the SCCA professional Trans-Am series, top alcohol dragsters and open wheel cars in the Formula Atlantic series. He formed the manufacturing company Stealth Technologies & Engineering in 1989 which is now Orchid Orthopedic Solutions LLC. Mike and Anna Miller have three grown daughters, from eldest to youngest, Laurna, Emilia (Emmy) and Maryalexandra (Maryal).

The book also discusses Beltz's death in 1972, and the devastation within the Oldsmobile family over losing one of their most beloved bosses. Product delivery manager at the time of Beltz's death, Bob Richards said, "the number-one general manager. He to me was THE general manager. He was just a take-charge, take-over sort of guy. Once he said this is it, everyone knew he meant it."

Beltz was also featured on the February 1971 cover of Car and Driver magazine (his most legendary editorial appearance), shown in the Sonoran desert at the GM Proving Grounds near Phoenix, leaning against a Toronado with his sunglasses on. In the corresponding article within the issue, the writer dubbed Beltz the ultimate "real car man" and Beltz discussed the Toronado and briefly, his other favorite Olds model, the high-performance 442. When asked why he built the Toronado, Beltz, in typical fashion, simply responded "It just makes you feel like God."

Beltz was featured in the July 1969 issue of Hot Rod magazine posing with some experimental Olds versions that never saw production.

The book discusses Beltz's transition to GM of Oldsmobile in 1969, saying, "If Beltz had been well liked before, he was even more popular now - even among the press, who loved his candor and colorful language." Beltz became well known for his ability to win the hearts and minds of the press and the people.

John Beltz (1926–1972) was Oldsmobile's chief engineer in 1964 and one of the prime movers of the Oldsmobile Toronado and 442 project. Beltz was promoted to Oldsmobile general manager at age 43 in 1969 when Harold N. Metzel retired. Beltz died in May 1972 from cancer at the age of 46. He was revered in the automotive industry as a visionary ahead of his time. Throughout his career, Beltz became known as much for his engineering brilliance as his charisma, his always clever sense of humor and impeccable taste in cars. According to legend, John Beltz and his staff led Oldsmobile through undoubtedly its best years and the Oldsmobiles from 1949 to 72 define Olds as the Rocket division of GM. It is said that during his time at the helm of Oldsmobile, Beltz represented Michigan and the auto industry in its purest form, when cars were king and the auto industry worker, both blue and white-collar, was the lifeblood of the state.