keith, this makes a great read, along with your other stories that are gm related you really should look into geting them published.

sorry to hear of your dad's passing, i'd have liked to met him in person. he sounds like a great guy.

mike

Great stories, and a fitting memorial to your Dad!

Keith, Awesome detail on the story, I'm sure your Dad is smiling from up above.

Keith, Great stories, great cars.. Heirlooms that can't be replaced. Keep showing them!

Thanks for sharing such a great and heartwarming story of a legacy driver and car, Keith!:hail:

Robert

I just read ur posts, Dave. It was great and I agree with a previous poster about publishing. Your story reminds of a similar story told to me by my late, great-uncle(mother's uncle) Raymond. He was a mechanic and a machinsist in WWII Europe. He worked mostly on the deuce and a halfs. He didn't take credit for it but he told me he was there when a lowly mechanic came up with the idea of fitting teeth to the front of Shermans so they could cut through the hedgerows of the French country-side. He said it's up to the engineers to build the stuff but it's up to the grunts in the mud to make it work. I assure you, in my family, grunt is a term of endearment.

What a great story Keith. :clap3: When you write the book let us all know. I want to buy an autographed copy. :D

And sorry to hear of your dad's passing. He'll be remembered always by us too after reading the story.

Yes thanks here too.Its great to remember the way things were,with some of the worries left out.

A couple updates, from this spring:

POCI Widetrackers "Dustoff" car show photos:

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/....php?p=3292189

"Eyes on Design" car show photos:

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...d.php?t=564847

Keith, Reading this stuff is a lot of fun!

Thanks for taking the time to write and post this. It sends chills down my spine when I think of this from the historic or nostalgic point of view. These are amazing stories and your dad was quite a guy !

Others suggested that you consider writing a book. I agree !
If that seems overwhelming (which it could be), how about trying to get articles published ? HPP and PE would dig this stuff I think. Also, I've been enjoying some neat stories about old school drag racing in that new magazine called GARAGE

I met Mr. Seymore and Keith at Lapeer Dragway in the mid 70's. I had an aunt and uncle that raced. My dad was a street racer that worked for Pontiac for 42 years. Van Seymore was as good and gracious a man that could be found. It is only appropriate that award is named for him. It still seems strange seeing Keith at the track without his "side kick". My uncle passed in 1999. They are undoubtedly up there bench racing. Great story Keith. Mike McCarty

Thanks, Mike.

I should mention that I got beat in my first official sanctioned drag race by Mike's Aunt Bonnie, in her red Nova, some 30 years ago.

The guys thought that was pretty funny - getting beat "by a girl"...:rolleyes:

I think it's funnier that you got beat by a NOVA!

Mike

Keith, thank you what a fantastic read (as much the 3rd time as the 1st)...

My love of Pontiac and in particular the GTO blossomed from an early age as a result of the stories my dad would share (and, with little prodding, still does) of his 66 and 67 GTO's. In my 31 years there has simply never been a fascination so intense and unfaltering as that which was created in the mind of a young boy listening to his dad tell the stories of the GTO and the era in which it reigned.

It's stories like yours that cause goose bumps and keep the mystique of these cars so profound in someone like me who missed the whole era altogether. When I walk by my GTO and that comforting "old" smell of the car can be smelled, I'm thinking of you and Van under that '63 Cat in the garage, I'm thinking of Summer evenings accented by lumpy camshafts and Coney dogs, I'm thinking of pure unadulterated American muscle and the people and times that allowed it to all be possible, I'm thinking I bet Keith's '65 smells about the same way and I'm thinking.... goddamn I'm loving it!

For me, it was the sight of the 64 GTO's on Bender Street headed for Waterford Kettering High School less than 5 or 10 miles west of Pontiac Assembly Plant (where they were built) and Pontiac Engineering (Where they were designed) in Pontiac Michigan. It was kind of thrilling to see a "stock" Pontiac burn rubber and raise smoke :attention on that quiet residential street (So Quiet they eventually closed Bender to High School traffic!)

Nostalgia overwhelms

Regards
CD175

I have been waiting since November of last year to make this announcement:

The new book by David Newhardt is out....and.....








....my car is not in it. :(




David had way too many pictures of nice cars to use. It sounds like he may use some of the images in an upcoming GTO book and in some future calendar publications. I will keep my eyes open for these (...let me know if you see my car somewhere, as I might miss it! :D)

Additionally, some other PYer's did make the cut, including Dr Eric Schiffer's Blackbird, Jim Wanger's Michigan based 69 Judge and Jim's California based '65 GTO.

Here is the book, if anyone is interested: http://www.motorbooks.com/Store/Prod...ails_40589.ncm

K

Last Cruise for 2008
 

So - in an effort to make myself feel better -

:D

I took the GTO to our weekly Saturday morning cruise at the Autozone bookstore before putting the car away for a long winter nap.

Round trip was 6 miles each way, so our grand total is up to 4796 original miles. 4 more and I'll have to update my signature!

K

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...1.jpg~original

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...2.jpg~original

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...3.jpg~original


By the way, that Riveria parked next to me is also an original paint/original unrestored car. How come his paint is not all cracked/hazed? :mad:

:p

I cant believe I never saw this thread. Great story and tribute to your dad.

And the car aint so bad either...LOL. NIce ride Keith!

Damn your GTO Looks good sitting next to that Rivi! Those cars complioment each other.



His paint was probably never abused like yours was. Speed Kills! LOL.

Mike

I can't believe you would get your car that close to those idiots at an Auto Zone store!!!