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Do you know your cars history??
Every old car that Ive bought has come with some sort of history. In a couple of cases, I bought the car BECAUSE of the history behind it. I thought it might be pretty cool to hear the stories traced back in time about the cars we all own.....
Post em up?? Im the third owner of my car and it was restored frame off by a father and son who bought it from the original owner which dates back about 15 years ago now. Turns out the project was one in which the team took the car and wanted to do a project together with the hopes that it would bring the two of them closer togeter. From my contact with the second owner going back about 7 years ago, he claims they are now closer than ever. And it all started with my car. Every once in a while I pick up and look the the first owner but never had any luck. |
Yes....:D
(I laugh because I think you know the story)... For those who are not familiar, basically we've had my '65 since new. It was a racecar and then sat for about 30 years. Now it just does parades and shows for historically significant vehicles. More detail can be found here (start with post #8): http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...d.php?t=560524 Now - relative to my Grand Prix: I bought it in September of last year and, as you say, pretty much bought it for the paperwork it had. It came with the original window sticker, protectoplate, owner's manual, tire warranty folder - and - a "thank you" card from the selling dealership! It was sold from the west side of the state (Ludington, MI) to a family here locally (Taylor MI). I am intrigued by that and the fact that it is a very loaded car, very expensive, but seems to have been given to the son as a Christmas present: there is a handwritten note in the owner's manual that says: "Merry early Christmas Andy, love Mom and Dad". I have their name and will see if I can track them down. http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...0Prix/GPLF.jpg http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...Pbrochures.jpg Last one: for my Chevelle, my dad ordered it for my mom to drive. It is a factory police package, 454, TH400 etc, so it has always been a good runner. Mom drove it for four years and then I picked it up after that. I drove it two years and it has been a full time racer since then. This year marks 30 years racing that same car! Check inside the garage in this photo: http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...001/img078.jpg http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...son2007109.jpg K |
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Yes! I remember reading that. Cool story! K |
Kieth, we can always count on you (and I was) to add to a thread of this type. I like the old pic with your Goat in the garage. When you get more info on th GP...Please post!!
I didint see that thread Pontiac_Defender. Very nice story. |
My first GTO wasn't anything special, but the owner listed on the Protecto Plate still lived at the same address.
My father purchased a '67 corvette once and tracked down the original owner who swore it was originally a L88 car. |
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I`m the 2`nd owner of mine. It was purchased here in my home town by Eugene Martin. He gave it to his high school son. They brought it to high school football games and would dance on top of it. Poor sheet metal. Then, they caught the origional 350 2 bbl on fire and warped the hood. Then, they parked it without the carb. Well, you know what eventually happened. The motor locked up. So, the car sat until 1982 when I got it for $200. I bought a junkyard 455 for $35. No sh!t. I still have the car today.
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My 72 GTO was ordered for a doctors wife in San Antonio. I have every sales document after her and it has been passed onto 3 or 4 owners since her. I still have the original leather key case which she got when it was new. Another memeber found it in Arlington, Texas and started to restore it then sold it to another Pontiac guy who swapped it to a 4 speed then I came along and completed it. Guess it is finally at home now never leaving Texas.
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My 69 GTO Judge was purchased by Robert Dolinger at Epperly Pontiac in Christiansburg, VA in March 1969. He traded in a 66 GTO. I have a copy of the sales invoice showing the deal. I spoke to Robert in the early 1980's and need to try to locate him again.
There were two other owners that had the car a short time before my Dad purchased it for me in 1979 in High Point, N.C. when I was 19. I still have the car and hope to get it out to a show again this Fall or early Spring. I will eventually put my story in POCI, but have not taken the time to do it. |
400 Firebird cop car!
My 69 Firebird was sold out of Myrtle Motors in New York. It's a Liberty Blue 400 coupe which is a very dark royal blue color. It was owned by a New York City police officer, he added a siren, police radio and a red flashing light. The glove box door still has the bracket for the microphone and the NYPD sticker is still on the windshield. It must have been a cool sight to see a 400 Bird cop car hauling azz down the streets of New York in the 70's! DJ |
I fell into my 70 GTO. My brother had ordered his GTO from Right-Way Pontiac in DeKalb, IL. Shortly after buying the car, he moved to Long Beach, CA, where he drove it daily. In 1983 he decided it was time for a new car. He called me and asked if I wanted it. I quickly said yes but wondered how much he would want for it and how I would get it back to Illinois.
A few weeks later he called again and proposed that I fly to CA and he and I would drive it home for Christmas. It sounded like a lot of fun and adventure. Another week later he changed the plan. He said "My wife and I will drive the GTO home for Christmas. If you buy two one-way tickets from Chicago to Long Beach, the car is yours." I about crapped my pants and said, "You got a deal." When I finally got the car there was a brick on the driver's side floor that he had used for cruise control! |
I once bought a 64 Bonne convert from the daughter of the original owner. Her mother used it as a daily ride until a year or so before I bought it. She apparently was no longer able to drive. The daughter told me stories for a couple of hours about the car and when dad first brought it home from the dealer. She learned how to drive in the car.
I didn't even like the car. But the history was everything to me and at the time, felt like it was rare to have know the detailed history of any car like this one. When I bought the Bonne, it came with the original papers signed at the time of delivery including a bill of sale. I ended up selling when my daughter was born to pay off some bills that would allow my then wife to stay home with our child. The buyer bought the car simply to have it pained and resell it. He could have cared a less about the cars history. I might still have the cars paperwork. I figured what he didn't know about the car wouldn't kill 'em. |
My 71.....no my 73 TA
My Trans am started life out as a 71 Espirit. I saw it in the back yard of a stranger's house and thought I should stop and ask about it. Here in ND it is hard to find a 70-73 firebird/TA. Well the next time I went to the junk yard there it sat, stripped out. Just a rolling shell left. Every time I was at the yard I would pat the car on the roof and tell it "Some day you'll come home with me". Well as you can guess that day came and for $125 they dropped it at my garage. As I worked on the car, I noticed the round cupped dents in the car all over. I ran into a friend of the last owner and found out he was messing around and his wife or girlfriend took after the car with a ball peen hammer. OUCH! After 10 years of scrounding and many different years of TA parts into the car. It now looks like the Buc. Red TA you see here. I call it my "JOHNNY CASH CAR" from the song "ONE PIECE AT A TIME". If your up on your TA you can tell the corners I cut. Go to http://www.ravely.com/TA%20BC.html and see it come to life.
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When I graduated from college in June 1968, I bought a used 1967 Firebird 400 convertible, 4 spd, 3.55 posi-trac with 16K miles on it. The car was locally sold and owned with the original window sticker.
I kept the car till 1986 when I sold it to my younger brother with 96K miles on it. He still owns it and it only has 110K miles now. All original except the convertible top. No rips or tears in the upholstery, no cracks in the dash. Never wrecked or raced. Was repainted the original medium blue in the early 1980s. Although my wife thought we should get rid of it in 1986 (we had 4 cars), she wishes we had it back now. She inherited a 1939 Oldsmobile from her dad in 2003 which she had driven in high school 35 years ago. Having too much sentimental value to get rid of, we street rodded that car and she has much more interest in classic cars now. John |
I am the fifth owner of my car.
Found some receipts in the trunk with a name and address. Said why not. I wrote a letter and a month later a reply arrived via email. The lady was a widower who kept the car for 30+ years, even after her husband died in the 70's. Bought from a doctor in MA who was trying to trade it on a .... ugh... VW Beetle because of the cost of fuel! 1967 Lemans Convertible 326.... sorry but currently cloning. |
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I dont know the complete history of my 1971 T-37,but I do know a few things about it.It was sold new at a dealer in NC,at some point it was brought to Ohio in the Eighties. I found paper work in the glove box from 1983 a guy who must have worked at Napa had owned this car,there are a bunch of receits w/his name on them. Not sure how long he owned it for. Then There is a registration from 1984 with a womens name,date of purchase was 11/05/84. She traded or sold the car to a dealer in 1994. That is when my dads friend bought it. He sold the car to me in 1998. On the receits the mileage in 1983 was 61,000,in 1984 it was 68,341,in 1994 it was 70,100,now has 73,000 miles. Car has sat for long peroids of time even now I dont drive it much,that and the engine isn't finished yet. Id like to find the guy who worked at Napa and bought alot of parts for this car,including NOS wheel well molding's from Classic Chevrolet in Mentor Ohio. Price on the receit for the moldings was $34.00.
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California born & raised....
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I thought the story behind my '69 Firebird was rather interesting.....
The original "Lady" owner in the Fall of 1968 told her two older brothers that she was going to buy a brand new 1969 Firebird. Her brothers both driving GTO's at the time said to her...you cant just buy one off the lot, you need to order one with the right stuff! I think she ordered a great combination and the one option she wanted most was the fold-down rear seat to have a place to lay her dresses to and from the dry cleaners. She retired the car in the late 80's basically handing it over to her son, although it was never titled in his name and remained in her name until I purchased it earlier this year. I am technically the second "registered" owner. The guy I bought the car from basically lucked into it. While answering an ad for some old Model A wheels he was asked by the owner if he knew anyone that wanted a '69 Firebird? In the corner of their large shop/garage was this car that had been sitting for a few years with a bad water pump. He was a Camaro guy not really knowing what it was, but quickly educated himself and went back to buy the car a few days later. He basically just "flipped" the car for a nice profit, never titled it in his name and sold it to me in March, less than two months later. The car came with literally every annual registration card from new, the original salesman's business card and a few other documents. It also retains its originally issued black & yellow CA plates with the very first 1969 sticker still intact. She needs to be restored, but is a nice driver as is for now. Here's a link to the original thread where the seller was asking what the car might be worth and also some pictures of the car before and after I bought it..... http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...d.php?t=548940 |
I'll trade you a 69 ho grand prix and a black 70 gto red int rust free go getter 4 speed . For that nice bird .Gotta keep trying .
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Naah, I'm thinking I should just keep this one. A mint original '69 GP SJ just might get it though!
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