Took my GTO back to Royal today
 

One of our PY members Bonneville Joe started a thread about taking his car back to it's original delivering dealer from some pictures (link: http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...d.php?t=666290), and I thought "hey, I can do that, too!".

So - since this is Father's Day and I can do pretty much whatever I want, I drove the GTO over to 400 N Main Street in Royal Oak, formerly Royal Pontiac (and more recently formerly Jim Fresard Pontiac) for a photo shoot.

The building is actually being considered for a Kroger supermarket ( I have also heard they may tear it down), so I wanted to get some photos before that happened. These are intended to be primarily documentation of the existing buildings, but if one or two turned out to be somewhat artistic...well, that's a bonus I guess.

One other ironic thought: during my growing up years, when we were at Royal a couple times a week, it was a 40 or 50 mile ride. Now, as an adult, I live about 4 miles from this hallowed ground.

K

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1308500469

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1308500489

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1308500574

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1308500590

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1308500606

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1308501175

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1308501366

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1308501539

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1308501747

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1308501932

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1308502090

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1308502262

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1308502412

The house on the left appears in a number of vintage photos, so I wanted to make sure I caught it in a couple of mine:

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1308503182

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1308503337

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1308503508

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1308503661

New favorite photo:

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1308503814

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1308504015

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1308507372

Is this a "rising sun" or a "setting sun"?

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1308507498

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1308507630

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1308509961

Nice photos Keith. No thanks to GM that Pontiac is no longer on dealer's signs. Very sad.

Great pics Keith!

It is sad indeed. Can you imagine how many new Pontiac muscle cars and even regular Pontiacs went through those doors? Sometimes progress is really regression.......:(

I just can't picture the same emotions going through people's heads over some rice burner dealership. :gag:

Thanks for posting the pictures. I have only seen the vintage pictures.

Your GTO looks great.

Bet you are glad you did that!

Neat!


Charles

X2 !!!!!!!!! .

Wow. Amazing that the car outlives the car company..

Beautiful car!
Someone should have treated the lot with weed-b-gone before the photo shoot! :D

Great job Keith! http://www.smilieshq.com/smilies/happy0180.gif

Sad.......................But neat pics.
Too bad you couldn't photoshop a pic of your car into a old Royal Pontiac
pic................


The dealer my 72 came from Denman Pontiac Brewerton NY (near Syracuse)
is long gone!

I actually like the 1st couple of shots outside the garage doors with the weeds growing. Pics #6 & 7. Gotta have "vision"!

Great photos And A great GTO to go with them. TKS

get a historical grant to restore this historical site. keep f*((& gm out of the mix

Great looking car

Nice shots.:) I can't believe the people of Royal Oak don't want the Krogers. They would rather buy food at higher prices from the small stores and don't care about the jobs this Kroger would provide and the taxes too.:rolleyes:

Injun: My great grandmother was full blooded Passamaquaddy. Gotta have the bumper sticker. Any links on who has them?

I would love to take my car for a photo shoot at its home dealership, Musser Motors, Terrel, TX, http://www.mussermotors.com/. DOD was 12/26/68, might have been an x-mas present.

It's still in business as a GM dealership and still owned by the Musser family. I contacted Musser a few years ago, sending phs documents, and the general manager, Gabe Musser, was estatic. He sent me a detailed personal letter, explaining the evolution of Musser Motors through the years. He also sent me a front tag delete, and a dealer sticker. (I don't know whether he's son or grandson. But I do know that he was beside himself becauise I contacted him.)

Based on his excitment, I'm sure that he would love to have the car at his dealership for a photo shoot. In fact, I wouldn't be suprized if he helped with vehicle staging, possibly even willing to staging it in the showroom. (Talk about PR!)

One setback is the 1.3k miles one-way road trip. Another set back is that I would like to return the car to its origional Obnoxious Orange (often listed as its slang name, code #72) if I were going to invest in such vehicle documenation.

Just awesome Keith!:cool::usa2: Love your car. Great pics.

Funny you should mention that; my Grand Prix, which stickered at $5300 (in 1963!) has a note inside the cover of the owner manual that says "Merry Christmas Andy - love Mom & Dad". :oogle:

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...Pbrochures.jpg

As an aside, the GP was delivered through Stevenson Pontiac in Ludington, Michigan (the other side of the state). The building is still there, but in use as an antique mall. I'd like to get over there for some pics someday, too.

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/...x/100_8360.jpg

rising sun, what do I win?