[433lemans]

Anyone know whatever happened to the High Performance Pontiac magazine 1965 GTO station wagon project car after it was completed (if it ever WAS completed)? Just curious.

[77 TRASHCAN]

Good question, a lot of people came and went from the time of that build till the end of HPP. That car seemed like it wasn't finished (?) and disappeared...

[cdrookie]

like most of there project cars...

[433lemans]

I was also thinking it didn't get completely finished and as said, it's like it just disappeared. It was a very cool project IMO and hope it wasn't just dismantled and sold for parts.

[77 TRASHCAN]

Don Keefe might know..

[65gto69]

The wagon was completed and I think went on a tour to a couple of Pontiac car show events. HPP December 1993 has it finished and on the cover. Article on it inside "BIG RED" "Running Smooth, Running Fast, Our Project GTO Wagon Is Now Complete" is the article title. State it was completed in May and has been to several events "HPP Day Englishtown, GTOAA Nationals Indianapolis, Supercar Showdown at Quaker City Dragway in Ohio.

I scanned and posted the article from HPP 1993

Mark

[433lemans]

Thanks Mark. That was probably one of several issues I didn't receive through the years. I don't know that it was an HPP problem or post office but it's water under the bridge.
Around that time I owned a 65 Tempest wagon and a pair of 2 door post doors. I really wanted to make a 2 door wagon but the finances didn't allow. Eventually sold the car to I think was a school teacher in Omaha.
Anyway thanks for posting, and maybe we'll find out who owns it.

[65gto69]

You are welcome. I really like my library of HPP mags, a world of Pontiac tech new and old when ever I need it. I still enjoy looking at and reading the HPP for the 80's & 90's and just seeing how technology advanced and where Pontiac is today in the aftermarket world.

Have no idea where the car is now, pretty much the last I have heard of it was this article.

I think the GTO option on the wagon makes a neat cruiser. Maybe turn a 4 door wagon into a 2 door and create a GTO/Safari wagon with 4 speed, Could be a real head turner.

Mark

[433lemans]

Head turner would be right. Chevy Chevelles got to have this option, wonder why Pontiac didn't. Marketing decision I spose.

[Jerry H.]

Did the articles ever state who the owner of the car actually was? Most of the time these cars are owned by one of the employees of the magazine or publishing group.

[Don Keefe]

The car was finished and it ended up being stored for a few years in a rented garage in Paramus, New Jersey. Tom DeMauro eventually worked a deal out to sell it on behalf of HPP.

As an aside, I drove that car for a few weeks as a daily driver to figure out if there were any major problems and aside from fried paint a badly worn interior, it was actually a really nice car. When it was taken apart, I was surprised to see the build date stamped into the frame. It was 10/25/65, the day after I was born. The build of that car was delayed by the editor changes and a general loss of momentum. I always liked that car though I was gone by the time it was finished.

[433lemans]

Great info Don, thanks. Hopefully the car will resurface.

[Goatracer1]

In the early 1970's my buddies and I built a 1964 GTO 2dr wagon from a Chevelle. By today's standards it was crude but at the time we thought it was cool. Also the cars were cheap. I don't think we paid more than $300 for the 2 of them. Nobody wanted 10 year old cars. Crude or not I wish I had it now.

[Simple Man]

Originally Posted by 433lemans

Thanks Mark. That was probably one of several issues I didn't receive through the years. I don't know that it was an HPP problem or post office but it's water under the bridge.
Around that time I owned a 65 Tempest wagon and a pair of 2 door post doors. I really wanted to make a 2 door wagon but the finances didn't allow. Eventually sold the car to I think was a school teacher in Omaha.
Anyway thanks for posting, and maybe we'll find out who owns it.

Sounds like ALF's car, AKA Alan Fanning, a retired school teacher from Omaha....

[433lemans]

Last name Bighia comes to mind. (Hope he doesn't mind if he's a member here). The car was the pale gold/pewter color.

[GTOnly70]

Originally Posted by Don Keefe

When it was taken apart, I was surprised to see the build date stamped into the frame. It was 10/25/65, the day after I was born.

10/25/65? Seems like that was well into the '66 model year...

[Don Keefe]

Originally Posted by GTOnly70

10/25/65? Seems like that was well into the '66 model year...

That was a typo. The frame was stamped 10-25-64, I was born on the 24th.

[77 TRASHCAN]

Originally Posted by Don Keefe

That was a typo. The frame was stamped 10-25-64, I was born on the 24th.

Don,
Ever hear from Sue Elliott, former editor???

[Don Keefe]

Originally Posted by 77 TRASHCAN

Don,
Ever hear from Sue Elliott, former editor???

Sue and I are in touch through Facebook. She is a life coach now and living in SoCal.

[433lemans]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1965-Pontiac...1Y4R9z&vxp=mtr