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Old 09-06-2013, 09:45 PM
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The stories and history of a car are a really fun part of the hobby for me- great story and how neat that it (and the steering wheel) can forever go along with the car. Interesting that Pontiac management not only didn't market the SD but actively discouraged it!

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Old 09-06-2013, 10:36 PM
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Neat story Steve. I hope you recorded it somehow so that it can stay with the car. I was fortunate enough to talk to the original owner of my '71 T/A. I even let him drive the car.

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  #83  
Old 09-06-2013, 10:41 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RicksGTO View Post
Great story Steve, glad I could help on finding him! Whitepages.com is very helpful and made it pretty easy especially with his unusual name! Sounds like he really does have a near photographic memory, will be great to see what other pics and documents he has kept on file.
He was such a hoot to talk with. I wished he lived closer, I'd have him over for a reunion. Can you imagine being the zone manager back in 1973 when a monstrous, 6'8" 280 pounder storms into your office in New York City and demands you sell him the car he wants. What are gonna say? No?

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Old 09-06-2013, 11:39 PM
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Originally Posted by njsteve View Post
He was such a hoot to talk with. I wished he lived closer, I'd have him over for a reunion. Can you imagine being the zone manager back in 1973 when a monstrous, 6'8" 280 pounder storms into your office in New York City and demands you sell him the car he wants. What are gonna say? No?
yep, seems like you either had to know someone high up at Pontiac or make them an offer they couldn't refuse to get one delivered.

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  #85  
Old 09-07-2013, 09:38 AM
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Steve,
I really happy that you found that SD you have been looking for, and a mighty fine one at that! As a bonus you got all that history from the original owner as well, too cool!

BTW, I think you unknowingly convinced me to keep my 73 SD Buc car as well.
As you can see below, my SD disease is continuing to grow, partially in thanks to you.

Welcome to the club.

SDD

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  #86  
Old 09-07-2013, 10:21 AM
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Wow, and somehow I missed reading this thread?
Congrats...thats an incredible car!

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  #87  
Old 09-07-2013, 11:35 AM
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Steve:
Did Enrico say why he ordered it with the automatic instead of a 4-speed? He sounds more like a stick guy from your description.

BJ

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Old 09-07-2013, 12:32 PM
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Thavt's a great question. I will have to ask him that. Anyone else have questions for him?

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Old 09-07-2013, 12:53 PM
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Originally Posted by njsteve View Post
Thavt's a great question. I will have to ask him that. Anyone else have questions for him?
And why no power windows? It seems like most 73-74's had power windows

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Old 09-07-2013, 02:03 PM
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I guess when you're 6'8" tall you can reach the other window crank easier than reaching the power window switch on the console.

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Old 09-07-2013, 02:24 PM
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Wow! Great pair of cars!
Hey, what future project lurks under the car cover to the left?
Congratulations.

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Old 09-07-2013, 03:15 PM
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Wow! Outstanding car, story and org owner.. unreal find sir, well done.

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  #93  
Old 09-07-2013, 03:38 PM
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Steve, great story!

I'm guessing from the comments in post #74 that Enrico specified a Formula over a Trans Am because he expected it to be equipped with dual-scooped hood. Otherwise, considering the options and the exterior color he chose, was there a different reason he didn't opt for a T/A?

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Old 09-07-2013, 04:00 PM
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Rocky, looks like there might be another article here......Steve just a bit about Enrico, What cars does he still have?

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Old 09-07-2013, 04:59 PM
Baron Von Zeppelin Baron Von Zeppelin is offline
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WoW Steve

Extra super cool to find the original owner and him still have such vivid memories.
Everything he said is spot on with what most of us have been able to construct about 73 SD's .

I'm also guessing too, that he really wanted the twin scoop .
He could have had an almost identical TA for same money .

About half of the 73 Auto SD's were ordered that way because they wanted AC.
Mine was in that category too.

i know the good man who owns my 73SDTA now would have loved a shot at your Formula.
Especially with them being same colors, he has been looking for a 73 SDformula too.

Dealers and Zoners didn't like handling cancelled orders and refunds, and dealing with displeased unhappy customers.
The SD program went up and down for months and months.
A lot of orders were cancelled during the wait .
They had about 500 orders when Herb Adams made his last stand with Brass .
By the time Brass finally went ahead - a lot of those had gotten cancelled .
Less than 300 total built .
That is the reason on the business end of dealers/zoners taking or not taking the orders.

Anybody could have gotten one - if they REALLY wanted one and had patience and a cooperating dealer - when all was said and done.
My original owner said a minimum $500 deposit had to be in hold .
He waited for about 4 months in limbo and almost cancelled .

i wouldn't doubt that a decent percentage of the earlier original orders were for dealer inventory that were cancelled as time wore down thinner and thinner on the model year calender.

Has been said that in the end , no dealer inventory or zone inventory cars were built during the short production run.

Hope somehow someday Enrico is able to reunite with his car.
That would be mighty awesome.

Thanks for sharing all this with us Steve .
Been a great story all the way - cross between a romance novel and a fairy tale -
except all non-fiction .
The attempted theft was WILD

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  #96  
Old 09-07-2013, 05:03 PM
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more pics of the [fugly] 73-74 Standard and Deluxe steering wheels.
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  #97  
Old 09-07-2013, 05:13 PM
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Originally Posted by Baron Von Zeppelin View Post
.... Anybody could have gotten one - if they REALLY wanted one and had patience and a cooperating dealer - when all was said and done. ,,,,
To keep that in better context -
Within at least 500 units - anybody could have gotten one .
There ended up being room for about 200 more takers .

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Old 09-07-2013, 08:47 PM
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I pulled this off the Firebird today and was wondering if it is a reproduction or an original AC filter from way back. (If so that worries me if it has been running the same oil filter for 40 years)





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Old 09-07-2013, 08:50 PM
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That ain't no repop.....

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Old 09-07-2013, 08:50 PM
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Enrico "Rick" Stein emailed me this evening. Here's what he said:


"Dear Steve,
Printed your e-mail this morning and impelled to write back. As I write this it is 9:45 a.m. MST here in Scottsdale and raining.

The sight of the old girl in your enclosed photos brought tears to my eyes. To me it is almost incredible that in all the years since I let her go none of the successive owners has attempted to "improve" on the factory original. I can tell from the photo of the rear that even the chrome exhaust tips are exactly where I put them. Additionally, your conformation of the slight flaw in the paint on the right front fender confirms that this car is a rare original, never restored or molested by an ignorant owner.

While I never had what is commonly referred in the collecting hobby as the "build sheet" or a "broadcast sheet" I will put my provenance on the car against anybody. In this case photo memory, total recall and obsessive compulsive syndrome serve as well.

Depending on class breakdown and other factors beyond your control you should easily win first place in Chicago.

In order to give you any edge that I can, along with the original steering wheel which, by the way, is in factory brand new condition I'm sending you the original window sticker as well as a original factory service manual. The steering wheel is being shipped in the factory original box that the Trans-Am steering wheel currently installed came in.

Any other pertinent data that I research from my files will follow when I've had a chance to go through them, Anything I can do to facilitate your beating the competition with "my car" let me know. I'll be happy to help.

Enrico A. Stein, Jr "Rick"

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