[performerrpm]

like some of the others i was kinda born late"1980" and always thought the 57 chevy was top dogg until 1993 when me and my brother went to meet my dad in muskogge ok at a little store and he pulled up in the coolest car i ever seen which was a 66 gto clone when he got ready to leave he said he might give it to me if i liked it then blew the tires off leaving the store and since my brother had just put his firebird together with a 400 and i knew how fast it was my interest was already swayin torward the pontiacs and that just finished me off. i got the car about a year later when i was about 14 and ive had it ever since when i was 15 the car was totaled and rebuilt then when i was 19 it was burned up from a garage fire and rebuilt and then in the later part of 2001 i took the car completely apart to make it like new. but i dont know if id say i have gto fever because when it was totaled the first time i was offered a 67 gto post needing alot less work to rebuild and when it burned up my friend who's family has several 64-72 chevellles gtos lemans and everything else had just picked up a 65 red/white 389/tripower 4 speed gto with a/c that had been sitting in the original owners garage for last 20 years and needed minimal work to be nicer than mine was it even had all the papers he got from the dealer when he bought marking off options he wanted if i couldve afforded 5500 for that car and repaires to mine i wouldve bout it but it was a choice between the two so maybee i just really like the car i have but admire all the others too

[dracowizard]

I was a sophmore in HS and hanging out with a friend just blocks from home. As me and Gary were walking to his house,he spoke and said here comes another friend of his driving down the hill. Then i saw for the first time...a car which i can still remember commercials about. Garys friend John was driving his fathers 64 Tri-Pwr GTO. After a brief talk with John and him allowing us some good looks at the heart of this icon,he had to go,barking the tires too of course!From that moment on,i never really felt the same desire for any other car other than the 64 Tri-Power.Oh i admire many other machines,but to me the 64 will always be my fav.I've been fortunate to have owned 2 - 64's,one a 4Barrel& the other a TriPwr. I never had the wisdom to do what i needed so as to keep the cars. Maybe someday once i do the 65 clone i'll try again to deal myself into another 64. But meantime i do as so many of us and keep the memories alive.....

[GT182]

Old Blue, you hang on to that 66 Tempest. She might not be a Goat but I know they were a good car and fun to drive too. I sure miss that 326 Tempest I had, 24 mpg back then for a midsized car was grrrreat. Besides, you can do like I did, put GTO grills and emblem on her, and a GTO hood too. Makes ya feel like it's the part GTO for a bit, and looks kinda good too.

[Jumpstart]

I may not have the time in like y'all do but my love for my GTO is just as strong...Back in 1992, my buddy (David) had a 72 four door Chevelle (dont remember the CID) but it had headers and glass packs and was as loud as a bear. Hanging around him and my brother having a puss-stain got me into wanting muscle. One day while driving around with David I noticed this bright red car that had no windows, no amenities, and shod with spare tires all the way around but the paint was fresh and shiny. I asked David "What kind of car is that?" with his response "a GTO...prolly a 65" Looking at the body lines of the car, it was the most beautiful piece of machinery that I had ever ogled.

Years went by and as I had read more and more I fell in love with the voluptuous styling of the 70 GTO's. A few more years went by and the 71's were my love. By that time I had graduated from college and was now in grad school. Upon graduation my parents gave me a generous $$ gift and I decided it was time to get a GTO. I kept searching ebay as it seemed no one in my area was into GTO's (plenty of d@mn Chevelles though). I placed a couple of bids but never won the auctions. Then one day a fella out of Oklahoma emailed me and told me that the GTO was won by a non-paying bidder and that the car was still for sale. I asked how much and a couple of emails later my friend and I were on the way to Oklahoma to pick it up. When I got home my parents asked "You paid what for that??" But at that time my infatuation was so strong it didn't matter. I have had many relatives friends and aquaintances laugh at the condition of the car (while pulling the car home the vinyl top was flying off in pieces). My response to them was pretty vulgar. And I continually said "Wait till it's finished." Well, it's still not finished, but I am trying to save enough $$ to do all the work that needs to be done at once(almost there); this being hindered by the purchase of my new 01 sunset orange WS6.

Year models don't matter; GTO's rule!!!

[67blackcherry]

not long after I bought my '67 Firebird in June 2003. I started researching Pontiacs, figured out who John DeLorean was and what he did, and came to appreciate the GTO. That, and my 'bird was such a nightmare! If she didn't have so many friggin problems, I don't think I would've been looking for another car. Decided I wanted a GTO, was looking at 70's first, then 66's. I bought my LeMans cause GTO's were getting too expensive, but that just DIDN'T DO IT!!! I decided I had to get a GTO, nothing else was going to satisfy that want, so I got my 68 in Jan 2007. I sold two guitars and an amp, that paid for 1/2 of the car, I was stoked! I was walking out of a vintage guitar show this past January, I had just sold my gear and bought my GTO, I was bummed, cause some guitars I had sold years ago were now worth a lot of $$$, I'm kicking myself in the ass while walking out to the parking lot, all bummed out. Right when I saw the front end of my GTO, I lit up like a Christmas tree, THAT'S why I sold those guitars!!! I call her RED cause that's what she is, Solar Red w/Black vinyl top. No major problems with RED, she was turn key, and I can finally appreciate a 350hp Pontiac engine! I'm entertaining the thought of selling all three, that would put me in the reach of a NICE convertible 4speed or a Judge, but unlike my guitar collection (I had 16, now have 12) which I couldn't really play all the time, I can and do drive my cars ALL THE TIME, and I love em all, but RED...she's pretty bad ass!!!

[Roadbuster]

I got it from my parents. My mom had a 1970 LeMans 350/350 that she drove all over the place. It is the first car I can remember my mom having. Light metallic brown with olds 5spokes instead of the hub caps. My dad got it for her in the early seventies. She really liked that car. It went where it was pointed, it went quick and it stopped when she wanted it to. I think I was fourteen when it was sold. I wanted that car! Now years later I have my own A-body!

Jon

[goatman65]

I caught it in 1965 when I was 4 yrs. old.My dad bought a new 1966 GTO.I have posted a story about growing up with this car,it is in Best Pontiac stories,look for A 66 GTO and me...

[WDCreech]

Although I was already impressed by Pontiacs, i didn't get my first one until 1963. I was a 61 Bonnevlle convertable. In 65 I got a 63 Lemans for a street/strip car, and in 1968, I bought a 67 goat for a family car, but traded it it in for a new 71, full size Buick station wagon. after the twins wer born. In 1989, after flipping the 63 at the strip, I bought the stripped out 64 goat, that I still have, and as you can see, I'm hooked.

[PaulatFast]

In 1983, when I was 15, my mom and my aunt went out to eat dinner, I tagged along. We ate at a Ponderosa steakhouse. After dinner, as the women sat and talked about whatever it is women talk about, I went outside to mom's car. Directly behind the restaraunt, sitting behind a small house was the coolest car I had ever seen! I walked over and looked at it, it was gold with funky stripes on the sides and all over the hood, it had huge tires on Cragar rims that protruded out of the wheelwells about 4 inches. The ladderbar / air shock combination was doing it's best to keep the quarter panels off of the rear tires. The interior had a really cool shag rug all over the dash and the floors. I wrote down the phone number and called the guy from a payphone after getting back home. The first question I asked was "what knid of car is it?" The owner replied that it was a 68 GTO. Turned out my brother-in-law knew the guy, we went to drive it and it was a peice of ****. I was heartbroken, my brother-in-law told me one of his brothers had the same year GTO and would sell it for about the same price. The next day we went to look at it, what a disapointment, it was green (Verdoro) with stock wheels (rally ones) and no airshocks. I bought it anyway and within a couple years it was candy apple red with center lines! It was also the fastest car in my school! If I hadn't fallen for the funky GTO, I'd have never bought that green car! By the way, I still own that car, still candy red, now with 18.5 M/T Sportsmans. I've avoided the shag rug all these years!

[Kerry H]

I come from a LARGE family with lots of brothers (9) and my brother bought a 68 GTO in 1973 and thought it was the coolest thing ever. At one point when I was a kid, our driveway consisted of a 1968 GTO, 1965 Tempest Ragtop, 1969 GP, my dads 1970 Chrysler Newport, and a 1970 Dodge Dart. I would KILL to have that collection now in the condition they were then.

[eric65]

I was 11 in 1970

My uncle and aunt rode me and my mom to Gatlinburg from N KY in his bran-new 70 GTO 4 speed convertible. Sierra Yellow Black/Black How could I not get hooked WOW what a car

He still has it today in resto process

His brother Jerry has a 67 GTO has had it from the early 70's many times riding with him trying to scare me to death

but I always loved the look of the 65 when I got to buying age

I'll never forget or probably forgive my Dad for his advice..Although I cant bring myself to tell him
I had my 1st car a 72 Camaro(dime a dozen) and some girl had a real strong running 68 GTO and she could not handle the car. Too much clutch and motor. Well she wanted to trade me (this was back in 77/78) even steven.. My Dad being prudent talked me out of it.. The 68 was Triple Black and just in A1 condition. It was geared really steep, But dam what a mistake... Thanks Dad still love ya

[Qball]

When I was a very young boy in '72-'73 my dad had a used '66 GTO. I remember riding in that car and i remember the my dad was not judicious with the gas pedal and I loved every minute of it. I didn't know what a GTO was, I just liked how dad drove it. Around that time my folks split up and my mother, brother and I moved back to Ohio from Newark, New York.

Dad stayed in New York and would drive out here to see us and we would go see my grand parents. They had a photo album which contained a few pics of my dad's brand new '65 GTO that he bought just after he got out of the Army. it was charcoal gray and was absolutely gorgeous. It was THAT moment that I caught the fever. I would stare at those pics for long periods studying every line and contour. I vowed that I would have a GTO of my very own, some day.

Fast forward to 1989 and I'm in the Air Force and I come across an ad for a 67 GTO. I immediately call and it's still available. The only hitch is that is was @ a 2 hour drive and I didn't have a car. I had to coerce a couple of friends of mine to take me there which they did.

I was love struck the second I saw it. It's 3 different shades of gold paint. It's mad tyte kustom interior. No heater core, the wipers didn't work and, oh yeah, the built 455 under the hood. The guy who built it, had drag racing in mind and it moved out accordingly.

I promptly bought it and dragged it home as I discovered shortly after driving it that it stalled out alot due to the electric fuel pump was not located properly.

The car was very raw and needed a lot of work to make it a good, reliable driver. I eventually realized this and put it up for sale in hopes that she would find a better home and get treated like she deserved. I got a call from a gentleman asking if I was interested in a trade. Sure, why not. I asked him what he had in mind and he said that he had a '66 LeMans. I told him that I was interested and to bring it by. My jaw dropped as he pulled up in this fantastic, red Lemans. It looked perfect. It was a Sprint 6 car with the OHC 4 bbl engine. 3 speed on the floor with a black interior. It was phenomenal. We traded cars plus some cash for me and I was in hog heaven. I joined the local GTOAA chapter (the Central Oklahoma GTO club) and I was on my way.

I ended up blowing the engine and after rebuilding it I couldn't get oil up to the cam. My dad ended up taking the car (he lived in Texas at the time so it was a 3 hour drive) back to his place where it ended up being sold as I wasn't able to do much with it.

Right after I got out of the Air Force in '91 my dad decided that he needed a project and pick up a 67 GTO. He's put in a lot of time, effort and money into it and it's a very nice driver. The day he picked it up I've been trying to talk him out of it (just like any good son would) 16 years later he finally relented. He's ready to pass it on. This February '08 I'm having this gold beauty shipped up here to Chicago. I couldn't be more stoked. I've already been scouring this site and others to get back in the swing of things.

At any rate, this is how the fever started and this is also how it continues.

- Mike

[ddavis111]

Way back in 1978 I had a best friend in high school who was a genius in all things automotive. I could be retired if I had recycled all the tabs off of all the soda cans we drank together. Anyway he got himself a beatup 1969 GTO convertible. I am not sure but I think it had a 455. It had power to spare (understatement). We use to go cruising with it and beat the pants off of cars with much better paint jobs. Back in the 70s there were still plenty of muscle cars showing up at the cruising strips. That was a great time with a lot of friendly competition and people enjoying each other's cars.

Eventually my friend rebuilt the motor, but before he did it blew out a little oil/blue smoke. One of the best taunts we got from another car didn't involve any speaking at all. A camaro pulled up behind us when the GTO's engine was still rough and turned on their windshield wipers (the smoke was not that thick).

I've always loved the styling of Pontiacs but figured I was a pony car man. I hoped to eventually get a 69 firebird convertible. I did own a number of different cars most notably a 69 cougar convertible and a 1970 455 Buick Grand Sport. The Buick GS was actually the best handling car I ever owned. It opened my eyes to what a mid-size GM car optioned correctly could be like. I could actually be very happy with a 1970 skylark convertible optioned correctly - but again I have always liked Pontiac's styling the best. A 1970 GTO looks a lot like the 1969 firebird. So for me a 1970 gto convertible (or clone) is the car I would most like to own - even if I could afford to spend billions.

I'm working on trying to get my wife to understand why I need to clone a GTO. She sort of accepts that it's a guy thing. She doesn't have the vision for the tatter top Lemans Sport that I do. One of the benefits of these forums is sharing with others who understand completely. I enjoy reading from others with similar dreams who have made it happen or are working their way there. Good luck with your cars and get them out on the streets to inspire the next generation!

[PonchoV8]

I got infected by Pontiacs on my own. Never had any family that liked them. I didn't really catch GTO Fever. I caught Pontiac Fever and Car Fever. The first Pontiac I remember was the 67-68 green 326 convertible Firebird with rally stripe and luggage rack across the street--I was 6 or 7. Then in high school I saw a blue '69 convertible lemans and that's when the fever struck--I couldn't buy that lemans for $1500 in 1980 so I bought a 1970 Challenger R/T 340 instead--for $700. It was burnt orange with metal flake glitter all along the body lines. Very cool high school car, but I'd rather've had the convertible LeMans.
I didn't buy a Pontiac until 1993 and it is a '69 convertible LeMans in Carousel Red with black top and GTO hood that is in pieces in a garage somewhere in my possession still.

I did get tired of the GTO guys laying off on my car because it wasn't a GTO. So I bought GTOs too, and a Judge. Wish I could say that I care more now than I did with the LeMans, but I don't. I'm a convertible Pontiac guy more than a GTO guy--I guess that's why I bought some GTO convertibles.

Pontiac desire is what I have.

[Kitch428m21]

This is a story how them Pontiac's touched my life.
Guys, I've always been a car nut. On my wall I have a picture of me at age 2 standing next to our family car in '58. It's a '50 Cheifton str8-8. My dad tells me it was a 400 dollar car and drove like a dream with the best sounding radio he has ever heard.
But, after that my dad started his job at the Chevy engine plant and we always had Chebbies!!!
In '68, now more of a car nut than I ever was, I have a vivid memory of this:
My best friends brother returned home from his tour in Viet-nam with his arm in a sling. He came out to the garage while we were sitting on our bikes in the driveway, and rolled up the garage door. Backed into the right side was a brand spankin' new '68 GTO! green, with a black top. Red striped tires. How cool was this for a 12yr old!! I was in awe!

Now a little FF to '74. I enterd the military. I've never owned a car yet. My good friend I met in boot camp always talked about his Firebird back home. He and I got the same training base after that so he brought his car down. It was a brand new '74 Formula 400
4sp. We tooled around all over in that car! What a blast!
Through him, I met another Pontiac guy (Mike) at the same base. He had a '70 T/A RAIII. Him and I got to be great fiends. All he talked about was Pontiacs!!
He really knew his stuff. Him and I went onto our final military base together, and the Formula guy went off to be stationed near home.
Mike and i spent the next 2-1/2yrs in OK, and having the time of our lives. He went back to his home in Joplin often. He would sometimes bring his father's car back with him. A '69 Judge!! 155,000 highway miles on it. Original everything, too!
Mike even brought back his brother's car once. A '64 GTO 389 tri-pwr. He rebuilt the motor for it while it was on base.
Needless to say, this guy had a big impression on me. All I drove were your typical run of the mill chevys. I hadn't caught the Pontiac bug yet.
It wasn't till 1998 that I saw the muscle car market making a comeback, and for investment purposes thought I'd better snatch one up.
Thanks to the internet, found one. Thought about my old buddy Mike and what better choice but a GTO.
Still have my '70, and never met a better bunch to be in the brotherhood with.

[6806goats]

Greetings all,

Well I'll try to keep this focused but need to include first intro to power and brief history. A married Church friend of mine bought a brand new 68 Super Bee and at the ripe age of 11, I encountered what horsepower was all about. That thing was awesome and would plant you back. Too bad that traffic had stopped when the lead car picked up a hitchhiker and my friend was the last car. An approaching vehicle couldn't stop in time and totaled the Bee. My family was pretty much a Ford family but we didn't do much with speed...at the time. FF to 1972 and a move from Idaho to Western Colorado and in 1974 it was time for my first car which wound up being a 61 Chevy Belair 4 door. At the same time my neighbor had a 53 ford F-100 w/o motor or Trans so I traded a bike straight across for it. Uncle Jim was a GM guy and I rebuilt the 283 that came from the Belair in my Auto Mechanics class. Once rebuilt then he pretty much installed the engine for me. Didn't think I'd ever hear it run but while Mom and I were in town Dad turned on the CB radio and they fired up my new Chevord truck. Had a blast in that for awhile but while working for a Ford dealership as a detailer, a 67 Buick GS400 (all stock with Star wars air cleaner and all) crossed my path for $600 and off went my truck. Then a 68 RS Camaro (327 210 hp with 4sp Saginaw) came up and I had both for awhile but sold the Buick to a good buddy of mine.

It was during my HS Auto Mechanics time that I became aware of Pontiacs. A buddy of mine (Rick) had this 67 GTO with a dual quad 400 and something like 4.88s in the back. They thing would chirp the tires, no throttle, coming from the parking lot to main street. Just a wicked ride when he laid into it. Then he sold that an got a 69 Lemans which he promptly pumped up. (Think he still has it too) But we all had some pretty good rides back then with another friend Bill having a 69 Judge. Kicked around Colorado for awhile longer discovering all that life had to offer and met a cool friend (now Brother Tim) with a 69 Road Runner. Well it was time to move to Oregon in 78 and I had sold the Camaro and bought a Vega of all things. Could have trade it for Ricks old 67 GTO but it had caught on fire and I needed a driver. More FF to 1984 and the day before I joined the Navy, I bought another 68 RS Camaro. Then in 1990 a Navy buddy of mine was having problems getting his 68 GTO to fire up after being on cruise. Ammeters don't like 22 gauge speaker wire on the ignition circuit and she fired right up after that. Then he wanted to find a taller geared diff since he was getting out and heading back to Florida. I still don't know what the gear ratio is but we couldn't find a diff and he fell in love with a Trans Am that just returned from Japan. So with $500 and I big smile I bought the GTO. The smile disappeared after checking the oil and finding milk (oil/water mix) on the stick but I still bought it. Something about no antifreeze while he was on a winter cruise. Dragging it home a guy left a message with my wife telling her that the engine was not the original motor. This fact would come up again in 2007 when I debated selling her. But before I get to 2007 lets stop at 2003 when I heard about the new "GTO" while I was on a WestPac cruise. One stop was Fremantle/Perth Australia and I found Shacks Holden. Totally impressed with the tour they gave me and a bagful of goodies; I headed back to the ship. Crossing the street, an Aussie bloke saw my bag full of stuff and figured he'd show this Yank the true sounds of American power in the Holden Monaro. After that it was just a matter of time before I had one. The 2004 looked kind of bland to me so I just shined it on. Had hoped to buy a new 2008 GTO to offset my 1968 GTO and 40 year time span. After a couple of relocations post Navy, I stopped at a dealership in Nevada and there was this awesome black GTO w/ 6speed. Had no intentions of buying one just yet until I heard "last year...GTO discontinued". Oh crap...it's on sale...my company has supplier discount...yes you qualify. Test drove and what the heck is this all about. Speed, great interior and handling, 400 hp Vette engine...sign right here. Done.
One year later I find myself with a new company and in Iraq of all places. So today as I write this, I bench race and ponder my future shop and what to do with my 68 Goat. Do I buy the new aftermarket frame and all the goodies, turning the girl into a skid master beast? What power plant do I use? When I thought about selling her in 2007 a guy coded the engine and says it’s a 455ci. Well crap. So I probably don't have the original motor but I'll double check someday. Back to my question...what engine. HMMMMM, I have a Chevy 454 on a stand...ok that would work. New GTO's are being wrecked at an alarming rate and LS2s are becoming available. Repower with a new block if the 455 is cracked and toast? Hmmmm option there for sure. One other option....MAXGOAT (name copywrited..you saw it here live). After buying a 2005 Duramax dually and tuning up that beast I am finding others who have powered their musclecars with the Duramax. I've read about 11 sec, 750hp, 1500 lbft and 22mpg in a 7000 pound truck. Those who have done the Max transplant into a car have reported at getting 35mpg in the light body. Dial a boost level and smoke away. I guess it's all about bushel baskets of cash and how true to the original Pontiac I want to be. Getting great fuel mileage and being able to drive my Goat on long distances would be way awesome. The new Goat (and yes it works for me and I'm making the payments) is a great touring car so there is always that option and just restore the 68 to her April gold color w/black vinyl roof and gold interior.

Novel complete but in a shorter version...1975-76, HS automechanics, Ricks 67 goat, his 69 Lemans and Bill' Judge. Good times at Ridgemont High or something like that.

[GTO JOHN]

Fast forward 11-12 years from my post #1...

My father was never really into cars when I was growing up so I have no idea how or why I became so interested in muscle cars. Perhaps my uncle Johnny’s 70 Orbit Orange GTO Judge made a lasting impression the only time I got to see it when I was eight years old. Growing up, I remember riding in the back seat of our Ford Country Squire wagon and identifying the cars by year and make as they drove by. During the late 70’s the gas crunch was still in full force and many muscle cars had already been parked by their owners for a variety of reasons. Seeing a muscle car cruising the streets was a rare sight even then and those hood scoops and loud exhaust set them apart from all the other cars.

I was really into athletics and I played three sports all through school so I never had much time to think about cars – until I got my license. By 1984 high performance cars were few and far between when I went looking for my first car. My father encouraged me to buy a sensible car much like the ones he drove. I wanted to find something with at least a V8 and 4bbl and settled on a 1973 Oldsmobile Cutlass coupe 350-4 with only 21,000 miles on the odometer. A little old lady had traded it in at Wally McCarthy’s Oldsmobile in Richfield, MN. I had my first car and proceeded to start modifying it to my liking.

I got a job at Montgomery Wards working in the automotive department nights and weekends while I finished high school. Some of the guys there were into cars but none had a bona-fide muscle car. One of the service writers was a paint and body man on the side so the Cutlass went in for a makeover. While the Cutlass was out of service I needed a second car so I bought the first thing I found that was cheap, and drove. My first Pontiac was a 1972 Firebird 350-2bbl automatic I bought for $50. Red with white interior and white cordova top. The Bird was a fast car with good looks but the rear trunk was so rusty that the leaf springs popped through after a rough night of driving. I ended up trading the Firebird to the guy for the paint job on my Cutlass so that was a good deal for me.

When I graduated high school I decided to work full time for a year or so before going to college. I got a job at the local auto parts chain Big Wheel where I quickly advanced to assistant manager and got transferred across town to a little strip mall in Robbinsdale, MN called Robin Center. There I worked under a colorful manager named Scott who liked to talk about his escapades in the old days with his muscle cars. He employed two part timers John, and Dan, who were local high school kids that liked the old muscle cars too. John’s dad supposedly had an old GTO but he rarely drove it. Dan and I kept asking John to bring the car down to the store but his dad would not let him drive it. We had a regular customer who was an older man- probably in his 50s, who would drive his 69 Camaro RS/SS 396 convertible down to the store and show us kids some cool American muscle. That was an awesome car that was heavily modified with a huge cam that would rattle the store windows when it rolled by.

Things were quiet at the store one evening as Dan and I chatted about the movie Hollywood Knights that had been on TV the night before. One car that was featured in the movie was a red 65 GTO that was a real head turner. I was standing behind the counter with my back to the front window, and Dan was standing where a customer would be facing me. As we talked I heard a car approaching the store. I could tell it was a muscle car by the thumpety-thump of a souped-up engine. In my subconscious I thought it was the big block Camaro that we had seen many times before as the store windows began to rattle once more. I was still facing Dan when all of a sudden his eyes got really wide and he said “Oh my God!” as he looked out the store window over my shoulder. I turned around and there was a stunningly beautiful Montero Red 65 GTO with black cordova top and black interior sitting at the curb. The drivers door swung open and out hopped our own part time employee John. He had managed to get permission from his dad to drive the car down to the store for us to see. John opened the hood with a distinct click from the latch and there underneath was a monster 389 engine with tri-power carbs! This was a true musclecar if I ever saw one. Inside was a Hurst 4 speed shifter with factory console. The car looked absolutely fabulous and I remember this was the first time I really got to see a GTO up close and personal.

We had to have a ride of course so Dan and I took turns riding shotgun as John took us out on Hwy 81 and ran through the gears. The car was impressive and had tons of power. The tri-power carbs howled every time they were opened up and I admit to giving the dash mounted grab bar a workout. That red ’65 sparked an interest in Pontiacs that I still have today. Dan liked the car so much that he found a blue ’66 GTO hardtop that he bought from the second owner. The blue GTO was a real sharp car although the paint was faded badly. It was a 4 speed car with no console and had nice blue interior. Those two part-timers would come to work driving the GTOs and parked side by side in the lot making a mini car show right there. I decided that I needed to find a GTO of my own.

Several weeks later found a red ’67 GTO hardtop with red interior near my home. It was a 4 speed and I did not know how to drive a stick shift at that time. The seller drove it on the test drive, and drove it to my house after I paid the $500 asking price. I drove him back to his work and came home to check out my new toy. The GTO sat in the street outside my house and I didn’t have a clue how to drive it. I decided it would be wise to put the car in the driveway rather than leave it on the street since years earlier a drunk driver plowed into the back of my older brother’s super nice ’65 Buick GS and totaled the car. The GTO fired up and ran a bit rough but I liked the sound of the horsepower through the worn out headers and glasspack mufflers. I tried to back the car into the driveway up and incline but kept stalling the car until my dad finally came outside and asked if I needed help. I turned the car over to him as he effortlessly backed the car into the driveway where I wanted it. Unimpressed, my dad said “good luck” and walked back into the house.

It took a few days and many hours of begging and pleading from my younger brother to finally get the courage up to drive the GTO on the street. I had to teach myself how to drive a stick if I wanted to keep the car so off we went. I killed it on the first 1-2 shift one house down the road, but after that I kept it running and learned to drive a manual transmission on the fly. We had a fun summer cruising the lakes around Minneapolis with my first GTO.

[wbob69]

When I was around 13 me and my buddies used to hang out at nights behind a shopping mall and every so often there was a guy who would drive by a 1969 Judge Carousel Red. I still remember the first time I saw that car and from that point on it was my absolute all time favorite.

My older brothers and there friends all had some pretty nice Muscle cars in the early 70's. Growing up in Detroit Gratiot and Woodward were the places that everyone cruised. I remember hearing so many stories from my brothers. One had a 390 1970 Javelin ram air and the other had a 1967 390 fast back Mustang. My dad worked for Fisher Body and always had some pretty nice rides. One in particular was a 1970 GTO 455. It was gold and on the front fenders was a white decal 455 with CID below it. My one brother totaled the Javelin and my other brother sold his Mustang for college. After the Mustang was gone my brother drove the GTO and wrecked it two times. When he smashed it the second time my dad immediately traded it in for a Vega. Just around that time I was turning 16.....thanks I get to drive a Vega.

Years have gone by and I am now fast approaching 48. I burnt myself out working to much and packed up the wife and Kid's and moved out to the country. I don't hardly make anything like I used to, but last year I bought a 69 GTO and painted it up like a Judge. I know alot of guy's frown on clones but if I waited for the real thing I don't know if it would ever have happened. I mean I can barely afford the clone. This car brings back alot of memories and keeps me alive and well. I really enjoy cruising around up here with the wife and kids. What is really amazing is that I live in a rural area population maybe 200, and there are a couple of muscle cars that other guy's have. 1969 firebird, 1967 chevelle, 1968 camaro and a 1969 Charger.

Guy's our cars are our heritage and represent the pride of our past and future. When I see these classics and read all of your stories I say to myself....I am proud to be an American living in the USA.

[banditbls]

When I was 4 or 5, my mom took me grocery shopping.Getting out of the car and looking straight ahead, I saw the letters GTO on a green car's fornt fender.I remember the car like it was yesterday.It was a 1969 model with hideaways.After I turned 16,one day my dad came home and said "Son I got you a job at the grocery store,so you should start looking for a car.I'll co-sign a loan for you."Already working at the grocery store,one of my coworkers mentioned he had a car 4-sale.A 1969 GTO which I bought from him for $600 (1984).A rusty Maroon with a hood tach,350 pontiac motor,400 Turbo trans.Man I wish I had that car now,rust and all!

[Pontiac Dan]

Not just "When did you catch it" but how bad is it. Personally, if I see a movie listed as being filmed say in the early 70's I'll watch it because of all the muscle cars driving around in their natural habitat, and I've watched some of the stupidest movies just to catch glimpses of all the great cars back then. I watched all the Adam 12 reruns last year on Deja Vu which was filmed late 60's to early 70's. In one episode the camera was focused on one of the coppers, but in the background was a Pontiac dealership with the front row all being 70 gto's. Had to go get a box of kleenex. Another episode had a couple of street racers, one was a 70 Judge the other was a Torino SCJ, more kleenex. When did I catch it? A friend had a 69 Judge when I was 18 about 1976. I remember the power and engine sound. He weighed about 100 pounds and I remember him sliding toward the passenger side while taking a corner quite fast and me pushing him back over on the bench seat so he could keep control.....funny. Don't think he had seat belts on. That split grill has always done it for me.
Dan