[form74]

Bought my formula with my inheritance money from my grandparents

It reminds me of them every time I drive it .

It’s not going anywhere

[Verdoro 68]

The memories mean more than the car, but the car is part of the memories. Fun that it's crossing generations now. It probably wouldn't be the same with any other car, so I guess that makes it a keeper. BTW, one day I'd love to find a '68 SS396 to match my buddy's old car from back in the day.

[tom s]

The day I cant push in a clutch,my 3 "keepers"will be gone!Paddle shifter Corvette will be in the garage.Tom

[tooski]

I fell in love with Firebirds when I was a kid. I was able to buy a new 75. Still have it. When (and if) I get it done it would take at least 3 or 4 times it's worth for me to let it go.
Side note: A guy was interested in my 68. I told him I had 15 in it, I would let it go for 10 FIRM. He then offered 8, I told him goodbye and left before I might say something he would thump me over.

[Will]

I'm 53 and my dad bought my Formula new in '72. I grew up with it, it was my dad's favorite car, and it is the first car I owned. Took my first girlfriend on our first date in it, bought it from my dad the summer between my junior and senior years. Lots of history with this big conglomeration of steel, glass, and rubber, lots of great memories, and with my dad passing last year it helps me remember him and all the good times we had.

[unruhjonny]

I love the stories!

[1965gp]

Agree- the stories are really what this is about.

[dhcarguy]

I think any car that is a family heirloom is a keeper especially if a family member bought it new.
Also any car you love that you have a lot of blood, sweat and tears into it. My 65 GTO is that car. I am the sixth owner and already have owned it longer than anyone.

Dave

[GT182]

Pontiacs got into my blood because that's all my stepdad would buy. Except for a 67 Ford 150 and then a 68 GMC pickup. Those two never were a favorite of mine so I stuck with Pontiacs too.

The very first Pontiac I owned was a 66 GTO I bought in May of 1970. That one only lasted 11 months and I rolled it over a snow bank and totaled it. Then I had the 63 GP and 66 Tempest Custom. Went off brand to a '66 912E Porsche for a vey short time, and then on to a 71 Camaro to replace it. The only bran spankin' new Pontiac I had was the 79 Formula Firebird. I planned on keeping that one for a long time but when the whole interior was stolen that changed the plan, but I'd love to have another one.

After the Formula it was used cars and my 2000 4.7 Jeep GC 4x4 we bought in 2004... which was totaled this past Dec 27th of 2020 by a woman that was pulling out of BK stuffing a Whopper in her fat mouth and wiping out the whole driver's side And also broke the box on the unibody frame that held the left rear control arm. Now I have a 2003 4.0 Grand Cherokee 4x4.

The 66 GTO I have now was a 35 year wait. I used some of my inheritance money mom left me in '07 to buy it. It will probably stay with me until Hell freezes over.

And like everyone else I wish I still had those Pontiacs from the past. Some of you guys do have them which is a great thing. I envy all of you.

[400 4spd.]

If owning the same car since 1973 makes it a keeper, my '67 GTO qualifies.

[Mister Pontiac]

Great question. So many reasons why, and each car seems to be different. I'd have to say the main reason is because when I have sold one, I later regret it. No more regrets, please. Sold my 70 455 4 speed GTO back in the 90's. Although I still know where it is, and it has been restored (which I likely never would have done), I still regret selling it. So...

#1. (67 GTO) Because the Lord picked this one for me, and I couldn't have bought it at the time without His help. It was all I dreamed of as a young 20-something after regretting selling my High School 67. Been with me 29 years now. Been thru all the mechanicals a few times, and now sports a 455 cast the day I was born. It won't leave the garage until I do.

Not for sale.

#2. (67 Tempest Wagon) Saw it going down the road one day 20 years ago. Flipped a U and introduced myself to the owner. Told him he could only sell it to me. It's a twin to my 67 GTO. When he saw my GTO, he understood. He sold it to me 18 years ago. He and I are still great friends.

Not for sale.

#3. (71 GTO Conv) Built the week I was born. My retirement resto project.

Not for sale.

#4. (71 GTO Hardtop) Also built the week I was born. Left Pontiac factory the same day as my Convertible. Can't separate the twins! I drive it every day. Had someone yell to me @ the gas station last week, "Wanna sell? I have 25k!" Though I have less in it, sorry.

Not for sale.

#5. (72 LeMans GT) Tried selling it, but kept it in the family. My brother had it, but needed to let it go after only a year. I couldn't bear to see it go to the wind. I had 6 years of "me" in the car at the time (total drivetrain and interior overhaul). Just bodywork & paint left. Another year in my garage now, and probably the most fun daily driver in it's configuration. Can't let it go after 40k miles behind the wheel.

Not for sale.

#6. (74 Bonneville) In my brother's possession right now. Bought it for nothing but the 455 under the hood. Or so I thought. After a little TLC, and a few road trips, I realized I was 4 years old all over again (I grew up in Mom and Dad's 74 Catalina).

Not for sale.

Anyone have a 75 TA or 70 Granada Gold Catalina they want to part with?

So yes. A myriad of reasons, and none exactly the same.

[RocktimusPryme]

I dont have anything with any particular sentimental value. Im thinking of selling my 64 Galaxie in the spring for a C3. The Firebird was my first restoration, so it would be harder to let go of, but not impossible. I would actually probably prefer a 70-73. Ive considered a few times finding a decent running 400, yanking my motor and selling the 67 with just a basic 400 in it. With my eyes on an early 2nd gen or 65 GTO maybe.

One of the reasons I prefer the later cars if that they had better seatbelts.

For me, for it to be unsellable, I would have had to inherit it or something. Or it have been my first car. I had an 86 IROC in high school, if I still had that I wouldnt sell it. That was stolen from me though.

[pontiac6269]

Wanted a 69 GTO when I was in high school. Bought my 69 in the fall of 89 after I graduated. Still have it. The only other vehicle I have kept is my 81 Chevy C20, that I bought for $800 in 2005. I converted it to 4wd using the original 2wd frame last year.

[unruhjonny]

Originally Posted by pontiac6269

...The only other vehicle I have kept is my 81 Chevy C20, that I bought for $800 in 2005. I converted it to 4wd using the original 2wd frame last year.

Just curious, I thought they had the same frame - am I wrong?
I had understood that more often than not 4wd trucks received a skid plate, but sometimes even that was a separate cost option.

Not too long ago I bought the only "cool" truck my grandfather had (he used to buy a new truck with heavy rotation, and this one was bought after he decided to "retire" to haul his boat to Lake Waterton and back). I bought it off my cousin, who received it from his dad, who received it from my grandfather. I'd wager that since my grandfather bought it, I'm the only one to have actually paid money for the privilege of owning it - lol!

It's a 1992 Chevrolet 'sport' truck;
This one is a 4wd/automatic that is pretty much fully loaded.
If I would have got around to buying another truck on my own whims, it would have been a 2wd/manual transmission regular cab fleetside. Because this truck was my grandfathers, it's staying bone stock. I'd wager a guess that after he passes, this is all I will have to remember him by.

[pontiac6269]

Mounting holes for the leaf spring pockets need to be drilled out and some need to be welded shut.

[bird72]

Originally Posted by Verdoro 68

Curious for those of you that have had a number of cars over the years, what makes some of them keepers? Is there a family connection? Was it always a dream car? Is it the rarity?

I've had most other years 2nd Generation Bird, but always knew a 70-73 was my dream. I had two rusty ones prior, but wanted a clean one. So my 72, in spite of non Formy or TA, is a keeper for that, AND that it has never been apart, is lower miles (49k), very solid, and I've set up to my likes. That is worth a keeper to me. As a footnote, I am priced out of the good Formula and TA 70-73's, so I operate in an oddball window.

[trophy421]

I just gotta ask. Could your GTO take that Chevelle?

[trophy421]

[QUOTE=Verdoro 68;6219203] BTW, one day I'd love to find a '68 SS396 to match my buddy's old car from back in the day.

I just gotta ask, could your GTO take that Chevelle?

[Verdoro 68]

Originally Posted by trophy421

I just gotta ask. Could your GTO take that Chevelle?

Nope. My car was a pig at the time. 6x heads, 2.73-ish peg leg rear, Edelbrock 600cfm carb and teenager shadetree tuning. I did take a '69 Malibu 307 one time back then though LOL.

He ended up turning that Chevelle into an 1/8 mile car with, I think, a 502 in it until he launched rod after getting greedy with the nitrous.

[geeteeohguy]

Have had first-gen GTO's since the '70's. Bought my current '65 in 1982, 39 years ago. It's a keeper because it is the color combo I like (Blue Charcoal/blue interior), it's a real tripower car, and has the 4 speed, console, gauges, and posi. If I were of car buying age in '65, I would have ordered this car. None of my other GTO's were factory tripower cars. My '67 GTO is a keeper (have had it 38 years) because it was the best one I could find back then and even then, good first gen ragtops were hard to find. Both of these cars have been part of the family since I was a kid (I'll be 60 next month) so I have had them most of my life and have built many, many great memories with them and continue to do so. I enjoy them more now than ever. Get rid of them? Not in the near future. No way.