Old Photos of Dad's New Bobcat GTO
 

These are photographs of my Dad's new '68 Royal Bobcat. They were taken soon after he drove it from Royal Pontiac to our home in Connecticut. It still has a Michigan temporary license plate.

It was a 4 speed, Ram Air car with most if not all of the tricks that Royal offered. A Scheifer clutch and aluminum flywheel, headers, aftermarket cam, Royal's 'rev kit' and head porting, and of course the carburetor tuning. The 4.33 gears were swapped out for 3.90's.

The last pic was taken around 1970.

That is really cool!

Wow..... really nice

Thanks for sharing, very cool. Wherever happened to it?

That's a very cool car! RA I or II?

Where in Connecticut?

Wow! What a car! Thanks for posting .
Love seeing pictures from back when these cars were new

Very cool!

DAMN!

Proof they were the coolest thing.

Great pics and very cool!

Honestly that is one of the wildest cars I've seen in a long time. What a privelage to have owned so.erving like that. It must have made you dad smile ear to ear. I'm sure it was a true beast and fun to drive. Tha is for sharing and like others have said what ever happened to such an Amazing piece of history? Please elaborated on a few stories would live to hear them.

Outstanding! Thank you for posting.

We had a silver '68 with the decklid and up around the window painted black (didn't have the "spear" on the hood painted, and didn't have the pinstripe on the quarter panel). It was a bucket seat, no console column shifted automatic. Red line tires on Rally I wheels.

I had heard there was a red car but have never, ever seen pictures of another.

I've got another picture somewhere but this is the only one I can find right now.

K

there ain't nothing like the real thing! great photos man. bob.

Wow, that car looks awesome! Especially like it from the rear with the white striking detail.

That was one beautiful 68! One I would love to own today.

Wow! Doesn’t get much better than that.

I always considered it a Ram Air II. Dad is not sure of the differences. He has always thought it was summertime (of 68) when he got the car. Information available throughout the 80's and 90's usually only indicated that the RA II's were a 'second half' of '68, or 'later in the model year' change. I thought this car must fall within that range.

Only after the accurate dating of RA II builds on this forum, did I begin to question if it was a II for sure.

In the photos, the grass is green and there are some leaves budding out on the trees, indicating that it was probably April. (or maybe May?) Any speculation on this subject is welcome.

Do we know when Royal began using the paint accents?

This was already Dad's (or Mom's) third GTO. ('64, '66, stories for another time:)). He sold this '68 in 1972, and spoke with the new owner several times over the next year or two. He knows that the original engine got blown up, and it was replaced by a 389. Dad's next car was a '73 Grand Prix.

Unfortunately, we do not know the VIN.

Home was in Shelton, CT.

Early '68 model year.

I was told they were experimenting with what the application technique would be (paint vs decals). Ours was painted.

For '68 I had heard there were three with (some variation of) this paint scheme: our car, a red one, and perhaps one more.

K

I would guess if that car was around today in that condition with documentation of the bobcatting.

What it came from Pontiac wouldn't matter much to a collector...big price tag!

Think it exists today? Keith the silver one exist?

Damn, Shelton is close, drove through there yesterday on our way back from Two Roads.

Wonder what ever happened to it - Art or Alex have any idea?

Dad sold it in northwest Indiana

Do you remember what year that would have been?

Interesting. The guy that was telling me about "a red car" was from Indiana.

K

Great pictures! Awesome car!

Dad was often in the Detroit area on business, and stopped by Royal Pontiac whenever he was nearby. This time, he was looking to replace his ’64 GTO.
He knew Milt Schornack from talking with him on other occasions. Milt told Dad about this car, which was in the garage and not yet finished, and said that it was being built specifically for Ace Wilson.

Dad wanted this one, and after some discussion, Ace agreed on the sale. Milt said that he would let him know when it was ready.

Dad remembers it was a week or two before he could pick it up. Whatever went on during that time, about 1200 miles had rolled over on the odometer. Maybe it was raced or tested, or maybe Ace drove it around a while?



Mom, on the other hand, hated this car. She has told me ‘'it wouldn’t go slow’’, and how hard it was to drive into certain hilly driveways and twisty streets.

Close as we can be certain, mid 71 to mid 72

Very Cool Burgess!

What a great piece of history thanks for posting!!

that is really cool, Thanks for sharing.

The blacked out rear end reminds me of the Olds 442's, I did not know that Pontiac did that as well. (they did it once anyways???)

The '68/'69 Royal Bobcats repeated that paint theme on other cars but colors varied. The most well-known has got to be the turquoise/white '69 shown at the bottom.
The upper photo looks like a different car?

http://cdn.streetmusclemag.com/wp-co...e_svr-7918.jpg

http://cdn.streetmusclemag.com/wp-co...ue-lfvl-1.jpeg

Thanks Greg, did not know that.

I don't know if I like the paint scheme.......but interesting to see. Thanks

Thanks to everyone for the replies!

Note that the '68 does not have the contrasting paint color along the lower flanks that the '69 has. The upper fender stripe differs as well, because it does not wrap around to follow the lower paint color.

Someone on this site...can't recall who right now....has a '68 done up in the BC theme. As crazy as it sounds, Verdoro with red and gold BC paint accents and Ivy interior, it looks great! I'm sure others know the car I'm talking about as there is a small pic in his signature.

The urban legend is that George Hurst saw our car and took that to Oldsmobile.

K

It definitely would not have looked right with the bright rocker trim IMO.

I think the blue car above is the one that Tom S in California owned and sold to Greg Teeters. I believe the top picture is with the RA V motor out of it at Gregs.

I could be wrong too. ;)

Bobcat
 

Attached is pix of my GTO. Certainly not a real Royal car. Owned it for over 30 years. When the numbers matching engine was blown up, I built a 428 for it. To be clear it's a real 1968 GTO, however it's been modified for decades and I wanted something unique. It not for everyone but I still like it's look.

is that black I like it

Yep, that's a sharp car.

Nope,my car had a factory white top.I had the bobcat trim painted on the factory 2 tone car.Tom

Thats an awesome car. I can't believe your Mum drove that car!! Driving a Ram Air 400 with 3.90 gears and a 4 speed. I'd love just to chat with her about that:)

That is the car I was talking about in my previous post. Thanks for posting it. I love the look myself..

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...8&d=1512604674

Window Decals
 

Not intending to send this thread too far off 'track', but I still have Dad's track jacket from his GTO days. I'm sure many of the decals on the windows of the '68 would match the patches on this jacket. Dad says that this car, or his previous '64, raced down all these tracks.

I don't have any numbers of what this Royal Bobcat would run, but Dad said that it picked up some time after he drilled holes in the rims and screwed the rear tires to the wheels!
:3gears:

I don't think Mom drove it very often, she had a '65 Tempest convertible:)

Very cool ! Just imagine with todays better tire technology & suspension parts what the car could had ran in todays times. Be an awesome ride to recreate today. Thanks for sharing.

That is about the coolest 68 and story I've ever heard of.

Wow what a find if this car was still in existence...

Thanks for sharing the photos - Epic!

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...2&d=1512274775

What a piece a nostalgia! I'm just gonna pretend it's in a barn, waiting to be rediscovered, :)
you'd have to be Ray Charles not to appreciate that art! :cool: Thanks for the thread Burgess.

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...8&d=1512604674

Greg Reid "I love the look myself"

My sentiments exactly Greg, and in a almost endless variety of color combos to boot! Hmmm?:confused2
Thanks for the post Royal Bobcat. :thumbup:


Frank

B u m p

While doing some searches for other stuff i just found this thread
WOW - hate i missed it the first time around - but glad i found it !

Too Cool !! :cool2:
Thanks for sharing the Pics and Info , Burgess :)

The first thing I noticed is the palladium silver two door hardtop cat in the background of one of the initial pics. I know it’s a RA bobcat but I’m a 69 guy, what do you expect ;-)