[ron cozzo]

I wanted to hear the story of the car too, so I asked the seller to right it down for me. Here's what she wrote (I abbreviated the actual names):

"June 1982

I graduated high school at the same time D.M. bought the GTO from his cousin in Ironton Ohio. He said his cousin had gotten the car from a man in Kentucky that had it in a field for years.

October 1982

After babysitting 4 kids for 2 weeks and $600, I finally got to buy the GTO. I drove it one time before the ex-boyfriend decided to tear it down for complete restoration. He made the promise it would be put back together by end of summer the next year.

Spring 1983

A friend ran the numbers on the car and told us it came with a muncie 4-speed and a tri-power. Since it had a 4 barrel, I bought a tri-power for $75 from a guy in Beavercreek.

The car sat after the boyfriend got a '64 GTO convertible and he took the 4 barrel since his tri-power would catch fire.

November 1985

The boyfriend and I broke up and the car sat garaged at my house in Springfield. Guys would want to buy the car but I refused at any cost.

March 1995

I sold the house in Springfield and moved to Bellefontaine. I got six guys I mig welded with from the plant to help move it. We had a flat bed and 5 truck loads. We all drove 25 miles an hour up St. Rt. 68 until we made it.

From that point on, I thought about selling it but never advertised. Word got out and I got calls from people I knew and didn't know. Many people came over just because they wanted to see it not necessarily buy it.

The more serious I got about selling it the more the men who wanted it tried to play down the rarity of the car. One guy wanted to turn it back into a LeMans, one wanted to tub it out. One I knew wanted to part it out for the money so at any price it wasn't for sale

2007

Being new in my department, I talked muscle cars with people and when they found out I had the GTO, the chase to buy it started all over. I didn't take any interest very seriously because I figured the manipulation would start again to get it for nothing or just a chance to see the car.

That's when you decided to buy it."

And she gave me the contact info for the ex-boyfriend who supposedly still has the original 4bbl, intake, and console. I don't think I'll follow that lead too far.