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THE LOBBY A gathering place. Introductions, sports, showin' off your ride, birthday-anniversary-milestone, achievements, family oriented humor. |
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Kirban GTO History
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The Following User Says Thank You to dennis kirban For This Useful Post: | ||
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Should be interesting.
Doesn't seem like I have seen you on the board here in a while. Glad you popped in . |
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Kirban Nitely thoughts....
I am currently on like 6 Buick forums on a very regular schedule besides doing a mid week inner circle to over 3,600 of my customers. Plus I have had over the last several years speaking engagements at various events and club gatherings. I been thinking in recent times my early background and how many newbes in both Buick and GTO have no idea as to who I am or some of the huge contributions I have made over my life span. In recent times on Buick forums it has bene mentioned about the 2 huge events I did back at the Johnsville Air base. Also just the other week out of the clear the current owner of our old house contacted me because a delivery truck was there. which in its self is weird because we bene out of there since 2005. Since that same company has been to our current house! The current owner had no idea who I was and wondered why a GTO emblem was cement din the basement floor and why prices appeared on the various wooden shelves. Equally as fascinating to him was the power electric sliding basement door. He had some idea as the one neighbor still lives next door. The 2 events at the air base was simply amazing if you were there. With all this in the back of my mind I stumbled across some of my old VHS tapes so I reached out and I found local computer genius to see what he could do for me as I also had the DVD I did interviewing Bill Campbell the co-founder of Hurst who since then 2005 has passed away. History is important. I am still a nominee for the Pontiac Hall of Fame. I still carry 044 GTO membership number. I still work although I did sell my main company over a year ago I am still connected to it and I still own my other company Kirban Enterprises. I do work with a small country dealership by going to two auctions every week. Get to drive a huge variety of cars and I can tell you which ones are the best. Where mileage is not even a thought Honda-Toyota-Mazda 200,000 plus miles is nothing if they had reasonable care. It simply amazes me Mercedes Benz top notch quality yet there manual shifters are wimpy. Mazda on the other hand their manual shifters is like shifting a Hurst shifter....I know I have owned both. The Mazda brought back memories of the Hurst shifters notable the KPO linkage I would market to replace the slopped Pontiac linkage. My memories may jump all over but I will try and write several times a week under my posts. I been very fortunate blessed with still good health and picking two cars that both are collector items. I already sold 2 GNXs for owners over 100 grand and both had miles on them. I still remember the first GTO I bought to resell paid $350 for it 65 hardtop 4 speed faded original paint. My buddies thought I was crazy paying that much for it. I got $1300 for it in Hemmings. I got tons of stories dates may be wrong but stories I member. The many people I have met many of which have passed. The interview I did with Bill Campbell in 2005 a very quiet man super smart. He had the very 2nd Hurst wheel ever produced and the very first shifter they made for Pontiac. Can only imagine what they are worth today......getting that deal with Pontiac is nothing short of amazing....you know prior to Hurst the only aftermarket company to have their name visible on a GM car.....was the tire companies....from what I am told. Reminds me when I go the 6 speed corvette shifters made for Callaway. I was not permitted to say they were a "kirban" shifter . I got the payments for them just not the credit. that was years ago when the new C5 came out 1997-2002.....I had 2 different frc back in the day. Sorry if I rambled on. GTOs Good Times Often? or Great Times Often....quote i did for the older buicks was Beats you in stages referring to the stage 1 and stage 2 cars....I should have trade marked! Got a few GTO items in the works. Watch for up dates. Over look my spelling errors as I inow I have Your Health is your wealth dennis kirban |
The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to dennis kirban For This Useful Post: | ||
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Welcome back to the cause.......................
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The Following User Says Thank You to Jonsie For This Useful Post: | ||
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I was just talking about you this weekend to a couple friends of mine. I got your news letter when I was a teenager in the 80's.
I also bought a set of Hurst cufflinks out of your collection in 2011.
__________________
1969 GTO 4spd. Antique Gold/black, gold int. 1969 GTO RAIII 4spd. Verdoro Green/black, black int. 1969 GTO 4spd. Crystal Turquoise, black int. 1970 GTO 4spd VOE Pepper Green, green int. 1967 LeMans 428 Auto. Blue, black int. |
The Following User Says Thank You to GOAT WHORE For This Useful Post: | ||
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I was in my 40s in the 80s....wow I kept one set of hurst wheel cuff links for my collection. I got entire collection of my GTO newsletter....my Mom saved them years ago. I am seekign a set of my Buick ones as I sold off the set I had years ago.
good to hear from people from my past. |
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Still have my Gto heaven vhs tape. Hangs on the wall in the Pontiac lounge in my basement.
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Quote:
Can't believe I have owned my car for over 20 years. I am now the longest owner of it. Take care ,and stay healthy, Dave H |
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Kirban Nitely Thoughts....
As old timers remember Steve Ames was the first to get involved in the Pontiac/GTO business. I believe we are considered 2nd rite behind him around 1977-78 time frame. At the time I owned two other businesses a printing business doing work for my Dad which involved traveling plus a towing business. The very first part we made was the 1964-65 GTO splitters. I was amazed at how much NOS sets were selling for. My first attempt a making them was a failure. I made the Y part out of welded tubing thinking that was not critical since you don;t see it unless you look under the car. I chrome plated the portion you saw. The end result in my opinion was superior looking to the primitive factory style. I found one of my old newsletter. I came out with the lst design in 1980. In January 1983 I corrected all my mistakes and made them like the original crude looking and basically dead on. It took the work of 3 companies to make a finished set! One company that made the actual molds/stamping cranked out the Y parts. Another company was making stainless containers and would run me pre cut flat stainless for the 4 tips. The 3rd company was actually two German brother who were in the construction business and built the addition on our house. He would do this in his basement for many many years. Things fell into place when we got a new neighbor two doors down. Turned out he owned a machine shop. Super nice people and said he could make the stamping long as I paid for the initial mold tooling etc. The price tag to do this back in 1982 was TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS. A huge sum in 1982 as GTO values where not that big back then. I thought that deal over for a few weeks as that was a huge investment...but it was worth it. Funny story about this older couple. His wife always had a new cadillac. He drove a diesel Olds sedan. I remember one time his car broke down and it was the starter which required to have it rebuilt. He knew I had several cars and asked if he could rent one from me. I said no problem except al my cars are alot quicker than what you are used to. I did not want to lend him a Turbo Regal so I lent him a notchback 5.0 at the time. When his car was fixed he returned my Mustang and remarked how quick the car was! These people were extremely nice wintered in Florida and told me to park as many cars as I wanted on their driveway in the winter so it looked like someone was always home. Even gave me a garage bay as well! Very rare to have a nice neighbor like this couple was. more next time Your Health is Your Wealth |
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No joke about 10k being HUGE in 1982
I was a senior in High School in 1982 , working part-time at the bowling alley as a pinsetter mechanic. Had about the best job of anybody in school Making about 4k a year ! A super hard loaded 79 TA 400-4spd was 10k range as another basic reference. You probably could have paid cash for a new Corvette with 10k in 1982.. with a discount. $350 for a car worth advertising in Hemmings, and selling it for $1300, tells me you must be about the same age as Abraham Lincoln. Or probably my Dads age. He just turned 81 today Last edited by Baron Von Zeppelin; 01-12-2023 at 12:18 AM. |
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To answer the above
my age is 75 I agree ten grand was alot but then again I never ever had any over seas connections and still to this day anything I get made I get made in the USA some stuff from overseas can be questionable....For example I would never crawl under a car supported by a made in China floor jack. Car trailers I have owned a few first ting I would do is ditch the foreign made tires for a Goodyear or similar brand and balance the wheels. Most tires on trailers has a name on them you can't even pronounce! I graduated from High school in 1965.....3 year stint in Army including one year in Vietnam...and not a a tourist! happy birthday to your Dad.... |
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Yea, i still have the Red Center Rally Ii Lug nuts from ~1982?
Am i correct in remembering seeing Kirban's Bucks County garage being a detached 7-car stone garage with individual stalls? Maybe even no garage doors? |
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Great to see you back Dennis. Last time I saw you was a few years ago at the SVTGTO show and your show with Linda. I've seen Linda a couple of times, last was at the Ridgley show. Take care and I hope to see around more. And Happy New Year to ya too.
__________________
Gary Get in, ShuT Up, Hang On! Member of the Baltimore Built Brotherhood MY GTO built 4th Week of March 1966 "Crusin' Is Not A Crime" Keep yer stick on the ice. |
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Glad to see you back Dennis.
Tom Vaught A Turbo Guy from the past.
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"Engineers do stuff for reasons" Tom Vaught Despite small distractions, there are those who will go Forward, Learning, Sharing Knowledge, Doing what they can to help others move forward. |
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Hey Dennis, found a few of your old reports. Looks like early 90’s. I probably have more somewhere. Always a big name in the hobby. Met you once or twice, always very nice. Thanks, Marc.
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kirban nitely thoughts...
few points of interest.... Yum Yums follow up my secretary of 20 plus years daughter works at Yum Yums she had to open the other morning at 5 am....people are actually line dup waiting for Yum Yums to open at 5 am!!!! this is with a 24 hour WaWA abotu a half mile away. That tells you something for sure. I am seeking the 1992 VHS tape that I did for that event. That was the year Davy Jones was my guest along with Molly. I got the 1990 I need to borrow it to get it on this USB flash drive and woudl return it and give the person a copy on the flash drive. I did find the 1988 one at my house which also had footage from a GTO even tin Michigan including the St Ignace event that shows the ultra rare restored 65 GTO contest car. All put on this USB flash drive. History is critical and and I like to get this done. I recall years agoI had a GTO customer had a chance to buy the 65 GTO contest car needed to be restored for $500 and turned it down. Probably one of the top 5 GTOs of all time worth the big bucks. Member that car had the gold anodized shifter and gold anodized Hurst wheels. we all make stupid mistakes I surely made enough over my many years that will easily fill a book! Ask my wife she would agree for sure. I think the person whoever it is that owns my 64 ruined that car by returning it to stock as it is on this flash drive as well. Life goes on I got plenty more stories as you can imagine will try and post everynite maybe not on weekends as my one vice is NFL football games. your health is your wealth Appreciate all the kind posts |
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I was probably a lot younger when we met!
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Speak of the Devil. I ran into Dennis this morning at a local(secret) car museum. He looks great and he is certainly keeping busy..
You have to be invited to this place. I went with my brother-in-law in his 1930 Model "A". His Model A club was invited to go., As was a street rod club. I can't figure out why photos are not straight. |
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Back when Dennis was in full swing with GTO stuff ,
He would let you send in certain parts for trade on his stuff. One time I sent him a 64 wood wheel complete and Pretty Nice with 1 small crack in the outer rim. I got back a full set of new 14x6 Rally Ones with centers and lugs He didn't have correct trim rings at that time. He also knocked on me about why did I want to put little skinny wheels on my car... HA ! He offered them in other sizes at that time as well. He was the pioneer of the repop rally one wheels and accessories. When he was selling *restored* 65 and 69 re-chromed tail light bezels , he would buy/trade old ones from you . I sent him a batch of those once , don't remember what I got that time. Another time in his monthly newsletter he had NOS 64-66 and 67-69 style antenna masts with oval masts tips and grooves .... $20 each A pal called me and told me about them , said he had already faxed Dennis about getting 10 of each style , and Dennis had that many of each. He was about to order them - did I want in on the deal ? Heck Yes I want 10 of each too ! So he faxes Dennis again about ANOTHER 10 of Each Style to see if he even HAD that many - or any more at all. Dennis faxes back -- I ALREADY TOLD YOU I WOULD SELL YOU THE ANTENNAS ! Well , my pal decided it best not to push any more of Dennis' buttons on this deal or it might fall through. He puts in the order for 20 of each style and we wait. Pal told me the first 10 of each are HIS - if anything over 10 , I get some too. 20 of each arrive in that package. Everybody Happy Where in the heckfire did he get all of those - and how many more did he have ? idunno They were perfect too. |
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Kirban Nitely thoughts.....
What was interesting about the 1964/65 GTO splitters we made is in the early 1980s I purchased an original 67 Firebird 400. Couple had bought it new and was trading it in on a new Volvo. I asked them what was the dealer giving them for their trade they said $1100. They said if you offer more we will sell it to you. I said great and offer $1101.00 cash and bought the car. Think it had like 56.000 original miles on it. I bring this up because I soon discovered that Pontiac also offered a same basic style splitters for the 67/68 Firebird 400s. Took the same Y part but the tips where slightly longer and one tip had a flat spot on it to clear the leaf spring. The end result is I had a second product base don my 10 grand investment....the down side the firebird splitters where never great sellers probably in part as very few owners knew they existed. I would later convert the 400 firebird to the ram air version with hood tack long branch factory headers 4 speed ram air 4 intake and carb multiplex stereo radio all factory parts walnut shift knob plastic wood wheel. this 67 coupe was quick license plate read a mover. its unfortunate the 67-69 firebirds never reached the level of values and demand as the 67/69 camaros even though they seem to be rarer even today. Again my opinion. What a car though. Years later like everything else I sold it. Another funny story about that will do maybe tomorrow nite. your health is your wealth |
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