[johnsma22]

I would love to hear this story be topped!

I'm coopting my dad's profile to dedicate this in his honor solely because I wish I could see his face if I ever got to tell it to him.

Some of the long time vets on here may remember this car from it's original rebuild in the early 2000's but here it is again taking me and my wife across the country on one of the wildest two week honeymoon you can think of! What was originally built to be a mean street car did 6200 miles from Washington state to Massachusetts hitting 14 states and 1 province on it's way home!

When my dad passed in '22 it became my mission to keep this car alive and with the help of friends, family, and members of this forum (both in person and online) I wasn't just able to keep it alive, I got to drive it like I stole it whilst getting as close to feeling like Burt Reynolds through some of the most beautiful of stretches of roads and highways this country has to offer. Driving through North Cascades NP into Glacier, getting it right up next to the geysers of Yellowstone (and avoiding a few moose on Togwotee Pass at 9659ft above sea level). Down through Arches, then back over the Rockies through Badlands and over the Great Lakes, past Niagara then homeward bound! All while managing 15mpg the whole trip! I would personally like to give a handshake to the Pontiac engineer who designed these seats because riding on a sofa for eight hours a day every day for two weeks is probably the only reason I can still feel my back.

The fun did not come without challenges however! From switching ports in the carburetor to adjust for altitudes to having to do valve seals under a pop up tent in the rain a week prior to shipping the car across the entire country. To having the passenger side muffler sheer straight off the welds and brackets and drag a quarter mile in the middle of nowhere on the first day of the trip. To Masterminds Auto Repair in Idaho for welding it back on next day! Having overheating issues the second we crossed the Canadian border and stalling in the middle lane of the QEW while going over a bridge. I guess that's why it's called a Trans-Am not a Trans-Can

All that to say, this car will forever hold a special place in my heart not just emotionally, but as a friend and a small piece of what my father left behind that I got to enjoy on a once in a lifetime experience. With that I hope all of you can have similar moments with your cars making memories that will last lifetimes!

Carry On!

[sdbob]

Driving SD to Norwalk. Getting 1st in class. On Saturday. Winning money back and prizes Saturday night. Then Sunday going I think 3 rounds on the strip. Meeting Jerry Brock. Then driving home. I got LUCKY I think.

[misterp266]

Winning Pontiac Day @ Lebanon Dragway with my ‘66 Tempest.

Your post startled me. I live in Raynham and met your Dad years ago. I knew he had passed so it was a surprise to see this. Hope you’re well!

[johnsma22]

Originally Posted by misterp266

Winning Pontiac Day @ Lebanon Dragway with my ‘66 Tempest.

Your post startled me. I live in Raynham and met your Dad years ago. I knew he had passed so it was a surprise to see this. Hope you’re well!

Even from beyond the grave he's found a way to post on PY! Great to know you're in the area! Car will be coming out for the summer soon-ish!

[JimFB400HO]

Nice story John.

As my first car, and having owned mine for 57 years, it has been part of many chapters of life's story. From the way I got the car to our honeymoon, fun vacations, kids, commuting, camping, grand kids, car shows, and great cruises. Plus, the car has it's own interesting history of maintenance and a couple near-total loss events.
'
For example, one vacation, we drove it up Pikes Peak before it was fully paved. Amazing how sluggish a Quadrajet from about 700 ft ASL can get at 14,000ft. And, you really have to learn to pack well when a '68 Firebird has all your camping gear, wife, toddler, a beagle and yourself on a week-long camping trip.

[johnsma22]

Originally Posted by JimFB400HO

Nice story John.

As my first car, and having owned mine for 57 years, it has been part of many chapters of life's story. From the way I got the car to our honeymoon, fun vacations, kids, commuting, camping, grand kids, car shows, and great cruises. Plus, the car has it's own interesting history of maintenance and a couple near-total loss events.
'
For example, one vacation, we drove it up Pikes Peak before it was fully paved. Amazing how sluggish a Quadrajet from about 700 ft ASL can get at 14,000ft. And, you really have to learn to pack well when a '68 Firebird has all your camping gear, wife, toddler, a beagle and yourself on a week-long camping trip.

That's awesome Jim,

Totally forgot to say how much of a Tetris game it turns into having two carry on luggage bags, tools, coolers, food, and gifts from the wedding in the back of the 'four seater'! You do get good at it pretty quick.

I'm really glad I brought 3 sets of extra carb jets, most of my time through Montana, Wyoming, and Utah was all above 6kft. It was fun having some punch everywhere I went.

[mgarblik]

I have had many great memories. But a big one for me was standing in for Arnie Beswick at the World Series of Drag racing. Arnie was in the hospital after his terrible fire. He was booked to race Animal Jim and his Mammoth Mercury at Cordova. Talk about David vs Goliath! The Grocery Getter beat him 3 out of 3 runs at that sold out event. The place went absolutely wild! Eric drove perfectly and the car was flying. Animal Jim was so stunned, his 730 Cu. In Ford fell to a traditional Pontiac with 200 fewer cubic inches, he actually changed his rear axle gearing for the final run. He would have beat us too, but Eric nailed a near perfect light and although Jim was gaining on us fast at the big end. He had failed to change the rev limiter to account for the stiffer gearing. He hit the rev limiter and we won by a fender. It was great night. Shortly after this event Arnie came out of his coma and the first thing he wanted to know was if we won!

[Jack Gifford]

Since 1959 I've had lots of fun behind Pontiac power. But one instance stands out for me. Running my blown alky M/T hemi in the latter part of a season (maybe 1996?) at the Vermont state fair in Rutland, I drew a high number (to be the last to pull). Watching the better competitors getting to about 250' on the 300' track, I made my best guess at gearing, etc., and it came together nicely- the sled never stopped me and I shut down at around the 330' mark! To cap it off, a local TV reporter was in my face as I took my helmet off.

[jhein]

Well, mine aren't as nice as most so far, but they were definitely unforgettable. The two times I ran from the police for speeding. Both were back around 1983. Once from an FHP Trooper, another from a Metro-Dade officer. Both times I got away. Still can't believe it. Didn't have much to loose back then, or at least I didn't think so. LOL.

Of course, there were also girlfriends and street racing and all that too.

All great memories. I'm glad I survived.

[OCMDGTO]

Quite a honeymoon adventure!!

Too many to list but in my 70 GTO I had some really fun rides with my ex wife, took it hunting in the snow and almost got stuck, doing burnouts with deer in the trunk from successful hunts. In my 69 my first pass with a new converter doing a 1.60 60' pulling the driver front tire off the ground.

[67drake]

Street racing my ‘71 GTO, back when I lived in the city. One of my sons now owns that car.
My cleaning up at a local car show last year. Won 3 out of the 4 classes.

[Hikin Mike]

Had my fair share of street racing back in the day.


On the way to our honeymoon.


One of the many backpacking trips I used to do when I could backpack.

[1969GTO]

WOW no stories of going to the Drive In with your girl friend and not knowing what's playing on the big screen?

[KS circutguy]

Originally Posted by 1969GTO

WOW no stories of going to the Drive In with your girl friend and not knowing what's playing on the big screen?

Street raced for 40 yrs. as well.
Had lots of sx in it out in the boonies.lol

[kingbuzzo]

What a great adventure!

- drove to LA from Canada in a murdered out '76 fb, pulled over by popo because we had long hair at the time
- drove to Edmonton from Manitoba in old blue 74 TA
- drove to Minnie twice in old blue 74 TA
- broke down in Moorehead ND in old 69
- street raced a new GT with jr - now she is hooked...my bad
- broke down in the Dells with "new" 74 whitey...I could write a screenplay about that misadventure

So many shenanigans with these cars lol...

[KS circutguy]

....

[carcrazy]

Back in 1975 I drove my 1967, Ram Air GTO from Youngstown, Ohio to Ft Lauderdale Florida and back. Straight through both ways. Got to love those 4.33 gears on the highway for a couple thousand miles!

[Squidward]

Originally Posted by 1969GTO

WOW no stories of going to the Drive In with your girl friend and not knowing what's playing on the big screen?

Sure. Except the car was a 77 T/A with Swiss cheese floors, and the Drive In was the end of the runway at a community airport. Can't remember what the movie was, but I think the soundtrack was either Cinderella or Whitesnake. G rated for sure. That was almost 37 years ago. Car is no doubt gone, that girlfriend proved wife material.

[1969GTO]

I did almost watch at the Drive In the movie Barbarella starring a young Jane Fonda,

[Verdoro 68]

I have a ton of memories with my '68 GTO, mostly from my High School days. I remember racing and beating a '69 Chevelle one night and then hearing the next day at school the owner wanted to fight me. Taking it down to the street races in Dallas and playing dumb when I got pulled over by a cop. I honestly really was there just to watch.

I would say our road trip to Arizona last year in my son's Ventura tops the list of Pontiac memories. Prepping the car together, all the stops along the way, his first time at the track, the arbitrary trip through Ventura, CA on the way back. It was just so much fun and that little car was a trooper.

My wife and I did a roadtrip from California to Texas in my '04 GTO when it was new. That was a lot of fun, too. I ran out of gas in the Mojave desert and had to call AAA. Twenty years later and she still never lets me forget.