[64srule]

Here's my GTO story.
In the early/mid 1970's I was just a car crazy kid dreaming of the day that I would finally have a car of my own. I'd ride my bicycle all over town spying derelict muscle cars sitting in driveways and backyards hoping to score one. Although my father was a Ford guy, my childhood brain was open to anything with 4 wheels. I can remember lusting after a black 67 GTX and a green 67 Lemans in my neighborhood but one of the very first cars I fell in love with was a forlorn,Yorktown blue 64 GTO that sat in a swampy backyard seemingly forgotten about by its owner. Curious to get a closer look, the owner(who was in a wheelchair) would chase me off the property so i only ever got to see the car from the road. Several years past and the GTO just sat there, withering away. Eventually at age 15 I bought a cobra jet Torino(the only car my blue oval father would let me buy) and the dream of the GTO became a cherished memory. Years and cars came and went and the GTO disappeared from its damp grave in the swamps of Jersey, gone but not forgotten! Fast forward to about 30 years to 2005 and a chance meeting with a guy who not only owned a 64 GTO but THE actual Yorktown blue 64 GTO that I so wanted as a young boy!! Turns out, this guy was the brother of the man in the wheelchair who used to chase me off his property all those years ago. Of course, I begged to see that old GTO and once I laid eyes on her,all those childhood memories came flooding back..I offered to buy the car on the spot! But to no avail. I would have to wait another 17 years.. I'm happy to say that last week, I finally got the call that the old GTO was for sale!!! The feelings that this GTO evokes for me is unmeasurable and some I cannot explain.. Sheer joy doesn't come close..Shes not perfect, she's no show car, needs a bunch of work and has led a hard life as a street racer in the 60's/70's but the original motor(which sat on the ground all those years ago) has survived. Plans are to keep it a driver for now and make improvements as time permits.

[OG68]

Great story! Congratulations for hanging in there all those years.

[MUSLCAH]

Clean it up…get it road worthy…buff the stainless trim and bumpers….and lightly compound what paint you have on it…and drive the wheels off it

[64srule]

Originally Posted by MUSLCAH

Clean it up…get it road worthy…buff the stainless trim and bumpers….and lightly compound what paint you have on it…and drive the wheels off it

yes, thats what i plan to do..as soon as i remove the 4:11 gears..its great for burnouts but murder on the highway!

[JSchmitz]

Cool story! Congrats and enjoy!

[tininjun68]

Congratulations!! Love the story! Even though I’ve got a few cars now, I still dream about another one or three that disappeared from sight growing up, also here in Jersey. Same for me that I’d walk/ride my bike past driveways/yards constantly to check if the dream car was still there. A couple 69 Judge hardtops and a ‘69 Torino big block 4 spd come to mind.
What town in NJ was your Goat in? My first GTO was sitting in a guy’s front yard in Succasunna.

[64srule]

Originally Posted by tininjun68

Congratulations!! Love the story! Even though I’ve got a few cars now, I still dream about another one or three that disappeared from sight growing up, also here in Jersey. Same for me that I’d walk/ride my bike past driveways/yards constantly to check if the dream car was still there. A couple 69 Judge hardtops and a ‘69 Torino big block 4 spd come to mind.
What town in NJ was your Goat in? My first GTO was sitting in a guy’s front yard in Succasunna.

The GTO was in Toms river, right along the river which is why it was a swamp most of the time..In fact, It was just a few houses away from where is sat outside all those years ago but kept in a garage.

[MUSLCAH]

Originally Posted by tininjun68

Congratulations!! Love the story! Even though I’ve got a few cars now, I still dream about another one or three that disappeared from sight growing up, also here in Jersey. Same for me that I’d walk/ride my bike past driveways/yards constantly to check if the dream car was still there. A couple 69 Judge hardtops and a ‘69 Torino big block 4 spd come to mind.
What town in NJ was your Goat in? My first GTO was sitting in a guy’s front yard in Succasunna.

Got my GTO in a place in Jersey ,called RedBank

[OCMDGTO]

Great story and really cool car. It looks amazing for all the neglect it endured. Crazy twist of fate to end up with you. Another vote for clean it up, make it roadworthy, and drive the wheels off it.

[64srule]

Originally Posted by OCMDGTO

Great story and really cool car. It looks amazing for all the neglect it endured. Crazy twist of fate to end up with you. Another vote for clean it up, make it roadworthy, and drive the wheels off it.

Thanks! It’s had an amateurish paint and body done on it. Looks good in pics but definitely a 5 footer. Nothing that I couldn’t fix in the future.

[JSchmitz]

More pics please! Interior, engine compartment, trunk, etc.

[tempest1964]

This is a great story! Please keep the forum posted on updates. I am subscribed.

[Hoffmanz]

Cool story! Just curious of this project now.

[jrunner]

Excellent story hope you enjoy cruising your gto forever.

[77 TRASHCAN]

Carry on, man!!!
Great story and car!!!
Nothing like owning the first edition of THE ICON of muscle cars!!!