[goatman65]

Hi everyone kinda new to the PY Forums.Thought this might be interesting.Try to keep it short. I was born in 1961 and came home from the hospital in a 1955 Pontiac,Ill post a pic of me with it later,so I pretty much have Pontiacs in my blood.One time my mom dressed me as a GTO tiger for Holloween,I also had what I used to call my GTO boots when I was very young.Nov. 1965 my dad was a meter-reader for the electric company and when passing by a local Pontiac dealer saw an all-new body style 66 GTO in Montreo Red sitting in the showroom window.Upon closer inspection the GTO had Parchment[white]interior,pinstripe and whitewall tires,quite an eye-catcher to stop passers-by!Options included;Rallye gauges,walnut shift knob,am pushbutton radio,floormats and remote mirror.Perf.options;360 hp Tri-power,Muncie M-21 close-ratio,3:90 limited-slip rear.and related mandatory options.As Ive been told,that evening after work he took my mom and I to see this car,I was only 4 at the time,so I dont remember going.After convincing my mom he needed it,he traded our 65 Burgandy Lemans for the GTO and monthly payments of $33 and change.After picking the car up we all went street racing!yep.About a month after buying it he ordered a RamAir kit from Royal.He had to borrow the $30.00 from his mom to buy it cause he couldnt afford it!My dad street raced at least 2-3 a week until the mid 70s when it kinda faded away here.During that time my dad would take me along sometimes.What a feeling it was!The car had seatbelts but we never used them,he would tell me to sit back against the seat and hold on.I remember my head snapping back every time he hit the next gear,anytime he would tell me to,Sit back in the seat,I knew what was coming.The GTO would remain our only family car till about 1972 when my dad got a cheap 61 pick-up for work and the GTO became my moms car.She was also pretty good at bangin gears in it!From 66 to 72 the GTO took us on many trips from Pa. to NJ.deer hunting trips with deer tied to the trunk lid,[Ill post pic]trips to the drags.Im not sure of the year,but sometime in the late 60s my dad took it to the local track bolted on slicks and with ram-air and airbags it turned high 13s low 14s.We still have the time cards and Ill also post pix of them.In 1967 we went to races in Deleware.I have pictures of me sitting on a car hauler with Don Gays Infinity 66 GTO and Roy Gays 67 Firebird 400,I would have been 6 yrs.old.The pics were taken in the parking lot of a diner,back then there were not many fast food or quickie marts.Don Gay was the John Force of his day.Try to get that close to a fuel car today!In March of 1969 my sister came home from the hospital in the front seat.Even though he loved racing it,my dad always said it was fast enough like it was so it remained stock with the exception of the ram air kit and air bags in the rear springs.It did however have different wheels and tires over the years.Whitewalls when new,various redlines and raised whiteletter tires but nothing bigger than H-70 series.Deluxe hubcaps to chrome reverse,[remember those?]baby moons,[how bout those?]and lastly Keystone Klassics mounted on Road Huggers installed around 75-76.In 77 I wanted him to trade it in on a new black and gold T/A he wanted a GP,he didnt get either.I learned to drive in this car and drove it to high school my senior year,1979.Premium LEADED,or Hi-test as it was called was .75 a gal then.The car is still here,in the garage,98% original and unrestored.It still has its orig.factory applied lacquer,with minor touch-ups.Interior is beautiful with no tears or cracks.Car has never been apart or wrecked,all numbers match and no repro parts of any kind.The usual wear parts,belts,hoses have been replaced over the years.At just under 100k miles it still has the original clutch despite the racing abuse,the u-joints still have the metal clips that the factory used to hold the caps on!The car is in amazing condition,not factory fresh but nicely aged.All paper work is here,window sticker,dealer paperwork even a set of mint still in the roll posters that you could order 5 for 25 cents in 1966.I think the box the ram air kit came in from Royal Pontiac is in the basement.Sadly my dad passed away in 2000 at age 57.I drove the car in his funeral,the last time it was driven.I have more stories of growing up with this car Ill post as I remember them if anybody wants to read them.I also have lots of pix Ill post when I figure out how to do it. I owe my love of GTOs and musclecars to my dad and that first ride in a new 66 GTO. I own a 65 that I bought in 1983,but thats another story.To everyone who read this whole post thanx for your time.Hope it wasnt too long or boring.

[GTOnly70]

Cool story! Thanks for posting. It's great you still have the '66 and that it wasn't traded in back in the '70s. Looking forward to some pics.

[DiamondJim]

Great story. Thanks for sharing! -Jim

[kaysersuzuki]

great story now lets see thos pics

[Old Blue 66]

Wow, great story. I really like hearing about cars that have stayed in the family since new. At one point they becoome one of the family. As its allready been said, please post some pics.

[goatman65]

Thanx everyone,glad you enjoyed my story.Ill try to get some pix on this weekend.

[Alvin]

Great story - thanks for sharing!