[RR67GTO]

I have a friend I now from the gym I go to. The guy is 77 years old and we started talking cars. I told him I enjoy Pontiac's. Two days later he drove his 1967 Le Mans to the gym. He bought the car new and is not really into these older cars. However, it has some neat options. It's a 326 car which I believe is a HO engine. It has a three speed manual transmission, with a center console and bucket seats. AM radio, tilt column safety track rear end with HD cooling. It also has the under hood and trunk light. But this is what I found really neat. It has the electric trunk release. My new friend said the car is pretty fast for an old car, so I asked him why he didn't just buy the GTO. His response was simple. His late wife didn't want him to buy a hot rod, and because of the cost of insurance. He told me that he had a difficult time just talking her into allowing him to buy a manual transmission car, and a two door. Since she had her own car to drive, she decided that he could order this car. I know, and I'm working on it. They never had any children, so he's alone now. He's a nice guy who seems to be very happy. He's also in better condition than many men half his age. Anyway I wanted to share this with you. Good day friends. Mike

[geeteeohguy]

Thanks for sharing, Mike. What a great story. I'd love to see pics of the car!! Very, very uncommon these days to see such and unusual car still driven by the original owner. Growing up, my neighbors had a '67 Lemans ragtop. Years later, I asked the wife "why not a GTO?" Same answer you got: it was just "too over the top...too fast, too much premium gas, and too expensive to insure".

[Keith Seymore]

x2. I'd love to see pics, too.

As an aside, I recall Dad telling me we always insured our GTOs as a Lemans.

K

[RR67GTO]

Thanks friends. This new buddy of mine lives about forty miles from me on a decent size piece of property. Actually, he only drives it a few miles every couple of months. He's not into old cars, and knows I like Pontiac's. You can guess what I'm thinking here. I will see if it would be OK with him if I took some photographs. If so, I will get all the interior, engine compartment and other places I can and then post them. I would like to own the car. And, leave it original. By the way, he knows that the gas today does not work well in the car, so he uses an additive. Which I'm sure is not really doing a whole bunch. Good day friends. Mike

[charles bledsoe]

Don't forget to take pics of the trunk, and crawl underneath if you can. Sounds like a nice car, and one that has been taken very good care of!! Thanks for taking the time to capture the pictures!

[ctgross]

Great post! I hope you can get the pics and post them. Sounds like a smart man!

[RR67GTO]

I will see him again this next week, and ask if I can come over and take some photographs. Maybe I'll just offer to take him to lunch, and then ask if I can take the photos at that time. Mike

[ponchjoe]

Neat story, BTW, what's the color combo?

[RR67GTO]

It's a turquoise car with what looks like teal interior. Mike

[GT182]

I'd love to see photos of it too. And also save them to my collection.

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

x2. I'd love to see pics, too.

As an aside, I recall Dad telling me we always insured our GTOs as a Lemans.

K

Now how on earth did he do that Keith? Sly is one word I can think of. LOL

My insurance company back in 70 wanted to see and take photos of my 66 GTO. No way could it have been called a LeMans.... unless all the GTO emblems had been changed out. And the tail lights were a dead giveaway too. I guess 65s were the lucky one to get away with it. LOL

[242177P]

Originally Posted by GT182

Now how on earth did he do that Keith?

GTO was an option in 64/65.

[rexs73gto]

GTO was an option on 72, 73 & 74 too. Plus don't forget there were not GTO verts in 72 either. Back in 87 a guy came to the GTO nat's & tried to pass off his Lemans vert as a GTO vert & back then he was automaticaly disqualified for judgeing for that show. 5 years later he came back with all the correct emblems on the car hopeing no one would remember him. But we had classs for Lemans by then so he was ok that year. Also no verts in 73-74 too.

[bigpop]

Great story, and, the guy has himself a neat 67. The color is Mariner Turquiose, in all probability, (like Teal-65). I also would like to see some pics! Thanks Larry B.

[RR67GTO]

Good evening friends. The gentleman who owns the car brought it again today. I had the chance to look at the engine compartment which was pretty nice considering the cars age. I looked at the cowl tag, and saw the color code was K. The plug wires although not factory have to be pretty darn old. The battery on the other hand looks like it's almost new. From Sears. He had a difficult time understanding why I was so interested in his OD Pontiac, since it's not a GTO or one of the popular cars, so I let him know I like all Pontiac's. I let him know that I belong to a Pontiac forum on the Internet and asked if I could make a time to take some photographs and share them with other people in the hobby. He didn't seem to enthused with the idea of an unknown amount of people seeing his personal car. Then I told him I wouldn't show the plates or anything else such as VIN number or anything. This seemed to ease his mind a bit. So, he said that after he gets back in town from Thanksgiving he will think about it. Then, he said that if I wanted to take the car for a couple hours drive someday that's fine. As long as I replace the gas. But, I'll have to take the car while he's at the gym, and return it before he is ready to leave. So, I guess I will know more after the holiday. And, I will keep everyone posted. In some ways I can understand his position on protecting his privacy. He's by no means a weak for his age, but he is getting up there in age. Good evening friends. Mike

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by RR67GTO

... He didn't seem to enthused with the idea of an unknown amount of people seeing his personal car. Then I told him I wouldn't show the plates or anything else such as VIN number or anything. This seemed to ease his mind a bit. So, he said that after he gets back in town from Thanksgiving he will think about it. Then, he said that if I wanted to take the car for a couple hours drive someday that's fine. As long as I replace the gas. But, I'll have to take the car while he's at the gym, and return it before he is ready to leave. So, I guess I will know more after the holiday. And, I will keep everyone posted. In some ways I can understand his position on protecting his privacy. He's by no means a weak for his age, but he is getting up there in age. Good evening friends. Mike

My Dad was the same way - he didn't like a lot of people looking at or knowing about the car.

If he was still living it would probably be under a cover in the front garage, just like it always had been.

K

[RR67GTO]

I am going to remain positive that I can ease his mind and get some photographs. But I need to also consider that this older guy has become a casual friend. Cars are nice, friends are important. I'll do my best. Thanks for the interest. Have a great day everyone. Mike

[Old Blue 66]

This is a great story. I would be even better if he let you come over to his house to take pics and offered you the car.

[GT182]

Like Paul said... ask [BEG on hands and knees] to take some photos and let him know that it's whereabouts will not be divulged to anyone. And if you can, become better friends with him so you can one day buy the car if he offers it. Yeah, suck up BIG time to him. LOL

[geeteeohguy]

I agree. I wouldn't push him at all. After you become better aquainted, and he learns how popular his car and this hobby actually is, perhaps he'll actually enjoy sharing his car with us. If he doesn't feel right about it, or is uncomfortable, forget it. It should be something he wants to happen. He's an old guy who's kept himself and his car in the best shape possible, and he certainly deserves respect, IMO.