[cortcomp]

I am/have been currently shopping for a stockish 68-69 GTO. I am very specific. I have exacting and specific searches running 24/7 and have been for months and have a very good feel for cars real values (not what people are asking, but what they're going for.)

I have found several candidates over the last few months only to either run into sellers who have no idea what the car has and are too lazy to do document or go check, or have had extensive repairs and not always done the right way, half the interior doesn't work any more, or have had later low compression motor swaps. Budget is the 20-30k range, cash is ready for the right GTO. Before you think you have a 30k goat, read on:

I'm very specific on details like cut dashes, non-working accessories, wiring butcher jobs, missing A/C parts, rear end ratios, etc. You should know details about your car if you're asking a 1/3rd of a house for it. Does NOT need to be numbers matching, but SHOULD be correct. (So, don't car if it has, say, a 71 400 block but should have 69 heads, cam, accessories, painted correct blue for 69, etc.) Should have no major leaks, handling and suspension should be firm and right. Should be running near factory parts most of the time (prefer stockish intakes/qjet, no crazy cams/ignition/etc.)

Car should be turn key or nearly so, repairs done correctly or as factory, clean, no extensive body work. If quarters were done and weren't done as factory (all the way to the roof, inside door jamb, inside trunk) i'm probably not interested. If small patches done, still considered, not interested in large chunks of body replaced with seams in the middle of the body. Paint should be nice to very nice.

Will pay a finders fee for the right car to someone who doesn't own one but finds the one i buy. please realize i search 80 craigslist cities twice a day amongst other automated searches, so if you want to claim the finders fee, has to be one i haven't already found through traditional means.


1) Prefer 69 over 68
2) Needs to be hideaways
3) Needs to be automatic for the wife
4) should have factory ac (even if components are missing)
5) no vinyl top is a big plus
6) Does not need factory radio working but shouldn't have hacked dash there or hacked aftermarket installed, same for gauges, etc.

Colors: Prefer greens, blues, black, factory colors not very flashy. Dislike oranges, reds, yellows, whites.


I know this ad comes across as very specific and demanding; i just know what i want, the areas of these cars people butcher or repair for a quick flip, and know what it costs to make things "right" on a car once you get it. I also know there are 50 tire kickers with no money for every guy ready to buy, so i feel i can sit and wait for the right car if yours doesn't fit the bill.

PM me here or you can email me at cortcomp at gmail dot com.

[cortcomp]

Wanted to mention that i do like the darker reds like below, just not the judge clone orange reds, and the firetruck bright reds.

[1969GTO]

How about this RED? Matadore Red [NOT 4 SALE]

[cortcomp]

That's a bit too bright, i'm looking for something more, subtle i guess?

Should also mention, i'm open to travel. Have been all the way to California for the right vehicle before.

[cortcomp]

just bumping this back up, still looking.

Have been close to pulling triggers on a few only to find out last minute that they had 71+ low comp motor swaps, or questionable body repairs, or tons of wiring hack jobs. One i even paid for an independent certified appraisal on, but appraiser found even more issues than seller was aware of. It's a shame, was a sharp car.

Still here waiting for the right one.

[pontiacs4ever1971]

Well $$$ talks, when I was looking for my 73' which took me 18 years to find. Make offers to people who's cars are not up for sale. Just a thought.

[cortcomp]

It's a good idea. I'm not above that, but it's also the off season so not really running into any GTOs in the wild out in the snow

I'm really stuck on hideaways and one guy pointed out you can add them (i'm not against them being on a non-factory hideaway car) but i've heard some parts aren't repopped, or maybe they are now? Quick estimate on adding them is like 2k.

Hideaways don't add a ton to the price of a car, it's just that it limits the acceptable cars on the market. Drop the convertibles, stick cars, and all the orange judge clones and you're left with 1-2 new ones that seem to come on the market a month.

I imagine near spring that we'll see quite a few more come on, and car shows and swap meets start up.

I like this one a lot, BUT even with incorrect factory color, not really a factory RA car, and AC parts missing, i bet it goes for a chunk just because it's at an auction, let alone being clean:

https://www.mecum.com/lot-detail.cfm...=FL0115-201727

[nytrainer]

Originally Posted by cortcomp

I imagine near spring that we'll see quite a few more come on, and car shows and swap meets start up.

...and you will pay a lot more for it... surely you can find one now if you look hard enough.

[cortcomp]

I search and cross search over 100 craigslist and overlapping cities...twice a day (have a pretty good setup for that). Ebay is a regular hit a few times a day. I lurk here, autotrader classics, cars online and classiccars.com. On the weekends i hit hemmings and less active sites. For fun at night when on the computer i do random searches different ways to see if anything new pops up.

If a 69 gto in america goes up for sale somewhere online under 40k, i'll usually know in under 8 hours.

The key is, finding a car that pops for you. I think i'm pickier than most, and also i think most people overrate their cars.

You see a lot for 30-35 still for sale 8 months later. Maybe there's a reason it hasn't sold? But it's not my place to argue that a seller is 10k overpriced or pick it apart if they're not interested in my offer. I'm not being cheap or low balling mind you, i'm just being realistic; i know what it takes to correct some of the "small" issues correctly.

It has gotten to a point where someone will show me a pic of a gto and i'll tell them where it's at; i'm about 85% correct so far.

It's not a big deal, i kind of enjoy the hunt more than just seeing it sit in the garage when i can't drive it anyways. But if there's somewhere i'm not looking, i am for sure all ears.

[red1975pacer]

Ohio Corvette and Muscle cars in Canton Ohio has a couple cars right now and hes always getting more. Consider calling him. Don Sitts in Cuyahoga Falls also. bought my 68 Merridian Turq of Sitts 6 years ago{since sold}

[cortcomp]

I have been watching OC&MC, only a stick red 68 at the moment. Haven't heard of Don Sitts, will keep an eye on them and reach out. Thanks!

[GTOnly70]

This looks like just what you're looking for. Reasonable price too...

http://www.streetsideclassics.com/showcar.php/dfw/709

[cortcomp]

That was one of the first i found when i started my search...i wasn't a fan of the purple looking dark blue interior. I called them and got sparse info (i think it's drum front, which isn't a big deal, and some other items i barely recall). I don't know why, the car hits most on my list, it just doesn't do it for me, and i love that color. I can't say it's over priced, but it's not worth 30 to me.

I love this part:

"Even the base GTOs got the big guy: 400 cubic inches and 350 horsepower are on tap here. This is the car's original, numbers-matching engine, rebuilt and detailed correctly, and now showing some signs of use. Bright chrome valve covers and a bolt red and white decal on the air cleaner suggest that the Pontiac guys knew their buyers would spend a lot of time under the hood, and someone went the extra mile to make sure the little stuff was right. You'll note correct finishes and materials used throughout the engine bay, from the brake booster to the Pontiac Turquoise paint on the block, and it runs great."


Yes, rebuilt and detailed correctly, correct finished down to the turquiose paint on the block, used on later GTOs.

I see a lot of that color used in restorations, but AFAIK (which isn't much) shouldn't all the 69's have the light blue metallic? And shouldn't it be a dual snorkel?

Again, small details i know. If it had black interior (or parchment) i'd at least make an offer.

[GTOnly70]

Yeah, the prose in their ads can be a bit nauseating at times. They (Streetside Classics) should spend more time researching and documenting the correctness of their cars and less time on the bs. The engine is indeed the wrong color and is missing the dual snorkle air cleaner. It also has "ye olde" incorrect 400-4 sticker (of course). So much for the "correct finishes and materials used throughout the engine bay"... I'd be sure to verify the VIN stamp on this "numbers matching" engine. The ad replete with errors and the fact that you were given sparse information when inquiring about the car indicates that this place is run by used car salesmen, not car enthusiasts. Car looks decent overall though.

It appears that you're not interested in a convertible, but one of most interesting '69's on the market can be seen at: http://www.cars-on-line.com/76519.html . Seems to satisfy most of your critieria. Owned by a super-knowledgeable enthusiast on this site, you can be assured that this car is everything as advertised. Heckuva good price too, IMHO.

[cortcomp]

That is a helluva nice car, and he is a great guy. I messaged him about the two green ones in the background that would likely fit all my wants just the other day actually. He was friendly and knowledgeable even though i was asking about cars not for sale.

He mentioned one was a RA4 judge (out of my price range, i didn't even ask) and pointed me to legendary motor cars who does have a very nice GTO at a great price, but no hideaways and has a vinyl top (the top looks good on that car, but i'm generally not a fan of them on the 68-72s as much as the earlier goats.) Sharp car for someone whom it fits though:

http://www.legendarymotorcar.com/sit...pontiac-gto-2/

I was excited the other day, i thought i found "the one." Turned out to be a car someone bought in my back yard and was trying to flip for about 8K more than they paid. I passed on it when it was near me because of questionable body work (although you couldn't tell unless from inside the trunk) and improper motor details that i'd have to fix like the streetside one. When he sent me photos and they were from the original seller, i realized it was the same car and just looked different in the lighting of the ebay photos. Such is life.

Again, no big deal, the hunt is almost the most fun. Almost.

[GTOnly70]

Another... http://dallas.craigslist.org/ndf/cto/4829421048.html

[cortcomp]

Like that car, but no hideaways and a 68 :-/.

if it's on craigslist, i've likely seen it unless the asking price is north of 40k (i filter those out). I'm most likely going to stay under 30 unless a car is exceptionally clean. That car above has a nice color interior and very clean engine bay.

The only feature i like on the 68 vs the 69's is the dash. that wood dash with key on the dash is just way sharper than the 69 vinyl dash IMHO. I like the lack of vent windows, front valance lamp changes, and rear lights changes in the 69.

Also, in the 69, the hideaways seem to be flush and straight, but i notice on a lot of the 68's that there is kind of a step down from the lights covers to the grille?

I know you guys are reading this and are thinking "jesus, it's like asking my wife where she wants to eat!"

I wasn't expecting everyone here to scour the internet when i posted this, i just thought someone out there or their buddy has a gto that hits most of this and is thinking "i've/he's thought about selling, this guy has cash and will make him an offer, and if he takes it i'll make a buck."

[cortcomp]

If this car is as clean as it looks, it's a deal for someone:

http://boone.craigslist.org/cto/4843894137.html

[cortcomp]

This one hits almost everything, good price, but i just can't love the color:

http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/cto/4844543389.html

[1969GTO]

Mark Ervin just finished this one for me...........