Larry's (x33rs ) Dad's 1969 GTO!

[Xplantdad]

Before we get started...I would like to thank Larry and his dad for driving the car to Pavilions so we could do the pictures there. It's a pleasure to know Larry!


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Hi Bruce, I'll write this for dad since I know the history, and try to keep it short and sweet.

Mom and dad were already married and daily driving a 57 Chevy convertible with a hot 301ci and 4-speed. When they decided on a new car they first stopped at the Chevy dealer and wanted a brand new 69 L78 Chevelle, gold with the black side stripe and a 4 speed sitting on the lot. When the salesman wouldn't deal at all on the sticker they went down the street to Marsh Pontiac and in the showroom was this green 69 GTO with dog dish hubcaps. Automatic sounded better so mom could drive it. The salesman took some off the sticker price and for $3404 they drove a new GTO right out of the showroom doors. He later sadly sold the 57 for a down payment on a new house, back when houses cost $10-$15,000.

So the GTO was the sole family car for the next 20 years. Dad daily drove the car right up through the late 1980's and racked up 180,000 miles before the car got it's first repaint and semi restoration done by my father in about 1989 where the Goat was then relegated to weekend fun duty. Still running the original engine at that time, it had never been apart. Ibelieve it was around the 200,000 mile mark in the early 1990's when we decided to finally retire the engine (still running pretty good) and build the first of a series of 455's for the car. It's since went through 3 or 4 various 455's in the quest for more power, a couple of 400 turbos, a 12 bolt rear etc...

When the last 455 snapped an oil pump shaft and lunched the engine he decided to go big. Had Tony Bischoff build a 571 ci Pontiac based off an MR1 block and a 4.750" crank. It dynoed at 724HP at 5700 rpm and 764 ft lbs. at 4200 rpm, and the entire pull never dipped below 700 ft lbs. For the past few years this engine has powered the car and is a total ball to drive. Runs on pump gas, albeit a little thirsty. About 2 years ago I blew the car all apart and gave it a paint job, new front suspension and a general freshen up throughout. The car still retains all of it's original interior except for carpet and headliner.

Today dad still enjoys the car after 50 years of ownership, driving it any chance he gets.

Here are a couple of short videos of dad feeling out the car, coming out easy and running the car hard out the back door. Later this year we plan to make it back to the track for some full on runs, and likely get parked for no roll bar.


Bruce, I included a couple of pictures I had if you want to add. One is circa late 80's when dad put the first paint job on it, the other is around 2007 at Norwalk.


Larry

[Xplantdad]

Ride along, full throttle in 2nd gear and all over the rev limiter

[Xplantdad]

Outside view

[Xplantdad]

Here's a video of some dyno pulls at Tony's shop

[Xplantdad]

Video my wife put together of the recent paint job I did

[Tenney]

Diggin' the family Pontiac - a lot to like in the details, and it runs like the wind! Cool Goat!!

[x33rs]

Many thanks to Bruce for taking the time and posting all this. Couldn't do it without Bruce.

Just a quick piece of useless info, lol. Those hubcaps still appear mint because as typical back in the day, dad didn't leave them on the car more than a month after he bought the car, as well as the original 14x7 IF code painted steel wheels They got boxed up and a set of 14x7 Ansen Sprints were installed that stayed on the car for the next 20 years. All of which we still have. He now runs reproduction 15 inch from Wheel Vintiques on the car.

[454_Malibu]

So Sweet

[x33rs]

Well the nose is coming back off for a repaint now.

People and their stupid canopies. Gust of wind comes into the show and carries this canopy across the entire show field and wouldn't you know it, it ends up into the nose of dad's car.

As if I don't have enough to do already.

[Xplantdad]

Wow....that stinks! Was this a show up in Prescott?