Why did you get your Pontiac?

[Ringo64]

At the mention of “Irma” I still shudder  . Good to hear something positive came out of that time! We got lucky here in Naples for the most part. It could have been a lot worse. 

Great deal it sounds like and awesome Bird!

[BB68GTO]

As lots of us hate to admit it I had just gotten married again (ugh) and my new wife and I got into a financial bind. I had a 1964 chevy step-side pickup. I had swapped the inline 6 with granny gear 4 speed for a hot 350, with a turbo 350, tilt wheel, 6 way power bucket seats both sides, and Ice chest type cooler console.. I  had to sell it to help with the situation.  My wife told me then that one day I would have my hot rod back... Approximately 5 years later we were able to start looking for me a car again... She found my 68 GTO Convertible on the internet in Destin, Fl.  It had been restored for this lady by her husband in 1983 and he had gotten killed in the military... She sold it to me in 1995, I think.  I was a nice auto then, but had some rust, a replaced used 400 with a 2 barrel carb. and was skipping.  Someone had ripped her husband off.. They were supposed to rebuild the one that was in it, so it would still be a matching #...I do hate to say it but I am glad she decided to sell it.. At the time I thought I almost stole it... I only gave $10,200 for it... Now I would almost get rid of my wife before I would get rid of my GOAT...

Edited July 8, 2019 by BB68GTO
correct spelling and add info

[Ted Feight]

In 1967 I had a 1966 Pontiac Catalina Convertible, silver with a black top. I came home from working in Chicago for 3 months to find a draft notice to report the next day. I had to give the car back to the dealer, which was allowed in that day. After an all expense paid trip to the far east I came home and bought a 69 Camaro.  I wanted a 67 Vette, but was talked out of it. I finally bought the 67 Vette in 1984, but never found a 66 Catalina that I liked.

Then while traveling to see a client on M-55 I saw the nose of a Catalina sticking out of a small garage. After seeing the client in Lake City I stopped at the house with the Catalina Convertible and talked for hours with the owner.  He was an older man who did not get a lot of visitors. We talked about the car, his clocks, watches and life. I told him if he ever wanted to sell the car I would like first rights. I stopped and talked to him when I was going through from time to time.

Then last fall his daughter called and said her Father (Barry Snyder) had dies. Did I remember him. I told her yes and I was very sorry to hear he died. She said he left a note telling her that she should give me first chance to buy the car and he had set the price. I drove over that week and looked it over.  The price was fair, not high or low. So I came back the next week and picked it up. I named the car Barry.

From what I can tell it had set in the garage for the last 10 years.  Before that Barry basically loved taking it to shows. With the help of Frosty and a few of you on the forum I am making the car my own, by making a few needed changes. Hopefully, I will start showing the car in the early part of the summer. 

God Bless!

[74Esprit]

Ted, great story and nice ride! Have fun and a good time getting Barry ready for the summer shows!

[JUSTA6]

Very cool find,  I have my cabin/huntin property in Lk City.  Did not put it together, but have seen your car in the 4th of July car show up there. 

[Last Indian]

On 2/4/2020 at 1:38 PM, Ted Feight said:

In 1967 I had a 1966 Pontiac Catalina Convertible, silver with a black top. I came home from working in Chicago for 3 months to find a draft notice to report the next day. I had to give the car back to the dealer, which was allowed in that day. After an all expense paid trip to the far east I came home and bought a 69 Camaro.  I wanted a 67 Vette, but was talked out of it. I finally bought the 67 Vette in 1984, but never found a 66 Catalina that I liked.

Then while traveling to see a client on M-55 I saw the nose of a Catalina sticking out of a small garage. After seeing the client in Lake City I stopped at the house with the Catalina Convertible and talked for hours with the owner.  He was an older man who did not get a lot of visitors. We talked about the car, his clocks, watches and life. I told him if he ever wanted to sell the car I would like first rights. I stopped and talked to him when I was going through from time to time.

Then last fall his daughter called and said her Father (Barry Snyder) had dies. Did I remember him. I told her yes and I was very sorry to hear he died. She said he left a note telling her that she should give me first chance to buy the car and he had set the price. I drove over that week and looked it over.  The price was fair, not high or low. So I came back the next week and picked it up. I named the car Barry.

From what I can tell it had set in the garage for the last 10 years.  Before that Barry basically loved taking it to shows. With the help of Frosty and a few of you on the forum I am making the car my own, by making a few needed changes. Hopefully, I will start showing the car in the early part of the summer. 

God Bless!

I agree with 74Espirit, great story, but even better, you friended someone who clearly needed and appreciated it! That’s why he remembered you! That was truly a wonderful gift to to give him! That to me is the bigger story!

[Sean Bolden]

My grand father in 1971 bought a 71 t-37 off the showroom floor for two cattle and two hundred dollars. We still have the receipts that state that and we still own that car. Unfortunately my oldest brother drug the car out of the barn and fixed it up before I could. He drove that car to high school and I remember him picking me up from school in the car and riding around the rod runs in it. Ever since then I have always wanted a 70-72 lemans. I have always been on the lookout for one and at the end of the summer of 2019 one fell into my lap. My buddy’s and I were out driving around looking for classic muscle cars and stuff like that in people’s yards and we found a 68 c10 sitting in a yard and there was a man working on a 68 firebird convertible in the garage! I turned the car around immediately and pulled in. We started talking about old Pontiacs and and  how I’ve grown up around them and how I’ve always loved them and somehow it came up that at this guys dads house under the car port was an old lemans. I got excited then because no matter what year it was I wanted to buy it. So he walked us over to his dads house next door and sitting there under the car port was The
 70 lemans sport convertible. I drooled all over the car he could tell I wanted it baaad. So we went inside and talked to his dad for about 45 minutes about the car and the whole back story. The man has always loved Pontiac's and in 1959 and 1960 he was on fireball Roberts pit crew and even test drove some of fireball’s cars. He worked as a firefighter in Knoxville for years and always admired his co workers car (the lemans) and he always wanted to buy it but unfortunately in 1977 the car got rear ended but this was his chance to buy it so he did. After he bought it he parked it under the car port and started rounding up parts to fix it. He bought all oem parts and set them aside in his garage. Life got in he way and unfortunately he never got the chance to build the car. So there it sat for 42 years until I came along and bought it. I had worked aaaall summer and saved up to buy a lemans and this one found me.the car came with a full oem quarter, tail lights, deck lid, and a rechromed bumper all still in the gm boxes! The interior is solid too, it’s dark blue and bucket seats but column shift Kinda weird but for the past 10 months I’ve been working on the car almost every weekend getting the engine in stuck, replacing a cam because of wiped cam lobes and redoing all the brakes fortunately it had front disk. With the help of my dad and brothers I hope to be able to drive it to school my the end of this month. Sorry this is kinda long I just felt like it’s a cool story 

[74Esprit]

Sean, thanks for sharing your great story! Welcome aboard and keep us updated on your progress! Keep the photos coming and enjoy restoring your Pontiac!

[Frosty]

Sean, this is a great story and a even better car. Also, as an owner of '72 Lemans Sport convertible, I'll be interested to see what you do to it. I'll be happy to give you advise along the way. I've owned my Lemans for 25 years now. I am not afraid to drive it cross country either. Other than hanging sheet meta, I've been there and done that.

[Ringo64]

Fantastic story about getting your LeMans. Congrats!

[Ted Feight]

In 1967, I was driving a 1966 Catalina Convertible. I came home to Michigan, from working in Chicago, to find a draft notice to report the next day.  I had to give the car back to the dealer; which you could do back in that period of time. After an all expense paid trip to Vietnam, I came home and bought a 1969 Camaro.  It was a great car, but I always missed my Catalina. 

A few years ago I was travelingdown M-55 between Houghton Lake and Lake City and saw the nose of a 1966 Catalina poking out of a small garage. After finishing my business in Lake City I stopped and talked to the owner, Barry Synder.  We talked about cars, clocks and his working at the Pontiac factory. I told him that I would like to buy the car if he ever sold it. I stopped a few more times when I was in the area . He was a very nice gentleman.

Last fall his daughter called to tell me he had died. He left her a note asking her to give me the first rights to buy the Catalina, if she sold it. Barry had set the price.  I drove over to look at it and bought it the next week.  I named the car Barry.

[tberg]

When the 1968 Pontiac GTO was unveiled, I was a 15 year old kid just starting high school.  I was smitten by the whole look, the Endura bumper the hidden headlights, the hood scoops, the big engine, ALL OF IT.  High school was easy and boring, and I would spend the time in class drawing crude pictures of it.  I always knew that someday I would have to have one.  And the Verduro Green color was what I wanted.  About ten years ago, I finally bought one for a very reasonable price, but it didn't have hidden headlights which were a must for me.  I did some research, and found that there was a guy up in Romeo, Michigan who almost exclusively worked on GTOs who could convert it for me, and I had the car shipped from the seller to him.  My sister lives in Michigan, as well, so when I went to visit her, I drove up to his shop and was amazed.   He had hundreds of cars in the biggest "barn" I had ever seen.  

Tomorrow (supposedly) I am getting it back from a restoration after several years of it being apart.  I have never been so excited about a vehicle, and I have some very nice cars.   But this one was my dream!

[Max67]

I bought a 1977 trans am in 1989. It was sitting outside of a body shop ,silver with a black interior 400, 4 speed.  After looking at it for a few weeks from my shop across the street I decided to ask the shop owner what was the story with the car. He said the owner never paid for work and handed him over the title, and for $800.00 , I could have it. It was silver mostly, with a black interior.  Long story short, it was such a monster. Really a fast car that I street raced in Philly on the weekends. When it started to show signs of rot , due to east coast weather, I decided to sell it. I've regretted that decision ever since. Luckily I found a really nice 76 that was garage kept its whole life, but needed the driveline rebuilt. And that's the story, 32 years in the making.

[64 kiwi boni]

Great story max, and you have certainly done a nice job of your 76 👍

[TWO LANE BLACK TOP]

Great car...

Sold my all original 79 TA (Had it since 1981) back in 2016... Someone made me a stupid high cash offer... Couldn't refuse it..... Have kicked myself in the ass ever since....

Welcome to Forever Pontiac....

Edited February 7, 2021 by TWO LANE BLACK TOP

[safetyart06]

Married the woman and the 1950 Pontiac came with her.

[Solstice]

My sister had a 68 Firebird, that was the start. Got my 68 Firebird Sprint in 85, until 2009 when Solstice GXP caught my eye, that was all she wrote. Traded my bird in immediately and no regrets!

[Frosty]

I think I would have found room for both the Bird and Solstice in the garage, but thanks for sharing.

Edited March 22, 2021 by Frosty

[JUSTA6]

7 hours ago, Solstice said:

My sister had a 68 Firebird, that was the start. Got my 68 Firebird Sprint in 85, until 2009 when Solstice GXP caught my eye, that was all she wrote. Traded my bird in immediately and no regrets!

[TWO LANE BLACK TOP]

Mrs. Two Lane asked that question once....

35 minutes ago, JUSTA6 said:

My response was...Because I want too...And No the other ones are not for sale....This topic is now closed to any further response/discussion.....Go make me a sandwich.....And be quick about it.....

Edited March 22, 2021 by TWO LANE BLACK TOP

[JUSTA6]

Go make me a sandwich.....And be quick about it.....

Wouldn't eat that sammy on a bet....

[outlawmars]

just wanted a pontiac again and tired of having to use my moms concorde gave $800

[JUSTA6]

50 minutes ago, outlawmars said:

just wanted a pontiac again and tired of having to use my moms concorde gave $800

Hope ya get one soon.

[TboneWS6]

My Mom & Dad, we’re both loving generous souls & had a ‘67 Lemans. They gave it to me & my new Bride when we got married in 1969! 
Midnite blue, w a light & dark blue interior. Very sharp. 

[JUSTA6]

2 hours ago, TboneWS6 said:

My Mom & Dad, we’re both loving generous souls & had a ‘67 Lemans. They gave it to me & my new Bride when we got married in 1969! 
Midnite blue, w a light & dark blue interior. Very sharp. 

And so it begins.....