My dad Robert wasn’t exactly a car guy. He drove trucks for a good portion of his life, had a Jeep kick for a bit, and if you ever asked him about one particular red Ford stepside, he’d tell you all about the seven circles of Hell that Dante dreamed of. But the one car that he always dived to for stories was a 1968 Pontiac GTO that he owned in high school. I never did get much information on that car. I knew it was black, I knew he sold it just before he entered the Air Force, and I knew that on more than one occasion he ran afoul of his father after some hijinks in it. Never a photo, no real correlation with anyone from his past…just my dad and a story of a Pontiac that didn’t involve his 1977 Grand Prix and his oldest son repaving half of Jackson County, Illinois with it one day.
The GTO has been a strange draw for me. Overall, I’m more of a Firebird guy when it comes to Pontiacs, excepting 1971-72 GTOs. It’s the updated nose cone…really, that has to be it, because there wasn’t much else changed from the 1970 cars. The changes are so mild that they almost don’t warrant mention, but there are other cues with this 1971 that I can appreciate. It’s not tarted up to be a Judge, or built into some kind of track-day monster or drag race demon. It wears some age on it well, which you can find in the cracked paint on the Endura front nose cone and on the dash cover. The 400ci Pontiac mill, TH400 and 3.73-geared powertrain will make for a plenty fun driver. And that’s the part of the car that I think appeals the most to me: it’s a driver. This is a car you shouldn’t be afraid to start up, back out, and go drive in. I’m not talking to a car show, either. I mean that day when you look at the daily driver and realize that today, you need something just a little more special. The day you want to smile wherever you go.
Maybe that’s why he loved that car so much.
Nice blog. Thanks for sharing.
Growing up the neighbor had one
We could beat him out of the hole every time but when we ran “top end” which was a midnight run down I-85 late at night ( near deserted at night back in the 70’s) that car was a monster–it would never quit gaining pulling away
All around tire melter and FUN muscle car that never had the most HP etc but was one of the best packages for fun ever devised–just a perfect combo straight from the factory! Love em!!!
Wow – same story here -sorta. My nephew had the same exact car except silver w/a/black vinyl top. He had it around ’76 or so. His girlfriend saw a new Grand Prix & wanted that instead of an old car no one wants! He sold it before l knew about it being sold…$1200 & just as clean as this featured car. White interior in a silver/ black car seems unusual to me
Had a 68 GTO cordaro green hideaway head lights his and hers shifter black interior. Loved that car. Had alot of fun in High School. Was racing on a back road going home one day and came around a curve and electric power board truck was parked on my side of the road with no signs out. Totaled my GTO. I am looking to find another one like it. That has been a slow process.
Still have my fsthers 71 gto that my father bought new. Has a 3 spd muncie that makes it fun to drive. The party seemed over in 71 if you read the hp numbers. But in reality even today these cars are a blast!