David Bair considers his “Poncho” part of the family after 40+ years of ownership. This is what Dave had to say about his prized Pontiac.
“I purchased this GTO in Des Moines, Iowa in 1981. It was a local car that was originally sold at the local Pontiac dealer then known as Sumner Pontiac. The car was manufactured at the Kansas City assembly plant. It is an early 1966 car that came off the assembly line in late October of 1965. I am the 3rd owner. The car came with the original dealer’s invoice and protecto plate warranty items. With that paperwork, I knew the name of the original owner. I looked in our Des Moines phone book and saw a name that matched the original owner. I decided to give him a call and sure enough it was the guy who originally ordered the car.
It was interesting to visit with the gentleman who bought the car when he was 20 years old. He traded in his 1962 Grand Prix because he wanted a car that was faster on the street. Among the options he selected were, tri-power carburetors, 4-speed transmission, full gauges, limited slip differential, and seat belts. There is no power steering or brakes or other features that he felt would rob power from the 389 cubic-inch engine.
The car is painted Marina Turquoise with a black interior. This is a numbers matching GTO with its original engine, carburetors, transmission, differential, alternator, etc.
I performed a frame-off restoration of the car several years ago. All mechanicals are refreshed and as new. The interior is still original materials except the carpet. The car drives as new which is to say that it can be a beast to handle compared to our cushiony new cars.
Having owned this car for over 40 years, it has definitely become a part of the family. I enjoy being its caretaker and look forward to driving it for a few more years.”
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