['ol Pinion head]

Growing up, Dad special ordered our family's first unofFicial tow vehicle, that was early in the Fall of '68. Midnight green with a limelight green top '69 Executive Safari wagon. 428 T400, AC, HDC, 3.23's. Dad had one of his Pontiac rep contacts @ zone 20 drive it til near 3000 miles so he could get the best GM employee deal.

The Spring of '69, Dad then equipped the Safari with a trans cooler & very HD Equalizer hitch. Very similar hitch to todays Class 5 hitch, no breakaway box. Not every Summer, but at least every other one, our family was fortunate to head out on a 3 or 4 week vacation. Once at our destination, the trailer was parked in a good campground spot & Dad served his 2 weeks summer duty at a nearby AFB. Early July of '69, Colorado Springs area, '71 was near Maumstrom AFB in Montana. Last one long trip was in western WI, not sure on the base.

As far as the Pontiac Safari wagon went, Mom drove it as the family driver til Oct of '75. Dad had a company car till the Fall of '77. The turbo 400 in the Safari never had to be rebuilt, the 428's timing chain was changed early on. Through the late 80's up through today, hitting many massive boneyards through extensive travel, have ran across less than a dozen '69 Executive & Bonneville Safari wagons. Have a better chance seeing one at POCI Nats, many higher C/R wagons simply were gone by the 90's.