[Super-G]

Well I sold my Lemans yesterday. I've been a Pontiac guy for about 30 years. It all started when my dad and my uncle took me to Atco Raceway when I was a kid. I used to love Corvettes and when I saw a 67 GTO blow the doors off of a Corvette, I was hooked.

I've owned 2 GTO's a 67 hardtop with a 400 and a 4 speed, a 70 convertible with a 400 and a 4 speed, a 71 Lemans Sport convertible with a 400 and a 4 speed, and most recentlya 70 Lemans Sport with a 400 and a 4 speed.

Each car had it's own unique story. The 67 was my first car as a junior in high school. People from all over knew me as the guy with the 67 GTO. I sold it to buy the 70 convertible from the son of the original owner. I sold the 70 convertible when I enlisted in the Marines. My 71 Lemans Sport convertible was a 65,000 original mile car purshased from the nephew of the original owner after he died. It was a 350, T-350 car that I converted to a 400 4 speed. Unfortunately I sold it when my wife and I bought our second home. After the purchase of our second home there was money left over for another car. I bought a 70 Lemans Sport locally for $5000.00. It was a decent car but had received an amateur restoration and was really only a good 5-10 foot car. It must have been in demand though, because the buyer drove all the way down to PA from Ontario to pick it up.

The story does have a happy ending, it all started a few weeks ago when I met my father at a cruise night. I drove my Lemans and he drove his 69 Mach I. As we looked around at some of the cars at the cruise night, I told my dad that I was tired of having a car that needed so many little things and that I was probably going to sell it and take some money out of my Vanguard account and buy a finished car.

My dad said he had a deal for me.....he's 69 and retired. He has the Mach I which he bought brand new 2 days after he got home from Vietnam. It's all original with only 58,000 original miles. It has a 351, 4 speed, and a 9" rear with 3:89 gears. My dad said as much as he loves the car he doesn't drive it much and hates to see it sit, and he knows that I would use it for car shows and cruise nights more than he would. He also has a SUPER low mileage 06 Mustang GT that he bought brand new. (when he bought it we went to the local Ford dealer in his Mach I and you should have seen the whole sales force checking the car out) So...he made me a deal. I sold the Lemans and gave him the money. He and my mon took the Lemans money and added money to it and opened a college savings account for my 2 kids.

I always knew that someday the Mustang would be mine. But my dad said he will now enjoy seeing me and my son enjoy the car while he's still around. I'm frankly floored. I never thought that I would own this car until much later in life. I can't thank my father enough for what he has done. I can only promise him this that the car will be well taken care of and some day I will pass it on to my son.

Like I said, I've always been a Pontiac guy and I will always have a soft spot in my heart for GTO's but the chance at 42 to own an all original 58,000 mile 69 Mach I is just way too good to pass by. Especially since the car was my dad's. You just can'tplace a value on that.

Maybe some day there will be a chance for me to own another GTO, but right now I'mjust enjoying being the owner of a beautiful 69 Mach I.

[keith k]

Great story (and very well told, I might add).

[se428bandit]

Looks like you had a nice Lemans.As a kid i loved Mustangs,my older brother had a few if them.I have owned a '68 coupe that was black with the gold "C" stripe and a '88 LX 5.0 coupe,both were fun cars.But they still weren't as fun as my '77 SE T/A that i also had at the time,plus the T/A would easily smoke them both.Post some pics of the Mach 1,'69 is one of my favorite Mustangs.

[PontiJunk]

I woulda took that deal too. 69 fastbacks are one of my favorite muscle cars of any make and there is no replacement for knowing the entire history of a car like that. There is always another chance to pick up a Poncho in the condition you want it in..just a matter of money which is why most of us don't have a bunch of 'em. Post up some pics of your new toy.

[mike nixon]

Sounds like a great move to preserve some family history and pass the love of these cars on to your kids.

There's no shame in that.

Mike

[David Holmberg]

I can't blame you at all. The 69/70 Mach 1's were always a favorite of mine, and being your fathers car makes it one of a kind.

Enjoy the car, but stay in touch with us here on PY.

[topless lemans]

Very good story indeed. Even though this is a Pontiac site love to see a pic of it.

[Kurt Zimmerman]

Once a Pontiac guy, always a Pontiac guy...

Kurt

[keith h]

You made the right move keep that car in the family! When I sold my '65 GTO convert I cleaned out my garage of all the part's and anything I had for a GTO, my thought was at the prices these car's were going for at the time I would never be able to replace or purchase another GTO, a few years later a friend of mine sold me his 68 GTO for a very good price, my point is you never know what you will come across and what deal might come along unexpectedly, I also own a '69 Mach1 they are one of the best looking car's ever produced, you already know the history of the car but one cool thing to get is a Marti report on the car
How about some photo's!

[Kitch428m21]

I saw your title and thought, HA! No way. This is just a side step in the hobby. You never know what's around the corner about to fall into your lap.
This is a great father's day story. I was nice reading it. Like the rest, I always liked the Mustang. In '69, 70, as a 7th grader, I was always sketching and drawing cars.
The '69 Mach 1 was one of my favorite to draw in 3D. The grill and body lines of that year were so perfectly period correct. Of course, all American cars of that time were just at their height.
Congrats on your side step move in the hobby. We'll leave the light on for ya.

[Scarebird]

Life too short to eat one flavor of ice cream all the time. I would trade my 71 for a 69 Mach One 4 speed even up myself.

[hobbygto65]

Great story, looks like a happy "Fathers Day" all around.

[Johnny406]

You can always pick up another poncho someday (hopefully you will) but owning a 69 Mach I is a great situation...

[george kujanski]

So where are the pix???????? Probably not a true story....

George

[goquick]

I don't blame you at all. But where is the pictures? LOL Now, about that tube chassised, allout dragcar you could build that could be a Pontiac........

[4dblnkldude]

I'd like to see some pics too. Congrats.

[The Boss]

Nice story especially on Father's day. I'd be proud to own one of my father's cars if he had kept any of them.

You'll be back.

[Super-G]

Originally Posted by george kujanski

So where are the pix???????? Probably not a true story....

George

I'll get some pics. I've been up at the family vacation home in the Pocono mountains all weekend. There's a father's day bar-b-Q here today.

The Mach I is home in my garage. I'll pull it out this week and get some decent pics posted. And here I thought that some Pontiac faithful would brand me a traitor.

[Bob Hall]

Originally Posted by Super-G

I'll get some pics. I've been up at the family vacation home in the Pocono mountains all weekend. There's a father's day bar-b-Q here today.

The Mach I is home in my garage. I'll pull it out this week and get some decent pics posted. And here I thought that some Pontiac faithful would brand me a traitor.

Nah, not with an awesome background story like yours.

[Batman]

I love those '69 and '70 fastback Mustangs. You will never regret keeping this car in the family, regardless of what you sold to do so!