[Charlie Brengun]

Most expensive American car? A 1973 coupe deville.. But before I was born back in '73 they were expensive (today not so much)..

[poncho-mike]

A real AC Cobra 427 car back in the mid-1970s.

When I was a teenager, I worked at a restoration shop doing assembly/disassembly and cleaning parts on Saturdays and over the summer. The shop owner did a lot of work for a Ford collector, and at that time the early Mustangs were hot. He had a few Shelby's come through, but the neatest car he did was a 427 Cobra. I worked there for about two years.

He also had a neat older car in the shop, but it was already disassembled when I started. I think it was a late 30s Mercedes or Rolls Royce sedan.

[sdbob]

My buddies 67 Yenko 427 Camaro. Brand new. Shift kit,converter,cowl induction,holley,intake, from qjet. Then later took engine apart. Here it was a 2 bolt 427 with the small port heads. Still learning. Later found out it was the last 67 Yenko made. Mind and Phil's new SD455s.

[TAKerry]

Originally Posted by stellar

stainless steel fords

The T bird was on display at the AACA museum in Hershey for awhile. Neat looking car.

[george kujanski]

I have a '91 Caddy Allante. Sticker price back in the day was around 50K. Today, drivetrain parts are still available at reasonable prices, but body parts, etc get pricey; some only available from donor vehicles.The Italian electrical system always needs something.

I have always liked the style, tho.

George

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by dhcarguy

X2, 65 GTO

Lol. Yah - my GTO.

K

[Keith Seymore]

Probably the most expensive car I ever worked on I am not at liberty to talk about for another 27 years.

But - I will post this random photo for no particular reason.

K

[Elarson]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

Probably the most expensive car I ever worked on I am not at liberty to talk about for another 27 years.

But - I will post this random photo for no particular reason.

K

I think we have a winner!

Eric

[geeteeohguy]

1911 National 40 Indy car that ran in the first Indy 500. Got done in time to make the 100th anniversary of the race in 2011.

[sdbob]

Would this experience count? When my wife and I were at first POCI Convention in Orange County we were coming into the host hotel. A man was having difficulty moving Mickey Thompsons Challenger. I vaguely remember helping(is that actually working on?) Did I help push on actual car,yes.He needed battery power to operate maybe a winch when we got to trailer. I had my rental a brand new SSEI white Bonneville. So I brought it over and assisted. Memories, sometimes fad.

['ol Pinion head]

rebuilt the original 3.55 HD Saf-T-Track in one of the 4 auto '69 T/A converts

[Mr_GTO]

I've helped on a few rare cars. My brothers 72 GS Stage 1 4spd convertible, my late friends Shelbys, GT350H SN1899, CSX2284 and my old man's 67 L88 Corvette. That you can see in this video. The man that owns it is the 2nd or 3rd owner after my father owned it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQE1yHad0O0&t=281s

[jerry455]

I have done quite a bit of work on Roger Rosebush's Car 50 Replica when it was in my buddy's shop last winter through summer. Can't wait to see the pictures and video next month when they do the 60th anniversary of the race.

[77 TRASHCAN]

Well....I have worked on this car. My late good friend Richard Allen owned it from 1980 to 2012. He grew up in Reynolds, Illinois. Mostly raced at Cordova, until he and his wife moved to Oklahoma in 1982. He never raced it in Oklahoma. His plan was to do some racing after retirement. His plans got side tracked when he was diagnosed with Parkinsons disease around 2008.

He and I and another Pontiac enthusiast attended many races and Pontiac events from the mid 80's until he and his wife moved back to Iowa in late 2017.
There's a story that goes with theor move. But his wife wanted him to be closer to his family in his end days.
They moved to Muscatine, iowa in October 2017. I visited them in June 2018. Took him to Wisconsin Dells to the POCI event, we were gone for 5 days.
I thought the trip and all we tried to do there, were tough on him. Everything he did was a struggle, going any distance, any walking, looking at cars seemed to be pure hell on him. We'd go to a restaurant, after we were done eating. It looked like a 2 year old had been eating, it was always messier than you could imagine, but he was doing his best, fighting to get along, regardless of what he was doing. I would walk in front of him. At all times, in case he fell or tripped. He was too proud to use a cane or walker. Oh, he served in Viet Nam, for a year.....as a medic, came home without a scratch!!! He ordered his new 69 firebird from over there, as the big 3 were all doing. His 69 is another story.

Richard passed just 2 months later. I apologized to him wife for putting him through all this.

She said, NO. he said he had the best of times on our trip!!!

In 2010, he calls ne up, says, Hey I want to get the GTO running, would you help me? Of course, I would. His ability to do much with a wrench was gone. I did all that was needed. I got the brakes working, went through the Q-Jet, installed new header gaskets, had the intake and valley pan off, just to make sure everything looked OK after sitting for 30 years. Changed the trans filter and fluid.

He really didn't want to sell it. And regretted selling after he did. His wife was fretting over what to do with that car, if something happened to him.

Just having it running in his garage with open headers was a thrill to he AND I, !!!.

He raced it in G or H stock automatic, although not a lot, he told me. This was back in Iowa in 1980 through 1982, he changed jobs a couple of times back then. $$$ wasn't always there to race.

I think the excitement of racing was in his blood, even if it was just a Pontiac stock class racer. The craziness of serving in Viet Nam may of had an influence on him. Smokey Yunick had a similar perspective after World War II.

He sold the GTO to Knipplemier Chevrolet in 2012. The owner, Larry Knipplemier has a classic car dealer/lot next door to his Chevrolet dealer. He has ALL kinds of old cars. Mostly muscle cars.

This car was special ordered fir on specific thing, to race!!!

The options were all to make the car as race-able as possible. Of course it got the 455Ho engine. With 4 speed trans, heavy duty suspension and drum brakes. It got a bench seat, because it was lighter than 2 buckets.

Richard followed racing closely. The first owner (again regretfully) sold the car in 1975 to a racer in New York, or New Jersey named John Corcoran (Richard said the guy pronounced his name as Cochran).
Mr. Corcoran (not related to our member here. Named Tim Corcoran, I asked him years ago) was building a new home in 1980, and (I think) advertised the car for sale, possible I n the NHRA paper.

The current owner is a member here. But is not much active and does not post here. I kept asking questions in the 70-72 section until someone gave me the answer I was looking for.

Neither Richard or I were able to tell where Knipplemier had sold his GTO to...


Current owner is in Detroit, I believe is an engineer. He has several makes of muscle cars and races some in the F.A.S.T. racing deal.

Car was supposedly not built in normal fashion. It got no undercoating, or radio z but did have a heater core in it. It supposedly weighs 100-200 pounds less than same car that was built on assembly line.

The car was built for Truman Fields.
This car has historic Pontiac significance, not sure of its value. To most of us here, it's pretty cool.

I was honored to work on such a cool, for such a good friend!!!

Truman posted here some. Been a long time. I found the thread where he talked about this car, some. It's interesting. It might pop up, inthe racing section.

Thanks all, especially for the prayers that have healed me through my brutal car accident, this summer!!!

Jeff bolton

[77 TRASHCAN]

Truman's description of his 72 GTO is in the 69-71 judges only, section. I brought the thread up to date!!@

[Wakepowell]

One of the few 1967 L88's that retains its original drivetrain. (~$3 million)

[RocktimusPryme]

I’ve worked on aircraft tugs that probably cost $30k to produce but I’m sure the army paid half a million for.

[stellar]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

Probably the most expensive car I ever worked on I am not at liberty to talk about for another 27 years.

But - I will post this random photo for no particular reason.

K

Thats a winner. Turkey dinner. Did you need security clearance?

[RFCOLEMAN]

1971 GTO Judge convertible.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by stellar

Thats a winner. Turkey dinner. Did you need security clearance?

Yep.

Secret level, working with the Secret Service Special Services division.

K