GTO
In memory of Article and photos submitted by: Randy Cooper Growing up in Southern California, I’ve been a gearhead as long as I can remember. As a child, I could tell the year, make and model of every American car I saw. My father was a tool and die maker who often made tooling for automobile applications. I graduated to making 1/24th scale models of then current cars. I enjoyed the process, even using thread from my mother’s sewing kit for spark plug wires. In high school, I dreamed of the day that I would have my own car to make better than new. Unfortunately, for me, my parents didn’t see it that way as they felt that I would let my studies slide to work on a car. They were probably right. I graduated high school and got lucky as my aunt had an old ‘56 Chevrolet 210 post. She gave it to me and I was on my way. I started making extra money by doing mechanical work on other people’s cars eventually getting into body and paint. Since I couldn’t afford some of the prices, other than Earl Scheib’s famous $29.95 paint jobs, I started painting mine and friend’s cars. Flash forward a lot of years to 1997. By then, between home owners association and EPA, there were no home paint jobs. Having owned a GTO in my youth, I decided to look for another. It took a while, but one day while I looked through the local classifieds, I found a perfect potential candidate. The ad read “1964 Pontiac GTO 389 4 speed one owner.” The price was so appealing, I immediately called the number in the ad. I left a Voice Mail. Some hours later, I received a return call from the GTO’s owner, Joan. She explained that her brother, Jerry, had purchased the GTO from Utter Pontiac on La Brea in L.A. He drove her for several years before going into the service. He served his country in Vietnam and, ultimately, was killed in action there. The family had used the car and she was, eventually, retired to the back yard. Since mine was one of 70 calls for the car, I was one of ten people to inspect the car. This was with the understanding that all ten would inspect the car before Joan and her daughter, Brandie, made a decision. When it was my turn, I found a weathered, rust free car. Joan had a shoe box with paperwork, including the warrantee book that included the protecto plate verifying that she was, indeed, a matching number GTO. I couldn’t wait for the phone call saying that she was mine. Luckily for me it came a few hours after my visit. Sure enough, they had picked me. I rolled over to make the payment, pick up the pink slip and make arrangements to have her towed to my friend’s body shop the next day. My friend, Charly Knafo who ran the shop, and I began the disassembly. I decided to check out the condition of the engine before we completed the disassembly. I did the usual reprogramming of the engine prior to starting. Mystery Oil, hand cranking her, etc. A little quick start. I turned the key and she roared to life. No noises, no smoke once the Mystery Oil was burned. I was thrilled. We then removed the glass, interior and dash components so that I could restore them at home. I restored a set of 14x6 station wagon wheels for use with the new redline radials I had purchased. The body and paint was done and then came the fun, reassembly. Since Joan had honored me by allowing me to continue Jerry’s legacy I decided to restore her in his honor. Those who have seen her at various shows have seen the poster board with Jerry’s history on it. Also, I had a memorial plaque made to honor him as the original owner. To this day, I am still in touch with his sister Joan. The best day was when I first took the GTO for Joan to inspect and she said “I’m glad I sold her to you.” Now, she is like the 1964 Ronnie and the Daytona’s song, Little GTO you’re really looking fine, 3 deuces and a 4 speed and a 389.