I have to start out with this video that was shot in April 1967 with a regular-8 film movie camera.  It's difficult to remember back before our electronic age with crisp pictures and sound, but this clip is a good reminder.  It's a short clip - lucky we took and saved anything from that long ago.  My buddy Jim and I had been screwing around for a little while with his Chevelle and my GTO up and down my street.  It's also important to note that we were a half block in the Los Angeles City limits with the City of Inglewood starting at the next intersection.

Jim was shooting the video and I proceeding down the block down towards the intersection when I spotted a parked Inglewood Black-&-White just across the intersection intently watching me as I churned up plums of tire smoke down the street.  We were out of his jurisdiction but he scared the hell out of me -- which shows on my face as I quickly park and run for cover.

(Click on the picture to watch video) 

 

 

 

 

 

This red hardtop came into our lives in 1988.  I'm was the second owner.  My friend's stepfather bought it from a dealership in late 1967, and kept it 21 years.  Original engine at .020 over 400 with a Crane HR214 cam (hydraulic roller) with 1.65 Harland Sharp rockers, considerable port and bowl work on "670" heads, forged dished pistons and a set of Doug's Headers.  A 200-4R with a 2600 stall converter, shifted through a His&Hers Shifter powers the 3.55 limited slip.  A set of BF Goodrich 275/60 15 TA Radials gets the power to the ground.  The AC still blows cold, and it's no problem to drive 100 miles to San Diego or sit in Summer traffic.  It runs on 87 octane regular gas even in the heat of summer and runs high 13's. Longest trip was to Dayton. Ohio and back for the Pontiac Co-Vention for a round trip total of 4,600 miles. I sold it in a weak moment and it has went on to the new owner.

                       1967 Red GTO

  

 

 

 

  
 

The Blue GTO:  I ordered it from the factory and took delivery in March of 1967.  It's a one-owner and it's not ever leaving. I factory ordered the 360 HO motor, 4 speed trans, disc brakes, and the ride and handling package.   It still has the original 4 speed and 3.36 limited slip rearend.  I raced it at the Pontiac Drag Day events for many years before retiring it to a more mundane street existence. The best pass with the original iron heads was 11.96/114.9.

  
 

1967 Blue GTO                         

 

aka  "The Blue Goat"                      
Drag CarDrag Car Pomona

The 1967 GTO Drag Car has run a best so far of 9.97 at 133.5 MPH at the Hot Rod/In-And-Out event at Pomona 2018.

                      1967 GTO Drag Car

  

 

 

 

  

 

I'm an active member of the Inland Empire GTO Club since 1989, and enjoy taking the family on club outings.   One great thing about living in Yucaipa is the ability to visit the beach, mountains or desert within an hour's drive. Southern California weather allows us to enjoy our hobbies year round.

   

                    

  
   
 

This picture was taken at the Airport Hotel in Los Angeles.  We were down in L.A. for a class reunion, and spent the weekend at the hotel.  The valet parking staff was kind enough to watch out for the car.  In fact, the GTO never moved from this prime location.
 

Airport Hotel, Los Angeles              

 

 

                    
 

This Montreux Blue GTO was rather rare.  Back in '67, everyone opted for the darker Tyro Blue.  Pin striping was white, and Parchment interior.

                         Not a bad color

  
 

 

 

  
 

The mags on both cars are Centerline Champ 500's.  It was the only wheel that had the perfect backspacing (5-1/4") to allow a large tire without raising the rear of the car up a foot or so.  
 

Two blue Goats                        

 

                    

 

FIRST ONE THERE WINS                                

 

Another shot of the Blue Goat heating up the slicks.

   Burnout  Time  at  L.A.  County  Raceway

  
 

 

 

  
 

The Blue Goat getting away and getting a good edge on the competition.

 

"YOU DON'T STOP RACING BECAUSE YOU GET OLD...
YOU GET OLD BECAUSE YOU STOP RACING!"

 

 

                    

                 

 

Race over, and a peaceful cruise back to the pits.  Note the width of the slicks and how well they fit in the stock wheel wells.

                       

 

 

  
   
 

Just pursuing the tiger theme.  I wonder what Pontiac had to replace when they let the real tiger hop in and out of the '65 convertible for the TV ads.

 

 

 

                    

March 1967                                                  

 

 

1965 Catalina 2+2 with the original 421 engine.  We were lucky enough to purchase it from the original owner.  This picture was taken at Los Angeles County Raceway when Mark was 16. Not one, but two drag racing trophies for him and the car.

Since that time we have swapped to poverty caps and kicked the horsepower up a notch or two.  Best with the 4,500 pound race weight beast is a 12.87 at 99.8 MPH at the High Performance Pontiac Magazine shoot out event.

                                         Mark and His 2+2

 

 

   
 

OK, not too many photos from 1967, but did come across this one showing the blue car with the paper plates.  It had been picked up at the dealer the day before and taken up to Yucaipa for a break in drive.  Next to the GTO was my dad's '67 Buick Riviera G ran Sport.  

 

 

 

                    
OK, so a long time ago I owned a Chevy.  Actually I'd love to have this car back.  It was a 1963 Impala SS automatic with a 327 small block, Firestone 500 tires on Fenton Mags in front and chrome reverse in the rear. and .  This fire engine red inside and out hardtop was my high school car that I cruised Hawthorne Boulevard, putting on many miles between the A&W and the Wich Stand.   I still have a certificate from Lions Drag Strip stating that the car held the miles per hour record for its F/SA class at 86 mph - Those were much simpler times.  It was traded in on the Blue GTO in March 1967.  I believe that we got less than a thousand dollars for it on trade in.  Ouch!