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Harry Cooper's 70 Dream
Never was much interested in cars when I was a
kid - spent all my free time playing baseball and basketball and hitting the
books. About the time high school graduation rolled around in 1964, guess which
new model Detroit was coming out with? Yup, something called the GTO. There
hadn't been anything like it before. Nobody could figure out what the letters
stood for, but it sure was THE hottest set of wheels in town. Couple of kids got
GTOs as graduation presents. Me? I got a copy of Roget's Thesaurus.
The Great One. King of the Road. The Intimidator.
Yes, they were exciting, great-looking machines. Everybody dreamed of having
one. Can't remember a bigger buzz about a car. But then it was on to college,
and then the marines, and then, in the blink of an eye, it's 30 years later, and
all those bags of money that might have gone for a 1965 navy blue
four-on-the-floor, went instead for mortgages, tuition, re-roofs, and pool
replasters. Sound like a familiar refrain?
But the funny thing was, I always had in the back
of my mind that if I ever decided to get a classic, it was going to be a 1961
Pontiac Catalina coupe, one with that great pearly red coral-looking color.
That, I thought, was always the best looking car ever.
So, I started looking around on the internet for
1961 Catalina's. And somewhere along the line, I got to a Pontiac page, then a
link to a GTO site. I saw a couple of GTO rag-tops from 1970, and started
thinking, you know, that's one pretty good-looking car ! A Catalina? What was I
thinking?
So, I made a mid-course correction. Kept plugging
away with my search, and finally found the one you're looking at above. Probably
paid too much, but gee whiz, they only made 3,700 of those things in 1970, and I
couldn't be sure when another one was going to come along (at least that's the
rationale I gave my wife, anyway), so I took a deep breath and consummated the
deal.
Was pretty pleased with the red paint job (not
exactly Cardinal Red, but close), and the original YS 400/350 4-bbl. engine runs
pretty good. Tranny is a Turbo 400 with a shift kit. Not the original, but it
shifts OK, so I'm leaving it alone, for now.
There were a few downsides. Had to replace all
the weather stripping, put in a new radiator and fuel pump, do a major tune-up,
re-do the brakes, put in new convertible top motor, and replace the whole
front-end and suspension (shocks, springs, bushings, ball joints, etc.). Re-did
the exhaust system (went with Flowmaster). Hennesy Motors in San Jose did most
of the work. Replaced the after-market wheels with new Rally IIs from Wheel
Vintiques - went with 14X6 to stay original. Interestingly, the car did not come
with Rally IIs - a check with PHS disclosed that the car was originally equipped
with wheel covers. Put BFG Radial T/As (P225/70X14) on all four corners. Got the
GM beauty rings from Year One , and the center caps and black-center lug nuts
from Ames.
Interior's looking better, with new carpeting and
new comfortweave seat covers from OPG for the front. The only major things left
on my wish list are a new rag-top, a dash restoration, and an original AM/FM
push-button radio, if I can find one. Gotta fix the air conditioning. And a
sport steering wheel would be nice, too. Already have these on my Christmas list
. . . .
Well, my Goat will never be trailer queen
material (I can see that this is going to be a never-ending project), but this
old Pontiac is still looking pretty good. Love starting it up and hearing that
roar . . . . a lion come to life. Love hearing that rumble when I'm stopped at a
red light. Besides, my family and I are having too much fun just cruising around
town and hanging at the local show and shines and taking in those admiring
glances. Why keep it in a box when you can be out on the road or picking up your
daughter from school? (She's the little American Beauty in the driver's seat - a
future GTO aficionado, I'm sure.)
So, dreams really do come true, if you follow
them. In my case, it was a 70 Dream. Looking forward to meeting everyone at all
the GGG events this summer, and at Hot August Nights!
Harry Cooper
San Jose
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