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THEN AND NOW
By GTO Joe Sims
A Chevy Man
In 1964 my grandparents bought me my first car, an ill
running, lowered, 1955 Two Door Hard Top, Two Speed Auto. I named it
"Ce La Vie". I found out later the V-8 was sick with 2 bad
cylinders and without cash to fix it, l had to drive it that way. Wow!
I bought Hot Rod Magazines instead of comics. Hot
Rod's articles taught me how to work on cars. I converted the Chevy over
to a High Boy 575 Horse. 6 carb 327 complete with Fender well Headers,
Four Speed and 510 Gears. The ‘55 running hard, blew and burned. Next
was the ‘57 post "Rambunctious" 327, ran very fast, sold it.
Next another ‘55 Chevy Hard Top "Yellow Fever"; took a 20 lb.
sledge hammer to the fire walls and installed my first Big Block 409 with
2-4's. By now I'm a mechanical powerhouse in the Chevy World.
Turning Pages in Hot Rod Magazine
In early 1967 the ad for the new 1968 Pontiac GTO
appeared in Hot Rod. That's when I decided that's the car for me. Working
hard with minimal bills and $500.00 down at the old racing age of 18, I
took delivery of a new factory ordered ‘68 Goat in November,1967 from
Lee Adams Pontiac in Oakland. Just think, for $4,700.00 - a Hood Mounted
Tach, 390 posi, 350 HP, 400 cubes, 4-Speed and lightning fast! What a
car!
How did I become "GTO Joe"?
As a member of "Street Racers, Inc." car
club, becoming a Pontiac man was new turf for me. Well, it is early 1968,
me and my Goat enjoyed racing until we started racing The Big Boys, my
Chevy competition. My Goat got blown away by a 272 cu. in. Ford Falcon
(modified of course). In my Chevy world that could not happen. So I
decided to name my Goat "The UFO” and turn it into a Monster.
Bored & stroked to 478 cu. in., balanced, counter balanced,
blueprinted and cc'd,12 1/2 to ones, 3-two's, 585 Lift 320 duration
Crowler cam, 2,900 lb. Weber clutch 220 Low 4 Speed with 488 Gear, and
Mallory Mag making 650 HP at 6,000 RPM, so fast, so quick, my fellow
racers dubbed me “GTO Joe”. Many victories, broken parts, until that
fatal day in 1972. Blown engine, big fire, totaled Goat. A sad day. Life
as a Goat Man over.
28 years later, 2000
I take the Fifth Street San Francisco exit every day
going to work. In January all of a sudden, on a car lot with Beamers and
SUV's, sitting in the back row I could see the red top of a 70's
something GM vehicle as I took this exit. Please understand l love GTOs,
my famous Mallory Mag is the only part remaining from the days of the
Mighty UFO. This red top called me every day for three months to come on
over and take a look. Now it is March, in my mind I figured a Chevy of
some year. One day the decision was made to go and check out the red top.
Heart stopped, eyeballs popped, chin dropped; a 1970 GTO Judge right
before my eyes! Unbelievable! The car was OK, good in's and out's, but in
poor health.
I bought the car on the spot, had to fix it on the
lot. Dealer couldn't find a repairman that understands older cars. Well,
l'm GTO Joe, cut a repair deal, worked on the car 2 months in my spare
time. Finally, I get to drive it home. More dollars later and lots of
passionate hours of work, it's a Hot Rod, loud, fast and funky,
"Fear This" 1970 GTO Judge. Once again the Goat Man lives! GTO
Joe is alive and well.
If you notice in the pictures in 1968 A-1 Springs did
the suspension on the UFO. After more than 30 years, A-! springs also did
the mods on “Fear This”
The Golden Gate Goats
GTO Joe and Fear This; What a combo! Where are we
going? What are we going to do? In my travels for parts and stuff, the
yellow pages sent me to Ed at the Goat Farm. I asked him about other
Goats. He gave me info on GTOAA and The Golden Gate Goats. Well, with
GTOAA I couldn't see them or hang out with them, so I took the zero. Now
with The Golden Gate Goats, that's a wonderful story in itself, one day
I'll hafta tell ya. From day one, my first meeting, paid my dues and
realized me and my Goat found a home. We've been running with the herd
ever since. Talk about a great group of people! Very down to earth and
all Pontiac. A special thanks to all members, the ladies, guys and cars.
Now I know where we're going and what we're doing.
GOATS FOREVER! GTO JOE
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