MY ALL TIME FAVORITE CAR WAS AND IS THE 1965 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. WITH ITS MOST IMPRESSIVE DASH, CONSOLE AND BUCKET SEATS OF ANY CAR IN THAT ERA. LAST YEAR FOR THE GORGEOUS CHROME OVER THE BUCKET SEATS. FIRST YEAR FOR THE TURBO HYDRAMATIC AND FOR RETAINING THREE GAUGE CLUSTER WITH FACTORY AIR. YOU NORTHERN FOLKS, BE CAREFUL AS THIS CAR RUSTED BADLY WITH MUCH OF IT HIDDEN FROM VIEW. TO HAVE A RUST FREE CALIFORNIA GP WOULD BE A DREAM COME TRUE.
I FOUND IT ADVERTISED FOR SALE. 35,000 ACTUAL MILES, FACTORY AIR, 8 LUGS, RAN GREAT AND AIR BLEW COLD. IT WAS DELIVERED NEW FROM A PONTIAC DEALER IN NEWARK CALIFORNIA. IT WAS UP IN PIONEER CALIFORNIA LAKE TAHOE. I WAS ABLE TO MAKE A DEAL WITH THIS RETIRED NAVY MAN AND HIS WIFE WITH TERMS. I THINK IT TOOK ME SEVEN MONTHS TO PAY FOR IT.
THE EXTERIOR APPEARED TO BE SILVER BUT WAS FACTORY COLOR “D” FONTAINE BLUE PAINT BADLY FADED FROM THE CALIFORNIA SUN AND COMPLETELY RUST FREE. IT ALSO GOT SHIPPED TO MEMPHIS. WHEN MY SIX CAR HOME WAS COMPLETED IN EADS TENNESSEE, IT OCCUPIED A SPACE OF HONOR WITH FIVE OTHER CARS. MY WIFE HAD FINISHED CHEMO TREATMENTS. EVEN WITH BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD, THAT MEANT AN ADDITIONAL $3,000 A MONTH OUT OF MY POCKET. I STARTED TO SELL THE CARS ONE BY ONE AND SHE FELT BADLY. I TOLD HER, I CAN GET ANOTHER CAR. I ALWAYS LIKED TO INJECT HUMOR WHENEVER POSSIBLE. SO I TOLD HER, WHEN I MARRIED YOU, I SHOULD HAVE CHECKED YOUR TEETH LIKE A HORSE. SHE LAUGHED.
SOLD THIS GRAND PRIX TO A NEWLY OPENED SPECIAL INTEREST 50’S AND 60’S CAR SHOW ROOM AND BODY SHOP FACILITY NEAR SOMERVILLE TENNESSEE. HE CAME TO THE HOUSE AND PAID CASH. HE COMPLETELY RESTORED IT AND HE SOLD IT AT AUCTION. THE PURCHASER CALLED ME AND I SPENT A GOOD BIT OF TIME DESCRIBING THE ENTIRE GP HISTORY. HE WAS SO GRATEFUL TO ME FOR SHARING THE CAR’S HISTORY.
