Let's go all the way with the numbers because with the tag we can brag: 10D for the fourth week of October 1967 production, 68 for 1968 model year, 2 for Pontiac, 35 for Tempest Custom, 37 for two door hardtop sport coupe, FRA for Framingham, MA assembly, 217 for black vinyl interior trim, G-G for April Gold upper and lower exterior paint. The Framingham, MA plant operated from 1947 to Tuesday August 1, 1989. The closing of the plant was a hot debate between then governor of MA Michael Dukakis and local politician Anthony Colonna when the town of Framingham wouldn't sell GM a 35 acre plot for construction of a new facility. GM responded by closing Framingham citing "economic downturn" and the small size of the facility, but then admitted that the local political and labor climate had something to do with it as well. We got the VIN we win: 2 for Pontiac, 35 for Tempest Custom, 37 for two door hardtop sport coupe, 8 for 1968 model year, G for Framingham, MA assembly and the rest is the production sequence, and yes if it begins with a 6 it's six cylinder equipped and if it begins with a 1, it's eight cylinder equipped. John Delorean was a rogue among GM executives and he wasn't well liked by many of the "stuff shirts" at GM. He dressed trendy, had a model for a wife, lived a "jet set" life style and didn't hang out at the same country clubs and golf courses as the rest of the GM executives. DeLorean, Russ Gee, Herb Adams, Malcolm "Mac" McKellar and others were instrumental in bringing to life the many unique and desirable models and options on Pontiacs that we can appreciate today. John Schinella was the man responsible for the RPO code "D53" hood bird on the Firebirds and had to convince GM to "offer it as an option" and often said when he went to the assembly plants (Norwood, OH and Van Nuys, CA), he could see the hoods lined up for assembly and most of them had the decal on it. In 2009, he spoke at a Trans Am nationals event and said, "I along with others saw what you wanted and had to convince GM that it was the right thing to do. I drove that car down Woodward Ave and everyone stopped me to inquire about that decal." The 1979 10th Anniversary Trans Am "Turbo Flow" wheels were designed by Appliance Wheel Company to Mr. Schinella's specifications and the wheel was again offered on other non SE/LE cars for the 1980-1981 model year. Thanks to men like these, Pontiac became a performance oriented division within GM and during the dark days of the 1970s. When the EPA and the insurance industry made the performance era dark, Pontiac as the expression goes "kept the torch lit" and "kept the lights on for ya......." As I always say, "We need the VIN to win, and the tag to brag". The numbers often tell the story.
Fun and interesting fact. My 1965 GTO that I resurrected from a severely rusted rolling shell, was the 65th vehicle off the production line. Lots of zeros in the VIN. According to the tag and PHS it was Montero red, black interior, 4 barrel, 389, 4 speed, manual steering/brakes. After repairing a mind numbing amount of rust, I painted it pearl blue, dropped in a 455 that runs on ethanol I make and E85. Since most of my 455s break 4 speeds its had a 700R4 or Th350 in it since I got it moving under its own power in 2012. It was so incredibly rough that I made it into a fun driver, since the original parts were long gone. I just got a TKO600 five speed to put in it, so its getting its man pedal back. Funny thing is the equally rusty 1969 GTO I have is also Montero red, 4 barrel, 4 speed, black interior, manual steering/brakes. Neither had AC. The 69 might get rebuilt this winter, collecting/ordering parts for it now. They are twins but 4 years apart in build dates. Two strangely optioned cars I have are the 1970 GTO which was a 400, 3 speed manual, power steering/disc brakes, hardtop in palomino copper also without AC, the build sheet was very short like it was a lot filler for the dealer. The least expensive 70 GTO you could get. The other strange one is a 1979 Trans Am. Other than being a Trans Am it has no options, not even intermittent wipers. No AC, T tops, power windows, WS6, or anything else, just the standard stuff with the 2.41 rear gears and the 403 Olds. Likewise the least expensive 79 TA you could get. It contrasts with the 10th Anniversary TA I picked up back in 1987, that thing has every option in it with the 403/Th350. The 10th TA was a very fun car to drive when I was 18. That car has a story behind it involving a crazy ex girlfriend of a previous owner and an ax. Mirrored T tops have been somewhat hard to find. Then the curious car... 1972 Formula 455 HO. AC, Th400, power everything, Ram Air, rear defrost fan, and the kicker... no paint code. The cowl tag has two dashes in that spot, like - - PNT. It was special ordered in Alaska, apparently he wanted to pull his boat around, so he wanted the biggest engine which required the Formula or Trans Am. Apparently he didn't want the TA, yet got all the bells and whistles of a Trans Am, but with the Formula hood and other bits. I am very aware of the rarity of this car, only 276 round port Formulas built in 1972, not many with AC and auto, and far as I know this is the only one with special paint. It doesn't stop there, a couple years back I got a very rusty shell of a 68 Firebird, looks like an OHC 6 car, but the cowl tag has something I have never seen before, and I own two Firebirds with an X in the VIN. It says SPECIAL on the cowl tag. I really need to get a PHS on it and see what the deal is. Not much is left, the rockers, cowl, roof, passenger door, and upper C pillars are there, nothing else is. The 68 is not getting restored, not enough left of it to do that. I have a different plan for it involving building a frame for it, using a fiberglass front end and doors, then drop in one of my 400s or 455s to make it a lightweight fun driver. It will make a nice mileage mule to test carbs and EFI systems on my home made ethanol fuel. I didn't go looking for the curious or rare ones, they are simply the cars that popped up in the price range I could afford since I got my first Pontiac, a wrecked 1972 GTO from a junkyard for $175 in 1986. I finally found the complete front end I need for it last year. Traded a running 454 to a guy for the T41 LeMans after they cut up the roof to repair a Chevelle. I missed buying two Judges, a 69 RA IV 4 speed for $1200 in 1985, and a 71 455 HO M22 in 1987 for $4000. I bought the 10th TA for $2000 instead of the 71 Judge. If I had gotten the 69 Judge, I would not own so many Pontiacs and other vehicles right now. A 69 Judge is the itch I can't scratch no matter how many others I buy/build/own/race.
@@SweatyFatGuy Rebuilt, not built. GM builds them, hobbyists rebuild/restore them. The Trans Am with the 403 wasn't actually the cheapest way to go. You could get a 301 Pontiac in 1979 and it would provide the buyer a credit, so while you had the 403 and it was the "standard" engine, it wasn't the cheapest option that year. The 10th Anniversary with the 403 was the less desirable of the two. I have a 400/4 speed 10th and that's the one to have as far as 10ths go. Yes, at times odd things went on with cowl tags. Special might indicate a special paint option for example. The PHS may or may not give you you a clue about it. On the older manifest cards, they were often handwritten notes like "No dum-dum" or "Special paint. Body in aisle 3" or something like that. Before the era of computerized assembly lines and IBM computers running everything, that was all handled by memos, by hand and one department handing it off to another. It worked somehow back then. Everyone had a piece of the process.
@@googleusergp I know the 400 with ST10 is more desirable in the TATA, and I know about the 301. Mine didn't have it and I am fine with that. It hasn't moved in 35 years anyway, I need to get it up here and go through it. The HO and the GTOs are more interesting to me than the four 79 Trans Ams I have. My 79 WS6 Formula came with the 301 4 barrel and ST10. If it was a 400 car it would not be a stripped down race car right now. The cowl tag has me curious, and the car itself is painted yellow with red on top of the yellow, its flaking off all over it. When you make enough parts by hand for it, you are building it. The 65 GTO didn't have much in the way of aftermarket support when I began the monumental task of making it drivable again. I had to make lots of stuff for it, and I was lucky to find a Tempest out in the woods to give me the drivers side quarter and enough metal to use as patterns to make other parts. A tree crushed the passenger side, and we cut that thing up with 600' of cord and a sawzall. If you want an idea of what went into building the 65, I have a video with the stills I took of the work I did, on my channel. Its called the most boring slideshow of a 65 GTO you'll ever see, or something like that. A short video of the 69 is on there too, and I will drive that car. At what point does it become something else? The Theseus' paradox fits me and cars.
@@SweatyFatGuy Well we do not make our own transmissions, engines, frames and so forth. We are assembling them from parts stamped, forged and made by others. That's why I say "rebuild". They are only built once, they can be rebuilt multiple times. A 403 never belongs in a Pontiac in my book. Divisional power in the right division. Yes, I do own Oldsmobiles as well, and they did make an excellent engine. They belong in an Oldsmobile though. Yes, the aftermarket support has gotten better as time goes on. That's where modern technology comes into play in the sense that we should be able to recreate pieces today that would have been arduous in the past. You could get some weird color combinations on a Formula of that vintage. What's on the cowl tag that makes you curious? You could sometimes get combinations that GM did not recommend, and often times they required "sign off" to make it happen. So if you wanted a green exterior with let's say a blue interior, that might not be "suggested" by GM, but it could be possible with the right check offs in the boxes. Most folks went with the standard "suggested" combinations.
This brings back some memories. In high school in the late 80's, I knew a guy that had a '68 Custom, and man, was that car rotten. It still had it's original 350 2 bbl and auto trans. It ran okay, but it was so badly rusted that he relocated the gas tank to the trunk, the inner rear wheelwells and floor pans were gone, as well as the rear quarters, fenders, etc. He packed the car full of bondo, and rattlecanned it blue with red/orange flames. It was a legit death trap
Yep. High school auto shop in early 80s. One of my classmates brought in his 70 Chevelle 2 door to work on. 350 2 barrel with 4 barrel adapter and a Cherry Bomb. Must have had 300 lbs of bonds in the rear quarters. Great story.
I live in Pennsylvania now that I'm "all grown up", where we have annual inspections. Back in Maryland where I grew up you got an inspection when you bought the car or if a cop gave you an inspection ticket on a traffic stop. That meant that my high school parking lot was full of rotten beaters and amateur project cars. My personal favorite was a very nasty purple Gremlin that, I swear, my friend kept on the road with bondo, duct tape, and speaker wire. Doing 90 mph down the highway at open lunch in that thing was truly a come to Jesus moment.
I used to frequent a monthly cruise night, and the owner of a Firebird Sprint with the OHC six was a regular. I lost count of how many people seriously asked him when he was gonna drop in the V8. Some were dumbfounded or even offended when he said “Never”. He admitted a V8 swap was his original intention. But when he realized how rare and interesting the sixes are he changed his mind.
My next door neighbor in the 1970s had a Dark Green '68 Lemans with the 350 and floor shifted automatic. It also had dual exhaust. He put a set of ET mags, the ones which looked like Cragar S/S on it. Another guy in the area back then had a '67 or '68 Firebird with the OHC Six and a three speed, and he swapped in a five speed from a Monza! That must've been a good driving car.
For some reason, I find the straight 6 cars interesting and appealing. Maybe because they are rare today because they either went to the crusher or got engine swaps. I’ve never seen one of the Pontiac OHC motors, but they are intriguing. Great video lesson! Brings back memories.
A yard I go to has one of those engines sitting in a 67 tempest. I to find it interesting too. Value cover is aluminum and has "pmd" embossed on it. Rest of engine is rusted with that shiney valve cover
It appears that nobody remembers this, but those Pontiac OHC six-cylinder engines burned oil like there was no tomorrow. I don’t think many were rebuilt when they finally failed. Also, if you were sold because everyone wanted a V8
My old boss 1986 had a OHC6 GTO. He ordered the 6 cylinder with the GTO option or a heavy duty package paint interior etc. the T37 was the cheap man’s GTO
My parents had a '68 or '69 Tempest with the OHC. It was silver, and the only mod my Dad did to it was put some slots on it. That was one of their favorite cars.
I was a teenager in the '80s and my best friend's mom bought him a beautiful '66 Lemans convertible, red with white top. It had the ohc 6 with 4bbl and 3 speed on the tree! Surprisingly fast car, it had a glasspack muffler so it was loud and sounded horrible!
My dad a 69 Tempest OHC. No power steering or brakes and a 3 on the tree. Man that car could run!!!! Had it out with my dad one day. He said open it up and I did. Well past 125 mark on the speedo!!! Wish I had that car today.
Back in 1970, right after I got out of the Marine Corps, I worked at a speed shop in the Germantown section of Philadelphia. The owner of the shop had a lot of ideas. One of them that we started, but never completed was building a fuel dragster withe the OHC Six. Not sure what class it would have run, probably D/Dragster, but I don’t think we could have had a lot of competition in that class! Unfortunately, we went out of business before completing the project, so I never got my Fueley license!
My Old Man grew up in Olney and speaks very highly of street racing/drag racing scene in Philadelphia during the late 60's and through 70's into the early 80's. He talks about Front Street frequently. Nice to see another person from the Philadelphia area in the comment section.
Everyday I can drive out family 1967 silver glaze Firebird ohc6 one barrel 2 speed auto, st300 with 2.56 gears out for a drive. Bought new by my grandmother on April 28th of 1967. A dream to drive!
My dream car!! I’ve only seen one of these in person and it was my dads best friends, nothing made me feel cooler than when he offered to take me for a cruise into town blairing Bon Jovi😅
Hi Jory Ahrens, I'm into music too (but I DO NOT play or sing, I listen) and will never forget Todd Phillip's GG Allin documentary "Hated". Especially the "GG takes a drink and spews mini hot dogs" scene. Yikes! Todd Phillips would later go on to direct BAT MAN feature films!!! Thanks for writing, Steve Magnante
Always thought the Pontiac OHV six was an awesome engine, and never knew that its height as the reason it was discontinued, great informative episode, thanks!
If they discountinued it in 1970, it wasn't because of the height, the '71 and '72 lemans was still the same car just different nose, and the '73 -'79 colonade cars were much bigger than the older A bodies. I think they must have killed it to spite Deloreon.
Bought one years ago for $25.00 had a 350, 2barrel. The timing chain had jumped, bought a new one for about another $25 bucks, installed it in the guys driveway, and drove it home two hours later 😄 A score is a score!
I wouldn't say car bodies got better. Those cars have 30-40 years. If not more on today's cars. Cars today will probably look the same with that time on them. And todays cars traded in more. In the 60s and 70s they kept them longer.
I think of these as second tier muscle cars. Not everyone could afford GTO, GTX, 442, etc Friend of my dad had a 66 F-85 post coupe 335 4bbl three on tree Fun car and easy to underestimate its performance likely weighed 300 pounds less than same year 442
My father had a 67 Tempest with the OHC six. It kept wearing out rocker arms, so he traded it for a 68 with a 350. My grandmother had a 68 Tempest, again with the OHC six, and never has any problem with it.
The belt was probably one tooth off on that car , then they would ware out the rocker arm / cam follower as its . a common problem with some of them in first cars that got dealer serviced at some point.
The 66-67 230 engine was known to wipe lobes. Reason, there is a flow restrictor in the head to keep pressure down on the lobes. 68-69 250's had a smaller hole in the flow restrictor, hence, lower pressure on the lobes and less wiping of the lobes.
Growing up, I remember my Dad's 1968 GTO he ordered from the dealer in April Gold with matching vinyl top and a four on the floor and a white BENCH seat so my Mom could sit beside him. On trips, he would let me sit in the middle and shift for him.. My first "driving" experience. Thanks for sharing, Steve.
I think that Tempest OHC engine is one of the coolest 60s mills. I remember Tex Smith put one in his "Dollar a Pound" roadster and if I could find a good one I'd be tempted to do the same('cuz I need another project,lol)
An interesting fact about the exhaust manifold on these Pontiac OHC sixes: The Y-pipe of the exhaust mates up perfectly with the manifold of the Jaguar DOHC sixes, and vice-versa. Made for some pretty interesting engine swaps back in the day!!!
I love your junk yard videos you know your cars you show cars we havent seen Since our teens..that we use to cruez in This is just like a pontiac i had once it has nice curves an old lady gave it to me after her daughter left for colledge 350 2 barrel it was in her back yard for years..anyway keep those junkyard videos coming thanks..
That OHC six reminds me a bit of the Jag OHC six that they made for years and even sounds a bit like one. My brother bought a new 66 GTO sport coupe body off the show room floor and next to it was a Tempest with the six....he made the right decision .
That April gold metallic that was in the inner trunk lid looked amazing! I googled it, and wow it was a beautiful color! Interesting tidbits of info too, thanks Steve!
Kind of, sort of related is a memory I have of going with my dad to a dealer in Wheeling WV in the fall of 1970, and my dad looking at a 400ci Tempest code 37 (T37), but deciding on a 71 Chevy Malibu 350 because the T37 was stripped of features that mom might want. Like carpet, and a vinyl top.
During the summer of my 8th grade (late 1980's) I was wandering around the shop area of our old high school and they had two of these sitting in the back, next to an old shop building. If memory serves me correctly, they both had a badge that said overhead valve or overhead cam. This threw me for a loop as that was primarily an import thing at that time.
Very cool! I just picked up a '68 Tempest Sports Coupe (post car) with a 350 2bbl and a 2-speed ST300 automatic. 2.56 rear gear in Verdoro Green. It is an awesome cruiser!
A family friend totaled (rolled in a ditch) his LS-6 Chevelle, swapped the LS-6 into a plain jane Tempest, only hint was crager wheels. Surprised lots of folks at stop lights…
In 1986 I had similar body `72 LeMans GT American version here in Canada, which I was told had Ram IV GTO running gear & sway bars etc. I had the horizontal tapering skinny reflective stripes on each side, like my `73 Dart Sport.
Stepped up the production and editing just a touch. Nice work! Steve says…. “GTO til it’s not”……… I’ve always said “All Tempests, like it or not” The Goat herd hates to hear it, but it’s true. Magneto even lays it out for ya in this vid.
Your level of resources is so amazing to me. I'd love to page through the old hot rodding magazines of the day. Been a fan of yours since your hot rod magazine days. Good stuff! Keep up the good work!
Owned a couple of Pontiacs with the OHC 6. First was a 66 LeMans with a 3 on the tree. The cam broke and trashed the engine. Dropped in a 400. The only problem after that was the car had a 3:56 rear end and had a top speed of about 70. Later bought a 68 Firebird with the 6 and a floor shift automatic. This car had spent it's life on coastal town and rust had done a number on the rear subframe. Ended up parting out this car.
Got to love the GM A-bodys! I worked on so many of them for my friends back in the day, even though I was a Mopar guy I worked on so many Chevelle's, Monte carlo's, Lemans, I knew them better than anything. I'm still a Mopar guy but have always had several GM'S around I dabble with too!
I love your knowledge and how you can take a car in a junkyard that none of us would give the time of day and you bring it to life with your analysis. You are such an automotive knowledge resource. Keep up the great work! I also like what you do in that you don't pander to the rice junk that clogs our highways right now. You stick with good ole American iron.
If that thing was close to me, I would be dragging it out of there, and making it into a fun daily driver. Already pulled a 68 LeMans out of a Nebraska pasture for $300 in 2014, dropped in a low buck 461 with a bunch of used parts in it, then made a fiberglass nose and hood for it. Its been lightened extensively, so it moves pretty good, but its getting some upgrades this year... like a 9" to replace the 12 bolt, a 10 point cage, and a whole lot more power. I can't save them all though.
Hello Soxcessful, I knew nothing of GG Allin until I worked at Hot Rod magazine where my co-worker Jeff Koch shared news of "The Murder Junkies" with me. That led to Todd Phillips documentary "Hated" and lots of laughs along the way ever since. I'm not a big fan of GG's music - a little too form-less for my tastes - I prefer Butthole Surfers when I'm considering "insanity music". Go Gibby! Go!!! And didja know Gibby is currently living in New York City where he is married and writes CHILDREN'S BOOKS!!! As for GG, well I haven't made the trip yet, but his grave stone is in nearby New Hampshire. Maybe a trip there some day....THANKS for watching, Steve Magnante
Fiat also came out with an overhead cam engine in 1966, but it was a dual overhead cam, made for the 124 Spider. I was also driven by a cogged belt. I wonder whose was first. I'm going to guess Pontiac, by a few months, because there's only about 200 1966 Fiat 124 Spiders made, and no one I know has ever seen one.
Another perfect example of a great GM motor screwed up by corporate.. and of course, killed right when they could have used it the most in the fuel catastrophe downsizing of the 1970s and 80's
Started in 1974 and went on from there!! GM stayed on top of the muscle car Era with more wins and championships than any other brand in American racing hence the logo they used USA-1
There was a 68 Olds F85 in my parts about 15-20 years ago. I saw it was in a field just setting so I checked it out. It was all there but had scaly rust everywhere. I believe the only option it had was an automatic tranny. You could tell the Chevy six under the hood was painted gold at one time. It was a bare bones car.
Back in high school in 1972 one of the guys I hung out with bought a '68 GTO with the four barrel OHC six. Whoever ordered it new did it right with console four speed and the optional hood mounted tachometer and postreaction rear end. Gary dressed it with a set of Crager SS wheels. It was quicker that a 389 GTO in the first two gears but after that it was no contest. It was defiantly quicker than my '68 Dodge Dart with a 225 slant six and automatic though.
Steve, I have to wonder how these survived so long in the junk yard. Here in Florida, I never see anything like this stuff you find. Our cars get picked over fast and moved pretty quickly to the shredder. Not much over 25 year old junk here in our lots. I might have to come and see this place up in your neck of the woods some time.
Hi Charles Warren, you make a good point. The major enemy of old junkyards is "urban sprawl" and rising land values wherein classic stashes like the one I visit in Bernardston, Mass are under attack from housing developments, commercial activities and just plain old Mean Code Enforcement Tactics. Happily, Bernardston Auto Wrecking is in the wilds of....Bernardston, Massachusetts where the land values are stable and the fact it is family owned (and not owned by a corporation seeking instant liquidation) sets the stage for a rather secure "future" for the many relics on display there. That said, I used to live in Los Angeles and watched in horror as the grand old Memory Lane Classic Auto Dismantlers went on a furious CRUSH CAMPAIGN because the land lease ran out and they had to "thin the herd" to allow movement from North Hollywood to Long Beach. It was terrible to watch so much rust free California metal get crushed and shredded ON SITE. That was back around 2007 but the memory is fresh. THANKS for writing, Steve Magnante
@@SteveMagnante haha I just mapped it ,it's only like 3hrs away from the Hudson valley area of ny. You said the wilds of Massachusetts, and I had to see where it was and yes it's on the western end.
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That weld job looked like Ray Charles welded it with a Chicago Pneumatic Flux core welder🤣🤣🤣
Never expected a GG Allin reference in a Junkyard Crawl video!
Great video
You forgot to mention the 68 goat was motor trend car of the year!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻Love your channel.
I subscribed!👍🏻
Let's go all the way with the numbers because with the tag we can brag:
10D for the fourth week of October 1967 production, 68 for 1968 model year, 2 for Pontiac, 35 for Tempest Custom, 37 for two door hardtop sport coupe, FRA for Framingham, MA assembly, 217 for black vinyl interior trim, G-G for April Gold upper and lower exterior paint. The Framingham, MA plant operated from 1947 to Tuesday August 1, 1989. The closing of the plant was a hot debate between then governor of MA Michael Dukakis and local politician Anthony Colonna when the town of Framingham wouldn't sell GM a 35 acre plot for construction of a new facility. GM responded by closing Framingham citing "economic downturn" and the small size of the facility, but then admitted that the local political and labor climate had something to do with it as well.
We got the VIN we win: 2 for Pontiac, 35 for Tempest Custom, 37 for two door hardtop sport coupe, 8 for 1968 model year, G for Framingham, MA assembly and the rest is the production sequence, and yes if it begins with a 6 it's six cylinder equipped and if it begins with a 1, it's eight cylinder equipped.
John Delorean was a rogue among GM executives and he wasn't well liked by many of the "stuff shirts" at GM. He dressed trendy, had a model for a wife, lived a "jet set" life style and didn't hang out at the same country clubs and golf courses as the rest of the GM executives. DeLorean, Russ Gee, Herb Adams, Malcolm "Mac" McKellar and others were instrumental in bringing to life the many unique and desirable models and options on Pontiacs that we can appreciate today. John Schinella was the man responsible for the RPO code "D53" hood bird on the Firebirds and had to convince GM to "offer it as an option" and often said when he went to the assembly plants (Norwood, OH and Van Nuys, CA), he could see the hoods lined up for assembly and most of them had the decal on it. In 2009, he spoke at a Trans Am nationals event and said, "I along with others saw what you wanted and had to convince GM that it was the right thing to do. I drove that car down Woodward Ave and everyone stopped me to inquire about that decal." The 1979 10th Anniversary Trans Am "Turbo Flow" wheels were designed by Appliance Wheel Company to Mr. Schinella's specifications and the wheel was again offered on other non SE/LE cars for the 1980-1981 model year.
Thanks to men like these, Pontiac became a performance oriented division within GM and during the dark days of the 1970s. When the EPA and the insurance industry made the performance era dark, Pontiac as the expression goes "kept the torch lit" and "kept the lights on for ya......."
As I always say, "We need the VIN to win, and the tag to brag". The numbers often tell the story.
Fun and interesting fact. My 1965 GTO that I resurrected from a severely rusted rolling shell, was the 65th vehicle off the production line. Lots of zeros in the VIN. According to the tag and PHS it was Montero red, black interior, 4 barrel, 389, 4 speed, manual steering/brakes.
After repairing a mind numbing amount of rust, I painted it pearl blue, dropped in a 455 that runs on ethanol I make and E85. Since most of my 455s break 4 speeds its had a 700R4 or Th350 in it since I got it moving under its own power in 2012. It was so incredibly rough that I made it into a fun driver, since the original parts were long gone. I just got a TKO600 five speed to put in it, so its getting its man pedal back.
Funny thing is the equally rusty 1969 GTO I have is also Montero red, 4 barrel, 4 speed, black interior, manual steering/brakes. Neither had AC. The 69 might get rebuilt this winter, collecting/ordering parts for it now. They are twins but 4 years apart in build dates.
Two strangely optioned cars I have are the 1970 GTO which was a 400, 3 speed manual, power steering/disc brakes, hardtop in palomino copper also without AC, the build sheet was very short like it was a lot filler for the dealer. The least expensive 70 GTO you could get.
The other strange one is a 1979 Trans Am. Other than being a Trans Am it has no options, not even intermittent wipers. No AC, T tops, power windows, WS6, or anything else, just the standard stuff with the 2.41 rear gears and the 403 Olds. Likewise the least expensive 79 TA you could get.
It contrasts with the 10th Anniversary TA I picked up back in 1987, that thing has every option in it with the 403/Th350. The 10th TA was a very fun car to drive when I was 18. That car has a story behind it involving a crazy ex girlfriend of a previous owner and an ax. Mirrored T tops have been somewhat hard to find.
Then the curious car... 1972 Formula 455 HO. AC, Th400, power everything, Ram Air, rear defrost fan, and the kicker... no paint code. The cowl tag has two dashes in that spot, like - - PNT. It was special ordered in Alaska, apparently he wanted to pull his boat around, so he wanted the biggest engine which required the Formula or Trans Am. Apparently he didn't want the TA, yet got all the bells and whistles of a Trans Am, but with the Formula hood and other bits. I am very aware of the rarity of this car, only 276 round port Formulas built in 1972, not many with AC and auto, and far as I know this is the only one with special paint.
It doesn't stop there, a couple years back I got a very rusty shell of a 68 Firebird, looks like an OHC 6 car, but the cowl tag has something I have never seen before, and I own two Firebirds with an X in the VIN. It says SPECIAL on the cowl tag. I really need to get a PHS on it and see what the deal is. Not much is left, the rockers, cowl, roof, passenger door, and upper C pillars are there, nothing else is.
The 68 is not getting restored, not enough left of it to do that. I have a different plan for it involving building a frame for it, using a fiberglass front end and doors, then drop in one of my 400s or 455s to make it a lightweight fun driver. It will make a nice mileage mule to test carbs and EFI systems on my home made ethanol fuel.
I didn't go looking for the curious or rare ones, they are simply the cars that popped up in the price range I could afford since I got my first Pontiac, a wrecked 1972 GTO from a junkyard for $175 in 1986. I finally found the complete front end I need for it last year. Traded a running 454 to a guy for the T41 LeMans after they cut up the roof to repair a Chevelle.
I missed buying two Judges, a 69 RA IV 4 speed for $1200 in 1985, and a 71 455 HO M22 in 1987 for $4000. I bought the 10th TA for $2000 instead of the 71 Judge. If I had gotten the 69 Judge, I would not own so many Pontiacs and other vehicles right now. A 69 Judge is the itch I can't scratch no matter how many others I buy/build/own/race.
@@SweatyFatGuy Rebuilt, not built. GM builds them, hobbyists rebuild/restore them. The Trans Am with the 403 wasn't actually the cheapest way to go. You could get a 301 Pontiac in 1979 and it would provide the buyer a credit, so while you had the 403 and it was the "standard" engine, it wasn't the cheapest option that year. The 10th Anniversary with the 403 was the less desirable of the two. I have a 400/4 speed 10th and that's the one to have as far as 10ths go.
Yes, at times odd things went on with cowl tags. Special might indicate a special paint option for example. The PHS may or may not give you you a clue about it. On the older manifest cards, they were often handwritten notes like "No dum-dum" or "Special paint. Body in aisle 3" or something like that. Before the era of computerized assembly lines and IBM computers running everything, that was all handled by memos, by hand and one department handing it off to another. It worked somehow back then. Everyone had a piece of the process.
@@googleusergp I know the 400 with ST10 is more desirable in the TATA, and I know about the 301. Mine didn't have it and I am fine with that. It hasn't moved in 35 years anyway, I need to get it up here and go through it. The HO and the GTOs are more interesting to me than the four 79 Trans Ams I have.
My 79 WS6 Formula came with the 301 4 barrel and ST10. If it was a 400 car it would not be a stripped down race car right now.
The cowl tag has me curious, and the car itself is painted yellow with red on top of the yellow, its flaking off all over it.
When you make enough parts by hand for it, you are building it. The 65 GTO didn't have much in the way of aftermarket support when I began the monumental task of making it drivable again. I had to make lots of stuff for it, and I was lucky to find a Tempest out in the woods to give me the drivers side quarter and enough metal to use as patterns to make other parts. A tree crushed the passenger side, and we cut that thing up with 600' of cord and a sawzall.
If you want an idea of what went into building the 65, I have a video with the stills I took of the work I did, on my channel. Its called the most boring slideshow of a 65 GTO you'll ever see, or something like that. A short video of the 69 is on there too, and I will drive that car.
At what point does it become something else? The Theseus' paradox fits me and cars.
@@SweatyFatGuy Well we do not make our own transmissions, engines, frames and so forth. We are assembling them from parts stamped, forged and made by others. That's why I say "rebuild". They are only built once, they can be rebuilt multiple times. A 403 never belongs in a Pontiac in my book. Divisional power in the right division. Yes, I do own Oldsmobiles as well, and they did make an excellent engine. They belong in an Oldsmobile though.
Yes, the aftermarket support has gotten better as time goes on. That's where modern technology comes into play in the sense that we should be able to recreate pieces today that would have been arduous in the past. You could get some weird color combinations on a Formula of that vintage. What's on the cowl tag that makes you curious? You could sometimes get combinations that GM did not recommend, and often times they required "sign off" to make it happen. So if you wanted a green exterior with let's say a blue interior, that might not be "suggested" by GM, but it could be possible with the right check offs in the boxes. Most folks went with the standard "suggested" combinations.
This brings back some memories. In high school in the late 80's, I knew a guy that had a '68 Custom, and man, was that car rotten. It still had it's original 350 2 bbl and auto trans. It ran okay, but it was so badly rusted that he relocated the gas tank to the trunk, the inner rear wheelwells and floor pans were gone, as well as the rear quarters, fenders, etc. He packed the car full of bondo, and rattlecanned it blue with red/orange flames. It was a legit death trap
Yep. High school auto shop in early 80s. One of my classmates brought in his 70 Chevelle 2 door to work on. 350 2 barrel with 4 barrel adapter and a Cherry Bomb. Must have had 300 lbs of bonds in the rear quarters. Great story.
Sounds similar to an air cooled VW bug belonging to someone I knew. Floors were rotten so stiff carpet took their place.
I live in Pennsylvania now that I'm "all grown up", where we have annual inspections. Back in Maryland where I grew up you got an inspection when you bought the car or if a cop gave you an inspection ticket on a traffic stop. That meant that my high school parking lot was full of rotten beaters and amateur project cars. My personal favorite was a very nasty purple Gremlin that, I swear, my friend kept on the road with bondo, duct tape, and speaker wire. Doing 90 mph down the highway at open lunch in that thing was truly a come to Jesus moment.
That's the nice thing about full frame cars... the body can literally rot away and the car will still be drivable!
Steve! Loved the G.G. Allen reference! Brought me back to my early days in the Boston punk scene. Cheers!
Thats cool. Jay Leno has a Firebird with one of these. I love the detective work.Thanks
I used to frequent a monthly cruise night, and the owner of a Firebird Sprint with the OHC six was a regular. I lost count of how many people seriously asked him when he was gonna drop in the V8. Some were dumbfounded or even offended when he said “Never”.
He admitted a V8 swap was his original intention. But when he realized how rare and interesting the sixes are he changed his mind.
There is a Firebird on the Jay Leno's Garage channel
Always love the Pontiacs
I had a '68 Tempest back in the day and I miss it!!
My next door neighbor in the 1970s had a Dark Green '68 Lemans with the 350 and floor shifted automatic. It also had dual exhaust. He put a set of ET mags, the ones which looked like Cragar S/S on it.
Another guy in the area back then had a '67 or '68 Firebird with the OHC Six and a three speed, and he swapped in a five speed from a Monza! That must've been a good driving car.
For some reason, I find the straight 6 cars interesting and appealing. Maybe because they are rare today because they either went to the crusher or got engine swaps. I’ve never seen one of the Pontiac OHC motors, but they are intriguing. Great video lesson! Brings back memories.
Check out Jay Leno's channel. He's got a Firebird Sprint he's restoring with the OHC-6.
A yard I go to has one of those engines sitting in a 67 tempest. I to find it interesting too. Value cover is aluminum and has "pmd" embossed on it. Rest of engine is rusted with that shiney valve cover
I just bought a 67 Tempest with the OHC6. I'll tear into the engine one year soon...
It appears that nobody remembers this, but those Pontiac OHC six-cylinder engines burned oil like there was no tomorrow. I don’t think many were rebuilt when they finally failed. Also, if you were sold because everyone wanted a V8
My old boss 1986 had a OHC6 GTO. He ordered the 6 cylinder with the GTO option or a heavy duty package paint interior etc. the T37 was the cheap man’s GTO
My 1968 Tempest Custom was a dark green with green bucket seat interior, powered by a 350 V8 2 barrel with the PowerGlide transmission.
Interesting lesson of a forgotten OHC 4V straight six, using a derelict hulk !
My parents had a '68 or '69 Tempest with the OHC. It was silver, and the only mod my Dad did to it was put some slots on it. That was one of their favorite cars.
A friend of mine had a 69 custom S ,350 2 bbl. Auto great car for it's day.
Steve, I like La Bus in the background.
Been following Jay Leno's Firebird Sprint for a couple years can't wait for him to show it off when he's finished
I was a teenager in the '80s and my best friend's mom bought him a beautiful '66 Lemans convertible, red with white top. It had the ohc 6 with 4bbl and 3 speed on the tree! Surprisingly fast car, it had a glasspack muffler so it was loud and sounded horrible!
My dad a 69 Tempest OHC. No power steering or brakes and a 3 on the tree. Man that car could run!!!! Had it out with my dad one day. He said open it up and I did. Well past 125 mark on the speedo!!! Wish I had that car today.
Steve with THE GG ALLIN REFERENCE. NICE.
Back in 1970, right after I got out of the Marine Corps, I worked at a speed shop in the Germantown section of Philadelphia. The owner of the shop had a lot of ideas. One of them that we started, but never completed was building a fuel dragster withe the OHC Six. Not sure what class it would have run, probably D/Dragster, but I don’t think we could have had a lot of competition in that class! Unfortunately, we went out of business before completing the project, so I never got my Fueley license!
My Old Man grew up in Olney and speaks very highly of street racing/drag racing scene in Philadelphia during the late 60's and through 70's into the early 80's. He talks about Front Street frequently. Nice to see another person from the Philadelphia area in the comment section.
What was the name of the speed shop? I'm the "Old Man from Olney". Used to hang out at K&G, Frank Bash & Andusia speed shops.
That engine would make a cool rat rod mill. Detailed and exposed for the public's viewing pleasure.
I had a ‘69 Custom S. Everyone thought it was a GTO but it had a 350 and highway gears. Still love that body style.
Great video 📹 Steve.
Everyday I can drive out family 1967 silver glaze Firebird ohc6 one barrel 2 speed auto, st300 with 2.56 gears out for a drive. Bought new by my grandmother on April 28th of 1967. A dream to drive!
I drove around in a 1968 Verdoro Green Green Tempest Custom two door hardtop from ‘73 to ‘76. Great car!
My dream car!! I’ve only seen one of these in person and it was my dads best friends, nothing made me feel cooler than when he offered to take me for a cruise into town blairing Bon Jovi😅
Don't forget the T37. Nice rare car, probably more rare than the GTO at this point.
And,.. Steve knows his punk rock history also!! Not only any punk rocker but thee gnarly filth monger GG Allen!! You never cease to amaze Steve!! 🤘
Hi Jory Ahrens, I'm into music too (but I DO NOT play or sing, I listen) and will never forget Todd Phillip's GG Allin documentary "Hated". Especially the "GG takes a drink and spews mini hot dogs" scene. Yikes! Todd Phillips would later go on to direct BAT MAN feature films!!! Thanks for writing, Steve Magnante
That video is not for the faint of heart. I'm waiting for the bitchin camaro reference one of these days.
I love this guy and his passion for vehicles. He’s my spirit animal
Always thought the Pontiac OHV six was an awesome engine, and never knew that its height as the reason it was discontinued, great informative episode, thanks!
And the motor was pricy. There is a Firebird on the Jay Leno's Garage channel
If they discountinued it in 1970, it wasn't because of the height, the '71 and '72 lemans was still the same car just different nose, and the '73 -'79 colonade cars were much bigger than the older A bodies. I think they must have killed it to spite Deloreon.
Bought one years ago for $25.00 had a 350, 2barrel. The timing chain had jumped, bought a new one for about another $25 bucks, installed it in the guys driveway, and drove it home two hours later 😄
A score is a score!
Still the best opening sequence of any RUclipsr. 🤓 I always look forward to your videos.
Yeah, but he hit the center bar of that Caddy Ambo with his hand mower!!
When you see all that bondo you realize how far car bodies have really come along. Something’s do get better!
I wouldn't say car bodies got better. Those cars have 30-40 years. If not more on today's cars. Cars today will probably look the same with that time on them. And todays cars traded in more. In the 60s and 70s they kept them longer.
I had a gold 70 tempest 350 2bbl and Saginaw 3 spd. It was fast! No power nothing. Wore out car saw alot of action on the street and the back seat
I think of these as second tier muscle cars. Not everyone could afford GTO, GTX, 442, etc
Friend of my dad had a 66 F-85 post coupe 335 4bbl three on tree
Fun car and easy to underestimate its performance likely weighed 300 pounds less than same year 442
My first car memory was in one of those ponchos.
My mother had one with the OHC sprint 6 and a glide.
Got a 68 Tempest Custom sitting in my driveway right now. Love it,origional 350 with AC. Not flashy but cool.
If you ever want to sell that, Hit me up!
My first car was a 68 Tempest base with a 350 V8, best 300 bucks I ever spent, memories of my sister trying to drive it without power steering.
The front frame is certainly worth saving.
My father had a 67 Tempest with the OHC six. It kept wearing out rocker arms, so he traded it for a 68 with a 350. My grandmother had a 68 Tempest, again with the OHC six, and never has any problem with it.
The belt was probably one tooth off on that car , then they would ware out the rocker arm / cam follower as its . a common problem with some of them in first cars that got dealer serviced at some point.
The 66-67 230 engine was known to wipe lobes. Reason, there is a flow restrictor in the head to keep pressure down on the lobes. 68-69 250's had a smaller hole in the flow restrictor, hence, lower pressure on the lobes and less wiping of the lobes.
Growing up, I remember my Dad's 1968 GTO he ordered from the dealer in April Gold with matching vinyl top and a four on the floor and a white BENCH seat so my Mom could sit beside him. On trips, he would let me sit in the middle and shift for him.. My first "driving" experience. Thanks for sharing, Steve.
My brother had a 68 Tempest, We put a 455 in it, I actually drove it to Florida after that, wish it was still around!
I think that Tempest OHC engine is one of the coolest 60s mills. I remember Tex Smith put one in his "Dollar a Pound" roadster and if I could find a good one I'd be tempted to do the same('cuz I need another project,lol)
The OHC was ahead of its time--had Pontiac put that into the 70's Ventura, they could have sold more of them.
Back in the 80's my neighbor Mike across the street bought a lemans with that ohc 6.That was the only one i ever saw after that.
I remember my friend Steve had a red 1968 Pontiac GTO in the early 80's. It had a 400 motor which he blew up and it never saw the road again.
I may be biased cause I own a 72 A body but I think they had one of the nicest looks for a car
230 HP for a six banger in 1968 was really stout! G
Another fantastic learning experience from the master!!! Thanks for all you do Steve!!!
An interesting fact about the exhaust manifold on these Pontiac OHC sixes: The Y-pipe of the exhaust mates up perfectly with the manifold of the Jaguar DOHC sixes, and vice-versa. Made for some pretty interesting engine swaps back in the day!!!
I love your junk yard videos you know your cars you show cars we havent seen Since our teens..that we use to cruez in
This is just like a pontiac i had once it has nice curves an old lady gave it to me after her daughter left for colledge 350 2 barrel it was in her back yard for years..anyway keep those junkyard videos coming thanks..
Thanks for the early post Steve!
I have grown up to your automobile knowledge. Thanks for doing these info pieces!
That OHC six reminds me a bit of the Jag OHC six that they made for years and even sounds a bit like one. My brother bought a new 66 GTO sport coupe body off the show room floor and next to it was a Tempest with the six....he made the right decision .
That April gold metallic that was in the inner trunk lid looked amazing! I googled it, and wow it was a beautiful color! Interesting tidbits of info too, thanks Steve!
Kind of, sort of related is a memory I have of going with my dad to a dealer in Wheeling WV in the fall of 1970, and my dad looking at a 400ci Tempest code 37 (T37), but deciding on a 71 Chevy Malibu 350 because the T37 was stripped of features that mom might want. Like carpet, and a vinyl top.
Great story. Keep on crawling!
Cool! Mom had a '68 Lemans, 350-2v/powerglide, but bucket seats with console shift and A/C!
During the summer of my 8th grade (late 1980's) I was wandering around the shop area of our old high school and they had two of these sitting in the back, next to an old shop building. If memory serves me correctly, they both had a badge that said overhead valve or overhead cam. This threw me for a loop as that was primarily an import thing at that time.
OHC6 on the rocker trim, jut behind the front tire.
Morning Steve!! Cool Pontiac video!!
Very cool! I just picked up a '68 Tempest Sports Coupe (post car) with a 350 2bbl and a 2-speed ST300 automatic. 2.56 rear gear in Verdoro Green. It is an awesome cruiser!
Amazing that yard must have a lot of hidden treasures there.
A family friend totaled (rolled in a ditch) his LS-6 Chevelle, swapped the LS-6 into a plain jane Tempest, only hint was crager wheels. Surprised lots of folks at stop lights…
I do recall seeing the OHC 6 in first gen firebirds.My friends thought I was nuts for thinking they were cool.
Ty Steve, one of my favorite shows
I drove a 1968 Firebird OHC 6 Four Speed Convertible. Fun Car!
In 1986 I had similar body `72 LeMans GT American version here in Canada, which I was told had Ram IV GTO running gear & sway bars etc. I had the horizontal tapering skinny reflective stripes on each side, like my `73 Dart Sport.
Stepped up the production and editing just a touch. Nice work!
Steve says…. “GTO til it’s not”……… I’ve always said “All Tempests, like it or not”
The Goat herd hates to hear it, but it’s true. Magneto even lays it out for ya in this vid.
He says it wrong. It should be "it's all tempest till its not" that's more believable and wont offered "the goat herd" as you call it.
My ND cousin had that exact same year model, except it was a goat. OHC 6! Surprising for Detroit
You answered what I was wondering ,was it the OHC 4 barrel 6 cylinder, great info,
My dad had a 67 tempest with the OHC 6.
I am once again humbled by you knowledge. I'm impressed every time.
Awesome
Your level of resources is so amazing to me. I'd love to page through the old hot rodding magazines of the day. Been a fan of yours since your hot rod magazine days. Good stuff! Keep up the good work!
I had the same car with the two speed transmission you could really wind out first gear… that motor sure could rev!
Powerglide 👍 A favourite among draggers
@@truckerdaddy-akajohninqueb4793 actually pontiac called them super turbine 300's
Owned a couple of Pontiacs with the OHC 6. First was a 66 LeMans with a 3 on the tree. The cam broke and trashed the engine. Dropped in a 400. The only problem after that was the car had a 3:56 rear end and had a top speed of about 70. Later bought a 68 Firebird with the 6 and a floor shift automatic. This car had spent it's life on coastal town and rust had done a number on the rear subframe. Ended up parting out this car.
Love the body style. I had a 68 LeMans in high school. Sold it when I joined the Navy. I wish I kept it
Thank you for all the videos you share.
My Mom had a 67 LeMans convertible with the OHC six. Engine blew up twice and was junked in FL when my brother was on Spring Break.
Hard to believe how many of these are gone now . bummer I haven't seen like a 4 door tempest of this body style in 20 years .
Get well Steve!!!
Got to love the GM A-bodys! I worked on so many of them for my friends back in the day, even though I was a Mopar guy I worked on so many Chevelle's, Monte carlo's, Lemans, I knew them better than anything. I'm still a Mopar guy but have always had several GM'S around I dabble with too!
Could be a LeMans! That’s was one great looking car in it’s hay day’s! Wow a tempest! It’s cool though! Thank you again for the history lesson Steve!
I love your knowledge and how you can take a car in a junkyard that none of us would give the time of day and you bring it to life with your analysis. You are such an automotive knowledge resource. Keep up the great work! I also like what you do in that you don't pander to the rice junk that clogs our highways right now. You stick with good ole American iron.
If that thing was close to me, I would be dragging it out of there, and making it into a fun daily driver. Already pulled a 68 LeMans out of a Nebraska pasture for $300 in 2014, dropped in a low buck 461 with a bunch of used parts in it, then made a fiberglass nose and hood for it. Its been lightened extensively, so it moves pretty good, but its getting some upgrades this year... like a 9" to replace the 12 bolt, a 10 point cage, and a whole lot more power. I can't save them all though.
I remember a fellow that raced a Tempest and embarrassed quite a few small blocks
My uncle had a green metallic 70 gto with giant aluminum slots on the rear end
this is one of my favorite cars
I'd want my tempest fully loaded auto. i like the junkyard crawl.
GG Allin reference was a great nugget. Nice!
Hello Soxcessful, I knew nothing of GG Allin until I worked at Hot Rod magazine where my co-worker Jeff Koch shared news of "The Murder Junkies" with me. That led to Todd Phillips documentary "Hated" and lots of laughs along the way ever since. I'm not a big fan of GG's music - a little too form-less for my tastes - I prefer Butthole Surfers when I'm considering "insanity music". Go Gibby! Go!!! And didja know Gibby is currently living in New York City where he is married and writes CHILDREN'S BOOKS!!! As for GG, well I haven't made the trip yet, but his grave stone is in nearby New Hampshire. Maybe a trip there some day....THANKS for watching, Steve Magnante
Fiat also came out with an overhead cam engine in 1966, but it was a dual overhead cam, made for the 124 Spider. I was also driven by a cogged belt.
I wonder whose was first. I'm going to guess Pontiac, by a few months, because there's only about 200 1966 Fiat 124 Spiders made, and no one I know has ever seen one.
Hey Tumbleweed had a 70 Fiat sport coupe back in 81 or so that someone had stuck the spider engine in Loved to rev(and rust LOL)
Another perfect example of a great GM motor screwed up by corporate.. and of course, killed right when they could have used it the most in the fuel catastrophe downsizing of the 1970s and 80's
Started in 1974 and went on from there!! GM stayed on top of the muscle car Era with more wins and championships than any other brand in American racing hence the logo they used USA-1
My mom had a 1969 it was Copper. Beautiful car. Timing chain kept popping off. 1 month later she got rid on it
Funny that Steve has heard of G.G. Allin. Went to several concerts of his in the '80's. Wild stuff.
There was a 68 Olds F85 in my parts about 15-20 years ago. I saw it was in a field just setting so I checked it out. It was all there but had scaly rust everywhere. I believe the only option it had was an automatic tranny. You could tell the Chevy six under the hood was painted gold at one time. It was a bare bones car.
Hahaha! You just killed me with the GG Allen reference! Well done sir!
Back in high school in 1972 one of the guys I hung out with bought a '68 GTO with the four barrel OHC six. Whoever ordered it new did it right with console four speed and the optional hood mounted tachometer and postreaction rear end. Gary dressed it with a set of Crager SS wheels. It was quicker that a 389 GTO in the first two gears but after that it was no contest. It was defiantly quicker than my '68 Dodge Dart with a 225 slant six and automatic though.
Pontiac didn’t build a GTO with an inline 6. Maybe someone dummied up a LeMans to look like a GTO, but the GTO never had a 6.
Steve, I have to wonder how these survived so long in the junk yard. Here in Florida, I never see anything like this stuff you find. Our cars get picked over fast and moved pretty quickly to the shredder. Not much over 25 year old junk here in our lots. I might have to come and see this place up in your neck of the woods some time.
You still find places like this. I guess it depends where you are. I'm in Wisconsin. I can think of 6 yards like this by me.
Hi Charles Warren, you make a good point. The major enemy of old junkyards is "urban sprawl" and rising land values wherein classic stashes like the one I visit in Bernardston, Mass are under attack from housing developments, commercial activities and just plain old Mean Code Enforcement Tactics. Happily, Bernardston Auto Wrecking is in the wilds of....Bernardston, Massachusetts where the land values are stable and the fact it is family owned (and not owned by a corporation seeking instant liquidation) sets the stage for a rather secure "future" for the many relics on display there. That said, I used to live in Los Angeles and watched in horror as the grand old Memory Lane Classic Auto Dismantlers went on a furious CRUSH CAMPAIGN because the land lease ran out and they had to "thin the herd" to allow movement from North Hollywood to Long Beach. It was terrible to watch so much rust free California metal get crushed and shredded ON SITE. That was back around 2007 but the memory is fresh. THANKS for writing, Steve Magnante
@@SteveMagnante haha I just mapped it ,it's only like 3hrs away from the Hudson valley area of ny.
You said the wilds of Massachusetts, and I had to see where it was and yes it's on the western end.
Steve, I absolutely love your storys and info on old cars even when they are kinda sad.
I learned new stuff on this one. Thanks
Hope you got a snake charmer on you steve......🤠
GM should taken that ohc 6 and made a 4 cylinder version for the Vega instead of that alloy POS engine.
I had a 68 Judge Color Green 400 4 speed and posi ! Cool Ride
No ya didn't. No Judge option in '68. 1969, 1970 & 1971 only.
Great stuff keep up the great work very informative