I'm looking at a GTO tomorrow - NEED HELP

[mockingbird812]

GJ,

Decent looking Goat. Looks like Chevy's Dusk Blue hue to me (which I like). Pretty unusual color for a '69 Goat - at least I have not seen many. Not real up on the market for these - more of a casual observer at this point (somebody on this site - won't mention names Woj - has me (re)focused on the '68s!). Standard HP motor, auto tranny, non-posi rear, and add-on A/C don't help much. This car is a "tweener"....some originality, but with a repaint, so it most likely cannot be considered a survivor. Orig. engine (if not restamped), hood tach (if original), covered headlamps, and paint color are pluses. $30K IMO is fishing for a sucker. Market with these options in this condition is in $20K range, perhaps less. Lets let our resident GTO experts chime in.

Good luck!

[StealthBird]

Very nice looking GTO! Just some thoughts....

Are you sure it's non-posi? I realize the posi tag is easily obtained through a dozen different parts houses, but it's strange that someone would attach the tag when the car did not have posi.

Hood tach is a pretty rare option, you'll need PHS to verify. I did not see any pics of the gauges, would like to know if it has rally gauges verses idiot lights. Hood tachs have been reproduced for over 20 years now, and they're all junk. Cheap plastic housings, wrong size, cheap plastic faceplate, etc. Just in the past year, another unit was introduced that's a little better, but still cheaply made.

Hideaways should open simultaneously, not one at a time, and they of course should stay up when the car is shut off. They are vacuum operated, not electric, and these are notorious for having leaking vacuum canisters. The canisters are available repro, and I believe there are even rebuild kits.

The 1969 GTO and Firebird shifters were nicknamed "slapsticks", and are ratcheting style shifters that functioned the same way as the 1968 GTO Dual Gate. Starting from "L", you push forward, and to the right, and it will only go 1 gear up to "S", then again 1 gear up to "D". That's why the shifter slide cover around the shaft is oval shaped.

If you could, please check the heads again. There should be a two letter casting right on the center two exhaust ports, most likely a "6" and a "2". The "GM" cast and the L_DN are on all Pontiac heads those years. The L_DN was simply a code for DAY/Night shift when the heads were cast.

The Rally II wheels were 14x6 on the 1969 GTO (actually on all 1967-1970 GTO's). There was a wider 14x7 Rally II wheel on the 1969 Firebird and Grand Prix, and they are quite rare. Can't find an "HN" code in my book, maybe I'm missing it....but the 1969 rims should be 14x6.

The correct engine code for the car should be YS, and considering the VIN matches, this car does have the original block. The 0676027 number is simply an engine unit number, and has no relation to the VIN.

Only PHS will verify how this car was born, and whether it was ordered with hideaways, hood tach, Rally II wheels, etc.

Liberty Blue is a great color! This color was also used by Chevrolet (Dusk Blue), by Oldsmobile (Trophy Blue), and by Buick (Twilight Blue). It really looks great on the GTO with the Endura bumper, and especially with the hideaways.

As for the overall price, it sounds a bit high at $30K. If it's a car you love, it appears to be worth it, but avoid this if you're thinking of flipping it. Personally, I think the car is flat out cool, but a bit high priced. Perhaps in the $24K-26K range would be more appropriate.

Hope this helps, and good luck! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/smile.gif[/img]

[Survivor 69/Z28]

SB,
I do not think we are 100% sure it was non posi. We could not help but to burn rubber a few times and it did not seem like posi. But it very well could have been. I am use to the chevy's where the posi gets you a little more sideways. LOL!!

He has some really nice pictures of underneath the hood tach. The wires going into it looked original but like you said it could have been added 20 yrs ago. But they certainly blended in with the rest of the original wires IMO.

I am pretty sure it has the rally gauges as we were watching the temp gauge the entire time while it was over 90 degrees outside.

Mockingbird,
You had mentioned &quot;some originality&quot;.
I thought the car was &quot;mostly original&quot; with a repaint. I personally do no see original cars like this hardly ever. But if you see some things that we do not please let us know.
We are both far from experts [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/smile.gif[/img]

[Mr.Nickey Nova]

Very nice car indeed,great color blue also.The engine area doesn't look all that bad for car with that many miles on it.See if he will come down to around $25,000 range.Good luck,hope you buy it.

[GTO_DON]

I cant believe Im the only guy here that thinks you should walk away from that car fast. 1st of all its only a base GTO with an automatic yet [over 50k produced] and its driver quality at best. Air Condition added,hood tach probably added I doubt it left the factory with a posi as most base cars did not get it.Its got a dash cap over the original which will cost you over a thousand dollars to replace,wrong wheels as it most likely was a hubcap car with the spare being a HF wheel.104k on the odometer and its 30k!!! Most people i know would not even pay 20k for it to be honest. This is a real tuff market right now for GTO's. Does not look like a fair deal to me. You can do alot better.

[mockingbird812]

Hey Don - good to hear from you! I don't think there is anything to &quot;wallk away from&quot; - you just have to get it for the right price. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/naughty.gif[/img] [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

[Survivor 69/Z28]

Yea, maybe he could do better. However, finding a possible car that is local is a big plus. Maybe if he does end up paying an extra $2k for it. Keep in mind that traveling and shipping will cost him ever bit of $2k. Another thing to consider that the negotians have not even begun. So he truly may be able to get this car for low to mid 20's.