It is always exciting to find a Pontiac GTO, especially a 30-year parked barn find. The allure is further enhanced when the find is in original, non-modified and unmolested condition. And then the speculation runs rampant as to what put this once-proud Pontiac in the doghouse in the first place. This 1969 two-door hardtop example, like most, has a story to consider. It is located in Springfield, Missouri, and available here on eBay for a current bid of $4,100, twenty-two bids tendered as of this writing.

This GTO is like countless others from the 1969 model year. It carries nothing remarkable, it’s just a standard version in the commonly found shade of Limelight green with, what now appears to be, a removed vinyl roof covering. As is usually the case, Rally II wheels are in place along with all of the GTO standard fare. One interesting thing noted, however, is that this GTO was assembled at GM’s Baltimore plant which in ’69 was primarily the home of Chevelles and El Caminos. I was fortunate enough to tour the plant that year and recall seeing, buried in an endless wave of Chevelles, a lone LeMans or GTO that would trundle by before the Chevrolet onslaught continued. Remarkably, I even remember seeing a single GTO finished out in Limelight green but that was a popular shade in ’69.

The uh-oh happens with this example as you progress through the images and get to the one that features the engine and the missing front clip. There are a couple before that where a missing passenger-side fender has been removed but you get the full Monty at image #5. So, what happened? The seller states, “69 GTO, was clipped on passenger side 29 yrs ago, has frame damage on passenger side where radiator support goes. No damage to motor. Was bought new but was hit at 67,000 miles and parked over 30 yrs ago.” The confusing thing is the timeline, it’s only a year off but would seem to be reversed as in damaged 30 years ago and parked for twenty-nine in a barn. Whatever the case, that’s the story. He also adds that the 67K claimed miles is what the odometer read when this GTO was parked. The tachometer adorned hood is haphazardly positioned and a front fender, inner liner and the GTO Endura nosepiece are parked nearby in a pile. While not stated specifically, it’s doubtful that the body pieces are usable if they encountered a wack hard enough to cause frame damage. The hood may be an outlier, however. As for the rest of the body, it’s hard to tell what’s up, the dust and dirt are doing a pretty good camouflage job but it is possible to note what appears to be a dipped-in driver’s side quarter and a done-in (rust) trunk lid.

The engine is a typical 400 CI V8 that generated 350 gross HP back when it ran. The seller makes no claim to it so whether or not it is operable is hard to say without further investigation. It would appear that some other components like the fan, a pulley and maybe parts of the power steering system have been removed too. Behind the engine sits a Muncie four-speed manual transmission.

The interior looks original and untouched other than the mountain of dust that has befallen the Morrokide green vinyl upholstery. Everything appears to be intact and present but it is hard to know for sure. Speaking of Muncie transmissions, Pontiac used a Hurst shifter for their four-speed arrangements which was miles better than Chevrolet’s insistence on a Muncie sourced unit. Nothing like getting stuck between 2nd and 3rd gear with the Muncie rower and having to get under the car, burn your arm on the driver’s side exhaust pipe and try to push the middle shift lever forward to free it up. I did it more times than I care to recall.

The best title here is “Work Needed!” A bent “A” body frame is not unusual, they are not an overly precise design. Obviously, it has to be geometrically straight but it may not be an impossible task to fix, it just depends on the extent of the damage. The originality of this Pontiac is enticing, the original dealership receipt even goes with the sale. There is no reserve on this GTO but there are quite a few unknowns; twenty-two bids, however, see some value. How about you, have you ever taken on a project like this, and if so, how did it turn out?