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Lose The Tarp: 1969 Pontiac GTO

1969 Pontiac GTO

Some believe that Pontiac’s now famous GTO option package kicked off the whole muscle craze. I don’t know about that, but I do know that I’d love to own a goat of my own! This particular GTO came out during the peak of muscle car wars so it is fitted with a huge 400 cubic inch engine. There were more powerful intake options available at the time, but the 4-speed transmission make up for all that. The engine runs and the car can be driven around the yard, but there is one big problem. Rust – and lots of it! I’m guessing that the tarp seen in the photos was once draped over that poor Pontiac. You see those stupid blue tarps wrapped around cars all the time. Don’t do it though folks! Your car would be better off exposed to the elements and here’s the proof. Check out all that nasty corrosion. Too bad because this is a seriously tempting project. Find it here on eBay where the seller is asking $6k with the option to bid.

Comments

  1. Avatar Newport Pagnell

    Blue Tarp of Death.

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  2. Avatar jacques

    I understand the tarp over the car traps the moisture between the roof and the ground, therefore THE CAR!! However on open ground would a tarp on the ground surface between it and the undercarriage prevent moisture or at least reduce moisture from entering the car?

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    • Avatar Bill Gillooly

      I’ve been told that a piece of solid plastic (blue tarp’s are porous) put on the ground will prevent condensation from building up on the car.

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  3. Avatar Bill S

    I think 45 years in Connecticut does more to explain the rust than the tarp.

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  4. Avatar Bill G.

    I’ve been told (by car guys) that laying a solid (blue tarps are porous) will prevent condensation from building up on a car.

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  5. Avatar Ed P

    The blue tarp has turned this into a parts car.

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  6. Avatar Dave at OldSchool Restorations

    solid plastic covers will trap condensation , and form water droplets on the inner side, NOT a good idea …solid plastic on the ground does stop water from migrating out of the ground, and is a good idea.
    Connecticut cars are usually rust buckets…. so expect the worse. but this is not a uni-body car, and this one is worth considering, for sure.

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  7. Avatar JamestownMike

    Can you say SWISS CHEESE!?!? It’s probably a parts car at this moment……..but will most likely be saved using a solid donor Lemans body.

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  8. Avatar RS

    The tarp is not the issue on this car. The former vinyl roof and the fact that it is a well salted Massachusetts car is at issue here. The car shows zero evidence that it was ever tarped.
    Especially in moist climates, a tarp can be a death sentence, but a tarp underneath keeps the moisture from the ground from attacking the underside; it’s actually a good idea.
    So, moral of the story: look before you leap…

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  9. Avatar JW

    Over 3K bid, more than I would pay for this crusty Goat, but hopefully someone will save it from it’s rusty demise.

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  10. Avatar JW454

    This is the first GTO I remember seeing with the corning lamps in the front fenders. I’ll have to look back at my picture collection to see if I’ve ever took pictures of one with them. I’d like to see if they’re shown on the car’s build sheet or added later. Interesting!

    This car will be saved IMO.

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  11. Avatar Franke

    Tarp or no tarp……East coast cars driven during the winter just rust like this, also it gets real humid there too……it’s inevitable. Cars made during these years also had little to no protection from rust. This rust isn’t that bad.

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    • Avatar Tom Member

      Agree with the first commentary but “this rust isn’t that bad.”……..compared to what? A shipwreck on the ocean bottom? Sorry man but this rust doesn’t get much worse. There is not a panel on this car that should not be replaced. Fixing what is there will be “out of remission” and a freaking nightmare for whoever buys it fixed that way. Complete replacement which is EVERY panel including the hood (see the rot inside the hood) which that hood should be saved. A Pillars =JUNK, If you fix those, please don’t sell that car to me! It needs ALL new metal in there for structural reasons. floors rockers doors quarters fenders not to mention that rear deck that is, um, missing. Further more the surface rust on EVERYTHING else. This car is 2 things. Unfortunate as one, and a very nice parts car for a sold body waiting somewhere. Sorry, but again, I have extensive knowledge about rust as well as restorations (for the long-term, not the short term make it look nice and start bleeding rust out of its pores in a few years.). GTO=DOA.

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  12. Avatar anthony

    I think parking the car on it is ok but not cover it with the blue tarp. Also when parking on it put a few bricks or something in the center under the tarp so rain water dosent accumulate.

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    • Avatar Tom Member

      Tarps under cars are a double edge sword. Depends what is underneath the tarp AND good point Anthony on setting up the tarp for drainage. Parking a car on gravel is the absolute worst due to the lime. Dirt or grass allow for too much moisture to linger. Concrete means ALL of the moisture is going to be absorbed into the vehicle, EVEN when parked inside with a daily driver.

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  13. Avatar piper62j

    Miscellaneous parts car.

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  14. Avatar pontiactivist

    I can see this being saved. The cornering lights are an odd option that is rarely seen nowadays. Shame the tarp was on it instead of under it. If nothing else I think the tarp under it would keep weeds out from under the car and keep airflow under it to help dry it out. I’m a firm believer in keeping the weeds down to help even parts cars last longer.

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  15. Avatar Www.AlphaRoaming.com

    It could also be that Studebaker’s Supercharged Hawk, back around 1957, kicked off the muscle car era. It certainly wasn’t the anemic Corvette

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    • Avatar Dave at OldSchool Restorations

      …started a bit earlier than ’57… in ’49 Olds put their V8 in the light weight coupe, and no production car could top it..

      .The Horsepower race in the early-mid 50’s was topped by Chrysler, Cadillac, and Packard… Studebaker put the 352 cu in Packard motor in a ’56 Hawk, and ALMOST beat the Chrysler 300 Letter cars.. By ’57 Ford had the dual quad T Bird motor, Stude had the Blower, Chrysler had Bigger Hemi’s, and the race was on.
      Chevy started to catch up in ’58 with the 348

      in ’55, I put one of the Olds V8s in a Crosley…then built the fastback 47Chevy with 3/4Jimmy , which out-ran most anything except OHV V8s

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  16. Avatar Luke Fitzgerald

    Parts car – saying that some ponti nut will buy and drop a bomb – specs are interesting

    Like 0

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