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No Reserve: 1969 Pontiac GTO Convertible

Goats are stubborn creatures that are renowned for eating anything and butting you viciously the moment your back is turned. The Pontiac GTO received the nickname of The Goat, and while it might not be stubborn, it was capable of eating many of its competitors for breakfast. This 1969 GTO Convertible is a fantastic survivor, and with power to burn, it is a classic that would demand respect if pointed at a ¼ mile. It is destined to head to a new home soon, so the owner has listed it for sale here on eBay. The GTO is located in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, and the bidding has reached $24,155 in a No Reserve auction.

The owner of this Matador Red Pontiac is honest in his assessment of the vehicle. He says that it presents exceptionally well for a survivor but that it isn’t perfect. He rates the panels and paint as a good 9/10, which seems to be a fair assessment. There are no significant issues such as scratches, chips, dings, or dents and no evidence of rust. The GTO spent most of its life in California, which has helped it remain completely rust-free. The owner still holds the car’s original black plates, which adds to this classic’s story. The Black soft-top is new, with a fit that looks as tight as you would expect from a high-quality product. The trim and chrome are in excellent order, as is the glass. The GTO rolls on its original Rally II wheels, and these have avoided all of the stains and deterioration that can afflict these items. The owner describes the Pontiac’s overall condition as close to show quality. It is a certainty that if you lobbed at a Cars & Coffee in this classic, you’d have no reason to hang your head in shame.

The interior of the Convertible is spotlessly clean, with no issues or problems. Trimmed in black, it provides a striking contrast to the red exterior. It is claimed to be original and unrestored, making the condition of items like the woodgrain trim impressive. This could deteriorate over time, but that hasn’t occurred here. The interior remains unmolested but for a single exception. The owner has mounted a CD player under the dash and fitted speakers into aftermarket kick panels. The attraction here is that these items could be removed easily if the buyer wishes to retain a factory-fresh appearance. Replacement panels in the correct color and style are available for around $180 a pair, so that isn’t an expensive proposition.

The previous owner treated the Pontiac’s numbers-matching engine to a rebuild around 3-years-ago, and he didn’t skimp on this process. The current owner holds the receipts for this work, and they total an eye-watering $11,000. That should mean that with the 400ci V8 in sound health, the power output would be around 366hp. The automatic transmission isn’t original, but it should add up to a classic that is effortless to drive when combined with the GTO’s power steering and power brakes. However, if you prod the loud pedal, it should come to life with a snarl. The journey down the ¼ mile would take 13.9 seconds, which is not hanging around. The Pontiac’s authenticity is verified by the PHS documentation that is included with the vehicle. All of the work and expenditure hasn’t been in vain because the owner states that this Convertible runs and drives perfectly.

I don’t need to explain just how desirable a Pontiac GTO is to most of our loyal readers. The bidding history on this one tells the story better than I could. Since it was listed on eBay, there have been 48 bids submitted. Do you plan on submitting bid #49? If you do, I could hardly blame you.

Comments

  1. Avatar photo Barney Fife

    An engine rebuild of $11k…wow.

    Like 7
    • Avatar photo Steve R

      That’s not inconceivable in states with high labor costs, shops in my area charge 150+ an hour, especially if they do the R&R and detailing of the engine compartment.

      Steve R

      Like 7
  2. Avatar photo Des Member

    Not an original Ram Air car so not sure what is between the fender wells at the moment.

    Like 3
    • Avatar photo Goatsnvairs

      Most “Ram Air III” cars did not have actual functional scoops, so it could be the original engine.

      Like 0
      • Avatar photo Keith

        The term Ram Air meant it had open scopes to Ram Air into the engine.Any Ram Air engine had open scopes. Now HO engine option cars did not have open scopes but were basically ram air engines. I was a Pontiac parts manger back then and can prove these facts for anyone. Still have all the parts books.

        Like 6
      • Avatar photo LarryS

        As far as I know the Ram Air in ’69 had functional hood scoops.

        Like 0
      • Avatar photo Tom

        All Ram Air cars had functional hood scoops that sealed to a specific RA air cleaner. The ‘69 and up cars had a cable operated “Ram Air” knob under the dash. There is no way this car ran high 13’s in factory stock form.
        Nice car just the same. Good luck with the sale!

        Like 3
  3. Avatar photo Steve R

    It’s odd to find a “California car from day one”, according to the seller, with PHS documentation that shows it was sold new is Syracuse New York.

    Steve R

    Like 2
  4. Avatar photo Keith

    Hood has the typical bend in the middle from not keeping the hinges lubed.

    Like 3
  5. Avatar photo Keith

    Looking at the eBay ad and that top was not put on by a professional. Wrinkles over the center bow are a installation issue.

    Like 3
    • Avatar photo CaCarDude

      The top on this GTO is no where near a new top, it is dated and might have been replaced one time back about 20 years ago.
      The thread would rot out in that rear strip under the back window from water being trapped and then you had water leak’s into trunk and floors.
      New style tops did away with the strip and the rear plastic windows went all the way down to the well liner.
      New quality top today w/install probably looking at $1500-$2000

      Like 0
  6. Avatar photo John Oliveri

    11000,00 for a motor job is very deep, so I guess they saw him coming, maybe Trani, cooling, an entire refurbished drive train, but hey, the car is gorgeous, I’d flip to white interior and top and make it outstanding, Vintage air, and she would be perfect

    Like 2
  7. Avatar photo dr fine

    My sister had The Judge version of this drop top in ’74. Paid $400 for it, and her hubby blew the engine three times. Cost me $400 each time, because they were deadbeats.

    Like 1
  8. Avatar photo george mattar

    Steve R found what I found, a California car all its life and sold in salt dumping Syracuse, NY, where it snows 200 inches a year. And most California bound GTOs were built in Fremont, at least my 70 hardtop was. This is a Baltimore car. And that PHS shows very few options, including no Rally IIs or power brakes. Not a big deal, many cars had add on options, but yeah, even in $$$$$$$ Bergen County, NJ, $11,000 for an engine rebuild. Seems very high. The body looks great in Matador Red. My best college pal has a 69 Matador Red convertible down in Miami that was a complete restoration. He drives it all the time. His eBay rating is 87 percent and he wants to avoid scammers. Well, guess what, I refuse to use PayPal. Cash only.

    Like 0

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