72Chero
04-12-2007, 02:45 AM
May's Spotlight is a Great builder owned by John "WINGNUT"
This car he affectionately calls "The Goat". He claims this is a generic term used for most GTO's... hah, I say its a term used affectionately by a Man who owns a very limited edition 1972 Pontiac GTO.
I have done a little research on these cars this specific year and have found out that John may not fully realize how rare his car is. Due to the amount of these cars manufactured in 72 and what they came equipped with... this will give our WINGNUT even more inspiration in building up this fine automobile.
The GTO became an option on the Pontiac LeMans again. The GTO wasn't changed too much for 1972. Most notable changes included; recessed front grilles, minor front parking light changes, functional fender vents behind the front wheels, and exhuast splitters that exit out the sides just behind the rear wheels. The 1972 GTO could be ordered in two different body styles - the hardtop and the very rare sport coupe. The factory did not build any convertible GTOs in 1972. The 1972 GTO's set of standard options included; bucket seats, special exterior trim (hood, front bumper, and front fenders), 250hp 400ci engine (optional 455ci engines), dual exhausts with side splitters, and 3-speed manual transmission with Hurst floor mounted shifter.
Production Totals:
Total .. Code .........Body .........Sub-Total
5,807 ...27......2-door Coupe .........134
...37.... 2-door Hardtop.......5,673
Note:1972 and 1973 GTO's are option package for the LeMans.
Body Style * Production * Engine * Carb * Transmission
Coupe ----------3-------------455HO--------4bl----------Manual
Coupe ----------7-------------455HO--------4bl------------Auto.
Coupe ----------0------------- 455----------4bl----------Manual
Coupe ----------5-------------455 ----------4bl------------Auto.
Coupe----------59-------------400 STD------4bl----------Manual
Coupe----------60-------------400 STD------4bl------------Auto.
Total----------134
Hardtop Coupe-310 ------------455HO--------4bl----------Manual
Hardtop Coupe-325 ------------455HO--------4bl------------Auto.
Hardtop Coupe---0 ------------455-----------4bl----------Manual
Hardtop Coupe--235 -----------455-----------4bl------------Auto.
Hardtop Coupe-1519----------- 400-----------STD-------- Manual
Hardtop Coupe--3284------------400----------Std------------Auto.
Total ----------5673
Note: No GTO convertibles for 1972 1972 Total Production 5807 Special thanks to SPINNER for providing this info!
So now that we know his ride is a rare one... let me give you the run down on ''The Goat" a 1972 Pontiac GTO with a 400ci strong running V* and backed up with the TH400 transmission. Here is a photo of what Wingnut plans on his pride and joy being in the future.....
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i258/19RED72/pow0545b.jpg
Here is some background on the beast of Wingnut's. In his own words he wrote me about the history of this prized possession of his....
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i258/19RED72/gto3.jpg
John wrote, "In the early spring of 1972 my Father was searching for a new vehicle to replace his '67 Mustang fastback (289, 4 bbl, 4sp). He decided to visit the local Pontiac dealer and he found the Springfield Green GTO sitting on the show room floor, and he instantly liked it.
The GTO was originally purchased by a doctor for his wife to drive. The doctor had an unfortunate heart attack and died. The wife did not want the car afterwards and returned it to the dealer shortly after his death. This is where my Father came in.
He bought the GTO but decided to keep his current Mustang as a winter car. That changed a few months later when he was rear ended by a drunk driver piloting a huge Olds 98 at around 50 mph. His Mustang was pushed into the vehicle ahead of him, and it burst into flames with him still trapped inside. He was able to escape through the passenger window and roll down an embankment before the car exploded. This was approximately five years before I was born, so I almost never existed! My Father suffered a broken neck, which healed perfectly fine and he has no reoccurring problems as a result, even to this day.
My Father continued to drive the car in the summers only until it needed a refreshing in 1982. My Father slapped some bondo on it in certain area's and then one of his buddies repainted it in Charcoal Grey. He drove it in the summer for many years after that, until he parked it in 1992. It was pulled out of storage in 2000 when my Father gave it to me to restore. Well, he actually didn't 'give' it to me. I lent my parents a very large sum of money over the past ten years, and they gave it to me as sort of an interest payment. My Father was going to sell and I told him that I wanted to buy it, so he just decided to give it to me .
I have installed a few new parts on it......water pump, timing chain, gas tank, radiator, A-arm bushings, rear radius arms and bushings, and a few other items. I plan on giving the GTO a total restoration once I find a house of my own with some room to work. Right now I use it as a daily driver, and perform a few repairs every summer to slowly get everything in top order mechanically. I usually drive it 1,000-2,000 miles per year depending on weather."
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i258/19RED72/gto2.jpg
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i258/19RED72/gto1.jpg
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i258/19RED72/gto5.jpg
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i258/19RED72/gto4.jpg
John plans on giving it a frame off restoration when the time comes. He currently still lives at home with my parents. And doesn't have the room to rip it apart and store it. John plans on starting the restoration when he finds a place of his own, with the room to do it. Wingnut plans to repaint it the original Springfield Green, which is in the opening picture, he happens to like the color, his Father didn't and so he had it repainted Charcoal Grey. When John's Father bought the car he had the dealer install a black vinyl roof, which John took off last summer because it was peeling so badly. When the restoration is complete, John will be putting a new one on as well.
John plans on keeping it factory original, he's all about originality.......when money allows of course. The only thing he may add is a factory cruise control from a '72 Lemans, long drives get a little tedious after awhile, and that John states that would help. Other than that, it will be staying original.
I asked John if he had any fond memories in this family heirloom and he told me this story. "My family did take one vacation in it. Back in 1987 we took a trip up to Marine Land in Canada, I was ten years old. That was a fairly memorable experience because I had never been to Canada before and my Father never took the car on long trips. Overall that was a fun excursion, I remember we were stuck in traffic for what seemed like a few hours on the way up there. When its restored I might take it on some road trips to car shows and such. I never plan on winning trophies with it, its a driver to me, and with those concourse resto's it kinda takes the fun out of the ownership experience because your always worried about it."
I would like to say, JOHN... this is a beautiful car. You have a seriously great start to an awesome street rod down the road. Remember there are many here who have lots of experience in building these machines and from the looks of it....you have a great plan for a very awesome ride. With that said, Thank you so much for telling us your story and sharing what is the start of a wonderful relationship between you and this RARE Vintage car. The car you will now affectionately call "THE GOAT."
This car he affectionately calls "The Goat". He claims this is a generic term used for most GTO's... hah, I say its a term used affectionately by a Man who owns a very limited edition 1972 Pontiac GTO.
I have done a little research on these cars this specific year and have found out that John may not fully realize how rare his car is. Due to the amount of these cars manufactured in 72 and what they came equipped with... this will give our WINGNUT even more inspiration in building up this fine automobile.
The GTO became an option on the Pontiac LeMans again. The GTO wasn't changed too much for 1972. Most notable changes included; recessed front grilles, minor front parking light changes, functional fender vents behind the front wheels, and exhuast splitters that exit out the sides just behind the rear wheels. The 1972 GTO could be ordered in two different body styles - the hardtop and the very rare sport coupe. The factory did not build any convertible GTOs in 1972. The 1972 GTO's set of standard options included; bucket seats, special exterior trim (hood, front bumper, and front fenders), 250hp 400ci engine (optional 455ci engines), dual exhausts with side splitters, and 3-speed manual transmission with Hurst floor mounted shifter.
Production Totals:
Total .. Code .........Body .........Sub-Total
5,807 ...27......2-door Coupe .........134
...37.... 2-door Hardtop.......5,673
Note:1972 and 1973 GTO's are option package for the LeMans.
Body Style * Production * Engine * Carb * Transmission
Coupe ----------3-------------455HO--------4bl----------Manual
Coupe ----------7-------------455HO--------4bl------------Auto.
Coupe ----------0------------- 455----------4bl----------Manual
Coupe ----------5-------------455 ----------4bl------------Auto.
Coupe----------59-------------400 STD------4bl----------Manual
Coupe----------60-------------400 STD------4bl------------Auto.
Total----------134
Hardtop Coupe-310 ------------455HO--------4bl----------Manual
Hardtop Coupe-325 ------------455HO--------4bl------------Auto.
Hardtop Coupe---0 ------------455-----------4bl----------Manual
Hardtop Coupe--235 -----------455-----------4bl------------Auto.
Hardtop Coupe-1519----------- 400-----------STD-------- Manual
Hardtop Coupe--3284------------400----------Std------------Auto.
Total ----------5673
Note: No GTO convertibles for 1972 1972 Total Production 5807 Special thanks to SPINNER for providing this info!
So now that we know his ride is a rare one... let me give you the run down on ''The Goat" a 1972 Pontiac GTO with a 400ci strong running V* and backed up with the TH400 transmission. Here is a photo of what Wingnut plans on his pride and joy being in the future.....
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i258/19RED72/pow0545b.jpg
Here is some background on the beast of Wingnut's. In his own words he wrote me about the history of this prized possession of his....
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i258/19RED72/gto3.jpg
John wrote, "In the early spring of 1972 my Father was searching for a new vehicle to replace his '67 Mustang fastback (289, 4 bbl, 4sp). He decided to visit the local Pontiac dealer and he found the Springfield Green GTO sitting on the show room floor, and he instantly liked it.
The GTO was originally purchased by a doctor for his wife to drive. The doctor had an unfortunate heart attack and died. The wife did not want the car afterwards and returned it to the dealer shortly after his death. This is where my Father came in.
He bought the GTO but decided to keep his current Mustang as a winter car. That changed a few months later when he was rear ended by a drunk driver piloting a huge Olds 98 at around 50 mph. His Mustang was pushed into the vehicle ahead of him, and it burst into flames with him still trapped inside. He was able to escape through the passenger window and roll down an embankment before the car exploded. This was approximately five years before I was born, so I almost never existed! My Father suffered a broken neck, which healed perfectly fine and he has no reoccurring problems as a result, even to this day.
My Father continued to drive the car in the summers only until it needed a refreshing in 1982. My Father slapped some bondo on it in certain area's and then one of his buddies repainted it in Charcoal Grey. He drove it in the summer for many years after that, until he parked it in 1992. It was pulled out of storage in 2000 when my Father gave it to me to restore. Well, he actually didn't 'give' it to me. I lent my parents a very large sum of money over the past ten years, and they gave it to me as sort of an interest payment. My Father was going to sell and I told him that I wanted to buy it, so he just decided to give it to me .
I have installed a few new parts on it......water pump, timing chain, gas tank, radiator, A-arm bushings, rear radius arms and bushings, and a few other items. I plan on giving the GTO a total restoration once I find a house of my own with some room to work. Right now I use it as a daily driver, and perform a few repairs every summer to slowly get everything in top order mechanically. I usually drive it 1,000-2,000 miles per year depending on weather."
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i258/19RED72/gto2.jpg
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i258/19RED72/gto1.jpg
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i258/19RED72/gto5.jpg
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i258/19RED72/gto4.jpg
John plans on giving it a frame off restoration when the time comes. He currently still lives at home with my parents. And doesn't have the room to rip it apart and store it. John plans on starting the restoration when he finds a place of his own, with the room to do it. Wingnut plans to repaint it the original Springfield Green, which is in the opening picture, he happens to like the color, his Father didn't and so he had it repainted Charcoal Grey. When John's Father bought the car he had the dealer install a black vinyl roof, which John took off last summer because it was peeling so badly. When the restoration is complete, John will be putting a new one on as well.
John plans on keeping it factory original, he's all about originality.......when money allows of course. The only thing he may add is a factory cruise control from a '72 Lemans, long drives get a little tedious after awhile, and that John states that would help. Other than that, it will be staying original.
I asked John if he had any fond memories in this family heirloom and he told me this story. "My family did take one vacation in it. Back in 1987 we took a trip up to Marine Land in Canada, I was ten years old. That was a fairly memorable experience because I had never been to Canada before and my Father never took the car on long trips. Overall that was a fun excursion, I remember we were stuck in traffic for what seemed like a few hours on the way up there. When its restored I might take it on some road trips to car shows and such. I never plan on winning trophies with it, its a driver to me, and with those concourse resto's it kinda takes the fun out of the ownership experience because your always worried about it."
I would like to say, JOHN... this is a beautiful car. You have a seriously great start to an awesome street rod down the road. Remember there are many here who have lots of experience in building these machines and from the looks of it....you have a great plan for a very awesome ride. With that said, Thank you so much for telling us your story and sharing what is the start of a wonderful relationship between you and this RARE Vintage car. The car you will now affectionately call "THE GOAT."