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Written by Eric Becker
1969 Pontiac GTO convertible will be available with No Reserve at the 2022 Scottsdale Auction
The thing about collector cars is, they rise above their simple metal origins. They work their way into our lives, they spark creativity, they become more than simply inanimate objects that transport us from one place to another. Great cars can even help chart a course of life for some people.
Such is the case with the 1969 Pontiac GTO convertible featured here, which will be available with No Reserve at the 2022 Scottsdale Auction. There’s more to this GTO than just its stunning execution as this car has a story, lineage and a not-by-accident ancestral connection to longtime friend of Barrett-Jackson, Patrick Pogrant. Originally from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Pogrant knew from the get-go that he wanted to work with classic cars and began working at his father’s shop at the age of 10. As a young man Pogrant married his high school sweetheart, and drove to Arizona, “straight from the altar” with his new bride in 1987. With his ’69 GTO convertible in the lead, towing a U-Haul trailer, he was ready to begin a new life.
After working with another Arizona shop for just over a year, Pogrant ventured out on his own and founded Patrick’s Classy Cars in November 1988. He found success, and recognition for his meticulous skills and deep knowledge. He was especially well-known as a builder and restorer of the 1955 to mid-1960s Chevys, then as now a central element of the collector car world. He brought all of his skills to his own ride, now no longer simply Patrick’s 1969 Pontiac GTO convertible but a timeless and stunning product of Patrick’s Classy Cars.
For his personal ride, Pogrant followed the well-trod path of fitting new mechanicals to a classic body. The end result checks every box. Dressed in deep black, with the classic “The Judge” motif tastefully slung along the side, this “Goat” is more than ready to exercise its judicial authority, and indeed does just that with self-possessed swagger. In a world that has become increasingly digital, it’s a lovely reminder, and change of pace, to see a quality restoration that transports us back to the days of the analog American muscle car. And this machine does exactly that. It’s a paean to prodigious horsepower, time-honored graphics, and the deep chested and resonant rumble of an American V8. Pumped up in all the right places, the GTO has always been a classy and unique muscle car; a GTO never apologized for its comfort and style along with the proper proportion of tire smoking power, speed and attitude.
Hidden behind that sinister grille lies the supercharged heart of a Corvette Z06, GM’s 6.2-liter LT4 V8 engine. Producing a factory rated 650hp and 650 ft/lbs of torque this power plant is all business and inhales via custom built cold air intake and intercooler and announces itself thanks to a set of Ultimate Headers with a full 3-inch ceramic coated exhaust system.
The V8 also sports a Street Shop front accessory drive system and custom-built coil pack covers with chrome accents giving the engine a clean look. A Quick Time bellhousing connects the V8 to a TREMEC TKO-600 5-speed manual transmission with a .64 drive ratio and Mcleod RST twin street clutch. Completing the drivetrain is a polished 3-inch aluminum driveshaft with billet ends and Strange Engineering S-Series rear end with 3.89:1 ratio and Strange 31-spline axles. The GTO rides on an Art Morrison Sport chassis with an independent front suspension, chrome control arms and C6 Corvette spindles.
In keeping with the Resto-Mod theme, the Pontiac features a Detroit Speed power rack & pinion steering with Strange Engineering monotube coilover shocks and chrome rear trailing arms. The GTO stops on a dime too, as braking power is handled by a set of 14-inch Wilwood brakes with 6-piston calipers up front and 4-piston calipers in the rear.
Completed in 2019, this GTO was one of the last products of Pogrant’s master skills and marks a special moment for Barrett-Jackson. Pogrant sadly passed away in October 2021 and the consignor has chosen the 2022 Scottsdale Auction to pass the car to the next lucky owner. With acknowledgement of his commitment to craftsmanship, the camaraderie that Pogrant was known for will live on.
To register to bid at the 2022 Scottsdale Auction – a celebration of 50 years of The World’s Greatest Collector Car Auctions – click HERE. To sell your vehicle at Barrett-Jackson’s flagship auction in January, click HERETickets and VIP packages are also now on sale.
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By: Barrett-Jackson
Title: ALL HEART: An LT4 Powered 1969 Pontiac GTO Custom Convertible With A Lifetime of Stories Behind It
Sourced From: www.barrett-jackson.com/Media/Home/Reader/1969-pontiac-gto-custom-convertible-with-a-lifetime-of-stories/
Published Date: Wed, 24 Nov 2021 18:42:01 +0000
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