So it has been 22 yrs since I bought my 62' Pontiac for a mere $400! Here is what the car looked like when I bought it back in 97.’ Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
The story goes like this. I was 19yrs old an had moved with my family up to western Washington and had bought a stock Wildcat and customized it. I saw an add in the paper for a 62 Bonneville with bucket seats Buick wheels - $600 obo. I asked my dad what a 62 looked like (I was from So. CA and we just didn’t see a lot of non Chevy or Ford cars around) He said it a good looking car, go take a look. I called the guy and said I was interested but only in the seats and wheels for my Wildcat but he said I have take the whole car. I drive all the way to the Key Peninsula and the guy was definitely a Pontiac guy as he had a few. He was old like 25yrs old and his wife said some of the cars half to go. I told him I like the car but I really just want the seats and wheels. He respond $400 dollars. I said I have no way to get in home plus I live near Rainer. He said I’ll deliver it. I said okay! He kept the air cleaner but threw in the headers and full exhaust! Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Once I got it home I started working on it a little and got it running. Discovered it had a gas leak when the gas caught on fire under the intake and the caught my dad’s lawn on fire. Anyways drove it around the yard with no exhaust and went to pull it up front near the garage when I discovered there where no brakes. I had two choice I had to make in short time. One, hit dad’s 69’ corvette or hit the garage.... I chose the garage. When dad came home from work I presented that story as a good news bad news scenario. Although not impressed he was pleased with my choice. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Next I decided to “restore” the 62’ in the driveway. One night while I was taking the car apart while freezing my ass off my dad comes out and asks what I am doing? “I respond I going to restore the 62 and make it an AWB AFX gasser.” He kindly responds with well son first off your ass is already 17 feet long so AWB is kinda out. 2nd these went really gas class cars and 3rd you have no job and no place to work on the car. Why don’t you put it back together until another time.” I am so glad for his advice because it would have ended up in pieces. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
So fast forward a year and now I am going to join the Navy. My dad lets me keep the car but the deal is I have to park it out in the forest so that it is not in the way. Personally I think his newly married wife didn’t like old cars. So I park it off the road in the forest with a car cover on it. And this is where it sat for the next 20yrs. There was grass growing on it, the ground was up to the door handles with leaves and soil. And one point there was a beehive living in it. The joke was it has become a refugee for wildlife. Lol here is a picture of it in 2002 right before I went to the Middle East. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Slight detour, fast forward to 2010 my father in law who has no sons has a fairly decent 63’ star chief that was the first car he ever bought when he immigrated to the US back in the 60’s he had befriended a guy at West Point who sold him the car real cheap. When he moved to California it was the only old car he kept. When I met him I gave him a hard time because it was a 4 dr but the car had sentimental value to him. He had Eddings in the San Fernando Valley (not sure if they are around still) rebuild the engine and somebody did the trans. With only maybe 300 miles on the rebuild he gave the car to me because I was the most responsible of his son in laws. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I thought it would satisfy my Pontiac fix but no matter what it was never going to be a 2dr. Either way 2 weeks after receiving the car the kids an I detailed it and put seat belts in. Left early in the morning for Famoso for the March Meet and got about 100yrds from the house when a woman in of all things a G8 Pontiac pulled out in front of use while on the phone. I put the car into a slide in a hope to swing wide and go around her but there wasn’t enough room and so I hit her thus taking out the front of the 63! Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
My father in law is not impressed. There was not much I could say other than “yes I know, yup I’m sorry.” I said that a lot. But in my brain I have a new idea. If the 62 hasn’t completely disintegrated in the forest and the 63 has a fresh rebuilt engine and trans I could part the one and make the 62 a driving car! Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
About every 10yrs I’d visit my dad, take a walk through the forest and visit the 62 Pontiac. Last year I took the boys with me on a road trip to pick up a 57 Bel Air in eastern WA. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I'd hate to see those boys get the wrong idea & start off on the wrong foot so.... Dump the Chebby & fix BOTH Ponchos!
2 weeks ago my buddy Parker who is on here sometimes does auto transport as a side deal mentions that he is up in western Washington and ask if I need anything brought down. I say yes, my Pontiac! I ask my dad to take a look and see if it is even worth shipping. I know had some rust when I got it but who knows now. He says he thinks it’s worth it and starts digging it out of the forest and moves it onto the road. Turns out left drum is stuck and it is an ass to move. Two more things would delay us for about a week. One is Washington gets hit with 2 storms in one week so now the dirt road is trashed. And 2nd dad is logging and one truck loses its logs on the driveway and jack knifes losing his air and hydraulic lines I other words is no blocking the road. This sets back about a week while Parker is waiting to hear back to see if he can even get to the Pontiac. Well the storm lets up and the logging trucks were able to clear the road. 20190530/4067444f4563d9de2e394a0b575d9500.jpg[/IMG] Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I’ll be curious what a 19yr old me squirreled away in the trunk 20 some years ago! We took the seats out when I parked the car. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
It took about 4 hrs to load but we got the 62’ on the trailer. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
The 62 ‘ Pontiac on the trailer and going down the highway somewhere in Washington. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
The boys and I spent the morning dragging the 63’ soon to be parts car from the back pasture where it has been sitting since 2010. Just for fun we would start it ever no an again and let it warm up. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
And so that is my Pontiac story! Nothing earth shattering, nothing special per say but I figured the hamb needed a good story today. The 62’ should be arriving sometime tomorrow and I have to say after 22yrs since I bought the car I’m excited. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
An NO it will not be a gasser/AWB/AFX car. Just in case any of you were worried. [emoji16] Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
The older of the 3 in the picture has always liked the 63 so it will be a father son project. It will probably be his in a few years. [emoji3] Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Being a pontiac guy all my adult life, I’m excited for you. My two favorite big cars would be a ‘62 then followed by a ‘59. They are on the list for sure. Good luck and I’m subbed! Regards, Randy Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Thanks Randy, I have plans but being a Chevy guy I’ll need help to stay the course. Plus I’m having to rewrire my brain in regards to the engine. Pontiac did things that are different compared to my Chevy nature like cam, valves and ports! [emoji3] Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Just being nosey... the place you are hauling the '63 from... are those more of your cars in the background or just a shared space? The Pontiacs are my favorites behind the Chevs, so I'm looking forward to you getting the '62 back on the road with your boys. Gotta56forme/Scott
The cars have moved around since that was taken. The 56 back have is gone as is one of the 55’s. Some are my and some are friends‘ cars. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Thanks!! Like I said it is not the most exciting but I figured the hamb needed a good Pontiac story. [emoji1303] Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
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