For Sale 1-1987 gta, 350 tpi, auto, most toys, currently driven on regular basis, some new parts, rare color only available in 1987, very solid, must be seen, needs paint and tlc. $3500. obo.
Ray, this car has great long term investment potential. Maybe we can de-tune it by pulling a couple of spark plug wires or putting some kind of limiter on the throttle (like gluing a brick under the gas pedal)!
Seriously though, it would be great to see Ryan driving a real American muscle car and not being taken over by the Honda cult. Only you and Mary can decide if he will be responsible enough to handle it. I know when my Dad started to allow me to drive his 70 Cutlass back in high school I knew that I would be out on street if I did anything stupid with the car. I had to wait until 78 when I bought it from him and ironically, I was 19 at the time as well. Funny, when you have your own money tied up in a car, you treat it a lot more responsibly. I didn't even get radials for it until the early 80's (couldn't afford much more than regular maintenance and gas) so I survived many years with just a pair of bias ply snows and did just fine.
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Hillar
1970 LS4 (eventually an LS5) Laurentian 2dr hdtp -and a bunch of other muscle cars...
I agree with Hillar. It's not the car but the maturity of the driver. Perhaps if you make a deal with him (eg:6months no fines or accidents) you'll pay for a night at Cayuga (they do street drags like St.Thomas does for $10 don't they?) That way he can get it out of his system. A GTA can be set up for those parking lot slaloms too. Just a thought. I had fast cars at that age and my fines were limited to an excessive noise for squawking the tires around a corner.
Hillar mentioned a deal breaker on this one....Mary, although 3 days after getting her license to drive there was a brand new pretty and loaded 1976 350 Pontiac, Firebird Esprit in the driveway for her. Her Daddy really loved her! She had that car until 1989 and I only reacll one speeding ticket she got on the on ramp to the 401!
Any incentive to get kids to behave behind the wheel is a good thing.. Todd's reward idea of a night at the dragstrip is magic!. Anything that'll help keep them away from the Fast & Furious car crowd is a big bonus!. Better check the insurance cost of age verses driving a GTA first though?.
As a kid I sure wasn't as clean as you guys but losing my licence a few times is what made me a good driver as a fella had to be so careful driving without one!. Highlites of my younger driving career included a speeding ticket for 179 in an 80 zone also holding the unofficial midnight lap record at Mosport in Mom's Rambler.. Sorry to the Bowmanville alignment shop guy who Dad kept taking the car back to when the edges of Mom's tires were mysteriously wearing...on both sides of all 4 tires!.
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I like real cars best...especially the REAL real ones! ----------------------------------------------------------------
I never mentioned this before. This past summer Jr. got a primo job opportunity. He worked as an Enforcement Officer for the Ministry of Natural Resources assigned to one of the Provincial Parks. Basically the role is extra manpower for the high useage months to assists the Park Wardens. Training included learning the statutes, note taking, self defense, use of force, arrest techniques and emergency driving protocols and techniques. Apparently anyone who drives a Government of Ontario vehicle is subjected to a special test. He passed them all and went on duty.
Another thing is he had to sign a declaration swearing that he would not consume or purchase alcohol in uniform, nor drive on or off duty having consumed alcohol etc, etc.....Pretty heady stuff for a 19 year old.
So when you think about it Parks are huge and in the middle of nowhere and OPP are about an hour away so the parks are policed by Wardens and Enforcement officers. Everything from Traffic stops to public intoxication. No radar, speed limits are low so they pace suspected speeders.
Anyway he spent the middle of June to Labour day driving around in police equipped ex-OPP Impalas and Intrepids and the odd Silverado too with light bars and what not responding to calls in the Park.
He has become a very competent driver and best of all since they had to rely on OPP for support when needed he now has a good respect for traffic rules and regs and the tough job enforcing the law is.
All those reasons are exactly why Mary shouldn't have a problem, especially after getting a brand new Firebird as a high school graduation gift! Surely she would want to see you guys express as much love as she received! As it is, by getting just a used Firebird, Ryan may have to wonder if he is...
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Hillar
1970 LS4 (eventually an LS5) Laurentian 2dr hdtp -and a bunch of other muscle cars...
I agree with Hillar. It's not the car but the maturity of the driver. Perhaps if you make a deal with him (eg:6months no fines or accidents) you'll pay for a night at Cayuga (they do street drags like St.Thomas does for $10 don't they?) That way he can get it out of his system. A GTA can be set up for those parking lot slaloms too. Just a thought. I had fast cars at that age and my fines were limited to an excessive noise for squawking the tires around a corner.
You guys are Lucky to still have the races at a Speedway. Calgarys great minds decided this year to close the only raceway(RaceCity) we have. Only two more fridays nights of "secret street" racing to keep the young ones off the streets. They also had "drift" nights where they'd set up a course and let you try it for$10 I think it was. Everyones talking about how there will be a great increase in Illegal street racing now.
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1960 Pontiac Strato Chief Safari 1960 Laurentian Safari 1960 Laurentian 4door(scrapped) 2001 Grand Am Traded on a '96 Suburban 2WD 2002 Hyundai Accent(SOLD) 1968 Grand Parisienne Scrapped and SOLD
The car has tan int, and the colour is called Dark Russet Metallic paint code 68u, 1 of 372 painted this color which included all Transam models including GTA. It is metallic brown. STILL 4 SALE!!
