I just came across your site and I wanted to say 'thank-you' to all of the people/enthusiasts involved in keeping cars, and their memories, from this era, alive.

I found the site while doing a Google search for '1973 GTO'. Despite the fact that it has been nearly 40-years, I often wonder about the car that got away!

In 1972, I was 15-years old. My Mom, 18-year old brother and I stopped at City Pontiac-Buick in Toronto. We looked at, test drove and negotiated a deal on a Dark Green '72 GTO (demonstrator). That evening, when my Dad got home, he wasn't very impressed. I suppose he knew what his 15 and 18-year old Sons wanted to get up to.

However, unbenownst to us, the next day, Dad went by himself to Hogan Pontiac-Buick on the Danforth and sat with a salesman named Marsh Smith. He spec'd out a fully loaded, all factory option, White-on-White 455SD, Automatic, and placed the factory order. It was back in the time when the manufacturers still had introduction dates for their new offerings, and Dad was told that the '73 GTO would arrive in time for the launch. We were all pretty excited and the weeks seemed to drag on forever.

On the day that the car was to arrive, we hadn't received a call, but we decided to visit the dealership to view the new models and styles.

After some investigation, Marsh Smith told my Dad that the order for our car was in 'production hold' and that there was no new expected date of delivery. As it turned out, the production hold was due to the order for the SD455.

While my brother and I were extremely disappointed, my parents turned their attention to the '73 Grand Am - Desert Sand - 400 2bbl that was sitting in the showroom. My brother tried to convince my parents to wait for the GTO, and at the time, I was indifferent...the Grand Am was a pretty cool looking car. A deal was made to buy the Grand Am, in place of the GTO and a couple of days later, we took it home.

Marsh Smith later said that the GTO we ordered, had its engine option for the SD455, changed to the regular 455, and the car eventually arrived at the dealer.

I never did get to see it, but my brother happened to take the Grand Am in for service, and he saw it. Apparently, it was snapped up by one of the mechanics at the dealership, only minutes after it rolled off of the truck.

Seeing numbers such as 519 total production of 455 Automatic Sport Coupes, makes me wonder, how many were White/White, with all of the options in the catalogue?

Once again...thanks a lot guys for keeping these memories alive.

Rob