Jon Sweningson Aurora, OregonMy story begins in Houston, Texas when I was 17 years old, in 1980. I had just acquired my first "real" car, a 1978 gold Special Edition Trans Am. My best friend had purchased a 1977 black Special Edition Trans Am a few months before, and after driving his I was addicted. I could not believe the sound, sight, steering and speed. I lived and breathed T/As for the next 10 years.
When I was 18, I will never forget the day, coming out of a local McDonalds, when I saw a red 1974 T/A with a weird label on the shaker. What was an SD-455? It looked awesome, and left McDonalds blazingly fast, either from overwhelming horsepower or grease in the driver's veins from the french fries. Never saw another SD-455 again.
Fast forward to spring 2000. I lived in Oregon with my wife of 15 years and two kids. Some 30+ Pontiacs later, I was now cruising in a 1964 baby blue Grand Prix, and my wife wanted a house, not another Pontiac. On a Sunday afternoon I was on the Internet looking at local Pontiacs for sale. I found a 1974 SD-455 for $10,000 in Colorado but it had been rolled and the roof crushed. Three others were available at $15,000 or more.
Then, before my eyes, was a listing for a car not 30 miles from where we lived. Brand new ad, "1974 SD-455, red, asking $9,000, obo." I called. Whew! The seller was home. I knew I had to work fast ... a $9,000 SD-455 wouldn't last long. He said it had 80,000 original miles and was nice, but he wasn't sure of its history. He thought it was the "real thing." I told him I'd call him back if my wife okayed the purchase and I'd look at it that day. I went into our bedroom where my wife was sleeping. I approached and got on my knees, childishly begging. With eyes still closed she said,"What is it, a car?" After explaining the situation, she asked, "What's a Super Duty?" Ouch, that hurt!
After signing an agreement never to buy another car until after her house was built, off we went. The second I saw that Pontiac I was sold ... for less than I thought, much better, like-new mint condition and, best of all, the numbers matched, an SD. Now, driving brings a smile to my face and when she drives, my wife no longer asks, "What's a Super Duty?" She can feel it ... she's addicted, just like I was back in 1980.
P.S. We are breaking ground in a month for the house. In another year, who knows? Maybe another Pontiac?
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