1972 Pontiac GTO - Golden Opportunity

Once you've been bitten by the "car bug," there's little that can cure you. Thankfully, there are ways to help with the symptoms, one of which is buying Pontiacs. Mike Marx, of Port Orange, Florida, was afflicted as a young teenager. "I was just drawn to Pontiacs and I bought my first one when I was 18," he says. For the next 30 years, Mike continued to collect them. He's owned two '68 GTOs, two '69 GTOs, a '68 Firebird, and a '701/2 Trans Am, among others. When he had the opportunity to purchase this rare WW5-optioned Shadow Gold '72 GTO, he already knew its history and had to have it.

History
In the fall of 1971, Robert Boone special-ordered the Pontiac from Malmo Motors in Sedalia, Missouri. He checked off an assortment of amenities, including the WW5 option package. Engine and drivetrain enhancements included an LS5 300-horse, 455 H.O. engine, hood-air inlet, Unitized Ignition, a Turbo 400 automatic transmission (he could also have opted for an M22 four-speed), and a 12-bolt rear with Safe-T-Track to make sure all the power found its way to both tires.

The WW5 also boosted cornering performance with the Y99 Handling Package, increasing the rear swaybar size from 0.875 to 1.125 inches to match the front, and revised springs and shock valving to bring the Goat to near-Trans Am performance. Power disc brakes decreased stopping distance, and the Formula wheel, Rally gauges with in-dash tach, deluxe carpet, body-colored mirrors and roof-drip scalp molding added style. Mike says, "A WW5-optioned GTO is the most well-rounded one ever built."

Robert equipped the Goat with option P05 Honeycomb Wheels and a few other comfort options like A/C (see window sticker). He even tried to get a rear spoiler (a ducktail, we think). Sadly, GM sent him a letter stating that the spoiler wouldn't be available for '72, after all. Even so, when all was said and done, Robert had the GTO he wanted.

A few weeks after purchase, he decided to make some small changes to "personalize" the Goat. He started off by installing a front chin spoiler off a '70-'71 Judge. Robert also stripped the factory paint from the intake manifold to expose the aluminum. The final alteration was adding a set of "455 H.O." decals to the hood.

He continued to drive the GTO until 1977 when, after a minor collision, Robert became disenchanted with the Goat and decided to sell it before he moved his family out to Arizona. He assumed he would never see it again.

Finding An Old Friend
Fast-forward to 1994, when Robert found all the paperwork for the GTO in a box. That got him thinking about his old Pontiac once again and he decided to track it down to restore it with his son, Lindsay. The most logical place to start the search was the original state where he had purchased and sold the Goat-Missouri. Robert found that the same people who purchased it from him 17 years ago still owned it.

He was able to buy it back for $2,500, but it was in need of some serious attention. At some point during those 17 years, it had been repainted a different color. The floors and frame were fine, but there was some body rust. Though it needed restoration, the GTO was still very driveable, so Robert and his son drove the car back to Arizona.

Once home, the father-and-son team began to restore the Pontiac to the condition it was in back when Robert owned it. This included all the subtle mods that he had made, too. They removed the interior, the front clip, and driveline. Brake and fuel lines were shot so they were replaced. The body was stripped and bodywork was performed prior to repainting it the original color, Shadow Gold. Inside, the dashpad was redone and the front seats were reupholstered.