1969 Pontiac GTO - May I Take Your Order?

First, he and friend Matt Reed, a fellow GTO owner, focused on breathing new life into the engine. They tore down the '68 Pontiac 400, found it was in very good shape, and determined it required only a standard rebuild. Though Steven knew the codes and date codes didn't match, he wanted Ram Air III power, so they upgraded the engine to Ram Air III specs, including the "068" 288/302 degree duration 0.414/0.413 lift cam. An Ames Performance stainless exhaust was installed behind reproduction H.O. manifolds.

Then began the dark chapter of Steven's restoration. "The car spent two and a half years at the body shop and it was not a pleasant experience." During this period he added a front spoiler, hidden headlights, chrome tailpipe extensions, a locking gas-cap collar, and a rear-deck spoiler. A replacement hood, quarter panels, and fenders were needed, but the rest of the body was media-blasted, restored, and resprayed in PPG primer and PPG Warwick Blue basecoat/clearcoat. The bumpers were sent to Raush Industries in Tampa to be rechromed.

The problem was, the body shop still hadn't reassembled the GTO. "I decided to go down there and pick up the parts and put it back together myself," Steven said. With assistance from his brother and friend Matt Reed, they had the body back together in about four months.

For the interior, BJ's Interior in Tampa was much more enjoyable to deal with. Steven had taken very good care of the GTO, and even after everyday use for about 15 years, many of the interior appointments were still in excellent shape. The center console, seatbelts, and rear armrests are original and untouched. However, the factory Parchment seats were reupholstered, and the dash was sent to Just Dashes to be recovered. Steven, Randy, Matt, and his kids installed the dash, Dynamat, carpeting, and door panels, while BJ's installed the headliner, seatbelts, and other miscellaneous interior pieces.

A handful of interior options were added, including an eight-track player, AM/FM mono radio with reverb, power antenna, and rear speakers. A mint condition wood wheel and tilt steering column replaced the originals, and the dash was filled with Rally gauges with tachometer. The interior was beginning to shape up with the assortment of options and was illuminated by the optional floor lighting.

Steven contacted Kevin Owens at Professional Transmission in Tampa to rebuild the Muncie M21 close-ratio transmission from the '68 parts car to factory spec. Since the GTO was originally equipped with an M20, it came with 3.55 gears inside the 8.2-inch 10-bolt rearend with a Safe-T-Track differential to assist in tire shredding.

Steven, Randy, and Matt got to work on the rest of the car. It retained its stock front 1-inch stabilizer bar, but the majority of the bushings were shot. Ames provided all the reproduction parts needed to restore the suspension, and upgrade it with a 1-inch rear sway bar and tubular control arms. Original power disc brakes were rebuilt, and the Rally II wheels were wrapped in G70-14 Coker Firestone Wide Ovals with white letters. "I felt that the white letters flowed well with the car's color scheme. The interior is Parchment, and the GTO emblems are white as well," Steven says.

The project was completed in the fall of 2007. "I'm extremely happy with the way the GTO turned out. It has been my dream car for 27 years and still is. I don't think that's ever going to change. It has every option I would have ordered on it if I were old enough to buy one new in 1969. It even has a tissue dispenser just because I think it's a neat little option."

The most important element of this project for Steven has been his father. "He was instrumental in the purchase of the Goat and passed away before he could see it completed. It now reminds me of him and all the good times and adventures I've had in it."

Don't let the good looks fool you either. Steven takes this GTO out on the road often, and he restored it with driving pleasure in mind. Why not? He drove it regularly back in the day. The difference now is that the GTO doesn't have multicolored body parts, rust, and a Chevy 327 under the hood. Through sheer determination, Steven has made his Goat into his dream car.