Who says women don’t drive cool cars?  On June 17, 1966, Mrs. Willie Mae Weems took delivery of this GTO convertible from Griffith Motors in Johnson City, TN, and the option list isn’t all about comfort and convenience.  This car not only doesn’t have power steering or brakes, it’s a tri-power, four speed car!  That combination causes us to nod when guys bought ‘em, but when a female decides a car like this is for her we practically swoon!

Let’s start with the documentation and numbers.  We have the FULL owner’s manual packet complete with the warranty booklet ad Protect-O-Plate.  We have receipts and title work showing the car stayed close to home for decades after its birth.  The complete Pontiac Historical Services documentation is here, along with their reproduction window sticker.  Grabbing the P-O-P you’ll find the original, numbers matching code WS motor under the hood.  You’ll also find the first three service tickets pulled out, showing just over 6,000 miles driven in the first year.  The original owner’s manual is here, as is the original convertible top operating guide and the accessory booklet.  The original P-O-P mailer card is present, as is the original battery warranty card.  A previous title from 1973 shows new owners Jack and Bridget Rodgers, for whom we have an insurance card from 1997��"they obviously cared for the car.

Here’s the option list:

77W four speed manual, wide ratio

WS 389 3x2bbl V8 engine

342 AM radio

382 Door edge guards

392 Non-glare inside mirror

402 Glove box lamp

412 Ash tray and cigar lamp

414 Parking brake lamp

431 Custom front and rear seat belts

444 Electric clock

461 Deluxe wheel discs

472 Console

514 Heavy duty cooling fan

532 Soft-Ray tinted windshield

731 Safe-T-Track differential

While largely original there are a couple deviations from stock.  While the top and interior are originally black, the factory exterior color was Candelite Cream.  You’ll also notice a crisp set of Rally I wheels in place of the hubcaps.  Inside, you’ll hold onto an original woodgrain steering wheel and shift knob set.  All of those changes are factory possible, and all of them make a very interesting car even better.  What’s not to like?

If you’ve never ridden in a GTO convertible you’re missing out.  We’ve driven a lot of cars here, and we’re used to getting attention in the hot ones.  There’s something about how the average driver looks at a GTO that can’t easily be put into words, though:  It’s as if baby boomers have their entire teenage years flash before their eyes, old men yearn for younger days and even kids know it’s special.  Vintage Corvettes and Mustang convertibles come close, but neither connect with people like the GTO.  And, when you can put the top down, life only gets better.

Walk up to the paint and be amazed-it’s that deep, straight and glossy.  Black is the hardest of all colors to get right, and you can tell how much time went into this car.  Panel fit is excellent and much better than factory.  The convertible top and windshield are new; the remainder of the glass is very good original.  Chrome trim from the headlight bezels to the mirror to the bumpers is new or restored while the stainless trim is highly polished.  The wheelset is in excellent condition with clean trim rings and center caps.  Lights and lenses are new and excellent from the front turn signals to the taillights.  The badges are new; the door handles, emblems, wheel lip and rocker moldings are likewise.

Underneath you’ll find floors clean enough to warrant leaving alone rather than going to body-off route.  The original transmission and rear axle are in place, the front suspension and steering is tight and the exhaust with Flowmaster mufflers is new.  New brake and fuel components are in place.  One trip around the parking lot shows just how well the car drives.

Inside, new seat covers, new door panels, new carpeting and more highlight the fully restored interior.  New chrome pieces from the door handles to the window cranks to the convertible top latches are in place.  The dash woodgrain is in excellent shape, the original console is extremely nice, the pedal pads are new, the optional shift knob begs you to row the gears and the sports wheel should have been standard.

More than the sum of its parts this GTO turns heads, turns tires and is an excellent collectible which has risen and will continue to rise in value.

Who says women don’t drive cool cars?  On June 17, 1966, Mrs. Willie Mae Weems took delivery of this GTO convertible from Griffith Motors in Johnson City, TN, and the option list isn’t all about comfort and convenience.  This car not only doesn’t have power steering or brakes, it’s a tri-power, four speed car!  That combination causes us to nod when guys bought ‘em, but when a female decides a car like this is for her we practically swoon!

Let’s start with the documentation and numbers.  We have the FULL owner’s manual packet complete with the warranty booklet ad Protect-O-Plate.  We have receipts and title work showing the car stayed close to home for decades after its birth.  The complete Pontiac Historical Services documentation is here, along with their reproduction window sticker.  Grabbing the P-O-P you’ll find the original, numbers matching code WS motor under the hood.  You’ll also find the first three service tickets pulled out, showing just over 6,000 miles driven in the first year.  The original owner’s manual is here, as is the original convertible top operating guide and the accessory booklet.  The original P-O-P mailer card is present, as is the original battery warranty card.  A previous title from 1973 shows new owners Jack and Bridget Rodgers, for whom we have an insurance card from 1997��"they obviously cared for the car.

Here’s the option list:

77W four speed manual, wide ratio

WS 389 3x2bbl V8 engine

342 AM radio

382 Door edge guards

392 Non-glare inside mirror

402 Glove box lamp

412 Ash tray and cigar lamp

414 Parking brake lamp

431 Custom front and rear seat belts

444 Electric clock

461 Deluxe wheel discs

472 Console

514 Heavy duty cooling fan

532 Soft-Ray tinted windshield

731 Safe-T-Track differential

While largely original there are a couple deviations from stock.  While the top and interior are originally black, the factory exterior color was Candelite Cream.  You’ll also notice a crisp set of Rally I wheels in place of the hubcaps.  Inside, you’ll hold onto an original woodgrain steering wheel and shift knob set.  All of those changes are factory possible, and all of them make a very interesting car even better.  What’s not to like?

If you’ve never ridden in a GTO convertible you’re missing out.  We’ve driven a lot of cars here, and we’re used to getting attention in the hot ones.  There’s something about how the average driver looks at a GTO that can’t easily be put into words, though:  It’s as if baby boomers have their entire teenage years flash before their eyes, old men yearn for younger days and even kids know it’s special.  Vintage Corvettes and Mustang convertibles come close, but neither connect with people like the GTO.  And, when you can put the top down, life only gets better.

Walk up to the paint and be amazed-it’s that deep, straight and glossy.  Black is the hardest of all colors to get right, and you can tell how much time went into this car.  Panel fit is excellent and much better than factory.  The convertible top and windshield are new; the remainder of the glass is very good original.  Chrome trim from the headlight bezels to the mirror to the bumpers is new or restored while the stainless trim is highly polished.  The wheelset is in excellent condition with clean trim rings and center caps.  Lights and lenses are new and excellent from the front turn signals to the taillights.  The badges are new; the door handles, emblems, wheel lip and rocker moldings are likewise.

Underneath you’ll find floors clean enough to warrant leaving alone rather than going to body-off route.  The original transmission and rear axle are in place, the front suspension and steering is tight and the exhaust with Flowmaster mufflers is new.  New brake and fuel components are in place.  One trip around the parking lot shows just how well the car drives.

Inside, new seat covers, new door panels, new carpeting and more highlight the fully restored interior.  New chrome pieces from the door handles to the window cranks to the convertible top latches are in place.  The dash woodgrain is in excellent shape, the original console is extremely nice, the pedal pads are new, the optional shift knob begs you to row the gears and the sports wheel should have been standard.

More than the sum of its parts this GTO turns heads, turns tires and is an excellent collectible which has risen and will continue to rise in value.