STORY OF MY 72 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX

Where should I start? Lets see, this was my mother's car that my father bought for her in 1972. It has been kept garaged up until last week and only started up a few times a year.

When my parents moved to Virginia in 1989 they took the Pontiac with them. My mom used it very little being big and powerful so has little mileage on it. (37,000 as of today).

In 1993 they offered it to me. So I flew down to Virginia and drove her back up to Long Island, NY.

It's been in my garage ever since. Only taken for short rides and cleaning. Shorty after bringing it up I took it out for a ride and managed to blow holes in the dual mufflers. This can happen when a car sits for awhile and is not warmed up enough. Condensation in the exhaust system can cause such an occurrence.

Now it was making a lot of noise so a reason not to use it. So it sat and sat. Then when I finally took it in for new mufflers the manifolds were leaking. Would have to get that fixed before exhaust system could be installed.

Well recently I found a mechanic that works on classical cars not to far from me. When I went to start it up the battery was dead. Wouldn't you know it, despite the battery being on a trickle charger and me needing to take it somewhere it was dead.

After getting a new battery I ran it a bit till it warmed up and took it down the street and back. More trouble, the heater coil was leaking anti-freeze inside on the passenger side.

Just by sitting for years it was costing money. Now it's at the auto-shop after being towed, sitting outside waiting to be repaired.

The things are adding up that should be repaired. Heater core, manifolds, exhaust system, might as well get a new radio, the old one stopped working also AC. Then there are the basics, belts, hoses and a tune-up. Mechanic suggests replacing carburetor with new electronic ignition.

I was thinking of selling it, but changed my mind for now. Already the tow-truck driver and mechanic offered to buy it.