... PICTURE SET CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE CLICK->
The engine has the YF stamp on it. YF is for the 389ci, 325hp, 4 bbl, AC equipped engine with automatic transmission. Hummm, I didn't see the air conditioning. CLICK->
Shot of the front carb on this Tri-power engine. CLICK->
Shot of the center carb on this Tri-power engine. CLICK->
This is the first time I've seen a VIN tag with a guy's name on it! This is a 1966 GTO that was originally built in honor of James M. Roche. He died in 2004 at the age of 97. Researching the name, I find that James M. Roche was a former GM chairman and CEO who helped build the giant automaker for almost a half century, and rebuild the city of Detroit after the 1967 riot. The Detroit Daily News carried an article detailing the important man's history here...
http://www.detnews.com/2004/autosinsider/0406/08/c01-176815.htm
I was surprised to find that Roche was on the cover of Time magazine
on May 20, 1966 here...
http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,1101660520,00.html CLICK->
After studying the photos of this nice well-preserved vehicle, I wonder why the rivets on the data plates appear to be unpainted? I always thought they went on before the firewall was sprayed black? Maybe someone can answer that question for me. Let's decode. 10A means that this car was built in October in the 1st week. 66 is the model year of 1966. 2 is for Pontiac. 42 is for the GTO model. 67 is for the convertible body. BF is for the Fremont California assembly plant. 10001 is the sequential body number which seems to be missing a zero. 223 is for a black interior. R1 is for the Montero Red paint with a white convertible top. CLICK->
Documentation is everything for a GTO. This is the factory option list from PHS (Pontiac Historic Services) which documents the car. PHS has copies of original invoices and will provide them for a fee if you can tell them the car's VIN. CLICK->
Here is the invoice for the car. I wonder why the invoice date is April 1st, 1966? April Fool's Day? That's 6 months after the car was built according to the data plate. The paint R1 and trim 223 do match the dataplate. I wonder why the serial number is not visible on this digital photo? CLICK->
More documentation for the 1966 GTO. Looks like owner's guides and they are in good condition. CLICK->
Martinique Bronze 1966 LeMans convertible owned by Robert from Brentwood, California. In December of 2005, Robert describes it, "An all stock unmolested Lemans down to the single exhaust." CLICK->
Close-up of the front of Robert's Martinique Bronze 1966 LeMans convertible. CLICK->
Martinique Bronze 1966 LeMans convertible, right rear view. CLICK->
Martinique Bronze 1966 LeMans convertible, left rear view. CLICK->
Martinique Bronze 1966 LeMans convertible, rear end view. The LeMans had a single exhaust pipe. CLICK->
Martinique Bronze 1966 LeMans convertible, with the top part way up. Or is it part way down? CLICK->
Gold 1966 GTO hardtop owned by Guy & Tom Ferstl from Goodyear, Arizona. PICTURE SET CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE ...
