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Posted by: mitchntx Nov 11 2008, 07:08 PM

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Pontiac-Le-Mans-TEMPEST-63-PONTIAC-LeMANS-TEMPEST-1-4-MILE-CAR-W-O-MOTOR-TRANS_W0QQitemZ110306170567QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_Cars_Trucks?hash=item110306170567&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245&_trkparms=72%3A727%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

Be sure and read through the Q&A ...

Wow! talk about a barn find!

Posted by: NJSPEEDER Nov 11 2008, 07:59 PM

Yeah, there is extensive discussion of this auction on a few boards. Lots of drooling going on all over the place for this one.

-Tim

Posted by: bowtieboy Nov 11 2008, 10:09 PM

Holly hit the lottery Batman ! !
.......so is that going to be your new retirement investment Mitch ?

Posted by: GlennCMC70 Nov 11 2008, 10:45 PM

i didnt read mostof it causei cant see most of it. whats the big deal?

Posted by: mitchntx Nov 12 2008, 01:17 AM

I need to look in more barns!





1 of 6 SD factory race cars. Kind of a subset of a COPO Camaro ...

Fiberglass front clip, plexiglass windows, aluminum bumpers, trick suspension, aluminum brake drums, ...

This was a brother-in-law's car who passed away and was the 2nd or 3rd owner. Many of the documented and impossible to replace parts are there.

And the great thing about it, is that he had it listed with a Buy it Now for $4000 at one point. But some gear head and car enthusiast explained to him what he had instead of taking advantage of his ignorance.

It's what this hobby is supposed to be about ...

Posted by: z28jeff Nov 12 2008, 04:12 PM

Wow, that's a great story.
So who bought it? Jay Leno?

Posted by: mitchntx Nov 12 2008, 07:24 PM

That's kind of the jist I took away ... it's in Leno's hands.

Posted by: rpoz-29 Nov 12 2008, 09:11 PM

I kind of hope Leno got it. That way, we can have a look at it on his website someday, and it will be driven.

Posted by: roadracerwhite Nov 12 2008, 11:49 PM

It was also noted that they were thinking about scrapping it at one time.

From reading the ad,

It had an aluminum front end at one time, it was no longer on the car though.

It is an incredible story.

As a Pontiac guy myself, this is one of the rarest cars you can find.

Super Duty Le Mans coupes

· Shipped to Ray Nichels Engineering, Merrillville, Illinois. Driven by Paul Goldsmith to a win in the 1963 Daytona 250-mile Challenge Cup. Documented as destroyed.

· Shipped to Stan Long Pontiac, Detroit, Michigan. Driven by Stan Antlocer. Whereabouts unknown, though front clip has been recovered.

· Shipped to Superior Pontiac, San Antonio, Texas. Whereabouts unknown.

· Shipped to Mickey Thompson. Campaigned as the No. 749 A/FX car and driven by Bill Shrewsberry and Bob Spar. Fate unknown.

· Shipped to Mickey Thompson. Campaigned as the No. 756 A/FX car and driven by Jess Tyree; later sold to Arnie Beswick and campaigned as the Little B's Runabout before Beswick converted it into the Tameless Tiger Funny Car. Destroyed in a racing accident, but later restored.

· Shipped to George DeLorean and Roger Schmidt. Restored.

Looks like there are still a couple out there, who knows what is still out there.

I found the story on the NASA forums when the bidding was at 80,000.

Posted by: mitchntx Nov 13 2008, 12:57 AM

That little piece of metal behind the door glass ... funny, ain't it?

Posted by: 00 Trans Ram Nov 13 2008, 04:07 PM

The only thing that I find wrong about this story is that this should no longer be considered a "car". It's a collectable. It belongs in the same category as the Hope Diamond, Monet's 'Starry Night', and the original Magna Carta. If it will be driven again, then I admire whoever buys it. But, for it to be restored and put on a shelf is a shame.