Restoring an Old Favorite to its Original Glory
Name: Doug McCloskey Year/Make/Model: 1967 Pontiac GTO
How Long Have You Had Your Car? Five years.
Why Did You Choose This Car? I had one in high school and always wanted one again. This car was my cousin’s and he was the second owner.
Where is Your Favorite Place to Show off Your Classic Car? I like to just cruise in the summer. I plan to show at Des Moines Goodguys this summer.
Any Recent or Upcoming Classic Car Restoration Projects You'd Like to Share? I am now working on a 1970 Mustang Fastback with a 351, 5 speed and shaker hood.
Anything Else to Tell Us About Your Car? My GTO was very rough when I started, but it was all original and complete. I spent three years on a rotisserie restoration, doing the majority myself. It is restored to how it was when it was sold at the dealer.
Could You Tell Us About Your Legendary Experience? I purchased all the interior from Legendary. All the Pontiac sites that I follow said Legendary was the best, and I would agree after using it. I redid all my seats myself, watching YouTube videos as a guide. Took a while, but they turned out excellent! I even did my own headliner!
Fulfilling a Longtime Restoration Dream
Name: Robert Sullivan Jr.
Year/Make/Model: 1966/Chevrolet/Chevelle SS396
How Long Have You Had Your Car? 14 Years +
Why Did You Choose This Car? It was the family car. More specifically, my mom’s car and her pride and joy.
Where is Your Favorite Place to Show off Your Classic Car? TBD - Just finishing restoration. I guess Facebook is the only place I've shown it off. Any Recent or Upcoming Classic Car Restoration Projects You'd Like to Share? This car was in extremely bad shape and I have numerous pictures to show what it has been through. The frame off restoration process is over three years in the making now, and I’ll be finishing brakes and the motor this spring to complete the project. No other upcoming projects right now until I complete this one.
Anything Else to Tell Us About Your Car? This is a special project car, not just to me, but a lot of my friends and family, as it was my mom's dream to restore it. However, she had to raise four kids and died tragically in a car accident in 2007. It sat in my barn until the fall of 2017 when I started the process of restoring it.
Could You Tell Us About Your Legendary Experience? It's always a pleasure to order with Legendary. Very personable people and they want to make sure you get the correct, quality product. I currently have a custom set of floor mats ordered for this car and can't wait to see them in it.
Searching for (and Finding) that Perfect Classic Car
Name: John Spencer
Year/Make/Model: 1979 Pontiac Trans Am (Special Edition Y-84)
How Long Have You Had Your Car? 8+ Years
Why Did You Choose This Car? My wife, Diane, and I discussed buying a classic car after I retired in 2011. We remembered how much we both loved a 1979 Firebird Formula we had purchased shortly after we were married; it was always our favorite car. So while Diane encouraged me to try to locate a Firebird Formula similar to the one we had owned, what she did not know was that I still had the VIN number of that car. I performed an extensive search to try to locate "our car" to surprise her. Unfortunately, my search was not successful. But while searching subsequently online for similar 1979 Formulas, I ran across our current 1979 Trans Am. It was everything that you could ask for in a classic car: Low, original miles (under 55,000), numbers matching, and very well maintained both inside and out. Back in 1979, my wife's reaction to considering a Trans Am versus a Formula had been that, besides the added expense, it was just a little too much "over-the-top"; this time her reaction was "why buy a Firebird Formula, when we can get it's big brother, the Trans Am!" Plus, the fact that it was a beautiful, fully loaded, black and gold Y-84 Special Edition (a.k.a. - Smokey and the Bandit) model helped seal the deal.
Where is Your Favorite Place to Show off Your Classic Car? While I like taking it to lots of local and regional car shows, the most fun is to take it for drives with the T-top off and watching the smiles and other reactions received from other drivers and at places we stop along the way.
Any Recent or Upcoming Classic Car Restoration Projects You'd Like to Share? Other than regular general maintenance and some work on the A/C system, this car is in top condition and simply wants to be driven and enjoyed.
Anything Else to Tell Us About Your Car? While some people like resto mods or having engines chromed out, I like owning a classic car that is as close to original as possible. I also find that because there are not as many surviving Trans Ams as other classic cars, my car tends to attract a lot of attention. Whether taking it for a spin or showing it in a car show, it always brings back great memories, both for me and others, of a simpler time before cup holders, audio streaming services, GPS and digital electronics. A time when it was just the driver and his car...and when cars like the Trans Am and muscle cars ruled the roads of America.
Could You Tell Us About Your Legendary Experience? The last major restoration for this car was replacing the interior seat covers several years ago. Although the seat covers had been replaced by the previous owner, they were showing signs of age. I discovered through Legendary Auto Interiors that what had been installed was actually not correct for the 1979 Y-84 Special Edition Model. Legendary Auto Interiors was extremely helpful in helping me bring my car back to "original" condition. Their service was fast, friendly and efficient.
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--- We hope you enjoyed reading these classic car stories as much as we have! The hard work, dedication, and personal connection our fans have to their classic cars is inspiring, and we’re happy to be part of the process. Ready to write your own classic car restoration story? Legendary Auto Interiors is ready when you are. Contact us for your interior restoration needs today!