1969 Pontiac GTO Convertible

Chassis No. 242679B175672
Engine No. 29B175672

This 1969 Pontiac GTO Ram Air III convertible combines the era's most desirable performance package with the openness of drop-top motoring. This 1969 Pontiac GTO Ram Air III convertible combines the era's most desirable performance package with the openness of drop-top motoring. What set the Ram Air III apart from a standard 400 was its cold-air induction with functional hood scoops that fed outside air directly into the four-barrel carburetor. It also paired that induction system with high-flow, round-port cast-iron heads, intake and exhaust manifolds, and a hotter camshaft than the base 400. It was noticeably freer breathing with a stronger top-end pull than a standard GTO of the same displacement, and in the case of this car was paired with the close-ratio four-speed manual transmission, Hurst T-handle shifter, and Safe-T-Track heavy-duty differential. A hood-mounted tachometer, Rally gauge cluster, custom sport steering wheel, and center console complete a cockpit built for spirited driving, while front disc brakes, heavy-duty springs and shocks, and a heavy-duty radiator round out the Ride & Handling package as noted on its original build sheet.

A copy of its original window sticker shows it was originally sold by Ted Papp Pontiac of Riverton, New Jersey, with a base price of $3,382 and a final window sticker of $4,421.63 (nearly half of the era's $9,430 median family income, and over 43-percent more expensive than a base Pontiac Catalina sedan). Today it remains a beautifully presented numbers-matching example. Restored as originally specified in Crystal Turquoise and shows 67,000 miles that are believed to be original.

One of just a select few Ram Air III, four-speed convertibles built for 1969, this numbers-matching GTO is backed by a continuous ownership history dating to 1972, including a copy of the original factory build sheet recovered from beneath the driver's seat and a copy of its original window sticker from Pontiac Historic Services. Outfitted with Goodyear Red Line Polyglas tires, matching top boot, AM radio with an eight-track player, power brakes, power top, and seat belts, it still carries its factory-rated 366 horsepower and 445 lb-ft of torque into the open air. It is a prized example of one of Pontiac's most rambunctious performers of the era and stands ready to deliver the same visceral thrill buyers chased new off the showroom floor in 1969.