I purchased this car in May 1982 from the original owner who, believe it or not, was a little old lady. She told me she walked into Iversen Motor Company in Santa Maria, California wanting "something powerful so I could tow my trailer." She indeed got what she wanted. I paid $2200 for the car, and I remember at the time feeling like I paid too much.
By the time I got it, the car had racked up 67,000 miles. The stripe stickers were cracked, there were some parking lot dings, it needed a brake job, and the front seat had been poorly reupholstered to accommodate "booster padding" so she could sit up a few inches higher (she was a small elderly lady). Other than that, it was a very nice condition "virgin" car.
After torching the trailer hitch off, I enjoyed (and slightly abused) the car throughout high school as my daily driver until spring 1985. At this time, the car went into storage until I settled down in 1997. I then pulled the car into my own garage and began slowly but surely bringing it up to its current condition.
The only major deviation from stock has been the addition of a Direct Connection electronic conversion kit in 1984.
Major factory options include:
A09 concealed headlamps
N96 Ramcharger induction
J81 rear spoiler
S84 Tuff wheel
Interesting notes about the car:
This is an LA built car. The car was assembled in October of 1970, but the original matching numbers block was cast in July of 1969, a full 15 months before the car was assembled. Govier told me he has run across several 1971 440 LA cars with 1969 casting dates.
This car came from the factory with what I am told is a 1970 style center console, which has the receptacle for the seatbelts at the rear instead of the ash tray.
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