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Austin Van Dyke
เข้าร่วมเมื่อ 30 มี.ค. 2015
A muscle car Cinderella story- Son surprises Dad with the 1968 GTO that he restored 29 years ago
The restoration (1992-1994)
In 1992 my father bought a 1968 Pontiac GTO from a local man named Steve Cordes, who told him that he didn’t believe it was a numbers matching car. My father (Alan Vandyke) began to tear the car down to the frame in order to properly restore it. When he dropped the gas tank, he found the original Pontiac build sheet. After de-coding the sheet, he was able to determine that the car was numbers matching from front to back, and even into the carburetors. Over the next 2 years and change, he built the car back up from the frame, replacing everything that needed to be replaced. He rebuilt the engine, and cleaned everything up, and put it all back together. In the summer of 1994, the car restoration was finally completed!
In the fall of 1999, after having kid number 5, my father decided to sell the car in order to finish the basement. The day that he sold this car is the very first memory that I retained as a child. I remember the very last ride that we took in the car, on the day that it was sold. I was 3 going on 4 years old. Growing up, every time that my father and I went to a car show, I was always told to keep an eye out for the GTO. It never showed up.
The Search (2019-2021)
In the spring-summer of 2019, 20 years after it had been sold, I decided to start looking for the car. I dug up a few pictures of the car showing the old license plates, and sent them to a few cop friends to see if anything would turn up. Months later, my mother was able to dig up the receipt for the paint job from my fathers restoration of the vehicle, giving us the VIN number of the car. A long summer of unsuccessful searching followed, and in early spring of 2020, I decided to pay a Private Investigator to look for the car. After months of COVID, and not hearing much, the P.I. informed me that he was not able to turn up any information on the car. A few months later I had applied and joined a few Pontiac and GTO pages on Facebook, where I posted my story in hopes of somebody recognizing the car. Months went by, and still no answers. I finally posted to a few more Facebook pages, and after a day or two, I was told to Google the VIN. We are not sure what changed, but this time when I googled the VIN, a single search result came up: the registration for a car in the country of Denmark, matching the VIN and description. Since 2008, the car had been registered in the country of Denmark. After some searching, I was able to find One Facebook page that was titled in English “GTO club Denmark”. The page had 82 members. I shared the story again, hoping that somebody would recognize the car. The next morning I woke up to a picture and a video of the car in my inbox from a man named martin that said he knew the owner. He got me in touch with the owner, and translated for us since the owner did not speak English. The owner was excited to hear the story, but not willing to part with the car. My last communication with the owner was the fall of 2020. In January of 2021, Martin reached out to me and informed me that the owner of the car was in a tragic accident with his land cruiser in which he lost his life. Four months later, the owner’s daughter and widow reached out to me, willing to sell the car. My uncle (my father’s best friend) and also my fathers cousin pitched in to foot the bill to get the car back without my father knowing. I had it shipped in a container, and then trucked to a friend’s house, where we went through the car, before surprising my father on Memorial day of 2021.
In 1992 my father bought a 1968 Pontiac GTO from a local man named Steve Cordes, who told him that he didn’t believe it was a numbers matching car. My father (Alan Vandyke) began to tear the car down to the frame in order to properly restore it. When he dropped the gas tank, he found the original Pontiac build sheet. After de-coding the sheet, he was able to determine that the car was numbers matching from front to back, and even into the carburetors. Over the next 2 years and change, he built the car back up from the frame, replacing everything that needed to be replaced. He rebuilt the engine, and cleaned everything up, and put it all back together. In the summer of 1994, the car restoration was finally completed!
In the fall of 1999, after having kid number 5, my father decided to sell the car in order to finish the basement. The day that he sold this car is the very first memory that I retained as a child. I remember the very last ride that we took in the car, on the day that it was sold. I was 3 going on 4 years old. Growing up, every time that my father and I went to a car show, I was always told to keep an eye out for the GTO. It never showed up.
The Search (2019-2021)
In the spring-summer of 2019, 20 years after it had been sold, I decided to start looking for the car. I dug up a few pictures of the car showing the old license plates, and sent them to a few cop friends to see if anything would turn up. Months later, my mother was able to dig up the receipt for the paint job from my fathers restoration of the vehicle, giving us the VIN number of the car. A long summer of unsuccessful searching followed, and in early spring of 2020, I decided to pay a Private Investigator to look for the car. After months of COVID, and not hearing much, the P.I. informed me that he was not able to turn up any information on the car. A few months later I had applied and joined a few Pontiac and GTO pages on Facebook, where I posted my story in hopes of somebody recognizing the car. Months went by, and still no answers. I finally posted to a few more Facebook pages, and after a day or two, I was told to Google the VIN. We are not sure what changed, but this time when I googled the VIN, a single search result came up: the registration for a car in the country of Denmark, matching the VIN and description. Since 2008, the car had been registered in the country of Denmark. After some searching, I was able to find One Facebook page that was titled in English “GTO club Denmark”. The page had 82 members. I shared the story again, hoping that somebody would recognize the car. The next morning I woke up to a picture and a video of the car in my inbox from a man named martin that said he knew the owner. He got me in touch with the owner, and translated for us since the owner did not speak English. The owner was excited to hear the story, but not willing to part with the car. My last communication with the owner was the fall of 2020. In January of 2021, Martin reached out to me and informed me that the owner of the car was in a tragic accident with his land cruiser in which he lost his life. Four months later, the owner’s daughter and widow reached out to me, willing to sell the car. My uncle (my father’s best friend) and also my fathers cousin pitched in to foot the bill to get the car back without my father knowing. I had it shipped in a container, and then trucked to a friend’s house, where we went through the car, before surprising my father on Memorial day of 2021.
มุมมอง: 1 964 267
10:12 If someone really thinks this, they don't understand how things can have sentimental value
He knew. From that first growl of the engine. <3
Hello everyone. It's been a couple years since I posted an update on the car. I know some of you have been wondering if I got the 4 speed put back in it. But first a big shout out and THANK YOU to all who commented on the video. I can say that I have read ALL of the comments and appreciated the kind words and the stories of your own experiences. Keep them coming! My wife and I just LOVE to read them! We are amazed at the view count! (creeping up on 2M!). Never knew there were so many classic car lovers out there! And from all the different countries! AMAZING! Now about the car. We actually drove it for two summers before I finally had the time last winter to put the original 4 speed back in. I also pulled the engine out with the idea to seal up a few leaks but as any motorhead out there knows it never stops there and I ended up stripping it completely down and freshened it up with new rings, bearings, valve grind etc. Put it all back together, tuned it in and took it for a spin. WOW! It is scary fast when everything is working right! I forget how much fun it is to shift through the gears and break the tires loose! A couple other upgrades included replacing the wood grain dash decal with new, replacing the plastic backs on the front bucket seats which were beat up pretty badly and replaced a couple knobs on the dash controls. It isn't concours level but it looks very nice and it drives perfectly. I'm not afraid to take it on long rides (which we do as often as we can!). I did take pics of all numbers on the engine and the trans so I can document it as a #s matching car. As per my research this car is one of only 736 units specked out this way in 1968 (400HO engine, 4-speed, limited slip diff, convertible,) Thats all folks! Keep the comments coming and hey, who knows, we may see you at a car show this summer!
Ass kickin video 😢
How does someone not know what Denmark is 😂😂😂
G_d moment🎉👍🏼‼️
Literally tears. Wow! What a story. I’m so happy for you guys ❤
This is making me think of my dad. He had a GTO that he had to sell when he was 19 because he was drafted to Vietnam. My father had a heart attack a few years ago and now has Parkinson's. I show him every video of GTO's. He loves them. I wish I could afford a GTO to buy for him before he passes, but that's impossible
I love that you parked it back in the yard, just like your memory of it. That's great!
Great video. Thanks for sharing. Your dad did an incredible job with that restoration...beautiful GTO.
There's a similar story in Australia where a son surprised his Dad by finding and buying his classic Aussie muscle car, Holden Torana GTR XU1. Look it up.
Your dad jumping outta that chair....the smile on his face....the joy beaming from his heart....PRICELESS!!!! 🎉❤🎉❤🎉❤🎉❤🎉❤🎉❤🎉
❤🙏❤
Wow! 👌💚
It's not just a car. It is a part of your Dad's heart and soul. You brought him so much happiness. That is priceless. Bless you.
If they dont understand why, there's just no way to understand.
Wonderful 😊
Amazing story, thanks for sharing! What a ride, yihaa!
Beautiful ❤
That’s fantastic!!
10th time i am watching this video. And i can not get enough of it. Every time it appears on my YT feed, i watch ....
❤💯🙏🏼
Dude, excellent story!…growing up in here in So.Cal. during the 60’s we were a Pontiac family, my dad owned a Catalina & a Bonneville then in 1969 he bought a Green GTO with the “8-track tape player” me & my two older brothers were in heaven, our GTO was the coolest car in the neighborhood, my older brothers finally convinced my dad to let them attach their surf racks to the top to carry our surfboards so we could cruise the coast here in So.Cal. lookin for waves!…good times indeed 🤙🏼
A man who knows his rumble
You must have been one hell of a father, and your wife one hell of a mom, to raise a young man like Austin. Congratulations VanDykes! What a family!
❤ no words
🎉🎉🎉 thank you for inspiring awesome son snd awesome dad
TRUE LOVE
Brought tears to my eyes. The love your father had for that car, and the love you have for your father made me cry. What a beautiful video.
I wish I can do something like this for my Pops! He's not a car guy, he's never had a cool car and isnt really into cars but I really wish I could do something for my Pops to repay him for working 2-3 jobs to keep his wife and 3 kids very comfortable and wanting for not! We weren't rich but we never went hungry and we actually got to go on vacations once a year, whether that was going to my Grandma's place in Houston TX (and going to Galveston Beach and crabbing off a dock down the street at Mud Lake) or going camping somewhere in/out of state (we lived in NW AR). He made sure we had something to do during summer break. I wish everyone had a great Father like mine! Unfortunately a lot of kids didn't or don't.... Much Love to ALL the Great Father's out there!
I know you probably didn't want to wait but if you have that to him on Father's Day! That would have been awesome! I don't think the day would have mattered really though... Its still an incredible gift for any day!!
This is one of the most touching & heart felt videos I’ve ever watched! When he heard the motor & jumped up I started balling! Such a wonderful family ❤
Damn fine story. Love this...
You what’s crazy is I just realized that your father lives 3 mins from me and I was doing some tires on his tractor and he showed me this car when I was there!
Brought tears to my eyes when your dad jumped at the sound of that GTO. 😢 Good job, son. 👍 That meant SO much to your dad (spoken as a dad).
Triggers Broom
Wow thank you for sharing
This is such a touching film!
Its not just a car....great find.
WOW AWESOME TESTIMONY
Nice work , finding that was awesome
How he reacted when hearing it. Worth all the work to get it back....right there.
He knew the call right away!! The car looks amazing… thank you for sharing, beautiful story, beautiful family.
I dont believe this was really happen, imagine 2 years of hope, and the prize so priceless dude, ❤❤
God bless
If you ever built or restored a car like that, you understand. Good people in Denmark to see it home. Godspeed.
When you put your blood sweat and tears into something, it becomes a part of you!
I watched this 3 yrs ago and stumbled upon it chain. Made me cry happy tears all over again!! Sold my 69 gto I had owned 32 yrs awhile back. I miss it but it went to an incredible car family where I know it will be cared for and handed dwn. Best part was they have the same last name as me 😊😊😊😊!! The look on his wife's face when they saw my gto was pure joy like a kid in a candy store she had a pontiac in high-school and they'd berm searching fir 3 yrs for the right one. Made me happy to have made them so happy!! Will always love pontiacs!!!
Heard that engine come to life and he immediately knew
Worth 2 years all that history now has another chapter to the story that was awesome reaction from your dad he knew his engine