On Nov. 21, 1968, Stan Thompson received his brand new 1969 Pontiac Firebird from the Haney Garage dealership in Maple Ridge for $4,570.38.
Forty-two years later he is still driving his vibrant yellow classic car. Although it is no longer used to haul the kids around and pick up groceries, the car remains in mint condition, with all the same parts and accessories that were original to the car.
It still has its original 350 cu. in., 265 hp engine and three-speed automatic transmission, and features a black vinyl roof and rally II wheels.
“It’s quite hard to find a car with all the original parts, and the original owner,” said Thompson, a former longtime resident of Murrayville, who is now living in Abbotsford.
“A lot of these cars have gone by the wayside, been crashed or sold.”
Thompson even has all the original paper work including the purchase order and agreement, conditional sale contract, vehicle warranty and owner’s manual. This was kept simply by mistake. When he got the car he put the papers into an envelope and stuck it under the car mat, where it sat for years until the car was dismantled and restored in 1986.
At 175,000 miles, the Firebird was completely reconditioned and given fresh paint and a lot of horsepower.
Thompson became a regular drag racer at the Mission Raceway, and won for best appearing sportsman car at Castrol Raceway in Edmonton in 2006. But as the cost of drag racing continued to rise, Thompson reverted the car to all of its original parts, which he had stored away after the car’s restoration.
Today he shows off his Firebird at car shows throughout the Lower Mainland, including the Pontiac Show ‘N’ Shine held at Cascades Casino on June 10.
Video of the Pontiac Show 'N' Shine featured above.
Stan Thompson proudly poses with his 1969 Pontiac Firebird at the Pontiac Show 'N' Shine at Cascades Casino on June 10.