pontiacventura.com's NEW RIDES for December 2009
Much has changed since the last NEW RIDES update; the Pontiac Motor Division is dead, but the enthusiasm for their cars continues uninterrupted...and so this website will continue to motor on as well.  I'm still hooked on surfing thru ebay and other ad sites looking for cool cars, and as a result probably have more photos than I can ever publish...so I'm thinking of doing another nearer-term update that will include a lot of those remarkable cars in addition to what car owners have been sending in.
By the way, for all of you great Ventura fans sending me invites to join you on Facebook and other social networking sites, I honestly don't have the time to participate in that world right now...but I really would like to say 'thank you', I'm honored! -Roland

 home

(please click thumbnails to enlarge...and by the way, this is a BIG page that may take longer to load if you still use dial-up.)

Attention-Getter!!!  

"Hello, here are some pics of our original unrestored 71 Ventura Sprint.  Still running the original 307 engine.  Car is originally a 3 speed on the floor with bucket seats.  Currently has a Muncie 4 speed.  All original paint, vinyl top and interior.  After sitting for 20+ years in a friend's garage, a simple reseal of the 60,000 mile engine and some new tires, it’s back on the road again.   I did install a mild cam, intake and carb etc…but it’s still the stock long block.  It had a 12 bolt with 4.88’s in it for the last 20+ years.  I just recently re-installed the original 10 bolt with 3.08’s so I could drive it a farther distance.  I left the 4 speed Muncie in the car, the original 3 speed Saginaw sits on the shelf.  It has some weird options like a map light rear view mirror and rear window defogger, and of course the Sprint package, buckets seats etc…but it came with manual drum brakes and manual steering.

"Now that the car is back out of retirement it’s amazing the response it gets.   I also have an SS 454 Chevelle as well as a 1970 Formula Firebird, but this old Sprint grabs the most attention, kinda funny, 20 years ago nobody gave a hoot about it. Anyway, thanks again.  Can’t wait to see it up on your site.  Larry and Doris Jones hotrodjones@bullerinetworks.netI guess all we can do when we see a car like this is drool and let the pictures do the talking...! -Ro

Too Cool in Blue    
"Couldn’t figure out where to email pics of my Pontiac!...It’s a 1978 Pontiac Phoenix has 53,000 original miles on the 305 and turbo 350, its undergoing an engine & trans swap as we speak, putting a 5.3 out of an 01 Silverado along with a 4L60E overdrive trans.

"Future plans are to install an 88mm turbo on the 5.3 and put some 275 Drag Radials out back with a cool set of beadlocks, all while still retaining the stock bench seat interior, and I don’t want to cut the car up so I'm going to try and not mini tub it or cage it, probably just a bolt in rollbar. Its one of the nicest Pontiac Phoenix’s I’ve ever seen, and I'm glad I acquired it a couple of years ago... cool site you have here.
 Justin Cochrane justin.cochrane@radionetworks.comFor some reason, the Phoenix wears this light blue metallic extremely well, especially in conjunction with the tinted windows.  Great industrial setting for the photos, too!

Prowling the Back Streets  
"I have kinda been sitting in the dark with the Ventura because it isn't a very popular car, but I love it and it's my baby.  I have had the car for 4 years, bought it from a collector who had done some stuff to it but nothing major.  I have redone the motor bay because it hadn't been touched since 1975.  I have Jegs aluminum alloy rims, the rears are 15x10 with drag street tires and the fronts are 15x4. I have many plans for the car, and if you would like to know anything else just let me know!!!  Joshua Dachtler JoshuaDachtler@gmx.com " Here's another great example of how a couple of careful changes can turn a so-called grocery-getter into something a lot more interesting.  And I'd have to give the nod to Joshua's first shot as the best-posed photo this time around, it could be a magazine cover shot!

 Ventura Wears Viper Blue   
"I just came across your really cool site and wanted to send some pics of my 1974 Ventura. I purchased this car in August of 2008; after seeing it on craigslist for about 2 months I finally decided to check it out for myself. It had 35 years of door dings on it and the interior needed attention, but it had one of the most rust-free bodies I have seen for a car of this era, which was the deciding factor for me on purchasing it. The seller claimed that the 37,000 miles showing on odometer was the original mileage( but could not fully document the fact although he had a folder full of receipts and also the original owners manual).

"I brought it home and sent it out to the body to have door dings smoothed out and a fresh coat of viper blue pearl paint. I also sent the front and rear seats to have recovered in classic blue vinyl, installed new carpet and cleaned all panels and dyed them. I swapped out the original 14" Pontiac rally wheels for a set of Bogart gold star aluminum rims. Next I installed a posi track in the original 10 bolt rear end with 3.42 gears. The car has the original Pontiac 350 engine with 2 barrel carb that runs strong, I swapped out the 2 barrel for an Edelbrock intake and Quadrajet carb. I bought a 455 engine from a friend that I plan on putting in the car. The car is a  joy to drive and always turns heads and gets compliments wherever it goes. Thanks for your site, Jose  joseluv408@aol.com (P.S. this car may be for sale)"  No small wonder the car turns heads, that electric blue paint sucks your eyeballs in like a black (blue?) hole!

Award-Winning Effort  
"Roland, went to my first car show last week and took second place... here is a picture of me with the trophy.  The Corvette and Chrysler people were p***d, the other people with early GTO's were very impressed and were glad to see me place. Bob slickvillepanels@aol.comTake some time to peruse our 1974 GTO archives and other NEW RIDES updates to see how far Bob has come with this car...what an amazing job! -Ro

Seldom-Seen Buick Apollo GSX
 
Craig Geske ( c_geske@earthlink.net ) provided these very nice detail shots of a Buick Apollo he spotted at a car show (he believes it was equipped with the standard 6-banger), plus another photo of a different GSX in a driveway.  He also pointed out an Oklahoma GSX on ebay that came up for sale, but I saved those pics for another time.  Meanwhile he's got his own blue '73 Apollo in work (it's in our Archives), check out his creative car-crafting below:

"(My) 73 Buick Apollo is being stripped, painted Saturn Yellow with 1971 GS hood scoops (plumbed correctly), with black hood, red trim on hood, the side stripes are to be 74 Apollo.  We are changing to 4 custom port holes, car has buckets from 76 Skylark, console from 1975 Park Ave with 1976 shifter in it.  Also has AC, PS, PB, sunroof suncoupe, am/fm, rear defrost, power hatch, air shocks, 455, 375b&m trans, Electra drive shaft and 3.73 rear.  Black out grill and headlight trim.  We hope to have it out soon, will make GS guys wonder as it will be all Buick, GS parts, and real Saturn Yellow on 'wrong' car.   OHH I have the tent for the hatch back too! -Craig"

 
A Pair Of Ponchos (But Only One For Sale!)
A gent by the name of Sam recently advertised his white Ventura for sale on the site but didn't give any details on the gorgeous 74 GTO parked just behind it.  Thought it was a nice shot anyway and worth keeping for our ever-expanding archives, especially because of the GTO's uncommon color. -Ro
 

1974 Revisited...
You might recall seeing this lovingly-restored '74 Ventura sedan previously, but I'd misplaced these particularly nice photos.  This restoration was dedicated to owner Mike Santos' dad, and these pics were taken in front of Mike's mother-in-laws house after its very first road trip after the restoration.


More, Please!  
Mike's got an ad on the site, selling stickers to replace the metal 1972 script-style "Ventura II" emblem.  He included these views of his very sharp 1972 Ventura Sprint, and if we're lucky maybe he'll drop us a few more complete photos of the car in the future. You can email Mike at
mcbear350@yahoo.com  if you need some of these stickers.

Troy at the Track 
"I
posted pics of my wife and I's 72 and 76 Venturas a few years back and have a couple updated pics for the 72.  We still have the 76 but haven't really done much with it. Everything is still pretty much the same with it except for a hood off of another Ventura and some new suspension pieces after having lightly hit a cow and it going on my hood and sliding off running away.  (Troy is so nonchalant about this...I'm sure the cow is glad he has a 'light' touch at the wheel...)

"We've been pretty busy with the 72, we pulled out the original 307/350 combo and installed a 350/700R4. We run it at the dragstrip (1/8th mile) now mostly, with some weekend cruising here and there.  Some of the changes include: a Jegster header/ back exhaust, 3.08 gears in the diff (for now), Summit aluminum roller rockers 1.6 ratio (stock OEM replacement cam), Edelbrock Victor Jr intake, a 600 cfm vacuum secondary Holley I bought from an online bud for $100, and an HEI distributor.

"The wife has done some work to the paint to keep the car from getting rusty. We like the pattern of the paint, so when we get to doing the whole car with body work, the paint scheme will be relatively close to the pics. The wheels are off of an 80's model RS Camaro, and we have 2 sets, 1 set has the street tires on, and 2 have M/T drag radials, which leaves 2 more wheels for spares.  Still a work in progress, will post more as it comes along. Thanks for the great site for us Ventura lovers. Troy Smith  tnsmith10@hotmail.com "
Troy seems to be one of those lucky guys with the Understanding Wife who actually participates in the hobby.  And you thought those gals were just legends!

Sparkling Seventy-Five
This is one pretty car; don't know much beyond what you see here, a completely-stock 75 Ventura from Texas with the Olds 260 motor and super clean interior. -Ro

 It's No Drag Spotting Another Cool Omega at the Strip  
"...Dalton here again keeping an eye out for great x-bodies.  While at the 2009 Lucas Oil Division 5 ET finals in Topeka, KS on Sept 20th I spotted this beautiful drag car.  It's a 1973 Oldsmobile Omega. You can see it has a vinyl top. I was never able to see this thing run.  It looks really good with the skinnies up front and is a very clean car.  It has Omega motor sports stickers on it.  The name on the car is Steve Rogers, I am not for sure where he is from either.  Anyway it is a very beautiful and rare car to see at the track. Dalton Mick ventura_350p@hotmail.com
Even though Dalton's a Ventura guy, he can appreciate the other makes as well... wonder if he's got a soft spot for Novas, too?  :-)  But we sure do appreciate his sleuthing around at these events, he's turned up some pretty cool cars in the past.

Three Venturas in One Day
"Hi my name is Steve, I bought this gem in Tacoma Washington after I returned home from a deployment. I had a '72, and when I saw this sitting out for sale....I had to have it!
Teal Blue 1974 Ventura with a 6.5 Litre.  I ran the VIN and it was beige originally and has a "D" code for the motor. I am assuming it was a 6 cyl as the only codes I could find were for the 350 models.  Took my car to Edgewater Sports Park in Cincinnati for Muscle Car Sunday / Quick 32 Race. Here are some pics of my car in the show and to my surprise there was another 74 Ventura and a 74 GTO in the Quick 32 Race!  Steve Nevels, smnevels@msn.com , Cincinnati Ohio"  Thanks to Steve for some cool shots, it had to be a memorable afternoon... I remember my first reaction to seeing his car photo was "Holy cow, this car is BLUE!!!"  Have those sunglasses ready for sure if you're nearby! -Ro

The "Should Have Been" 1975 Omega    
"My version of what Olds should have done for the Muscle car world with extra go fast stuff.  462 Rocket Big Block, Speed Pro Power forged Pistons, balanced, Clevite rod & main bearings, Moroso 7 qt. oil pan, '71 block, '69 C heads ported & polished, triple angle valve seat grind, 207 Milodon stainless steel valves, Crane rockers, Crane double valve springs, Bronze valve guides, Crane Power Max Cam, 496 lift & 292 duration, Edelbrock Performer intake, Summit 750 cfm double pumper carb tweaked up, Summit high volume fuel pump, Summit 50,000 volt HEI distributor, Cyclone Headers, 3" Flowsound exhaust with 2..5" over the axle, Turbo 350 trans. with manual valve body, shift kit, 2200 stall & B&M Z gate shifter. 8.5 - 10 bolt rear end, 410 gear & Auburn posi., 15 x 8 Olds rally rims, 235/60 TA radials on front & on back 275/60 Nitto Extreme drag radials. Functional 2.5 in. Cowl Hood too...
Cedric Norman ced_n64@yahoo.comHow times have changed... these days the carmakers aren't afraid to give us scary horsepower and awesome handling, but back then they were running in fear from the government, the insurance companies, and uncertain fuel prices.

Bone-Stock Buick Barn Find  
"
I found your site while searching for parts for my latest project, a 1978 Buick Skylark, named 'Joyce' by the previous owner.  She has 65,000 miles on the clock, all original, even the paint. Original 3.8L V6 purrs like a kitten, averages 23 MPG!  Sweet vinyl top, too!  Recent additions:  Coil-over shocks (sits much better), new tires, and I'm having a local radiator shop fabricate new A/C hoses (it's the only system on the car that doesn't work!). 

" I own a restoration shop in Scottsville, NY just outside Rochester. We opened in 1990, and specialize in classic vehicles. The vintage foreign car scene is huge here, so we do about 75% Volkswagen, Porsche, MG, etc.. The Buick is a project I pulled out of a barn in Lima, NY. I am the third owner. Previous owner had it for 8 years total, and had stored it for 4 years, hoping her son would want the car. He never took an interest, so she contacted me and asked if I would like to buy the car. They rolled it out in April 2009, and (surprise) it wouldn't start, even with a new battery.

"I needed a change of pace from working on imports, so I took a gamble and bought the car for $1100, having never heard it run. The starter had seized, but the car was CLEAN, and the wiring and other mechanical items were in great shape (VERY little wear on this car!). After one new starter, several gallons of good fuel, and a bottle of carb cleaner for good measure, she fired right up! Easy project, and one to enjoy, because I drive it daily during summer months.

"Many of the posts on your Buick Apollo/Skylark pages mention the rear bumper filler being rotted out.  Mine is no exception- it becomes very brittle and breaks apart leaving an unsightly gap. I would like to pass along this source, to those looking for these all-important pieces:  www.replica-plastics.com   They reproduce TONS of the factory bumper filler pieces for GM cars, including Pontiac.  They have a lifetime warranty, and are made of much stronger materials.  Thanks for posting all the great photos of our cars!  Dave Gregor dgregor@rochester.rr.com (Vintage Auto, Rochester/Scottsville, NY USA, 585-889-8780, http://www.anyvintage.com )"  A perfect example of how these late-model x-bodies make for a great project car... you can pick up a lot of car for little money and save your cash for your customization schemes.

Nice Guy, Evil Ride   
Hey, I love your website, all of the x-body cars look great!  Well I thought I would send you a few pictures of my 1976 Pontiac Ventura.  Some history on the car: I bought the car 3 years ago from a 93 year old lady in Colorado Springs, it was all original with a 350 Buick engine and 350 T.H. trans, with 90,xxx miles on it.  A year ago a lady ran into the back of it and the insurance company said it was too nice to total out, so they paid to have all of the damage fixed and all new paint put on it.  It has new Grabber Orange paint, that was the original color with a tan interior, black vinyl top and black and silver pinstripes.  I put a new true dual exhaust on it with Flowmaster V-Force mufflers and new Chevy Rallye II wheels.  I drive it to shows and cruises all over Colorado and it now has 105.xxx miles on it.  Thank you for making a site specifically for Pontiac Venturas!  Sincerely, Paul Headley  paulheadleys56ford@msn.com
How about that, an insurance company with a heart!  Glad this vehicle didn't end up in Car Heaven before its time.

Enjoying Your GTO
Diz Dean sends out lots of emails to a huge distribution list, so I already have a backlog of cool shots of his that still need to be published, but I have to say he is living his dream, cruising his car with wife and friends, stopping at tracks and shows... his Goat is certainly no trailer queen! (his e-address is dizpontguy@aol.com ) -Ro

Total Transformation
"
Here are the finished pics of the old girl.. stripes, decals and all.  Just didn't have the rear bumper done yet but it's there now.  Just waiting on the rear seat and we're almost complete. It is real hard to see the side pipes exhaust installed in these pics but it really sounds great cruising down the highway. God Bless, Terry Lamb a95toy@yahoo.com "
I think Terry needs to get a license for 'bringing back the dead'--- I just had to include a couple of his 'before' shots so we can fully appreciate what he started with.  Back when I was in auto shop, folks had a saying that went "Start with nothing, end up with nothing" but I've seen too many automotive miracles since then to believe that anymore ("I built this 1967 Mustang fastback starting with nothing but this rusty hood hinge"- ha ha) If you have the money and know what you're doing, you can do virtually anything!  -Ro

Looking Good Under the Canadian Sun

"Hope all is well. It was a beautiful day in southern Ontario, Canada today so I took my pride and joy out for a cruz. I took some pics and thought I'd share them with you. I finally found some chrome rocker panel moldings (NOS) and some wheel well moldings (also NOS) and put them on and what a difference. That's the only downfall of owning such a unique vehicle is that the only parts available for these cars are USED or NOS. The used are usually rough and the NOS are very expensive if, and when, they show up on E-bay. I'm very fortunate to have an understanding spouse and some extra cash put away. Love the site.  Look forward to seeing the new rides and classifieds. Thanks again, Chris Hotrum chotrum@sympatico.ca
Yes, I like butts, especially the X-body's rear 3/4 view.  Maybe it's the cool green in tandem with the understated hood scoop and uncluttered background that make Chris's photos stand out?  Enjoy!  -Ro

"Look What I Found!"
"Here's a couple pics of a Nova I found while on vacation in Florida... don't know if it's a real Rally Nova...but it is a V8 car with air.... scrapped my plane ticket and drove it home.... jetzone2112@aol.com
Meanwhile, Ro is kicking himself for 1) being slow with the camera and missing a very nice black Nova Rally while in Olympia, WA and 2) snapping {then misplacing} a couple of shots of a nice red Nova Rally just a few blocks away at the grocery store... GRRR!

Change of Heart  
"I just purchased this car in October 09 as a kick around car. Once I started checking it out on the internet and found how rare they are I decided it deserves as full a restoration as I can give it.  It is a very solid car for the year,
and its a 4 wheel power drum car auto non a/c car. The only downfall is someone put an Olds motor in it.  I plan on looking for a 400 pre 75 Pontiac motor for it.   Will keep you updated on the project,  Tom Scott thomasascott@yahoo.com Keep us posted Tom, it'll be interesting to see your eventual choice of color.  Maybe someone's willing to part with the motor he's looking for?

Sooper Scoop  
Here's an interesting use of what appears to be a Camaro or Nova cowl hood scoop...turn that puppy around to suck in more of that pure South Dakota air.  This car is owned by one Angel Nei (
foxynei@hotmail.com ).


Bigger, Better, Badder

  "Wanted to send you a new pic of my Ventura, I just installed a new Glasstek hood and showing a little air. Mark  Markmnrbarger@cox.net " I think it's time to see some video of Mark's car in action!  Anyone have a link?  Send it in!


Another 1977 Ventura Sprint Surfaces in Kansas 
Jason
Jdmercman@aol.com and Ken Likens were the first couple of folks who drew my attention to this ebay vehicle, which looks like the real deal.  Here is the text from the ad (seller phone numbers removed as a courtesy):

"Third owner, bought from an individual who was restoring it. 1977 Pontiac Ventura Sprint, 2dr. white with red pinstripe, shaker hood, trunk lid spoiler, and rear window louvers. Original Ventura rally wheels, new black interior, new gas tank, new trunk, new brakes, and new rear end. No transmission, mid 70's Corvette 350 motor with 20,000 miles, body in excellent condition. $4500.00 obo, classic title. Buyer must come pick up the car..."

Those Little Old Ladies Knew How to Buy Their Cars!
"This is my 1972 Pontiac Ventura 2. It has the original 350 Pontiac engine in it. The interior is all original. I am only the second owner and it only has 40,000 miles on it. The seats were wrapped in plastic until last winter. The paint is original but has a few scratches. The little old lady who originally bought the car in 1972 only used it to go to the grocery store and church and back.  To make my interior complete, I need a new back dash. It is slightly warped and the paint has faded off. So if anyone knows where I could find one, it would be great.
loganhood33@gmail.com Yes, the Little Old Lady car stories are true! Your Ventura is out there, waiting for you!

Kelly's got a '72 Ventura II in Albuquerque, NM ...now you know as much as I do!  ( lunafish9@gmail.com )

Letters

Info Needed on Unusual (Dealer?) Decal Package
"Hello, I am trying to find a Ventura similar to the one my father had in the 70s.  It was a two door white sedan with white vinyl on the rear quarter of the roof.  It was a 350, not sure of the transmission, but I believe it was an automatic.  It seemed pretty standard, but it had a very distinctive badge.  On the rear of front quarters, between the wheel well and the door about half way down.  It was a decal about 4x6 (possibly larger) with a blue strip (2x4?) on top with white stars and red and white vertical strips underneath.  He bought it new like this.  I am wondering what package this would have been a part of.

"It was definitely not the GTO package, but it wasn't the Sprint either.  It really looked like a Spirit of America, but on a Ventura.  I asked my dad and he said that is how he bought it (he was a Pontiac man back then), so who knows.  I am going to try to track down the dealership and see if the have anything on it.  I'm beginning to think it might have been a dealer done decal package. There is a nice full picture of it somewhere in our house, as soon as I can find it I will scan it and send you a pic.  John O John OToole" pintoxi5@yahoo.com Rochester, NY USA"  We'll be looking forward to seeing this oddity in the future for sure!  Let's wish John luck in his search -Ro

Where your old photos come back to life

 
Wrong Then, But Kinda Cool Now
"My high school ride was a 1974 Ventura Sprint. It had a 400 with a 4 speed, and Edelbrock Torquer, Holley 4-bbl, etc. Being 17, I did the car up completely wrong (see attached) and inevitably, I blew the motor several years into my ownership (circa 1987). After a failed attempt at installing a junkyard Trans Am engine, I sold it. The guy who bought it actually did the car a good turn, installing a 455 from a 70 or 71 Catalina, put the Rallys back on, as well as some bits from a GTO he found in a local junkyard (shaker hood, gauges). 

"I was curious as to what became of it: serial number 2Y27M4W111465 (I still remember the serial number by heart). It was red with a red interior. Cheers! Phil Salmon apoetica@verizon.net " Keep these great stories and photos coming, and thanks for sharing!

Arrow-Straight and Looking Sharp

"My dad bought this 75 Sprint for $4000 in July 1975... I got all the original papers from the dealer..." 
See what's happening to this car in the Projects section below.  The car doesn't seem to be wearing its Sprint stripes, but perhaps they were optional (as we've seen on the SX version of the Omega), but why anyone would delete them during the order process is a mystery.  We probably don't have all the facts yet on this one. -Ro


Is Canada REALLY That Far From Home?
While I try to figure that one out, you can enjoy this stock-appearing 1977 Omega from Rick (
thewrightcut@eastlink.ca ) in Nova Scotia, Canada !!

...And What About Mexico?  
While we do get a fair amount of X-body cars from our Canadian viewers, it's much more unusual to get photos of these cars from anywhere south of our border.  And even though this car is technically a Nova, check out the following intriguing story from owner Jose Velez from Jalisco, Mexico, who writes: 
"Hi, here are pics of my 78 Chevy Nova Custom.  Here in Mexico it has been sold as Nova Custom, but seeing the photos on your page seems like a Buick Skylark or something... I owned the car since 2006 and sold to a friend that give a bad life to the car.  I got it again 2 months ago and am planning to restore it again, it is very funny to drive a car like this and make
the engine roar every corner street I reach, and I like to make the sound alarms of the cars parked on the street fire with the sound of my car (because I have a flow master exhaust that makes a great sound and it runs great too), I'd be honored if you put my pictures on your page."

I asked Jose if he thought someone had possibly stuck a Skylark nose onto the car after an accident, and about the Concours (luxury edition) badges:

"At the beginning I think the car was repaired in some point too, but making some research I found this model everywhere here in Mexico.  It was sold as 1978 and 1978-1/2, and yes it was the most luxury version with a/c, all electric windows, locks, etc, sport wheels, 350 engine, automatic 350 transmission, power steering etc. I see many cars exactly like mine on the streets, is very common to see this car today and I'm proud to tell you that my car was never involved in any type of accident.  When I purchased it the first time back in 2006 it had the original paint and wheels, and the vinyl top obviously all rusted and faded by the time and the sun, so I painted it black, changed the transmission for a bigger 700 with bronze turbine, a bigger intake manifold and a 700 Edelbrock carburetor and some other things for the interior of the engine... so I think the Chevrolet company here in Mexico made some strange combination of parts with the idea of selling the last parts they have on their factories but as I tell you before, there are many cars of these bizarre version of Nova Concours, any way I think it is cool and gives that mean-look to these models that I enjoy so much. jose velez gonzalez from tala jalisco mexico ( jvego13@hotmail.com )" I think we can all agree that Jose has indeed transformed this car into a mean-looking ride, and that Buick nose is WAAAY better than any of the bland egg-crate Nova noses prior to the cleanup in 1979. Nice job! -Ro

"Iran into some more cool cars from the Middle East..."
We've learned from previous contributors that the Iranians built several GM car lines into the 1980s, and here are two of the survivors.  One of them is a new find, while the other has been getting some extra care since we first saw it, to bring it back to new condition. -Ro

1984 Buick Skylark Sedan 
"Hi Roland, my Buick's engine is a 350 V8, with automatic transmission... no crash, no smoke, no engine or gearbox problems. My car was assembled in Iran in 1984. If you want more information keep in touch. Kind regards, Ashkan Rastegar ( ashkan_rastegar@yahoo.com )"

Rare 2-Door Skylark 
"I
ts Shahryar, how are you doin?... I sent you some pics of my Skylark about a year before...here are some new ones.  I fixed up my car, now it's a brand new Skylark and it's something to be proud of..."  Shahryar Zand ozgaal@yahoo.com It's extremely rare to see a 2 door x-body of any type overseas, so Shahryar is one lucky guy!

The Fleeing Filippino...

Our old friend Bernie writes to us: "My 1971 Pontiac Ventura ( the 'Cookie' ) is now on its way to Australia from its previous home in the Philippines. The Cookie survived the recent floods in Manila and will have a new home in The Sunshine State, Queensland Australia." Best of luck to Bernie and his beloved car.  The paint on this car still amazes me!

"...Will Probably Just Put Some Nice Rims On It..."  (uh-huh!)
       
Well, that was sort of the plan hatched by Mike Adair, who found this beautiful '73 on our ad page.  As you can see, he invested just a few more dollars into it, but I believe the mods are all reversible due to the pristine original condition of the car.
 

Bringing Back a Beauty in Blue 
"My dad bought this 75 Sprint for $4000 in July 1975. I got all the original papers from the dealer and am in process of restoring front end currently... got rid of the rusted radiator support and all battery corrosion. Also got complete loaded header and great bumpers from local yard.. engine is 350 Olds and loves to smoke 'em... Brian Crull, 
Janesville WI myronc1970@yahoo.com (See a photo from when this car was still new in the Memory Lane section.)

Apollo Rising!   
This is going to be an interesting and rare ride... when was the last time you even SAW a 1975 Apollo?  I can't wait to see how this one pans out. -Ro    

"Hey, found your site and thought I'd share my current project. She's a 1975 Buick Apollo that my dad found in a junk yard north of Ottawa about 4 years ago for me. We pulled it out, running perfect, needed brakes and body work. The original engine is a 260 V8; a wonderful engine as we all know, which is near death so it is out but I will keep it. It has a TH350 behind it with a BOP pattern which is in perfect shape. So we're using my Pontiac 400ci out of a '70 Firebird... The Apollo has absolutely mint floors and frame rails due to being oiled every year for 30 years while it booted around Ottawa and has 64,000 original miles on it. I have included some older pictures from when we first found the car and some new ones of the current work being done. Our goal is to make a super sleeper four door, and I think it's going to be awesome.

    "We just managed to shoehorn the big Pontiac 400 into the Apollo, and line it up nice and smooth. Definitely wasn't easy, we had to drill new holes in the frame to bolt the mounts down. I also had the frame completely welded and epoxied, then painted with a special industrial hardcoat. I have also installed a polyurethane suspension kit; which I highly recommend, from Energy Suspension. The complete kit includes body mounts and control arm bushings, as well as spring pads and dust caps, it's worth every penny. Everything is bolted in with new fasteners, I couldn't get original style body bolts, so I had to make do with Grade 8 heat treated bolts, thankfully the cage nuts for all the body mounts are in perfect shape.

    "It's a bit of a race to get everything set so I can roll the car back in the garage before the snow hits, still have to install the coil springs and shocks so I can get the spindles on. Feel free to post any of my pictures on your website, I'd love to share my baby with other visitors to your website. Take care, and keep up the great work on the site and your Ventura! Alex Peebles apeebles@persona.ca  , 1975 Pontiac-Powered Buick Apollo Project, Kingston, ON, Canada"

One Busy Guy!
"I have been busy over the winter and I just got it done 2 weeks ago...the Skylark engine compartment. Painted and detailed, added Ram Air, an aluminum intake, 650 Holley double pumper, T/A Performance valve covers, steel braided lines, aluminum radiator etc. Spent a little more than I expected...oh well LOL , here are some pics, one before and three after....I just have to put the air conditioning back on....take care...Mark Weber ratinfested1@hotmail.com I think Mark has refreshed 3 cars in the time it's taken me to partially do one; is that embarrassing, or what? It should be motivating! -Ro

  Daniel K wasted no time in pulling his new-score Ventura into the garage for some motor work.

The body looks pretty smooth already on this 1975 Ventura project by Drew McGinness.  Hope he sends some pics after paint!

The
Website
Project
Car
I can only take credit for keeping the car out of the elements this winter... but my poor orange 76 Capri is paying the price for my negligence (water leaking into interior, rust blisters rising under the vinyl top)...!  Maybe I can get points for having the Capri's carb yanked, rebuilt and reinstalled before the cold weather finally rolled in; can't wait to fire it up. While removing and replacing after the rebuild I discovered 2 bad vacuum leaks in the process, so the car should run way better than before. -Ro

" Ventura II " Stickers (replacements for metal fender emblems)
 
Mike at mcbear350@yahoo.com has created some pretty slick reproduction stickers to replace those pitted 1972 "Ventura II" emblems on your ride.  Please see his ad in the Classifieds section of the site to see how they look.  He's asking $25.00 for one set which includes the shipping.  Please put "Ventura" in the subject line when emailing him.

1975-1979 X-Body Bumper Fillers 
"I found your website while looking for a few restoration parts for my 75 Skylark S/R  I just bought it off E-bay with only 34K original miles. It's a factory 350-2 with A/C and a few other neat options.
 
"Thought you'd want to share with others this companies info, they make bumper fillers front and rear for Skylarks! http://www.replica-plastics.com/index.aspx  Thanks for your site! Gregg Cooley Tallahassee, FL"
 
 

Got some cool non-Nova X-body photos?  Your pics are welcome, just email them to pontiacv@pontiacventura.com (jpg file format preferred) 

We DO accept pics of the '77-'79 Nova Rally and '74 Spirit of America, because they are cool and pretty rare, too.

"CAN I USE PICTURES FROM PONTIACVENTURA.COM ON MY OWN SITE, OR SHARE THEM WITH FRIENDS, WITHOUT WORRYING ABOUT COPYRIGHT ISSUES?"

99% of the time, you're free to use the photos you find on this site. The 'pontiacventura.com' name is added not as a copyright, but as a way to promote the site thru sharing the photos with fellow hobbyists, and to take a little credit for all the extra work that goes into processing the photos for internet publication.  Whenever I can, I credit the car owner, photographer, or website source and would ask the same favor in return if you use these photos on your own site. If you want to use a photo that has the photographer's own copyright, or is obviously from another publication, I'd recommend you seek the original source's permission.

 

THANKS EVERYONE FOR THE GREAT CONTRIBUTIONS, SEE YOU NEXT TIME!  -Roland