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Austin Van Dyke
Приєднався 30 бер 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.
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Literally brought a tear to my eye. Enjoy!
It's NOT just a car. It's a piece of automotive excellence.
I admire that there is someone who is looking for a car for their father, it is amazing what such things mean in the United States, cars are treasures, I come from Denmark, here we scrap everything, it hurts me, even the king's old ship because we got the new one in about 1935, we don't hide anything that has history, so I'm happy that they found this car in Denmark and it came back to someone who really loves it, good luck with it...
Don't quite know which video started me on this ......But i have delved down this "Rabbit Hole" of GREAT Stories of Kids and Loved ones Giving their Fathers ,Mothers and just Loved ones their dream cars and BINGE watching them for the last 2 HOURS with Tears running constantly....Thanks to all who have posted ....Now back to the Vids for more.
This is nore than just a cool video my man.
Awwww 🥰 🤗 I remember driving in my Daddy’s GTO with him, it’s my earliest memory. He sold it for us, his family, as well. Good dads deserve good things, always ❤
Bro I watch your the video.honestly I can tell your dad is really proud of you..😢😢❤❤all the way from papua new Guinea.
Absolutely brilliant. denmark of all places hahaha. beautiful car back where it belongs. great job.
The green is for Darrell Green!! Awesome!!!
This was amazing god bless yall
soooo lovely! so much love!
😭 wow. that’s touching. I’m not crying you’re crying. Enjoy your car Alan!
Dude that’s fucking awesome you are an amazing son bro I hope your kids do the same to you like honestly the world needs more people like you that was so sweet of you
Loved the last two pictures. I get it, I still have my classic 77 Ford pick up. Watching this makes me want to get it running again, get it looking right again. There's a certain feeling you get when you drive your classic car. And to have an opportunity to get back in your classic car and drive it again when you're older. What definitely make me feel more alive again in a brain chemical cocktail sense. I can't even speak to what it must be like to have built it. And then to get it back. Do you all have any ? idea how lucky you are to have a family like you do, and to have everyone care and love each other ?
Just Wow! What a great story!
Sir, it’s not the car that’s enthralling so many people to this story, it’s clearly the love and devotion a son is showing for his father and the tight family unit you have created. God bless you and your family. 🙏
I been looking for my 1st car a 74 green gran torino that was my first car and had zero luck. No Vin number, couldn't find my old colorado license plate from tech school, and calling colorado to find any info didn't work. I also after bringing it back from overseas I traded it in in 1983. Saw it once at the mall and never saw it again. I kick myself for not saving any papers showing the vin number ir license plate numbers to ever think of finding it later in life. Watching your video it made me smile and a tear for your dad. Hearing the car start up and he recognized it right away sure made me smile.. seeing his excitement. I truly hope I get that one day. I posted pics of my car in many gran torino Facebook posts and never got a reply.. thank you fir sharing your dad's joy
Best reaction ever :D
A GTO is not just a car, it’s THE Car!
Hey from New Zealand absolutely love this story. I always wanted to find a 1928 Chrysler my dad used to have when we were kids. But never ever got around to it. He's since passed as did my dream. Life such as it is just cancelled any dream I had of doing this before he died. Well done you guys and Dad & mom, you've raised your family well.
The car really have sentimental value for the family 🙏🏼, Lovely Family ❤
That is a beautiful story.
"and he took a left" damn bro that part hit harder than it should..
You love your dad. Cars always have special memories. Fabo job on finding it.
Very cool. Well done! I’m still looking for my ‘52 Chevy pu 5 window. I courted my wife of 45 years in it. Had to sell it as we started a family. I’m so happy you stuck with it and made it happen.
That hit me hard
That’s awesome! You are a great son!!
Makes sense to me
Full of love amazing story blessings to all your family
People who didn't work on their cars and paid foe everything get done won't understand
Man knew by the sound.. lol
❤ thank you for sharing ur beautiful story
The only thing I was asking my wife was who the hell is cutting onions 🧅?
Thank You for sharing ❤️
I never got rid of mine😎
For this to have happened the way it did with the death of the new owners and the son looking for 2 years and all this story !! just tells me that this Man/ Dad / Vet had great CARMA ❤❤
It makes perfect sense!
Just awesome....wings if love!!!!!!!
😪
Denmark, Colorado. 😂
Beautiful car. This is the one I would want. I cant imagine putting all that work in. Kudos to you family.
Not just a car.❤
Man your dad was a handsome dude back in the day
What an Awesome story. You did a great thing for your old man.
My GOD that's a gorgeous car!
I understand 100%,,this is the best,,good job son..good job
As a car guy, I completely understand and appreciate your efforts for helping him find a missing part of who he is… well done
i don't have a Dad, i just got literal chills when i saw your dads' reaction. looks like a great guy. glad this happened
Great Story, great Car, great people. Greetings from Germany!
No it’s not a car it’s family