Winter Fun 1985, Denver Colorado, 1978 Pontiac Grand Safari!

Discussion in 'Station Wagons in the Movies and other Media' started by 81X11, Nov 6, 2012.

  1. 81X11

    81X11 Well-Known Member

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    So my brother is still converting the Super 8 films he found to disc for my parents. He's been sending me a lot of these, which I'm loving, but this one I thought the forum might like as well.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=M2Qq0dZxKw4

    We moved from Tulsa Oklahoma to Denver (Englewood) Colorado in late 1984. Growing up, this was the best time for our family. Dad had a really good job, and we bought a big new 4-bedroom tri-level house on a hill (green house in the background) in a really good neighborhood. From the back you could see the entire front range of the Rocky mountains. It was gorgeous.

    Dad was doing well, sold his '73 Cheyenne Super pickup and bought our black '79 Corvette while in Denver, and we also had the red '69 Lemans Convertible that we converted into a GTO clone when I was a teenager in NJ. Both of those are IN the garage in this movie. He was a young AT&T exec moving up the ladder. Good times.

    Sitting in the driveway in this vid is our silver '78 Pontiac Grand Safari. Rally II wheels, Pontiac 400 engine, tow-pack, and Bonny Brougham striped interior. MAN I MISS THAT CAR. This is the car that was geared so low that it would slow down coming down Long's Peak if Dad took his foot off the gas.

    It's wild to see my parents in this vid. They are the same age I am now. Dad with his "hair helmet", Mom looking so young, our old poodle-mix Lady, and my younger blond-haired brother Dave.

    Anyway, 1985 was a really good time for us. We moved to New Jersey in 1986, and even with the good money we got selling our house in Denver, Dad could only afford a condo in NJ, it was so much more expensive.

    They both loved Denver and didn't want to leave, but Dad got transferred, and then they got stuck in NJ from '86-97 until they retired down here to Austin...and got happy again. ; )

    ANYWAY I thought you guys might like to see the Safari. Dad sold it to a neighbor in Denver in '86 rather than take it to the NJ with us. It was a great car.

    Oh and I LOVE the songs Dave is putting over these movies. Funny.

    -Mike
     
  2. jmt455

    jmt455 Well-Known Member

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    Looks like that was a very fun day, Mike!
    Thanks for sharing.
     
  3. Krash Kadillak

    Krash Kadillak Well-Known Member

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    That was a great movie. Almost made me feel like a part of your family.....

    I think I'm going to have to send you some pics of my Safari (when it gets here) to share with your dad.
     
  4. jwdtenn

    jwdtenn Well-Known Member

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    Great video. (y) Thanks for sharing with us. So that was the Grand Safari on which your dad had wanted the aluminum snowflake wheels like on the green '79 posted for sale earlier this year on the forum?
     
  5. 81X11

    81X11 Well-Known Member

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    Yep, that's the one. He special-ordered that car. Gift to my Mom when he got a new job/promotion and we moved from Amarillo Tx to Tulsa Ok.

    He pretty much put every option on the car. Last year for the real Pontiac 400 engine and Turbo 400 trans. Wacky 70's Bonny Brougham striped interior, Rally II wheels replaced the snowflakes he wanted, posi rear, HD everything.

    It was built as tough as possible, because Dad planned to tow a boat with it, but also as loaded as possible inside for my Mom. We never got the boat, so it just hauled us.

    I remember him telling me that for what it cost he could have bought a new Corvette and had change left over. I WISH we still had that car! It was sold to a neighbor in Denver in 1986 when we were transferred to NJ. Wonder what happened to it.

    -Mike
     

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