Buick - Olds - Pontiac Collection

Rust In Peace is a collection of actual photos that were taken and the stories that go along with them, while growing up in south central Nebraska as a young man in the 70’s and then traveling the United States with a lust for rust, presented and told by the author Kevin Houtwed the way he found them over a 40 year period.

1970 GTO

The Golden Goat

This past summer as I was driving down the road here in Nebraska I noticed a farmyard that had looked as though someone had cleared some out buildings and cleaned off some trees to either do something with a new home there or maybe just got tired of a mess and decided it was time to clear it off. In doing so it made it possible for me to spot the very front corner of this old GTO peeking from out behind one of the buildings that is still there. So I turned around and went back to see if I was dreaming while driving or if this could be one of those that had slipped through the cracks of time that was a true time capsule. I could not find anyone around that day to ask about the old Pontiac, but I did do a little inrustigating while I was there to find it had the usual 1978 chrome smoothies on the rear and what looked like air shocks holding it up on the tail end. I could not believe what I was seeing, as to think a pretty stock GTO like this could still be out there that someone has not talked someone out of and hauled it home to breath life back into it like 99% of them have had done to them. I remember when these early goats were everywhere and could be bought for less than a thousand dollars all day long. Now keep in mind that was in the late 70’s and through the 80’s. I clearly remember the Saturday afternoon when I was at my friend Steve’s place in Lincoln Nebraska and he had been told about a 69 Judge that was parked on the side of the interstate up by Gretna Nebraska. We decided to check it out, thinking sure a Judge. You know its kind of like back in the day every Firebird was a SD 455 Trans Am and every Camaro was a Yenko or at least a 396 375 horse, not a 6 cylinder 3 speed. As we headed down interstate 80 towards Gretna we could see the orange dot on the side of the road ahead. We both said, you got to be kidding this could be the real deal. We pulled up and sure enough a 69 4 speed GTO Judge with factory air was just sitting there like it was hated by all. There was anti freeze all over the pavement under the front of the car. My friend put a note on the car that he would be interested in it if the owner did not want to mess with it to get it off the road. This was before cell phones, so all he could do was hope who ever owned it would call his house and leave a message. Guess what? We got back to Lincoln and there was already a message on his phone, if you want the orange pile of junk it is yours for $200.00 but you have to pay to get it off the road. I do not want to touch it again the message said. I remember Steve calling his AAA number and telling them his car broke down and needed it brought home. We went and got a 12 pack of Coors Light and waited in the driveway. About 2 hours later it showed up, leaning on the car and looking it over, we kept drinking until the silver bullets ran out. a few days went by, Steve had his title from the happy past owner, Steve was $200.00 poorer and $5,000.00 richer with his new car. Its those times that I think about when I find a car like this sitting somewhere all these years later and to tell you the truth I would not trade those memories like that Saturday night with my friend Steve for anything. I often wonder what would have happened to that car if we would not have heard from a friend that day that he saw it sitting along the road. Its for sure the guy that left it there could have cared less if it would have gone to scrap. Thanks to our friend and Steve that car got the second chance it deserved and is still being enjoyed yet today by its current owner. RIP

1953 Buick Super

Sitting on a vacant farmyard here in central Nebraska is what I would call the most complete and untouched 1953 Buick I have ever found like this that is still out there counting stars every night and watching the seasons go by like the country traffic that drives by it daily with no idea of its existence less than 200 yards away. The man that invited me to come out and see it, told me as we walked around that wind break that there was an old Buick out here I think you will really like. I am telling you when we rounded that last edge of the trees I almost fainted with excitement as I looked at this beautiful piece of American history. I am telling you I have seen so many things that did not seem possible over the years, but to find a 53 Buick in this condition was breath taking. I swear this car did not hardly have 1 dent in it, let alone rust that usually eats the bottom 4 inches off of these old sleds. Look at that grill and the fact that it is not broken like most of the Buicks from this era, or dented with teeth missing. I think about how long a car like this has been waiting to be found by a guy like me that may get it bought and put it inside, or at least get the windows closed up to save what is left of that interior and then I think to myself who am I? Its not my car, I guess I should just be happy I was invited out to see it and be able to share with all of America. Maybe it will not be sold, maybe the windows will forever be down, maybe the years will just keep passing this beautiful old Buick by, I mean I could go on and on with my wishful thinking of what should be done with this car, but as I spoke to its owner it was obvious that he had more reasons to why he wanted to keep it, than I had reasons to talk him out of it. RIP

Unidentified

Like the broken down windmill in the background, this unidentified sedan is nothing more than memories fading in time as the Sandhills of Nebraska slowly reclaim its once elegant body one flake at a time. 
This whole farmyard looks just the same as all of the buildings have fallen down to almost a flat position that can barely be recognized in this photo. 
I often ask myself, the people that migrated to America and built these majestic farmsteads back in the late 1800’s came from parts of the world like Norway and Denmark, where they left their home that was built 4-500 years ago and been passed down to still be a fully functioning building site that will be there another 3-400 years if taken care of at all, surely did not build these places with the same knowledge that they must have left in the old country or, would they not still be a functioning farmyard? 
I know they may not have had the same materials to build with here in the new America, but I sure wish they would have at least put a good foundation under these old structures. That is usually the reason you find most of them in this kind of shape. 
I have stayed in some of those old houses that were 600 years old in Norway and the construction of them all starts with the foundation and huge timber’s that were used to build with. 
At one placed we stayed we were handed a key to our door that looked like a kids toy. It was at least 8” long and as big around as my little finger. When I put it in the door and turned the lock it sounded like gears 3’ in diameter turning, seriously it was straight out of a Harry Potter movie. 
That door with that very lock was 4-500 years old. 
Think of that, this farmyard in this photo was built and fell down in less time than it took for that giant key to get rusty. 
I guess we will never know what happened to this place, but we know for sure, before it was to late this old sedan got one more chance to be enjoyed by many more right here on this site than all the people that ever saw it or rode in it before it was lay to rest. RIP

1959 Pontiac Star Chief

 This 4 door Pontiac hardtop has been setting on this farmyard for a long time here in central Nebraska in the line of site of that rusty old fuel barrel that probably has not had fuel in it since this car backed up to it 30 years ago.. 
Just think, that 4 legged barrel of fire in the back ground more than likely was filled regularly with ethyl gasoline from the local coop and sucked through the carburetor on that Pontiac for most of its life. 
Talking about Ethyl and farm yard fuel tanks, I have a story to tell that happened on our farmyard when I was in high school that worked out real good for me when I was in need of gas and low on cash.  
Sometime around the mid 70's, the Nora coop in Nora, Nebraska was not going to sell Ethyl any longer. 
We had a 1,000 gallon fuel tank at the farm that my Dad had them fill with gas one day, knowing it would be the last ethyl fuel we ever bought. 
He never wanted any of us to use it, thinking he better save it for some reason or another and as crazy as it sounds, we just kind of forgot about it. 
One day I was mowing around the fuel tank and got to thinking, has anyone ever used that fuel the coop put in there a few years back? 
I stopped mowing and walked over to that tank and opened the fill port to find it was almost full to the top. 
A few days later I told my Dad there was fuel in that tank and he told me there was not, he had not had anyone bring fuel out for at least 2 or 3 years. 
I told him, I am pretty sure there was good fuel in it as he was walking out the door and he just looked back at me and kind of blew it off. 
Let me tell you, that Ethyl really made that old 396 Camaro run nice. I am positive that is the only Ethyl fuel I ever burned in a car I drove in my lifetime. 
I remember that gas was almost bright orange in color. Almost looked like orange pop. Not like this so called fuel we buy today. 
And not to mention the shelf life of that fuel. If you left a tank of fuel like that sit in today's world, I am not sure it would run an engine after that much time. Might not even burn with a match.
At any cost, I had plenty of fuel for that old 69 Camaro for quite a while after finding that stash that had been forgotten in that old horizontal tank that had completely been surrounded by weeds 3’ tall. 
I really believe my Dad knew that fuel was there and was just fine with me burning it up, since our pay for doing farm work was not ever even discussed. 
We just got up everyday and did what needed to be done. 
I can never, EVER remember myself or any of my brothers asking, how much does that pay or what will you pay me by the hour.  
That's how all the farm kids lived. Pay was never a question. We never even thought about it. With that thought, a barrel of fuel was cheap labor for my Dad. 
You wonder how can someone forget about a big barrel of fuel? 
Like every farmer back in those years we had multiple fuel tanks in about 5 locations at different farms. Around irrigation wells etc. it was easy to forget about it. 
It does not matter now, as about the only part of this story that is not gone is the Pontiac in this picture. 
As sure as this Pontiac hardtop and that old fuel barrel in the back ground are still out there, I will promise you that everyone I ever knew that worked with no wage growing up, learned more during that time, than they ever have while earning a wage as an adult, going to the same old grind day after day, worrying about the price of gas while waiting for a raise in their pay. RIP

1966 Olds 442

I was going to bank this find from this outing into the edge of the great Sandhills of Nebraska, but I just cannot hold back from sharing a dig like this one.
When you are driving along in search of rust and you find a car like this 1966 Oldsmobile 442 that has not been moved for at least 25 years, you have to ask yourself, how can this be?
After a little inrustigation on my behalf, I found the owner working on his garage, getting it ready, to pull this beauty into it and start a complete restoration. 
He told me he has owned that 442 since he was in high school, back in the late 60's. That is so awesome to find a car of this greatness that is still owned by the guy that loved it back then and obviously has the same feelings for it.
I remember a few of these Olds running around back in the day, but I will tell you that there was not that many set up from the factory like this one. Black on black, complete with bucket seats, a 4 speed and all the goodies to go with it. I can see why he will not sell it at any cost. 
We all know what 442 stood for back in the day of these pavement pounders, and it cannot be said any better than what this full framed 4 speed rocket stands for.
I do believe this car will be restored by its owner in the near future after visiting with him about what his intentions are for it. 
That is a good feeling to know, when you find the owner and they realize what they have, and the importance of its future as a sacred piece of American history.
It would be a true hazard if one like this would slip through the cracks this late in the game, but I am pretty sure, one day you will see this black beauty rolling down the highways of the great Sandhills of Nebraska gliding through the gears and rolling over the cracks of the black top, like it once did back in the late 60's with its owner listening to Procol Harum's, Whiter Shade of Pale, truly forgetting the last 18,255 days, slipping into the moment, not really caring where all those years have gone since the last time this beauty took him places he cannot forget. RIP

1969 Pontiac Gran Prix

My friend Brian Karnatz from Davenport, Nebraska drove this car back when he was in high school in the mid seventies and after high school for a few years. I actually rode in this car with him a few times that I remember back in the day when it was like any Gran Prix, a real class act. I stopped by his parents farm a few winters ago to see if some of the old relics they had out in the trees behind the buildings might still be there that were there 25 years ago. Well, guess what? they were and I was told to have at it with my camera. I did not realize when I took this picture that it would have as much significance as it did a short time later when Brian was diagnosed with Colon Cancer. 
On October 7th 2017 at the age of 58 Brian lost his battle with the disease that seems to be unstoppable as we know it today. I really hope we see the day when cancer is at the same place this old Pontiac is at, stopped in its tracks.
As good of a home as this old Gran Prix may find someday, I am sure without any doubt that it will not hold a candle to the place Brian went home to when he was relieved of all his pain and discomfort he obviously endured during his courageous battle with cancer. RIP

1948 Pontiac Silver Streak

I found this old Silver Streak Pontiac last spring up in the Sandhills of Nebraska with the help of the land owner who invited me to come up and see what all he had out in the hills that came with the ranch he had purchased. 
We all know this awesome Silver Streak came from the company that was named after the great Ottawa Indian leader named Pontiac, who through his leadership in the early and mid 1700's in the Great Lakes region that is now the United States was one of the most influential Indians that ever lived. 
He travelled from Tennessee to the north all the way to the lakes region to bring together 18 different tribes to fight the British to keep them from taking over the native land. 
He fought unbelievable battles in doing so. Dealt with British leaders from Quebec like Governor General Jeffrey Amherst who kept supplies from them and also tried to supply them with blankets laced with small pox. 
Now you can see that Pontiacs lighted hood head ornament has been taken from this old Silver Streak that still remains on the plains of Nebraska, but that will not stop this Indian from being saved, unlike Pontiac himself, who was murdered April 20th 1769 in Cahokia Illinois when he was walking out of a store, brutally clubbed and stabbed to death by a nephew of a Indian leader Pontiac had killed earlier in an altercation. 
There is one thing for sure, if I have anything to do with this rusty Relic proudly wearing the Chiefs badge that was a great leader, it will see many clubs someday as it gets put back on the road to show off its well lit hood ornament that is the true sign of the leader that Pontiac was in the 1700's and still is today. RIP

1961 Pontiac Ventura

I found this 1961 Pontiac Ventura in southeast Nebraska on a farmyard a few years back. The owner was cleaning the farmyard up as you can see the track hoe in the background, and still would not sell it, as he claimed it was the one he was going to restore someday. 
A bubble top Ventura like this is really a neat car when it is restored, and it does not matter how you do it, as it is almost impossible to screw the looks of a car like this up. 
This is the only bubble top Ventura I have ever seen out in the wilds just sitting in the back row of a wind break like this one was. I know by the numbers of these that you do not see at shows or in collections that this car is definitely worth restoring.
I see a car like this and I have to ask myself, when was the day someone decided to stop driving it or the day it just got parked? 
I would want to believe that this car would have had enough class and charisma at anytime in its life that a person would have never just quit driving it, because they did not want to be seen in it any more.
Maybe it was the little problem you can see on the roof line that got it parked on the edge of this farmyard back in the late 70's.  
Looking at it, I cannot see any other damage that would elude to a roll over any type of a wreck it may have been in. Maybe a tree feel on it during a wind storm, you just never know. This you could not see in the picture I shared last week of this same car, so I wanted to let you see this awesome little hardtop at a different angle. 
At any cost this Pontiac needs to Ventura a highway right back to someones garage, where it can begin a new life and be taken care of the way it should be, instead of spending those cold nights waiting for someone like me to take a photo to share with the rest of the world in a warm chair in their living room on a smart phone, asking themselves, how stupid we were to let a big share of our sheet metal super stars like this one, fade away with all our wonderful memories of growing up in a time, that will for sure, never be anything more than shadows of thoughts and dreams in our past. RIP

1962 Olds F85 Cutlass

A few years ago I found this little Oldsmobile down along a creek bottom here in central Nebraska just begging to be pulled up from the down trees and over growth, only to find it is not for sale at any cost. 
It really is a neat little hardtop that could make a fun little driver. 
Being completely buried in the brush, I am sure the owner will not have to many people asking about it anytime soon. 
I am pretty sure it has seen 30 or 40 seasons come and go right where it is at with the surroundings slowly swallowing it up day by day. 
Let's just hope the time comes when this seasoned veteran will get a chance to take a breather from the shade and suck up some fresh air while rolling down those country roads that took it to where it has been patiently waiting rescue since its owner upgraded to a new Cutlass back in the 70's. RIP