Q: Greg, I have a friend who has a beautiful 1967 GTX and was wondering since we all live so close if you would like to see the car. It has been in his family since brand new! Joel Crayton., Towanda, Pa.
A: Joel, thanks so much for the opportunity to see and ride in this beautiful 1967 GTX. The car is owned by Dan Sturzen, a furniture store proprietor in Towanda, Pa.
Upon meeting, Dan told me his father and mother purchased the car brand new in December of 1966 from Hilton Motors, a former Chrysler-Plymouth dealer in Athens, Pa. After seven years of use by mom and dad, the GTX went to his brother, Joe, who used it running back and forth to college in Syracuse, New York. During that time, Dan acquired a 1966 Pontiac 2+2, which he gladly traded with Joe when Joe needed a car with a little more room.
"I'll never forget that day in 1977," recalls Sturzen. "My brother knew I really wanted that car as I've been a GTX lover all my life, and when he said 'let's trade,' I quickly got all the paper work finished and the deal was done."
During the years, Dan has kept the bronze GTX original, right on down to the stock exhaust manifolds. Included are "non-GTX" 1966 Hemi Satellite hubcaps that somehow were installed on the 1967 GTX prior to delivery. The "spinners" perhaps don't do much for the car's overall appearance, but it sure does add to its originality as Chrysler was known for doing things differently on the assembly line when finishing up a car's final touches. (Dan is planning on installing original style factory rally wheels with redline tires in the future, but won't part with the Hemi Satellite hubcaps).
Under the hood sits the original, blue in color, 375-horse 440 cubic-inch V8 that has been cared for meticulously. Now sporting a Holley 4-barrel and Edelbrock manifold, Dan has the original steel intake and soon will be in possession of an original AFB carb that came on the '67 models. Dan "lent" the AFB 4-barrel to a racer in the early 1980s and never got it back.
Sturzen also has the correct warranty "Certicard" under the hood and his GTX has all the proper identification. The "RS23" is most prominent on the ID tag when I opened the door and checked, as all GTX hardtops start with RS23. Notable is the car's beautiful rear exhaust tips, correct 8 3/4 rear (with 3.23 gears), 150-mph speedometer and everything else that checks out as "original GTX."
We went for a nice ride, and all I can say is the 1967 GTX gets to 60-mph really quick. It also rode perfect, with a solid suspension and fine shifting 3-speed Torqueflite automatic.
Dan's beauty has been painted one time, and the interior is perfect. There is not a hint of rust anywhere, including the usually suspect areas of the trunk and under hood.
Today, Dan's 1967 GTX, even with the Hemi Satellite "spinner" hubcaps, is worth in the neighborhood of $25,000 to $45,000 according to the NADA price guides, which is a long way from the $3,300 his parents originally paid.
I want to thank Dan for the opportunity to spend some quality time with he and his 1967 GTX, and Joel for arranging the meeting.