Posted on 02/16/2014 6:48:26 PM PST by Impala64ssa
Happy 50th anniversary, Pontiac GTO! It’s too bad the Pontiac brand isn’t still around to celebrate, but there are legions of proud GTO owners and muscle car buffs who treasure the model that launched the muscle car genre.
The GTO history has been told too many times to count, so this feature will not add to the pile. Rather, it’s worth looking back at the impact the GTO made, not only on car enthusiasts, but also on the auto industry. The GTO’s influence continues today in ways and on cars that you might not suspect.
Let’s get a key issue out of the way. When discussing the GTO’s place in auto history, it’s safer to say, “Launched the musclecar genre” than “It was the first muscle car.” As Chevy, Ford and Mopar fans could correctly point out, several models that preceded the 1964 GTO offered performance to qualify as a muscle car. All any of those cars would prove, however, is that Detroit had already been catering to the performance enthusiast, albeit in very small numbers, and without crafting specific model identities. (The Chevy Impala Super Sport with one of the 409 V-8’s could certainly be considered an exception.)
What changed in late 1963, when the GTO arrived as a performance option for the 1964 Pontiac Tempest LeMans? That’s the year that the 3.4 million kids born in 1946, the first wave of “baby boomers,” turned 17. Clever marketing would prove every bit as valuable as engineering in reaching this group.
These buyers wanted more than fast quarter-mile times. They wanted to stand out at the drive-in and the burger drive-through. They wanted a car that reflected their self-image, a car with the look and sound of performance, not just impressive acceleration figures.
(Excerpt) Read more at hagerty.com ...
I drove a friend to pick up his 66 GTO at a dealer in Crestview, Florida.
He had ordered the version with the four barrel but they got in one with the 3 two barrels and asked him if he wanted it.
The salesman took us for a test drive, he wouldn’t let the kid drive it until it was paid for. It was the hottest car I had ever been in and probably the second hottest I still have ever ridden in.
The GTO was a great car. I raced one with my dad’s Ford Galaxies. My friend had the Judge version. To bad GM screwed up both the Olds and Pontiac brands. Ford screwed up with Mercury and now they are screwing up Lincoln.
The GTO Judge, the only car in history to be named after a comedy routine. But what they’re worth today, in any condition is no joke.
Wish my first GTO had been a ‘64 Convertible. Was asleep at the switch and bought a ‘64 TR-4. Big Mistake!
A year later, I traded it in on a ‘65 4-speed GTO hardtop, and ran the wheels off of it for the next 10 years. Best 1/4 mile time, after spending a lot of money to make it faster and keep it looking like an “A” stocker, was 12.25. Got challenged (Pontiac 389s did not rev like mine did!), refused to tear it down, and lost the race on protest. No problem! Still have the time slip, some where!
Was forced to leave it in Texas in ‘75, and was without GTO wheels until 1983. Bought another ‘65 hardtop, used it for a daily driver for 10 years, semi-retired it and have recently mechanically restified it, stem to stern.
It is now a badass Sunday driver with a lot more motor than I planned on!
HST, you can never have too much motor!
Lesson learned — NEVER! NEVER! Give your hot rod buddy race car engine builder too much FReedom to perfect his craft on your street machine!
Will probably leave it to my son — maybe we’ll drive it FRom Flori-Duh to Kali-Fornia when the time comes.
These days, you're lucky if you can get a glorified golfcart for a similar (inflation-adjusted) cost today.
There's something to be said about pressing the pedal, getting a deep rumble out of the car, and paying something that wasn't a king's ransom for it. Unfortunately, environmental activists want to act against such until we're driving the 21st century version of the Trabant (while they're driving the "forbidden cars").
The hottest car I have ever ridden in was probably something like your first GTO except it was an SS 396 Chevelle.
I used to kid this guy who had a VW because my 55 Ford would eat his VW alive. Some time around 1967 or 68 he got the Chevelle. I have no idea what he did to it but it must have been running 500-600 HP.
He took me for a drive and going around 30, he floored it. It threw me back into the seat like I have never experienced. Much hotter than the stock GTO.
And now the current generations of Obunga voters put fart pipes and decals on Honda 4-door economy sedans and think they are fast. Buzzzzzz........
Perhaps a fit epitaph for gen-x/y/z and their cars: all cheezy sound and phony image, no performance.
When I was 16, my boss gave me the keys to his GTO with tri power, told me to drive out into the country and find this missing driver. Country roads, no cars, no cops.
I read an article years ago that quoted a GM exec as saying that “owning a GTO” was like adding 2” to your...”
Too bad GM screwed up both the Olds and Pontiac brands.
Agreed, and to a greater extent that they've turned Buick into an Opel rebrand, instead of merging Oldsmobile into it.
My first GTO was never bored and stroked, but the heads were extensively reworked, an Iskendarian cam and anti-pump up lifters were installed, the 4-barrel Carter carb and the stock ignition were tweaked, and a pair of Doug’s headers were installed.
I had a close ratio 4-speed with a Hurst Quick Shifter and a Hayes lightened flywheel and clutch. The 12.25 time slip was a result of a FRiend loaning me a 4.11 Posi-traction rear end and some 8” slicks. Street gears slowed me down by about a second.
The only suspension mods were Air-Lift airbags in the rear coil springs. Rest was stock stuff. The car hooked up really well!
It looked like a street legal “A” stocker, but it was not, strictly speaking, stock. OTOH, none of the competition in South Texas (Corpus Christi) was either!
As an aside, if you remember the old days, I saw Don Gay’s ‘66 GTO Funny Car “Infinity” race a number of times. I’d like to say I was able to meet him, but I never did.
PS My first ‘65 was a babe magnet!
My current wife will not let me use my second ‘65 to attract babes!
LOL!
We are now in the geezer zone.
How many these days have a clue what you just wrote, and what they are?
Had a Friend with the low salt version 396 Chevelle, and man, did it pump up fast. What a buzzkill.
My first car was a used 55 Ford with a 272. It had a 3 speed on the column and overdrive. Because of the overdrive it had a 4:11 rear end.
It was obviously not a muscle car but was surprisingly fast. I had 3 different friends who had full sized Fords. Every one of them had a 352 with a four barrel. I had a drag with my best friend’s 63. I was frankly surprised when the old 272 beat him fairly easily.
I did the same with the other two 352s except with one, I mistakenly used a place as finish line which was a way farther than I had thought. I beat him off the line and was still pulling away when I realized I had nearly a mile to go.
As we were approaching the finish, he finally passed me.
I restored a 68 Lemans Convertible in the late 90s and a 69 Lemans Coupe in 2005. Best. Cars. Ever.
Please. The Volkswagen GTI and Honda Civic Si are not legacy cars of the GTO.
LOL!
I have no problem with being in the Geezer Zone! I am a Geezer!
To clarify, anti-pump up lifters were hydraulic lifters that had bleed holes in them and allowed a higher RPM before encountering valve float.
I shifted my first ‘65 GTO at 6500 RPM. Stock GTO engines of that era encountered valve float at roughly 5500 RPM.
My current engine is good for 7000 RPM, but I have a 5500 RPM “pill” in the MSD 6AL. It is a “street” engine with too much cam and compression, but since I do not race it, there is no need to spin it to 7000, so I don’t.
It is, with the 3” Pypes exhaust, a badass, fun “Sunday Driver.”
No Ford ever outran me! Not in my dad’s ‘57 Star Chief hardtop nor either of my GTOs!
HST, the ‘55 TBird one of my buddies had back in the day was a sweet ride!
Now, you know that FORD stand for “Fix Or Repair Daily” don’t you?
And, I saw a plaque at Carlise some years ago that ended with this phrase: “Thanks for buying a Ford, it keeps my tools FRom getting rusty!” I sure wish I had bought that plaque!
HST, if I ever buy a new car, I will buy a Ford product, because FMC did not bend over and lube up for the Ophonybama screwing that GM and Chrysler did!
And, God, I would love to own a 2014 Corvette convertible! I am having a hard time conflating my political beliefs with my absolute love affair with the new Corvette!
“I read an article years ago that quoted a GM exec as saying that “owning a GTO” was like adding 2” to your...”
He was right!
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