First generation: 1964-67
1964
1965
1966
1967
1964
1965
1966
1967
My Mighty GTO--Jan & Dean (1964)
I’ve only come across one specimen of the first year GTO and it was way out of my price range (at the time). When I was in shop class (around 1970 or so) I had an opportunity to buy the GTO’s little brother, a 1963 Tempest. It was a sweetheart of a car, featuring independent suspension (all but unheard of in most American cars) and an all-aluminum V8 motor.
Alas, I couldn’t swing financing and the seller found a buyer elsewhere.
2005
It was early June of 1964 when my parents took me on our annual trip from PA to southern California to spend some time with my aunt and uncle in La Habra. We went to visit friends in Buena Park one afternoon and when we pulled up to their home, I spotted a midnight blue brand new GTO in the driveway. I was 17 and my California friend had just graduated from high school and the Goat was his graduation present. After an hour of chatting with his parents, he pulled me away and said “Let’s go for a ride”. The car had 1,500 miles on it. It was a special order: 389 with trips, four speed with close ratio gears, limited slip probably a 3:70 or so, “NASCAR Suspension” with huge front sway bars, manual steering, HD brakes, tiny hub caps, black vinyl interior. The first time he got on it, my neck hurt. After a couple of miles, he pulled over and let me take the wheel. We did a couple of 0-60 runs with him timing me on the dashboard clock with the tick second hand. The quickest was just under 5 seconds when I hooked up good and slammed second at about 45 mph which was redline. According to his father, the car was the first delivered in the Southern California zone. I will never forget the experience and certainly not that car.
The ‘65 to me is the most beautiful...thank you for posting!
Back in the early 70s, I lived in an apartment complex. At the other end of complex there was a ‘64 GTO driven by a little old gray-haired lady.
And no, it was not Pasadena.
I wonder how many people tried to buy the car from her?
In 1969 I bought a 1966 GTO, mini-flake maroon with chrome mags and glass packs. 389, 9/11 gears and a Holley dual carb intake. It flew! I once turned in a 12 second quarter mile at Pomona! Oh, BTW, GTO stands for Gas, Tires and Oil!
Maybe because I bought it used (around '67) but that car was nothing but mechanical trouble.
Still loved it. However not so sure I'd love going back to no cup holders and drum brakes.
My paternal grandfather bought a new ‘69 Lemans 2 door post body. Had the vent windows so he could ash his cigarette. 350/TH400 with bucket seats, floor shift and console.
He sold it to my parents in ‘73 when my grandparents bought a new Lemans.
In 1984 at the age of 7- I cried when dad sold it.
The car with its own song!
The three deuces setup was awesome under the hood.
Bump!
My husband owns a pristine 64 goat. It is his pride and joy.
My folks had a 1966 GTO, same color blue as in the photos (sort of a royal blue) with a white rag top and a blue interior. I think it was my mother’s mid-life crisis, and my brother, who had just got his driver’s license, thought he’d died and gone to heaven!
With a 389 8-cylinder engine and an automatic transmission, we used to joke that it would pass anything on the road except a gas station. Got about 10-12 mph, depending on how much (and how fast) you drove on the highway.
Unfortunately, I never had the fun to drive it. By the time I was old enough, they had gotten rid of it in favor of a 1970 Buick cabin cruiser.
1st gen for me, Love the 67