Disclosure: This site may receive compensation from some link clicks and purchases.
While I typically prefer my classics as close to original as possible, there’s no denying that this GTO would be a whole lot of fun! It isn’t powered by it’s original 389, but instead has a 455 shoehorned into the engine bay. To top things off, a Tripower carb kit has been installed and should provide this big block with all the air and fuel it needs. While the 1970 455 wasn’t a high horsepower engine, it churns out some impressive torque number (over 500 pounds of it)! I imagine this tired looking GTO is quite the rocket. If you think this sounds like the kind of fun you’d like to be having, you can find this Pontiac here on eBay in Clinton, Connecticut with a current bid of $10k.
65 GTO is a good looking beast especially with the Rallye I wheels like this one has. that motor with the closed chamber big valve heads ought to run REAL good and it has a 4 speed. the car is a little rusty but definitely salvageable . I would love to own it, wonder what the reserve is? those morrokide seats wear like iron!
Nothing shoehorned….unlike Chevys where you have small blocks and big blocks, the pontiac 326-455 blocks are the same size and are drop in replaceable. Most parts post 1964 are completely interchangeable.
Thanks for that reminder. I had forgotten that fact eventhough I had a 67 Lemans that someone before had changed the motor (326or389?) to a 455. Basket case and I sold it.
A response to JoeR..I remember the first time I saw a trophy 4-4 cylinder in a junk yard and thought to myself, that looks like half a 389. turns out that was exactly what it was. even weighed almost as much as the V8 since they shared a crankcase.
Right. .my Dad had a 63 Lemans with the four cylinder. It was way weird to me as a kid. Sounded kind of funny too.
Yeah, that would lay a patch.
Let’s see … Connecticut to Alberta, at 7 miles to the gallon …. Hmmmm …. Be cheaper to have it shipped!
I see a 237 on that data plate and I couldn’t make out the numbers on the other blurry pic of a plate which I assume was the Vin tag. My point being wasn’t 237 a Lemans and 242 was a GTO ???
In 64 and 65 the GTO was an option package on the LeMans that’s why the VIN is 237… The GTO didn’t become a model on its own (242) until 1966
There is so much to love about this car. It must be hard for the seller to part with it after owning it for nearly 40 years.
I also give the seller credit for the disclosures about the car’s history and the body work that’s needed.
The original muscle car, and the perfect size. This obviously needs some work, but wow what fun it would be.
The original PONTIAC muscle car perhaps, but I used to enjoy 1956 to 1964 Studebaker Hawks, some of them with factory installed mechanical belt-driven superchargers. I had little problem passing fairly stock GTOs, Chevelles, Mustangs, Camaros and more, on the illegal drag strips on public roads back in the late 1960s, using my stock Studebaker Hawks. Take a look at what Studebaker did for performance in the 1960s: http://www.danjedlicka.com/classic_cars/studebaker_avanti.html
Photo: 57 & 58 Golden Hawk Supercharged V8 engine
I love the Hawks too, but they didn’t really meet the definition of “muscle car” as it’s come to be known because they didn’t have a “Big Block” engine shoe horned in the intermediate body. And how easy are they to find today? Lots of the poncho ‘s still around.
Love it but it looks like it’s been swissed in a fair number of areas in the pics and maybe some others not.
Oh, my bad he says the frame is good and btw, no title.
i drove my friends 65 gto and was the best shifting car i ever drove with the stock hurst shifter.. it was a 389 3 2’s and 430 gears it was a beast on the strip and street i’ve seen him beat a lot of cars that should have beat him
Nice find I like those GTO’s a lot
The other popular options people chose to wake the up or replace a tired motor was to have install a 421SD or 428, I didn’t care for the 400 or 455 they blew up too easily ad didn’t like high RPMs. The 326 4barrel premium gas motor, the 389, 421, and 428 were all powerful stout and sturdy, more so than the 400. That said I wouldn’t turn down a 455 powered car either, but TRI power never runs right, no matter how well they are tuned. They look and sound great, however and are popular with the lesser informed.
“TRI power never runs right, no matter how well they are tuned./however and are popular with the lesser informed.”
REALLY? REALLY??? If you can’t keep Rochester 2GC carbs in tune….no matter how well they are tuned….It’s not the Tripower set up that is your problem.
I ran them on a 348 worked over for 38 years …all year long!
Stock choke, mechanical choke, to electric choke with no problem. Vacuum parts on original equipment eventually get worn, no big deal…. everyone except purists ….use mechanical linkage setup which can be installed by a child! Rebuilding, rejetting, a Rochester 2GC is also child’s play….GM added tripower for a reason…..more H.P. Guess all those GM Engineers were lesser informed huh?
My first new car it was a beast
Bidding went to 13K but did not meet the reserve.