Collectors always look at the VIN of early GTOs to make sure they start with the digits “242.” This car has those three key numbers but the rest of the car is pretty rough. It is definitely a project but it is one of the more rare 2 door coupes. The GTO is located in Sparks, Nevada and is listed for sale here on eBay with 2 days remaining in the auction. Currently, the car is bid to $6,300 after 10 bids. We appreciate Larry D. bringing this one to our attention.
The seller is not sure if the engine is original which should be a 389 cubic inch V8 engine. The motor is said to turn over but is not getting a spark. The seller believes that it will run with just a little work. I think it is going to need a lot of work starting with a radiator and replacing the two barrel carburetor with a 4 barrel unit. Is their an emissions air injector pump on the front of the engine?
The car has a lot of dents and the paint is badly faded. The rear quarters and floorboards will most likely need work first. I can’t tell but is that a trailer hitch protruding from under the rear bumper? The seller states that he has clean title. The pictures appear to have been taken after the car was unloaded from a trailer or towing service. The new buyer will need to remove the car on a trailer as this car is not going anywhere soon on its own power.
The interior is pretty much all gone. The door panels are missing, the dash is cracked and the seats are torn and worn through in multiple areas. The back of the rear seat is missing and the carpet will need replacement along with the rear package tray. Of the 96,946 GTOs built in 1966, only 10,363 were coupes. Pontiac built 12,798 convertibles and 73,785 hardtops.
Ok,I give up – what does “242” signify?
GTO = 242 / 237 = Lemans
Part of the VIN that identifies it as a GTO
I would tend to question what engine is in this car as I don’t remember smog pumps and egr valves in 1966.
Did some gto’s actually come with a two barrel?
They did but not until 1967 with the 400.
Looking at the interior, needs complete replacement. I am working on one now (interior) and it will cost 4K and up to get it right. The issue is at what point are you under water before the boat floats. If you have done Pontiac/GTO’s you will have a leg up, it will take a lot of time on this one.
When I lived in California, I bought a 66 2dr hardtop GTO that had a 65 front end on it, an ice cream truck drivers seat, and a 326 engine with the 66 Tri-Power set on it. I found a car that was almost identical to this one that had been hit in the left rear quarter. I started leaving notes on it and bought it for $300. Swapped the front clip, took the seats out of the coupe and took both motors out. Had a junkyard haul away the coupe. Had the parts for both engines on shelfs in my garage in preparation to rebuild the 389.
I got transferred across the country, and sold it to a friend. He sold it to a nephew, and I never found out what happened to it.
Those were the days.
If you had a 326 in a GTO, You didn’t have a GTO. The body lines do not match up so the front end must have looked AFU’ed. Maybe the last guy who had it did the right thing and made a clone out of it.
It was a real GTO…. The guy I bought it from had alot of “Franken-Cars) around (including a Ferrari that he had patched up. He had blown the motor up in the goat, and dropped the 326 into it. You are right…. the front end did not fit well at all….. Found out a curious fact, though…. As different as the front ends are, the hoods are identical between the 65 & 66
Actually, I’d love to see the FrankenGoat that you started with. :)
Really good editorial. Learned a few things. The coupe, I assume is overall a more rigid design as compared to hardtop and convertible
242 at the beginning of the vin indicates a real GTO. What about rust in the floors. A lot left out of this description..
Wth??? Stupid people. I paid. $300 for a real sport coupe GTO, 389 4 bbl Muncie 4 speed. Nice interior. And drove it home. At the price they are going to pay for this one, how could you possibly have the money to fix it up???? Dumb.
I always figure what I will have to spend on repairs and restoration into the price I initially offer for the car itself.
How long ago was that though Mike?
Amen, Jesse. This write up seemed a little harsh too. This car is a real GTO with what appears to be barely any rust. Remember, this thing is 56 years old. The surface rust thats on it looks like you could almost take it off with an SOS pad. If its been in Nevada for most of its life, then you know the deal metal wise. Stacked headlight GTOs are very desirable. This one looks like a very easy resto. If it sells for anywhere near the current bid, it will be a smoking deal.
I paid $700 for a 1970 Challenger back in 1987. Sure it was a 318 and had some rust, but it was original. That same car would probably sell for $20,000+ now. Times have indeed changed!
I currently have a ’65 sport coupe and they only made 8,319 so less than the ’66 model year. This ’66 is going to need a full-on resto and could easily cost you $40-50k if you do a good portion of the work yourself. If I am not mistaking the Sport Coupe was said to be about 200lb lighter than the hardtop, then there are those who will say it is a bit heavier.? My ’65 has the 389 4 bbl came with the 3 spd new, now has a ’69 goat M-21 4 spd. 3 pedal is the only way to go on these!
Wth??? Stupid people. I paid. $300 for a real sport coupe GTO, 389 4 bbl Muncie 4 speed. Nice interior. And drove it home. At the price they are going to pay for this one, how could you possibly have the money to fix it up???? Dumb.
I always figure what I will have to spend on repairs and restoration into the price I initially offer for the car itself.
If this was a California car, then the A.I.R. pump could be original to it.
1966 was the first year for California emission regulations, and most performance cars sold in California, including the GTO, required an A.I.R. pump to meet the regs. The 2 bbl carb is not original though. While 68-69 GTO’s, with the 400, could be ordered with a 2 bbl as a credit option, in 66 only the 4bbl and 3×2 induction systems were available.
She might be a bit rough around the edges, but she is solid enough she could be made into a real nice car again.