Here’s an interesting 1970 Pontiac GTO that brings up the question of whether the car is more desirable now with all the mods, or would things have been better left alone. I’m looking forward to hearing what all our readers have to say after we delve into the details, but in any event, this is one nice goat no matter how you look at it and would be a favorable choice for those who like a drop top to go along with their muscle. The Pontiac can be found cruising the streets of Little River, South Carolina, and can be spotted for sale here on eBay, where 24 bids have raised the price up to $35,600 so far, still not enough yet for it to be yours as the reserve hasn’t been reached.
For starters, the great news is this is a bonafide GTO, as the VIN begins with the number 242. The seller says he bought the car from his uncle’s estate about 20 years ago, but we don’t find out if the relative was the original owner or other information such as how much of the Mint Turquoise paint is original. The mileage is stated as under 31,000 and the car is said to have never spent a night outside a garage during its entire life, although the finish shows at least one area with some scratching and the seller mentions that the exterior could use a respray. On a positive note, the Pontiac is stated as always having lived in the south and has no rust, but the top is going to need replacing due to someone cutting it attempting a break-in.
The owner goes on to say that a friend of his wrecked a 1970 LeMans convertible, to the extent that the insurance company declared it a total loss, but the car had every available option offered by Pontiac for ’70. So the seller purchased the LeMans from the storage yard and pilfered all the components his car didn’t come with and added them to the GTO, therefore changing how it was originally equipped, but fortunately, we do get to see the window sticker making it easier to determine what’s from the factory and what was put on later.
Another uncertainty is whether or not the drivetrain is still numbers-matching, but if the low mileage mentioned is accurate hopefully the 400 hasn’t ever been removed from the engine bay. The seller also says the car wasn’t driven for the past 4 years because of a health issue but was started at least once a month to keep the juices flowing, and some fuel system work has recently been performed including a carburetor rebuild, installing a new gas tank, plus new fuel lines. However, the automatic transmission has recently developed a hesitation shifting from first to second, which the seller seems optimistic may correct itself once the car gets driven regularly. I definitely like this GTO and can appreciate the functionality of the added extras, but on the other hand, I’d probably have been just as impressed if things had been left alone. What are your thoughts here?
Love that color. The car looks stock so the mods aren’t an issue for me, the collectors probably think otherwise I’m sure.
What’s so bad about the engine being out of its bay? My ’69’s engine was out of its bay in ’95 to get all new gaskets (it was very low mileage), and now I’m thinking about doing this again (still very low mileage). The engine and bay also get detailed.
In my mind there’s a big difference between mods and genuine GM parts that were available from the factory – especially when there’s a way to prove the provenance of the parts that were added. Teal mist over sandalwood is a pretty unique combo, and the fact that this GTO still wears its original paint & factory, rust-free body panels make this car pretty special. It might not be to everyone’s taste, but try to find another one in this condition. Go on, I’ll wait…
Zero price impact ; Great car stock ,great car with the added options .
It will take $50-60 k to buy the best driving muscle car ever made.
It’s a convertible with an automatic, so it was never meant to be a race car. Who cares what options were added after it left the assembly line? The more, the merrier I say.
Beautiful car. Added options are a plus. I’d bet most of us have done similar over the years. I do feel the need to comment on one thing. I’ve never been a fan of the hood tach. Always seems to mess up the lines of the beautiful hood scoops. Just my opinion. Please don’t hate on me. I respect for others it’s the icing on the cake.
Adding options from a salvage doesn’t bother me. But removing the factory a/c compressor is sacrilege. Complete the car before you try to sell it. Boy I’m getting grumpy in my old age!
RAM AIR was added and the A/C was deleted…I’d be perfectly okay with that if it were my ride :-)
Adding Ram Air pans and scoops is far from a Ram Air engine…
The colors are great, it stands out in a sea of the typical 70 GTO’s you see. Nothing here that is hard to correct, the nose appears to have taken a slight hit, based on the alignment, but again, minor. Source the correct steering wheel, which was a great looking wheel and ditch the cheap replacement, get rid of that cheesy air cleaner decal that people seem to think is a factory piece, it is not, same goes with the Hurst Equipped emblem on the trunk lid. Lastly, Mike Stephens, that piece of paper is the build sheet, not the window sticker. I like it!!!
Sign me up for a Ram air engine with A/C ! I know a drop top doesn’t need it but better to have & not need then to need & not have! I must admit tooling around with the top down with a Ram air engine singing its song on a nice summer night sounds magical
it’s not hurst equipped, Nice car. They didn’t make many 70 convertibles.
Technically, no … but the seller did add what appears to be a Hurst dual-gate shifter setup from a ’67/’68 GTO.
Have never seen that color on a 70’s car. It looks like a color you’d see on a 90’s Ford Ranger. Not my favorite color personally, but a very nice car.
It’s 1970 Pontiac color code 34/K “Mint Turquoise Metallic” …
Love to have that car, Just to heavily invested in a 69 Chevelle. Can’t buy them all.
Love the color combo and the 1970 GTO is one of the most beautiful cars ever designed!
350hp was base motor, 3.55 gear⚙️ std.
Ram air and the dual-gate air cool additions that make this one even better. Very nice ragtop GTO Poncho, great colour. 👍
Other than my neighbor’s new 70 GTO in Burgundy he brought home that April, Mint Turquoise is the best color, IMO, for 1970. Not many this color, nor for Burgundy cars. He promised me he would offer me first refusal when he sold it. It was 1979, I was in college, broke. His mom called me and said Butchy, what they called him, is selling the GTO. He wants $1,500. I called dad and told him the neighbor’s car I dreamed about was for sale. He said NO loans, you are in college and don’t need that hot rod. Well, I graduated, got a real job and got my GTO in 1986, a southern California original in Palisade Green. I paid $5,500. Car is gone, but not the memories. 70 GTOs are the best driving muscle cars ever. Nice car here, but why do people insist on putting that stupid air cleaner decal on a GTO. It is incorrect and butt ugly.
Funny how after all these years I have just begun to realize the beauty of the GTO and Lemans body styles. They are probably the closest to the C-2 Corvette of any other production car. I have also switched over the the “last of the breed” Trans Am from the Camaro due to the much more flowing and curving lines compared to the Camaro’s. Should have grabbed one years ago!
Don’t see too many in this beautiful color, but a great combination
will be a hit at a cars & coffee.