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37 Years Garaged! 1965 Pontiac GTO

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This 1965 Pontiac GTO was disassembled in 1979 and hasn’t moved since–which means it’s been in dry storage and, according to the seller, is rust free! This is your chance to purchase the car and put it back together! The current seller bought it out of the garage but hasn’t done anything to it yet. It’s for sale here on eBay and is located in a town I used to live in, Stow, Ohio. The buy it now figure is $14,500 but bidding is starting at $7,500.

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The seller says they have more than fifty other pictures, but none of them are of the entire car. Of course, they are also claiming that this is the “last legitimate American muscle-car barn find.” I’m glad they are wrong, because otherwise we wouldn’t have much else to write posts about! However, it doesn’t change the fact that you don’t find many rust-free 1965 GTOs! Especially ones that were originally Tiger Gold, although it’s obviously been repainted green at some point.

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Of course, the biggest problem you are going to have with a car that’s been disassembled for this long is finding all the parts that were taken off. I have a hard enough time keeping up with the pieces of a car I’m working on from weekend to weekend, let alone one that’s been apart for over half of my life! Heck, I was still in junior high school in 1979!

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It’s kind of hard to show you exactly what is good and bad about the interior, but I will say that both the front seats, or at least what you can see of them, and the back seats both look good. As far as the rest–well, count on having to buy some replacement parts.

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And here’s the largest missing components–there’s no engine and transmission! Okay, that’s not quite right. There’s cylinder heads, crankshaft, and apparently engine innards, but no original block. This block of undetermined origin comes with the car, but there’s no transmission at all. The car was originally a 389/4-speed car, so plan on sourcing those parts, too. Is it worth the effort? I’d like to hear from you folks!

 

 

Comments

  1. Avatar flmikey

    …looks to be the real thing…if memory serves, 65’s were identified by the “37” in the id number…but back to your question….no…not without the original block or tranny…plus, who knows what’s under that green paint…

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    • Avatar Mike Layton

      237 prefix was the Lemans , GTO was a package until 66 when they became 242 prefix

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    • Avatar Barzini

      The 5N on the VIN plate indicates it’s the GTO option but it’s always best to get the Pontiac Historical Services (PHS) documents that verify the original options.

      I love the Tiger Gold paint, options and model year. I wish I had know-how (and time) to put this back together. If it’s as solid as presented, this is a real find.

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      • Avatar JeffSR

        I was comparing the interior pictures from the one that Richard Prokopchuk sent in and you can barely see it in the interior pic on the dash but it is there, the GTO on the dash by the Oh Jesus bar is noticeable just like the one on the Mecum site. They would have had to changed the dash out which seems unlikely but possible. Also I know that documents and VIN is the way to go but I think it is the real deal.

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  2. Avatar Sorted Corty

    Now this classic is definitely worth the effort to get it back on the road – and drive the wheels off. I’m not always in the “drive the wheels off” camp but the sound of those “three deuces” is like nothing else. It looks pretty tight actually and the BIN is pretty close – maybe a tad high. I sure hope it comes with the Crane Cam!

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  3. Avatar 70kingswood

    looks like a nice mostly rust free body and worthy of a restoration, to bad the original motor/tranny are gone. how do they know it had a four speed though? standard tranny would have been a three speed. the seats are probably salvageable since these wear so well, morrokohide or something like that.

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    • Avatar JeffSR

      If you look at the interior pictures you will see that it has the clutch pedal so I would say, yes it was a four speed. Very much worthy of a restoration.

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      • Avatar 68 custom

        three speed manual? the standard tranny for this car. not to mention you could only get a powerglide as an automatic in a 65 GTO…

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      • Avatar Rocco

        Actually, the correct 2-speed auto was the Turbine 300, similar to the PG, but not. It was Buick, Olds, & Pont. version of the Chevy only PG. If you had a Canadian Pont., with a Chevy eng., it would’ve had a ‘glide.

        BTW, the 3-speed fully synchronized tranny in the ’65 LeMans/GTO was a Ford, since GM hadn’t developed the Saginaw yet. It came out in ’66.

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  4. Avatar Pete

    This is definitely worth a restoration 😊

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  5. Avatar Joe Muzy

    I like it but like the editor stated is all the parts there? With no engine or tranny may be a bit over priced.

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  6. Avatar JW

    My first musclecar was a 65 GTO 389 / 4 speed, I would love this car and no motor doesn’t bother me as I would probably stuff a later model trans-am motor and OD trans in it. I purchased a basket case 67 GTO back in the 70’s for $400 with no motor or trans, in a month I had a motor and trans from a wrecked 70 GTO in it and most parts were there so I had it running and driving in that time frame, but parts were everywhere at that time for cheap. Man I want this car but looking at another project tomorrow.

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  7. Avatar Richard Prokopchuk

    I really like that grill with the two rings there. It lessened the bulky look that the 64 had.

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    • Avatar Rocco

      Did I read this correctly? You think the ’64 looked BULKY? I think the ’64 is the smallest looking GTO, until the ’05’s. I also think the ’64-’65 GTO’s are the BEST looking, EVER. This is why we all have an opinions. LOL

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  8. Avatar Rustytech Member

    If it is a real GTO option it should be saved, The asking price is way too high without the #’s matching engine and trans. I would have no problem putting this back together IF all the parts are there, which would require an inventory, not just a throw-em in a box and ship-em deal.

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  9. Avatar Tom

    Im thinking there might be better choices out there today, but as we know, the years will pass and pickings will be fewer and fewer. With that thinking if someone has the means and space to properly store it might be a good idea to snap it up for the future generations.

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  10. Avatar Daggers

    I had a gold one back in 1965 & I believe the color name was Capri Gold,a
    Neat metal flake gold . Am I missing something or was there another gold
    paint in 1965 called Tiger Gold ?

    Nice car brings back memories !

    Like 0
  11. Avatar Richard Prokopchuk
  12. Avatar JB

    I remember in about 74, walking thru my favorite junk yard and seeing a 1967 turqiouse GTO. The doors were open, so I looked in side and it was perfect. The outside was perfect too, just dusty. I didnt open the hood, I don’t remember why. This was in the middle of nowhere, the kind of place that was just open to the road, no fence, no dogs… I kept thinking, why is this thing here…and only if I had $100 buck, I would go try to find the owner of the junkyard, who I never saw…ever…But, I was 12 years ago, so what could I do…..I am still haunted to this day….

    Like 0
  13. Avatar Daggers

    Rich:
    So does that mean there were 2 different Pontiac golds in 1965 Capri gold, &
    Tiger Gold, or was Tiger what the Pontiac affectionatoes called it ? If I remember correctly the Capri gold wasn’t as deep a color gold .

    Anyone out there have a 1965 Pontiac color chip chart ?

    Like 0
  14. Avatar Alan (Michigan)

    Wow.
    Good thing I don’t have that much extra cash laying about….
    Well, actually, the big problem is where I’d put the car and all the parts!

    Dang. Great find. The seller must have been overjoyed when he first set eyes on the car.

    Like 0
  15. Avatar Rocco

    Jamie P.
    When did you live in Stow,OH? I’m from Cuyahoga Falls. Did you ever know or hear of Bradley Rolls? He street raced a ’65 GTO for many years in the late ’60’s. He would come by several times a night and get $2 worth of 260 and head back to Akron to race. I said one time “why don’t you put more in and save the trips”. He said too much weight. He died when he hit a bridge overpass on the Akron expressway trying to pass all his buddies while cruising. I worked at Graham Rd. Sunoco at the corner of 532 & Graham Rd. in high school.

    Like 0
    • Avatar JB

      ROcco
      ,

      DO you know Jill Hauter?

      Like 0
      • Avatar Rocco

        Sorry, I don’t think so . Did she go to Falls High ’65-’67?

        Like 0
  16. Avatar JCW Jr.

    As long as the major parts are there for the body the drivetrain would not be a problem. Do not see this as a big deal to put back together. When was the last time you saw a 65 that was unrestored be rust free. Someone will think the price is not high for what they would be getting.

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  17. Avatar Clint

    I find funny the seller did not show a picture of the cowl tag. The paint code should be a letter a-z then a number 1-4 for all regular gto’s. Then very few 65 tiger golds were a number – number for some plants they were made in. Others were spec-number. This is how they designated special order paint. I say this because I own a 2-2, tiger gold/ black cordova top 65.

    Like 0

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