400 HO/4-Speed: 1967 Pontiac GTO

I’ve often wondered whether there is any such thing as the ultimate barn find. That definition will vary from one person to another, but this 1967 Pontiac GTO has to rank up there with the best of them. The seller found it hidden away in a barn in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, a spot that it had occupied for more than four decades. Its overall condition is pretty respectable, and returning this classic to its former glory would not be a complex undertaking. With its numbers-matching engine and transmission intact, it is a car that should perfectly combine stunning performance and good looks. If you would like to be the owner of an iconic muscle car, you will find this GTO located in East Greenbush, New York, and listed for sale here on eBay. Spirited bidding has pushed the price beyond the reserve to $16,500. I have to say a big thank you to Barn Finder Jeff A for spotting this classic for us.

The back story of this GTO is almost as interesting as the car itself. It seems that its original owner was a student, and the vehicle was purchased for him by his parents. It was his first car, and his folks let him choose what he wanted. Therefore, he walked into his local Pontiac dealership and ticked the boxes on many very desirable options for his classic. He decided to finish the car in beautiful Burgundy with a Black vinyl top. He drove the car regularly until parking it around forty-three years ago, and it is only recently emerged from hiding. The body is generally pretty straight, with a few repairable dents and bruises. The best news with this classic is its lack of significant rust. There is a small section in the driver’s side rear floor that the buyer could patch, while there are also areas in the rear drop-offs and lower rear quarter panels. Once again, these problems could be addressed with patches, meaning wholesale steel replacement is not essential. The glass generally looks good, but some trim pieces are damaged or missing. The buyer will need to go on a small shopping spree for these parts, but it should be worth the effort. When the original owner went to take delivery of this GTO, he ordered it with Rally wheels. However, he didn’t like their look, so he requested the dealer swap these for a set of Rally II wheels. These are intact, and the trim rings are sitting in the trunk.

This Pontiac’s interior needs some TLC, but it is by no means a horror story. The most obvious problem is the missing driver’s door trim. It isn’t visible in any of the supplied photos, and the owner doesn’t mention it in his listing. There is also some wear on the outer edge of the driver’s seat, but the remaining upholstered surfaces look like they would benefit from a deep clean. Even the carpet doesn’t look bad, and it would be interesting to see how that looks once cleaned. The painted surfaces would look better with a refresh, while there is a single tear in the headliner. The Rally gauge cluster (including tach), dash, and pad look excellent, while the same is true of the console. The original owner ordered this Pontiac with a wood rim wheel, and the owner claims that this is perfect under the aftermarket wrap.

The seller rather sheepishly admits that he forgot to include engine photos in this listing, but he is willing to supply some to interested parties. It seems that the original owner had a firm focus on performance when he ordered this GTO. He ticked the box beside the 400ci “HO” V8 that would have churned out 360hp. All of that power found its way to the rear end via a four-speed manual transmission. This Pontiac would have blitzed the ¼ mile in 14.2 seconds in its prime. However, that was a long time ago. The original owner removed the transmission, but it is in the trunk. It, along with the motor, are full numbers-matching. The owner believes that the engine is locked, but he hasn’t confirmed this. Coaxing it back to life may not be difficult if it turns freely. Given the time that the car has been sitting, the buyer should probably budget for an engine rebuild as part of this restoration. That would ensure that the GTO performs at its best once it’s returned to its rightful place on our roads.

When you look at what this 1967 Pontiac GTO offers, it’s easy to see why it has already attracted twenty-five bids. I believe that there will be plenty more before the auction ends on this one because it has the potential to be worth more than $50,000 once the restoration is complete. Getting it to that point should not be difficult because there aren’t any major rust problems. With what you’ve seen, are you tempted to drop a bid on this so that you can own one of the most iconic muscle cars ever produced?