After 30 years in a garage, this first-year GTO found itself rudely dragged into the harsh Canadian sun for a photo shoot. The 1964 Pontiac GTO has been called “the original muscle car” after Pontiac’s 389 cid GTO bent GM’s rules limiting mid-sized cars to engines displacing no more than 330 cubic inches of displacement (cid). The seller presents this specimen as a numbers-matching garage find located in Ontario, Canada. The listing here on craigslist in Detroit, Michigan suggests a minimum asking price of $25,000, though buyers are invited to offer more. Last time I checked, Michigan had not been annexed by Canada, but I suppose it’s less random than, say, Alabama. Thanks to reader Michael for spotting this dusty blue “Poncho.”
Canadian winters and road-clearing countermeasures like salt and brine can reduce a new car to a useless pile of rusty monotone debris in fewer than five years. Only indoor storage could explain a classic like this “Goat” surviving well into the Twenty-First Century in reasonably good condition. Well done!
Sadly 90% of the listing is a copy-and-paste of someone’s the History of the GTO, something anyone can find with their favorite search engine. Meanwhile the details of this car cannot be Google-searched and we’re left wondering, for example, if that Hurst shifter tops a three or four-speed manual transmission. Pictures of the engine compartment, VIN, Body Tag, and underside would be handy as well. Perhaps I expect too much for my $25,000.
Canadian cars sometimes feature interesting differences in equipment and trim. I couldn’t find a discussion of such details for a 1964 GTO, but maybe our expert readers can comment on the subject. It seems the seller doesn’t know much about cars, or at least this car, and that may offer an opportunity for an educated GTO expert. For a long time I favored the later ’66-’67 GTO but over the years I’ve come to appreciate this boxier early styling, and this car’s two-door sedan or “post” configuration adds to the stern all-business look. Are you heading for the bank to make a big withdrawal and pull an empty trailer North of the border?
Cool car, the seller not so much.
This is the type of car that will sell on its individual merits. If it will stand up to scrutiny tell potential buyers about the cars current drivetrain, show detailed pictures areas prone to rust, include under hood photo and pick a price.
The write up is correct, the seller should be questioned about his lack of specifics in the ad.
Steve R
Well said Steve. I wonder if the owner could take just a few more photos of the outside of the car? Unbelievable.
Ok, to the seller, for bids over 25K you are going to need (and I know this is “crazy talk”): photos close up (of the problems, not the good stuff), up on a lift with plenty of underbody to prove the minimal rust. How about, I don’t know, popping the hood and trunk for some photos? Tags, VIN, stampings…..
“Ontario, Canada” is 415,598 square miles, or about 8 times the size of Alabama … can you be a little more specific?
I’m not positive but I don’t think the GTO was ever marketed in Canada most Canadian Pontiac came with Chevy engines during the muscle car era.
Ray Z. I think you’re right. I grew up in Buffalo N.Y. and from going back and forth over the Peace Bridge into Ontario and all the other Canuk models of American cars that I saw working at Chevy and Ford, never did I ever see Canadas version of a 64 Goat
I am not certain of the actual policy relating to GTOs being sold in Canada, but I am familiar with one that a friend of mine purchased new in BC on the west coast. This car was ordered through the Pontiac dealer, and the car itself came from the US.
Canadian Pontiacs of that era have the Chevy based frame, engine options, and drive trains. This is easy to see when you compare a full size 57 Canadian Pontiac and a 57 American built Pontiac.
I can’t say for certain if this applies to the later cars, but I switched the front brakes and drums of my 47 Chev to the backing plates and drums from an American Pontiac so that I could match the bolt pattern of the Buick rear end. I can’t remember the exact size of the patterns, except to say that the Pontiac/Buick/Olds pattern was larger than the Chevy.
I like the car, and it is so unusual to see one north of the border, it would be a pity to see it go south.
Bob
5×5 vs 5×4.75 for Chevy
Next to the 1968 GTO, the 1964 is my favorite body style. I am probably in the minority here but I always preferred the looks of this model to the later 1965-1967 stacked headlight body style.
Why do people think the looong generic history lesson is going to make their car worth more, just creating a fantasy to up the price on this 15k car that needs another 50k and 2yrs. work
Well it’s a car and called the goat 🐐 and it has four wheels and has a non automatic.
It’s worth about a gazill and I hope to do future flips . 🤥🤤🤑
Who needs vins, pictures underneath or historical documents. Trust me it’s not fake news really America is done with facts and stats so give me your money.
Classic steel seems bent out of shape ! The market bears the price. Call the seller and share your “facts and stat’s ” with them.
Just watch the prices go up. It’s great for anyone who owns classic steel !
Lighten up ! Smile !
Classic steel: 😂😂😂😂
GOOD ONE!!!
JUST GIMME THE MONEY!!!!!
😂😂😂😂😂
Challenge to you guy’s (Steve A and Am Steel)…Show everyone on BF a better car for the price ! Bet you can’t present one to us all. If you wanted a 1964 GTO, where would you look (?)
You guys only offer negative comments…Do some research fella’s. You guy’s offer nice stories, but seem to hate everything for sale. Real news!
If it had a set of torque thrusts on it, maybe wides in the back skinny up front, bit of a rake to it, header collectors visible underneath, couple of stickers in the windows that said “hooker”, “Hays”, maybe kill stickers…well, that would definitely get my head spinning. I can honestly say I’m a bit jealous of the folks out there who had supercars new off the lot back then. Just a bit.
Others have said this before but it would be helpful if sellers washed the car after showing photos of how it looked when it was found. I suspect this car would clean up nicely.
Is that a tissue dispenser under dash?
When did Canada (Ontario) invade Michigan? Anyway typical rubbish ad by a seller that wouldn’t know peanuts from his own
My Father bought a new 1964 Pontac Lemans Convertible. I thought the 1964 GM mid-sized cars were the perfect size. A High school classmate had a brand new post, not hardtop, Honduras maroon 4 speed GTO.
We all cruised the street where the 2 or 3 drive-in restaurants were located.
He nailed it when leaving a drive-in and spun into a telephone pole. He hit so hard on the right rear quarter that the rear window broke. His insurance skyrocketed, and there was no more GTO.
For anyone really interested, a simple reverse phone number search reveals a Simcoe ON address, so about 5hrs North East of Detroit. Also, anybody with an Ontario DL can spend $20 and enter the plate number at https://www.ontario.ca/page/used-vehicle-information-package to order a vehicle history. My 1960 Triumph had a list of all the previous owners and data back to 1978 (previous to that it was registered in NJ) If you are in the market for a car like this, it’s worth a 5 minute phone call.
FWIW this plate series was only issued from 1978–82
Or just search Kijiji which is Ebay Canada’s version of craigslist.
https://www.kijiji.ca/v-classic-cars/hamilton/iconic-1964-gto-s-matching-gm-post-car/1365060129?
It is advertised locally as well. If anyone is really interested I can photograph it and give it a basic inspection, ask questions etc. Cost based on what you want.
Look these cars up. It’s a tough case to say its too expensive based on what they fetch dollar wise. Most classified ad’s have 1964 Le Man car’s tributes, no documentation. You’ll begin bidding at 26 K. Check a popular auction site we are all familiar with and opine…(waiting on american steel and steve A to weigh in). Not a personal attack, profane, political or religious.
Crickets….
Based on the ad and information provided to the seller the car is priced too high. If the seller had included clear detailed pictures of the lower sheet metal, under carriage, engine compartment and filled in some information such as which transmission is installed in the car it would be a different story.
You might be willing to drop that amount of money based on the car, as presented in the ad, but most people wouldn’t. People weren’t attacking the car, just the way it was presented. It’s too bad you couldn’t see the difference.
Steve R
Awesome, this is what I remember a goat should look like! Body style is just right, after this style never cared for the newer body style at all!
$25k Canadian or US????
It’s listed in Canada for 25K with no mention of USD so most likely $CAN.
https://www.kijiji.ca/v-classic-cars/hamilton/iconic-1964-gto-s-matching-gm-post-car/1365060129?
The seller appears to be running a transport consignment operation. In Kijiji If you click on the “view poster’s other ads” link you can see what else they have for sale or just see them here https://www.kijiji.ca/o-posters-other-ads/1008934047
The car would have been built in the U.S. so that makes it very easy to get it back into the country and the dollar is in huge favour for a U.S. buyer.
Friendly FYI You are probably right in this case but just because a vehicle is built in the US doesn’t mean that it will be easy or even possible to re-import it. The market that it was built for is the deciding factor. Not so much anymore but I recall back in the 80s Suzuki made a 400 cc model for the Canadian market and possibly others and the same one but displacing 450 cc for the US. Canadian motorcycles always had more hp per cc as the emissions laws allowed them to tune for more power. If I recall they were putting out about the same 40hp.