That “near mint” claim is not mine, but that of the seller. They also describe it as a “true survivor” and note 31k original miles, so I’ll let you be the judge if the “near mint” claim is true. This 1968 Pontiac GTO was sent in by Barn Finds reader, Ikey H., who found it here on Craigslist in Yorkville, Illinois. The seller has an asking price of $24,900.
The 2nd generation GTO was introduced for the 1968 model year and the completely re-designed body was riding on a shorter wheelbase. This would be the 2nd best selling year ever for the GTO, with 87,784 units rolling off the assembly line. Not only was public response positive, but so was critical as the 1968 GTO was named the 1968 Motor Trend Car of the Year.
The Verdoro Green paint on this GTO is original and looks to be in great shape. The ivory Cordova top also looks new. The window sticker indicates this GTO would’ve left the factory with redline or whitewall tires, but the modern BF Goodrich Radial T/As wrapped around the Pontiac Rally wheels lend well to the GTO’s muscle car persona. Based on the included photos, the exterior appears to live up to the “near mint” claim.
The ivory white interior looks like its in excellent condition. The front split-bench and back seats are bright and tear-free, the door panels aren’t showing wear, the dash is crack free, and everything is really clean. The black carpet and black/woodgrain dash offer a nice contrast inside. Based on the included photos, the interior appears to live up to the “near mint” claim.
A 400 cubic-inch 2-barrel V8 rated at 265HP powers this GTO. Power is sent to the rear wheels by a column-shifted turbo hydramatic transmission. We’re given no details on it’s running condition, but based on its location in the driveway, I’ll assume it at least moves forward and backward under its own power. It is equipped with power steering and power brakes. Based on the included photos, the engine bay does not live up to the “near mint” claim.
While the “near mint” claim may not be accurate for all aspects of this GTO, it does appear to be a nice, well-preserved example. I find the color combination and option list appealing. Throw in that price that probably won’t break the bank for most 2nd generation GTO buyers and you have a pretty tidy package.
Already deleted. Nice price for that Goat, assuming that the car is as represented. Nice find!
Agreed. This is the type of car you can buy, drive and get out of alive if you need to. I suspect it will pop up again at a dealer or flipper as I think this is like the Mustang that ran and re-ran a while ago. Take thirty pics, put up a video and a nice detailed description and it would do $30k. Nice grab for someone.
Console his and her shifter would be more appealing,as well I prefer black interior and solid veduro green color over the two tone paint.
Owned exactly the same car in 1970 with the 400, but with black vinyl top and interior……….. Pretty fast, but not as much torque as the 64 Super Wildcat it replaced.
Handled well
All it’s missing is the endura delete!
A double negative! Foul! That’s the long way to say it has Endura.
Nice car, too bad it was listed on Craigslist (99.9% scams).
Fewer scams now that they charge.
There are scams everywhere on the internet. You just have to be careful out there. I’m sure that if you are going to pull a scam the $5 or $10 posting fee would not dissuade too many crooks.
24k? My BS Meter is tingling. That’s less than half what the ask would be if this was real. Hopefully nobody was separated from cash.
The way this car is equipped is certainly “interesting”, with a 2 barrel engine and column shifter. Is this a GTO for someone who doesn’t really want a GTO? A Tempest with stickers and a cool hood that’s kind of GTOish? I suppose it doesn’t help that the white top and interior just scream family sedan to me, but personally, I really don’t understand this car at all.
Certainly is in great condition though, and at an affordable price as well.
Good point….guy wanted a GTO but his wife was likely chirping at him when he filled the order form out. “why do you need a 4 barrel, that is extra?”…..”I don’t like that floor shifter thingy”…..looks like a vehicle of compromise to me, weird optioned car but I think you are right on with your assessment or he walked on the lot and this was a hang around car on the lot and he wanted it quickly….we may never know….
Well, it certainly didn’t happen on a regular basis. There were 87,684 GTOs built in 1968. Of those, only 2,841 hardtops and 432 convertibles had the 400 2-bbl. That’s about 3.75%.
I think this was comparable to the 442 Turnpike Cruiser, which came with a 400 2-bbl and 2.56 highway gears. Buick had the GS 350 in these years. The purpose was better gas mileage and ability to use regular fuel while still having the muscle car look.
I agree. I had a 68 GTO, red with black int. 400ci 4bbl. 4 speed muncie trans, Hurst floor shifter, bucket seats w/console. I thought they were all a equipt that way. Ok, i could see an auto trans with a horse shoe floor shifter in case my grandma wanted one. Lol
No console Hurst Dual Gate, no hide-away headlights, crappy 2bbl engine
and lousy color combo.
I had a 68 Goat with a 350hp 400 and Turbo 400 trans. I got beat by every 396
Chevelle that I raced. I bought a 1970 Challenger R/T 440 convertible w/torque flite trans and never lost to a 396 Chevelle again. Trans Am Fire chickens were
a tasty lunch for my Challenger.
My First car was a 68 GTO and did I luck out with the rarity of it being a auto Ram Air 2 car and a convertible to top it off It is in a collection in Chicago told it was one of four built. Nothing ever beat that car and i raced it against any one that had the ba**s to race me.Yes it bought my first house in 84. Still wish I had it but life moves on.
GTO engines weren’t strong, cast cranks and rods. I saw a
GTO at the Drag strip and the guy he was racing did a bodacious burn out and the GTO tried to do the same, but he instead put several rod and piston pieces on the track below the car.
They also had a serious problem with Nylon trimmed timing gears. Hence the meaning of the name “Get the Tools Out.”
The average car people do not no about the Ram air engines in the GTO stable. They had forged piston stronger crank and heads that flowed like a freight train. Fastest cars at the strip were Ram air Pontiac GTO’s and Firebirds.Google the Ram Ria 2 engine and the Ram air 4 engine and see how these engines beat the pants off of everything.The timing gear issue was a ware item for mostly abused engines that were not maintained with oil changes. Easy fix
OK Kelly, so you don’t like Pontiacs. We all hear you loud and clear.
Given how horrible they apparently are it’s amazing that I never had a bad engine in one. But what do I know? I’ve just had 19 Pontiacs over 60 years, including a bunch of 400, 421, 428, and 455 engined cars, and put over 1 million miles on them.
The newer Pontiac 400s mid to late 70s had a few weak cranks. They weren’t the same as the earlier 389s 400s 428s and 455 forged cranks. Due to the emissions testing they didn’t need to have the stout cranks. A friend did professionally race Pontiacs and had those cranks break when the engines were modified
Survivor or no, it’s still a great looking car.
A regular customer of mine had the same car in convertible form. In fact, I bought an ’80 Citation from her not long after we met. Her ragtop was really nice for what it was and I enjoyed seeing it every time
she stopped by for a visit. That was 1991
and that car still looked good. I often
wonder what it looks like now.
Give him/her a pass on “near mint”. They didn’t say how close to mint, just somewhere in the mint ballpark
The 400 2-bbl. economy engine option was the only engine offered in the 1968 GTO that was rated for regular fuel. All the rest required premium. That engine was also automatic only. This car was for the buyer looking for GTO style but not the performance. Its condition suggests it was cared for. The engine compartment is very consistent with the survivor status, though I am surprised by the excellent condition of the body and interior. Either very well preserved or may have had some work in those areas. BTW all automatic trans GTOs had column shifter if the extra cost console was not ordered, so you will see even bucket seat cars with the column shift. The bench was an additional extra cost option.
Beautiful car! Nice color combination!
Perfect color combo, I love white interior on anything, but I like the 69 better, nicer dash, column ignition, no vent windows, just a sleeker look, console and a 4 speed, and definitely a 4 barrel
It’s not worth any more than the asking price…try selling a column-shift automatic, 2bbl GTO…you’ll find that no one wants to pay what it should be worth. It has much less value than a 4bbl car and WAY less than a 4-speed car.
Screams secretary’s LeMans to me.
It it extraordinary simple to obtain “original mileage” by unscrewing the speedo cable on side of transmission. Had friends back in the 70’s that routinely used this trick to maintain low mileage. No computer or OBD to worry about. 50 years is a staggering amount of time to lose thousands of miles easily. Hell, dealers would run the speedo in the gauge cluster in reverse to rewind odometers, remember?
Running them in reverse would take hours and hours to remove mileage and would likely damage the speedo. Easier to take the speedo out and take apart and “adjust” mileage for what you want. I worked at a car lot and the boss removed the speedo and took only 2000 miles off a car he took a trip in, but it went from 71k to 69K psychologically a big l difference to a customer. I would guess up to 50% of those “low mileage” cars out there have had the numbers adjusted. The older they are , the easier they are.
Yes my friend did adjust milage on a lot of cars in the early 70’s you actually roll them forward to the number you want going backwards breaks them and numbers are not level.He used to change $15 took him about 30 minutes . That car lot had the lowest milage cars in town. LoL
Beautiful Car.. love it.
I too, have owned a bunch of Pontiacs, still do own a 455 Grand Prix, I’m a Pontiac guy, growing up, our 428, would blow any 427 Chevy off the road, SD 455 Trans Am, same thing, Chevy was middle America’s car, and became a hero cause they were cheap, low buck, bottom of the barrel bottom of the GM food chain cars
I think a buyer got a “credit” for choosing the 2 barrel on these GTO’s, lower compression, stock passenger car engine really. Pontiac went after any potential customers short of offering the 326/350. Unpopular option then…and now.
Good looking car, just a cream puff without the thrill. Too bad….
Seems like a pretty mild GTO!! Bench seat, no console! Column shift!! Automatic transmission that isn’t a gate shifter!! Was this a low budget goat for 68???
Nice original car but dist. Was upgraded to HEI ignition notice 8mm spark plug wires not 7mm point ignition.
Im surprised the water pump lasted all these yrs without replacement.
Other than normal age it looks good.
Keep it stock + enjoy a ride from the past.
Back then any combination of things could be ordered on Gto \firebird my brother ordered 69 firebird 400 eng. Column shift with added hood tach no ram air hood. bench seat w/arm rest + rare firebird fold down rear seat.
The old days you could order a custom build to your wallet.
4 hours work and the nylon ringed timing gear could be switched out with a cast iron one. Put a new water pump on while you are in there.
4 hours I was a line mechanic and did it in 50 minutes start to finish.Not sure what the flat rate time was might have been 4 hours.
My favorite year goat, and my favorite color combo for a goat (yup, and I hate green cars usually). Even equipped as I would want. The 400 2 barrel is adequate for the freeway.
I sure wish I had the money & it was still available.
My ’68 Firebird convertible will hopefully look this nice one day.
I seen some very amusing comments.
Now I know how and why poncho water pump and timing cover bolts twist off. LOL
i beat or tied all chevy big block i came across but got beat by a GTX hemi
Them Mopar guys are a tough fight, it’s like getting into a Bar room brawl with a bunch of 6 foot tall firefighters
did not worry about the 440 s but i was no match for that hemi