They are three little letters that mean so much. Merely whispering “GTO” will set the hearts of many enthusiasts racing as they anticipate a story about a classic that defines the muscle car. This GTO features an older refurbishment, but it continues to present beautifully. It is more than a pretty face, with its Tri-Power V8 promising performance to match its good looks. Its next important journey could be to a new home, with the seller listing it here on eBay in Poughkeepsie, New York. The bidding has raced past the reserve to sit at $19,600.
Pontiac introduced the GTO as an options package for its LeMans models for the 1964 model year, creating a sensation and a vehicle many would consider the father of the muscle car. This Pontiac is from that first year, with the seller indicating it underwent a refurbishment in around 2012. The builder didn’t focus on total originality, which explains why I don’t consider this a restoration. I’ve used photo editing software to enhance the engine bay shots, leading me to believe the Starlight Black paint gracing the laser-straight panels isn’t original. The Cowl Tag appears to show a Paint Code of “R,” which is consistent with Alamo Beige. The change is undoubtedly attractive, but purists would certainly prefer authenticity. I can’t spot any rust problems in the supplied photos, and none rate a mention in the listing. The trim and glass look excellent, and the wheels are another later addition.
Ordering a new 1964 GTO brought buyers a 389ci V8 that produced up to 348hp and 428 ft/lbs of torque. Shifting duties fell to a three or four-speed manual transmission, although there was an automatic option for those preferring a more relaxed motoring experience. Readers who may have considered cutting this car some slack as a former restoration may rethink that decision upon learning that there is no longer a 389 under the hood of this classic. You are gazing upon a 455 of unknown origin that inhales through a Tri-Power setup and exhales through long-tube headers and a Flowmaster exhaust. The V8’s power is fed to a limited-slip rear end by a four-speed manual transmission, and the car also sports power assistance for the steering and front disc brakes. That configuration rules this car out as a restoration in my book and may help explain why the bidding has been relatively subdued on one of the most desirable cars to roll off an American production line. The seller provides no information on how this Pontiac runs or drives, but the visual indications are positive.
If this Pontiac’s exterior presents well, its interior serves up more of the same. It is trimmed in Blue vinyl that shows no signs of wear or distress beyond light stretching on the driver’s seat. This is consistent with a car used as its creators intended and is one of the few points some might criticize. The carpet and headliner are excellent, the dash and console are immaculate, and there are no visible aftermarket additions. The factory sports gauge cluster includes a tach to monitor that brute under the hood.
This 1964 Pontiac GTO presents superbly and would suit an enthusiast more concerned with parking a spotless driver in their garage than one that is totally original. Those seeking total authenticity will probably give it a wide berth, although the fact it has attracted twenty-three bids suggests a few people like what they see. It is only days away from finding a new home, but would you be willing to overlook the lack of originality to submit a bid?
It sure is getting hard to keep hearing about “total authenticity” when in fact cars like this beauty got modified by their owners almost quicker than the build sheet came off the windows. Most of these cars were bought by people who wanted a fast car to hit the road or the drag strips with, not go grocery shopping. Have had a few cars that had 3 to 4 color changes as well as power train mods that ran from full blown race engines down to putting dual exhausts on. How many folks reading this didn’t put dual exhausts on their flat head V8s or Chevy’s first V8 cars?. That said, how many out there would rather have a shiny black GTO vs an Alamo Beige? Passing it on to Howard…
Cars like these were painted a different factory available color right away?
Exactly! I had an ex-race car 64 as well, it was an original 4 speed tri-power car with the transistor ignition, but it had a later 400 .030 over, but with a TH400, 12 bolt 4:11. Fun car. The best part of the car is the 4 spoke wood wheel, they are extremely valuable, in the $3k and up range! I removed mine when I sold my car and sold it separately back in 2000 for $700 if I remember correctly. For what it’s worth, this car also has a 65 or later tach, a 65/66 console, and an aftermarket Hurst shifter. The rear die cast panel looks great, the bumpers look great, too bad the center horizontal grille bar was painted black, but it still looks nice. I like the 64’s! No PHS?
Perfect car. I’d drive it like it is
Nice Goat! Perfect Driver car too, but where are all the other Emblems? I remember GTOs in ’64 was and add on to a Le Mans Tempest and I remember seeing cars that had those emblems on the car in addition to the GTO emblems.?? The first GTO only came out in ’65 if my memory serves? THIS ISN’T THE 1ST ’64 I’ve seen this way?? I think those cars that have kept their Tempest/LeMans heritage on the car stand out MORE than just a plain ’64 GTO which never truly existed…That’s WHY it presents the way it does, but with Blue Interior, Black is a bad color choice imo…There were some Blues that would present much better…Black Ponchos of that era should have either White or Red Interiors to reallly make them Pop!…To each his own…However, a Tri-powered 455/4spd is ALL GO and probably a very fun car to jump on that Loud pedal and let her rip! I do dig that blue interior and it probably went well with the original Beige and pronably rarer than a Black/Blue car! Glwts✌
Sorry, but your memory is NOT serving you well. The GTO came out a couple of months after introduction of the 64 models. As far as the color combo, black with a blue interior, while not common, is perfectly acceptable.
Way better than beige with s blue interior. Just wierd combo
The emblems are correct and properly located for a 64, they did not retain any of the LeMans emblems when the GTO package was ordered.
Original or not, that is a beautiful machine and I would gladly park it in my driveway
Pontiac sold 32,450 Tempests with the GTO package during the 1964 model year. Thank you, John DeLorean.
Black and blue, not a chance. An entire black interior would have to be installed to fix that massive mistake. Come on. Who has blue interior and black exterior? You couldn’t order that it’s so absurd.
You are right Eric, and l don’t think beige and blue go well together either, the GTO was an option on the ’64 and ’65 LeMans model and beginning in ’66 it became its own model outright.
You certainly could order black cars with blue interiors at that time and they were fairly popular. I remember a guy who had a new ’62 Pontiac Bonneville coupe with Tri Power and a 4 speed and the 8 lug wheels with aluminum drums that looked gorgeous! The blue interior in the upper Pontiac models had sort of a pearl look to them that really popped! I bought a used ’65 Grand Prix with a blue interior and I loved it! Mine was a really dark blue with a black vinyl top and the factory aluminum wheels.
GTO was an option on the Lemans in 64 and 65. It wasn’t an option on the Tempest. You could not order a Tempest with a GTO option. Only the Lemans. Pontiac did not put lemans and GTO emblems on the same car. If it got the GTO option, there were no Lemans emblems.
I’m really impressed that they took a Pontiac 455 and put a tripower setup on it. Id love to have a ride in that Goat.
I bet the purists would be more forgiving if this “Little GTO” had midnight blue paint with that blue interior!. On note, a unknown 455 Pontiac engine could be a low h.p. output much less then the original 389 with 3 duces!. Just saying, but looks like a very nice fun to drive car!
I completely agree. Could be out of a 74 Grand Ville lol
Yeah the mystery motor is troubling, I remember drooling over a gorgeous red 67 Impala but being disappointed when I discovered that it had a mystery 455 under the hood… especially after I drove it and the thing wouldn’t even turn the tires over… must’ve been out of an old wrecker or something, all the good had been long since used up… definitely have to take this one for a drive before handing over the benjamins, but gawd what a sweet goat! Yucky blue interior notwithstanding…
Just saying, I always heard the water outlet pointing straight up meant high compression engine. Pointing left low compression engine. This one is clearly pointing north.
Had a 65 Tempest that the body shop wrecked the tail lights on when they painted it white again, took me six months to find tail lights since the Tempest only had those lights in 65 and the GTO in 64 and 65 (the GTO lights had lines in them that corresponded with the metal grills over them) as far as I remember the 63 had those long tail lights and horizontal headlamps. Think that’s a 63 shown there not a 64. I found a 64 in the woods on a pheasant farm in Phonecia, NY that the guy wouldn’t come off of $65 a piece for even though one had a what looked like a BB hole in, plus I got stung by a wasp taking them out. This was back in 2000. Looked so long and came across more 63s than I cared to see. Think I’m right about this.
The tail lights and rear panel on this car are correct. 1965 Tempest tail lights and rear die cast had 10 ribs, while the LeMans and GTO had a 6 rib design. Both models had matching tail light trim or covers. The 1965 Tempest Custom had a different rear panel, but no trim over the tail light lenses.
Can’t help but think this is a Le Mans/Tempest rebuild masquerading as a gto. I’d rather it said Tempest on the fenders. And get rid of those tail pipes.
All in all a nicely set up hot rod.
Can’t help but think this is a Le Mans/Tempest rebuild masquerading as a gto. I’d rather it said Tempest on the fenders. And get rid of those tail pipes. Black on blue doesn’t really bother me.
All in all a nicely set up hot rod.
Get rid of the original style splitters??? The splitters were iconic! Without PHS, this could be a LeMans or Tempest. Never understood why any seller of any collectible Pontiac would not have a PHS report.
Yes. Iconic or not they don’t work for me.
I once owned a 64 Goat. I purchased in 1969. It was a gunmetal gray post car with black interior. I live in the north east and it snowed a lot back than. These cars would always rust on the rear quarters and the lower front fender because of how they were designed. The car that is for sale is very nice survivor. As far the taillights, the GTO had a grill in the middle and over top the taillights. The person was correct ,the 63 LeMans which appear to be on the car. My car came from the factory with 3 twos. When I got it it had a 4 barrel on the engine. These car we drove hard and things were changed. I dragged raced mine offen. I replaced the engine with a 400 ram air out of 69 judge. It wasn’t uncommon to swap engines. They sometime put big block Chevy in GTOs, just saying. The car listed will make someone a great muscle car and it was first in my eyes.
is that the proper pontiac silver//blue on the engine , asking for a friend
The silver/blue engine paint appeared in 1966, this shade is correct for a 64.
who picked the color for the power booster, carbs and alternator pulley
Not a pure breed but a mongral,
I agree on the rear panel is a 63 tempest
This tail panel is correct. 64 Lemans and Gto all the way. X out of Barnfinds and Google 64 GTO pics. You should find an infinite number of 64 GTOs with this correct tail panel.