The Pontiac GTO, 46 years after the original incarnation ceased production, is still a pretty commonly found car. And desirable? You bet! Depending on the year and how it’s equipped they are an appreciated collector car draw in terms of value. There are so many that crop up for sale, I frequently gloss over them and keep moving but every now and then, once catches my attention for various and sundry reasons(s). And here is just such an example, a ’69 Pontiac GTO, located in Dearborn Heights, Michigan and available here on Facebook Marketplace for $13,000.
What’s so special about this example? We’ll get to that but let’s take a gander at it first. Right off, other than the honeycomb wheels, it looks like an original, non-modified, 80K mile example. In typical “A-body” form, the lower fenders are rusted through, not at all unusual, especially if this is a life-long Michigan car. The fenders are showing a bit of a parking-by-feel scenario with a few dents, none serious, but they will acquire attention. The code “61” Expresso Brown finish is showing 50+ years of wear, again to be expected. Unfortunately, regardless of the finish condition, Expresso Brown probably doesn’t represent a GTO to its fullest visual grandness. No hide-away headlights here and non really needed, this vintage GOAT looks great with or without them. The biggest unknown, getting back to the rust, is the condition of the underside. As the seller is silent regarding that matter; I’d want some more information or perhaps an image or two. The seller rates this Pontiac’s condition as “Fair” and I’d say that’s a fair assessment.
Under the hood is the standard 400 CI V8 Pontiac motivation, providing 350 gross HP. What the seller does not state is if the engine starts and/or runs, though it seems as if he is saying that the motor does turn over. Getting that clarified should probably be question number one. Pontiac engines are tough as nails so if this one has been maintained properly it should have some life left in it in spite of its accumulated 80K miles. Of note, Pontiac offered a low-compression 265 HP 400 CI engine in ’68, available only with an automatic transmission. If memory serves me right, and I have only encountered one of those in all of these years of looking, those low HP engines can be outwardly identified by a single snorkel air cleaner, not a dual equipped unit like this example possesses. I would ask any readers who are Pontiac knowledgeable to comment on that matter. Options include A/C and a Turbo-Hydramatic 400, three-speed automatic transmission. The listing also mentions 4-wheel ABS but I’ll say “I don’t think so” to that option.
Here’s where things get interesting. The interior, which the listing denotes as green, it looks saddle tan to my eyes, belies the overall condition of the car – it is much better than the exterior. The listing also claims that the green interior is comprised of leather upholstery but I would go with vinyl as that’s how the GTO rolled in ’69. The upholstery fabric, dash, carpet and rear seat all look surprisingly robust, especially compared to some similar mileage/age examples that I have reviewed recently. But here’s what caught my attention, bucket seats, but no center console! It’s a column shift equipped car. Now I knew this was a possible combination to build but I have never seen a GTO equipped in this manner. OK, so it’s not a Ram Air IV convertible with some impossible combination of “drive the price really high” options but it is still unusual, and I would imagine, rare. Probably not enough of a rarity to enhance this GTO’s value in any significant way but rare enough to make it a conversation piece and a reminder of how cars could be ordered and assembled in what is now the fairly distant past.
The seller advises that this Pontiac is a 25-year stored barn find. The originality of it, other than the wheels, is frequently not found on a GTO. They seem to occupy either end of a spectrum composed of perfectly restored, high dollar trailer queens on one end or a badly modified, “What the h— happened to it?” examples on the other. I think this GTO, assuming it checks out visually, would be a great start for a nice, solid ’60s driver quality muscle car, how about you?
The car looks complete but what about rust around the rear window and trunk pan.
I think the cornering lamps on the front fenders are even more unusual than the interior configuration.
The cornering lights are pretty rare and the AC is nice to have. The buckets with column shift combo is a head scratcher. I saw plenty of GTOs and LeMans equipped this way back in the 80s when they were just old cars, but if you’re going with the bucket seats (hence seating for two only in front), why not get the console with the extra storage, etc? I think I’d put an original console in this one and save the column shift parts for the next owner. There’s a knock out plug in the floor for the shifter cable, so no permanent cutting or anything is required.
I’ve seen that combo before and the column shift and buckets combo is the lamest thing, it makes no sense, you lose both ways, no bench with an armrest and space for a extra person AND you lose the cool floor shifter, its lose/lose either way.
Maybe the wife felt the his n her shifter was sexist and didn’t want to get a movement started and caved…😂👀😏 so he settled for miss match set up
I regret junking a perfect goat body and interior one with just a head gasket blown in 79…
My buddy needed a front end and found one and sold the dog house off a hidden headlight four speed green one … then parted out
I’ve now owned 2 classic GMs–a 1965 Pontiac Catalina 2+2 and a 1971 Olds Cutlass SX–that were ordered with bucket seats but no console. Several theories abound: Someone at the dealership not paying attention and/or not realizing that you had to punch in the bucket seat option and console option separately (it would have been easy to assume buckets meant console, too), cheap buyers that didn’t want to spring for the console, an/or (especially in farm country) no console so the dog could ride along on the floor between the bucket seats.
Back in the day I owned a 69. GTO Judge in Carousel red (orange) equipped with a Ram Air 3 (400 cid) and automatic trans. It had black bucket seat interior with no console and column shift. It was also equipped with a tachometer in the gauge cluster ( no hood tach). I converted it to a console with a Hurst ( his and hers) shifter and hood tachometer. The car was a very early production car. It was a blast to own.
Those honeycomb wheels were not available yet, I believe 71 or 72, I owned a 73 Luxury Lemans w white buckets no console, drove me crazy, I replaced them w a full bench w armrest,
I had one of these in the late 80’s
I put in a 69 428 HO with aTH400 w/shiftkit and a 3.55 10 bolt
When I planted it and held first it would kick sideways and leave about 6 feet of posi when I banged second. Absolute beast!
Nothing in my memory was as Ferocious as a 428 in its day
For obvious reasons the 2 barrel 400 was fairly rare, maybe Pontiac was trying to cover all bases. This one here would have been nice, but as noted GTO’s weren’t uncommon to see for years. Made a whole bunch of ’em.
I don’t know, maybe it was dealer stock, I can’t see it here in the goat,..the buckets and column shift, being ordered that way…brown paint with some form of green interior? Yuck! Saddle would really work well with brown. Not all GTO’s were street raced or even Boulevard cruisers. Personally I’d love to have it in good running condition and just bury the throttle, drop it down to 45-50 and floor it for all its worth. That’s what muscle cars were all about.
That color scheme; Expresso Brown with the gold interior was a gorgeous combination when new. GM copied a very popular Mercedes color from the late 60’s. The GTO wasn’t necessarily the best application of that color, more at home on a Bonneville or a Grand Prix.
As for the console; buckets were standard in a GTO but a console was a $72 option ($350 In today’s money) so maybe someone just didn’t want to pay.
I wish I could find this car. My father had an identical one when I was born that he bought new.