It’s a treat to find a ’60s vintage muscle car that is still in the form as was originally intended. It was a treat years ago and even more so today and here’s a perfectly representative example, a 1968 Pontiac GTO. This goat is located in Vienna, Virginia and is available here on Barn Finds Classifieds or here on craigslist for $46,500.
This GTO is a mix of original and factory-style upgrades. Garaged, at least since 2002 as the seller states, this Pontiac presents as new. It has been repainted in its original shade of Mayfair Maize and still wears its complementing Ivory vinyl top. As far as current rust or crash damage is concerned, you can forget about that! The seller has ownership records back to 1972 and service records dating to 1984 with documentation attesting to this GTO’s 91K recorded miles. While the hood-mounted tachometer, Rally II wheels, and red stripe tires are not original to this GTO, they perfectly reflect the era.
Power is provided by the standard GTO 350 HP, 400 CI V8 engine working through a Turbo-Hydramatic 400, three-speed automatic transmission. While the engine has not been rebuilt, it has experienced a carburetor rejuvenation, the addition of a Flowmaster exhaust system, new rubber fuel lines, suspension bushing replacement, major brake component replacement, an upgrade from a 2.93 differential ratio to 3.36 with the inclusion of a limited-slip carrier, transmission seal and gasket renewal, conversion of the A/C system to 134A refrigerant, and many other improvements. The seller adds, “It starts, runs, drives and stops great. Sounds great too“.
Inside is as excellent as outside! The seller states, “The interior is virtually original and in very good condition. It shows the patina of cared-for usage of 50 plus years – some wear, some dirt, some scratches. All genuine“. It shows well as parchment has a tendency to yellow with age and that’s not the case here. The carpet has been replaced but that’s an expected swap too. The seller advises that all of the gauges and power windows work fine but the radio has a reception issue – probably the result of the lost art of “trimming” the antenna. Interesting to note are the head restraints, they didn’t become standard equipment until 1969.
The seller mentions that his GTO is an award winner as it, “Won 3rd place in class at the AACA Sully Plantation Show June 2018, and has won several People’s Choice Awards at local charity car shows“. It surely presents as a show winner! Additionally, Pontiac Historical Society documentation and the original build sheet are available. If a vintage GTO is on your horizon, this is one to consider, they just don’t turn up in this kind of unmolested condition very often. As Pontiac stated in its ’68 sales brochure, “It’s the one that started it all“, right?
This one’s a beauty, and all the upgrades are spot on. I would HAVE to trim back those exhaust tips for a more OEM look, though! GLWTS!! :-)
I would trim them back to reduce the number of stitches in my shins.
They are perfect for picking up the rear end, wheelbarrow style.
Moparman:
“GLWTS” ??? 🤔🤔
YourSoundMan
Good luck with the sale.
Yes, kind of a double post.
Jcs:
Sorry for making you spell that out. Hope it wasn’t too much trouble! I’m allergic to acronyms
Jcs:
My posts don’t show up here until a day later. Fast internet my ass! 😀 So I posted again.
Beautiful car. Hate the color
I like the color, better than the Pontiac green that so many seem to be. Also agree with trimming the exhaust tips, it just doesn’t look right. My favorite option is the hood tach, whoever thought of that was a genius. Current car manufacturers would be wise to bring that option back. I really like this car, but the asking price seems a bit high. But as we said in the car business, you don’t ask you don’t get.
It’s just an asking price. Gotta start somewhere. I’m looking for reasonable offers.
You don’t see it a lot on these but yellow with white vinyl top and interior was a fairly popular combo on the mid-1970s Grand Prixs. But by then it was probably called Malaise Maize.
I say SHELZBOT!!
John, are you ever going to clue us in on what the hell you mean by shelzbot?
john holmes:
Is that a ‘Mork and Mindy’ show reference?
I recall SHAZBOT! 😀😀
What’s up Holmes? “Shazbot” is the term you are referring to, incorrectly. Rule #1 in humor…when you don’t know what your talking about then the humor tends to be lost.
He’s probably not old enough to remember the exact expression. Let’s go easy on him, lol!
I had a ‘68 GTO, 400 4 speed and glass packs. Got busted after cackling downshift for noisy mufflers. Went to hardware store, got screen, steel wool and exhaust tips. It looked just like that when I went to the cop shop to get my fix-it ticket cleared. I SO wish I still had it!
Did the 68 models come with headrests? I know they weren’t required by law until 1969.
It was a factory option.
Head restraints were not mandated until 1969, however, were available as a factory option on GTOs from ’66-’68. My ’68 GTO convertible has them as optional equipment.
Even though they were not required until 69, most 68 cars did have head rest. This is a nice Poncho. As a teenager I had the opportunity to drive one of these for several months while the owner was away, it was hard at 17 to not beat it to death, but I managed. Very much appreciated it then, love it now.
I would have to disagree. Very few 68s had headrests, same as 66 & 67. Since they were optional, and the $50 price tag was about equal to one month’s car payment, they were seldom ordered. My 68 Impala wasn’t ordered with them (I factory ordered the car) since it was more than the cost of PB. Several other people I know bought new Chevys in 68, and none had headrests.
What an ugly COLOR COMBINATION… UGH… Plus… its an Automatic..
that is at least strike two… but it sure brings back memories… When I was 16..my first car was a 64 VW with 36 HP… at 17… my second car was a 68 GTO…with a 4 Speed… NO PS..No PB…just an Am radio with a Reverb unit…
loved that Reverb…
At least it’s not green!
Gee MH, that comment made my day. Thanks. BTW this car comes with an uninstalled reverb unit to go with its AM/FM radio.
In your opinion…
Why don’t you post a picture of your car on here so everyone can comment on what they hate about it?
Sheesh…
MH, what color was it?
I also had reverb in a 61 caddy convertible I love the sound
The hobby is pricing itself to be nonexistent. Just as planned. Too bad for a future generation but great for this greedy one.
Not just this car but many of them!
When it is time to say goodbye to my cars, I would like to know that whoever gets them will not be comparing them to some auction and thinking they are worth that same price. But instead get the same thrill I do every time I drive them.
The asking price is considerably lower than what I’ve invested to bring this 53 year old vehicle back up to fully functional operating condition after years of deferred maintenance of brakes, carburetor, ignition system components, air conditioning system, gauges and sending switches, tires, gaskets, heater core, etc.
This is not a Barrett-Jackson/Mecum shiny over-priced bauble, nor am I trying to compete with them. It is an honest fun classic.
Parting with this GTO after 7 years while being more than $10k under water is not what I call greedy.
Beautiful car Stan, ignore the critic. I personally love the color combination. My brother gorgeous Alleutian (?) blue ‘68 that he’s putting up for sale soon. Tons of time, money and hard work go into getting them to this point. Good luck with the sale, someone is getting a beauty!
Beautiful car. Not sure why so many crying about asking prices. Its worth what someone pays for it. Too simple. Just enjoy this site. Its honest!
WOW!!! What an amazing car.
IMHO, adding a vinyl top to these Goats ruined the smooth lines of the design. (Kinda like putting a landau top on a Corvette.)
One of my best friends first new car. He ordered the ’68 GTO with hide-a-way’s, beautiful green paint, redlines, Rally II wheels, and the black Lemans bench seat with a center armrest (bucket seat delete). The transmission was the standard 3 speed stick on the floor. In 1972 he gave me the option of purchasing it in Chicago. I passed, but there is no better sound then listening to that 400 engine at idle.
For me you have the 68 gto on one end( my personal favorite) and on the other end you have the 68-70 super bee or charger. This car is awesome, hats off. However give me an A code( starlight black ) with the Ram air 1 400 with 4 speed and the 433 rear. Definitely the hideaways, put the better looking 69 valance on it,also the 69 trunk spoiler. Also the 70 gto chrome bullet rear view mirrors that hit the side vent windows, throw in the reverb and any other little plastic switches up there, speaker? Oh and loose the 68 console, leave the buckets. The 68 Always looked better than my 70 chevelle SS. Now was it the 69 that had the twin pipes on the exhaust, put those one. Looose the vynal top bigtime.black interior please. Key on the dash, underdog air freshener ……….fast forward to aBBC, you didn’t think the xs code motor would hold up with a 433 rear for that long did you?
What a perfectly stupid comment.
What a moronic post…and ’69’s didn’t have splitters on the tailpipes, lol.
Great job Stan! These critics were never a real buyer for your car. It’s a shame folks chose to pick apart a nice restoration at a reasonable investment if a muscle car is what you are seeking. This is a nice car!
MY first car at 17 was a Ram Air two GTO ragtop.They only built 4 of them with the auto trans. What a car to learn about muscle cars in. Never lost a race to anything. Wish I still had had it but I do no ware it is. A large collection in Chicago.
*where
1968 was the only year for the Ram Air two cars. Rob Lozins in Chicago has it now
One of the best written Craigslist ads I have ever seen, nice job.
Thank you.
“Good luck with the sale”, often used on auction sights.
Most of these “sites” have their “sights” on high profits. ;)
The only thing I don’t really like is the tailpipes and( I prefer the hideaway headlights),but otherwise this is a gorgeous car,beautiful styling when companies knew how to create a nice car.
While not my choice for color, you guys who complain about colors, it’s an automatic, blah, blah, blah. This is a really nice car when cars where cars and not computers on wheels. Obviously with this color combo and option list, it had an easy life, unlike most GTOs pounded to death by knucklehead teens, like I was 50 years ago. I bought my first GTO in 1986 in southern California after searching for several years in salt land Pennsylvania, home of rusted crap even then more than 30 years ago. I saw a Palisade Green hardtop on the cover of a now defunct muscle car mag, called them and asked to speak to the owner of the car. I asked if he would sell it. He said no. After talking to me for a while, he reconsidered and we agreed on a $5,500 price. Now, how to get the car to Pennsylvania where I lived and still do. I was young, married, had a daughter, a mortgage, etc. I could not find a shipper in my budget. I called the owner and told him the deal was off. I was pretty upset. A few days later, he called me and said he found a guy who was going to pick up a Hemi Cuda in Baltimore and he would bring my GTO east for $300. Imagine that today? They get to Baltimore and the truck bringing it broke down. The guy said he had to drive my car from there to PA. The call came and they arrived with it at a Burger King. My wife drove me down and it was better than expected. NO RUST, perfect paint, interior, no stupid modifications. I worked the 5 p.m. to 1 p.m. shift at my job, took the car to a local car wash. Washed it, dried it and drove to work 25 miles away with the California plates still attached. One of my friends at work came in and said, “Did you see that beautiful GTO out back?” I said yes it’s mine. It was on eBay a few years ago. Should have bought it back. I then bought a 69 project car, 4 speed, also green on green for $1,800 in 1998. Sold that to buy a house.
needs a a/c bracket on alt. or ur in big trouble
Thank you. I’ll check that out. Could be it was not re-installed when the compressor was replaced in late 2019.
All the brackets are on the A/C and the alt.Guy does not what he is talking about.
that 68 is in very nice condtion, atleast this owner didnt let it rot away in a yard somewhere.
If I was going to spend 40K on a built Nova like the one posted the same day as this one, I would rather kick in the extra bucks and go for something like this.
Nothing against Novas, I just like original (or close to original) as compared to a car built into a hot rod.