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Tri-Power Terror: 1966 Pontiac GTO

1966 Pontiac GTO

This 1966 Pontiac GTO is claimed to be a real 4-speed, but I think the desirable Tri-Power setup has been added. The seller claims that the engine ran a year ago and isn’t locked up. This Goat looks so rusty though that it is hard to imagine that someone put time and money into the engine before addressing the body. Maybe it’s not really as bad as it looks though. The seller mentions a few pinholes in the floors, but that the frame is solid. It’s located in Nabb, Indiana and is listed here on eBay with about a day of bidding left.

Crusty Interior

Things look pretty crusty, but perhaps the paint is just peeling off. The fact that the photos were taken at dusk probably doesn’t help matters either.

Tri-Power Setup

There’s the engine with that triple carb setup. The seller doesn’t give us many details besides the fact that it’s not seized.

Some Rust

This is going to be a big project, but I’m hopeful that it’s not really as bad as it looks. This GTO would look good restored to its original Marina Turquoise over Turquoise color scheme and the Tri-Power/4-speed combo would be a lot of fun too. You’ll have a long road to get there, but it might just be worth it!

Comments

  1. Avatar Mike Garske

    Another example of the car ‘bubble’, the zombies are coming out of the mud and fetching huge dollars from Googlites with bottomless pockets.

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  2. Avatar randy

    There’s nothing like the expectation of a big payday to bring out the rusted hulks.

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  3. Avatar Barzini

    This is my favorite GTO year and color scheme so it’s heartbreaking to see one in this shape. I suspect the cost to rebuild it will exceed the value of the finished car but I hope someone takes it on.

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  4. Avatar Cassidy

    Under $3K on the bidding, reserve unmet, buyers are very wary of this GTO-shaped pile of iron oxide. Silly seller, he needed to have it stay in the barn awhile longer, until it rusted down to the shape of an early Porsche!

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    • Avatar Keith

      Cassidy, Amen Bro! I couldn’t have said that any better!

      Like 0
  5. Avatar Jim

    Tri-power, stick….But that rust. I really can’t imagine anyone restoring it, more likely it will go from dreamer to dreamer. But who knows. It would really be nice to be able to follow up on these cars.

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  6. Avatar JW

    This poor Goat is in sad shape and will take someone who is handy with a welder and deep pockets and after it’s done it will take years to recoup his time and money. It breaks my heart to see a 65 to 67 GTO in this shape as I’ve owned a few.

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  7. Avatar socaljoe

    it’s always best to photo your junk at sunset

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  8. Avatar TBall

    JW – You nailed it. Very nice car, however it will take someone highly skilled in rust repair with an unlimited budget to get this one back to life. Not sure at this point the return is a match for the effort.

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  9. Avatar jeff6599

    Cheer up men! An unrestored 1966 tripower unit is easily worth $1200 in todays market. The 4 speed with Hurst is easily $500, The flywheel, clutch and housing are at $300 or more and a genuine longblock GTO engine that is operable $700. So doom and gloom you’re at $2700 for just the mechanics ahead of the yoke, making the rest of the car nearly free.Frames sell well, as do 10 bolt Saf-T-Tracs, scooped hoods and Goat trim. Presuming that as enthusiastic car guys, we do our own work, I really think there’s room here to have an enjoyable project and clear $10k to $15k when your done and it is sold.

    Like 0
    • Avatar JW

      I personally wish you Good Luck and happy bidding.

      Like 0
    • Avatar Duffy

      Your nuts////////

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    • Avatar Ethan

      Nice to hear a positive comment about a rusty “junk” project for a change (for which you were called “nuts” for saying unfortunately). So what if it needs a lot of work? Not every project car has to turn an enormous profit upon completion. There’s potential here. And its not like this is some mid 60s fragment of a Porsche body that happens to have the VIN still attached for 5-10k, this is pretty much a complete car!

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      • Avatar Gnrdude

        There Is Still allot of CAR there, but I wouldn’t Recommend it unless Your Experienced at Doing Sheet Metal Work as the Bill just to straighten out the BODY work would likely total 25K$ Or so. & the finished Car is probably worth 35K$. I think it’s Worth Saving but it Will Take allot of $$$$$.

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  10. Avatar randy

    If I were to take on a project like this, I’d do the bare minimum to get it on the road, and drive it as I finished it up. Make a car payment towards it each month in repairs or parts.

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  11. Avatar piper62j

    Great project for a full blown shop like Foose has… Other than that, it’s repairable and will take years to bring it back…Parts are available.

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  12. Avatar OhU8one2

    My personal favorite year for GTO’s,last year for the 389,and tri-power,plus this car is a 4spd. And I just love those tail lamp’s. Now since it’s going to need just about everything. First get a PHS certificate,so you’ll know the build info. I would put back to stock paint and trim. Add set of Hurst wheel’s. Redline tire’s,factory wood steering wheel,center console with added O.E. vacuum gauge. The motor bored to 428ci,do all Royal Bobcat mod’s. Then show it,drive it,maintain it,and keep it until I expire. Then my family can do what they want with it. Oh and tell John DeLorean Thank You for my GTO obsession. R.I.P.

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  13. Avatar 64 bonneville

    buy the dynacorn body for $14 grand, and transfer what needs to be swapped. BTW it appear that is an early (63-64) tri power intake. I’m thinking that the 66 had an offset thermostat housing. Going like that, you could maybe, possibly get out for around $25 grand, and have a real fun driver.

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    • Avatar Goatsnvairs

      No, I think that’s a ’66 tri power. ’64 and earlier won’t fit ’65 and later heads. I believe the ’64/’65 tri power had the round choke housing on the center carb, and in ’66 they went with the coil heated by the heat crossover which I can see on this one. The ’66 tri power is the one to have, larger center carb than 64/65.

      The car is worth the current price as a part out…..

      Like 0
  14. Avatar Paul R

    Sometimes you have to decide if something is only a parts car or a worthy restore.
    I could see going upside down in value after a restore on this example fairly quick!

    Like 0
  15. Avatar Keith

    Here’s the bottom line guys, Back in 2007 (and to this day) the Barrett Jackson Auctions started to auction off muscle cars to the rich for ridiculous amounts of money! The rich with bottomless pockets started scooping up these muscle cars at a lightning pace clearly knocking the average Joe out of the market. If you were to watch one of these Barrett Jackson Auctions you can see these rich arrogant bidders easily forking out the money for these cars. Heck some of them are there just to show everyone they have deep pockets and to OUT BID the next guy just for bragging rights! In the mean time the average Joe is priced right out of the market and forced to scratch a living selling old rust buckets! In reality this is a sad situation that the rich have taken over the muscle car market and ruined it for the rest of us. I love the cars I see at these Barrett Jackson Auctions but hate the fact that they ran the average middle class guy right out of the market……Keith

    Like 1
    • Avatar OhU8one2

      Keith, you hit the nail on the head. For years I’ve been preaching that Barrett Jackson has ruined the vintage car market for the enthusiast. People spending the amounts on vehicles today are NOT mostly fans,they are playing the market just like with stocks or bonds,etc. Next it will motorcycles,then boats,bicycles,jet ski’s…………..

      Like 1
  16. Avatar rancho bella

    I get heat from guys on here when I ridicule cars in this condition. But I never read were the finger pointers buy these cars. They just carry on about how it would be fun work on and drive.
    No it wouldn’t.

    Only a fool would buy something like this, pour un-gawdly amounts of money into it and think it was a good idea.

    Like 0
  17. Avatar piper62j

    All of the muscle car mania is in the eye of the beholder.. My belief is that when all us boomers are gone, the next gen will be collecting what they grew up with no matter what shape..

    Our generation will take on most projects with the speculation that it might be fun to restore with the promise of financial gain, regardless if that goal comes to fruition.

    We just enjoy what we can or cannot do with these cars and love to brag about it..

    Like 0
  18. Avatar JW

    Of the 10 classic cars & trucks I’ve done over the years it has never been to turn a profit. I buy one restore or restomod it then my wife and kids now grandkids enjoy it for 4 to 5 years then I’ll sell it not flip it and usually get all my money back and once in a great while I make a small profit to buy the next one. My wife’s 70 Mach1 is the only one I’ve went over board on updating and making it more reliable & safe thinking she would never sell it but now she wants something else so I’m going to lose big on this one maybe. That’s the car game and how I play it.

    Like 0
  19. Avatar randy

    Sold, $5600.00

    Like 0
  20. Avatar JW

    It would be a shame but realistically the buyer could part it out and make a decent profit.

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  21. Avatar jaygryph

    I love the look of cars like this. Make it safely run and drive and stop and cruise it in this shape is what I’d really consider. The freakouts from classic car guys would only be outnumbered by the stories and conversations with other people marveling that the thing is still moving or how cool it looks.

    I think this looks like the sort of car you wouldn’t want to roar to life or be lurking with a lumpy cam idle in a dark alley as you pass by on some dark and lonely night.

    It has a sinister look about it and I love it.

    Like 0
  22. Avatar Wabbit

    Bought a used one of these when I was 16 when it was less than a year old, it was burgandy and I had spray on vynal top and some white racing strip put down the sides had white bucket seats. Engine was a small block 400 with a quadrajet carb, 4 speed with a close ratio shifter, and a 411 positrack rear end, add a cam to the stock motor to give it a little more pep. Of the over 1000 car I have owned or bought and sold it was my Favorite to this day.

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    • Avatar Alan Jones

      I had a 66 4 door lemans back in78. Don’t see very many out there would love to have one just for the joy of working on it. The one I had I rebuilt the motor, trans, radiator before I was forced to sell my le ans (the m was missing on the side logo. Fun car if one’s for sale I’m intrested

      Like 0
  23. Avatar randy

    25 cars a year, that’s a pretty impressive average.

    Like 0
  24. Avatar Mike

    dreamer!!!!!

    Like 0

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