From The Classifieds
1967 Pontiac GTO Manual
Few badges from the 1960s muscle car era were as evocative as Pontiac’s GTO.
Still claimed by some to be the car that kicked off the business of developing brutal road cars from what were essentially regular American family sedans, the GTO was launched in 1964 as an option pack available on the Pontiac Tempest, but by 1966 it had morphed into a separate model line.
The original GTO option pack included a 242kW 6.1-litre (389 cubic inch) V8, three-on-the-floor manual-transmission and a reworked suspension that was toughened-up, US-style, via stiffer springs and shock absorbers and aided by wider wheels. Cosmetic signatures included a bonnet scoop and GTO badges.
Even the GTO pack was available with its own options including engine mods that upped the power to 260kW, and the further choice of a four-speed manual gearbox or a two-speed auto.
Come 1967, the now stand-alone hot Pontiac was available in hardtop, convertible and coupe body styles, the 389 V8 was bumped to 400 cubic inches (6.5 litres) and power was increased to 270kW in the most powerful of the three engine variants.The car was given a minor styling makeover by Pontiac designers, but the now trademark front end with its prominent GTO badge on the left side of the split grille was a warning to other muscle car drivers that this was the real deal.
The GTO continued in the Pontiac model lineup through to 1974, when the model was dropped from the lineup. Australians can take pride in the resurrection of the GTO badge on a left-hand-drive version of the Holden Monaro coupe that was shipped for sale in the States between 2004 and 2006.
This 1967 left-hand-drive GTO two-door coupe on sale in Australia represents the muscle car era on its upward surge and looks to be a great example of a fondly-remembered era.
The black Pontiac featured on carsales.com.au lives in the outer Melbourne suburb of Narre Warren and is claimed to be all-original factory spec apart from the American Racing flat-spoke alloy wheels.In the words of the owner, the GTO is fitted with a “huge” array of factory options including the top-spec 400 cubic-inch 360 horsepower engine, four-speed manual gearbox with custom shift knob, a 3.55:1 Safe-T-Track Positraction differential, power steering, power front disc brakes, custom wood grain steering wheel, rally gauges and clock, bonnet-mounted tachometer, push-button AM/FM radio with rear speaker, power windows, full front console with dealer installed vacuum gauge, rear window demister and a remote boot release.
The GTO is showing a meagre 59,200 miles on the odometer and is described as being well cared for and in “A1” condition – a claim that appears to be borne out by the photographs.
The gorgeous, massive Pontiac muscle car is advertised at $69,500 and will be sold with a roadworthy certificate.
Although the performance is easily shaded by today’s crop of hot cars (zero to 100km/h acceleration for the 270kW 1967 GTO was around 6.6 seconds), there is no doubting the iconic 1960s muscle car has real presence and would make a magnificent cruiser.