1966 Pontiac GTO

Description

GTOs remain at the very top of the muscle car hierarchy, and this gorgeous 1966 Pontiac GTO hardtop shows off a very careful restoration of a very solid, original car. If you appreciate these cars as they were and not as the mythology would have us believe, then this one will delight you every time you get behind the wheel.

The GTO is one of the few muscle cars that can also be considered elegant. While they were great at tearing up tracks all over the country, they were equally adept at carrying executives to the office and showing up at exclusive nightspots for front-row parking. That bright white paint, a little brighter than Cameo Ivory, perhaps, only enhances that image, applied over a laser-straight body that any car guy can recognize from 100 yards away. Modern paints provide a great shine, but that only comes with hours of intensive hand labor, but nobody will argue that the results aren't worth it, because this car looks great with only a few signs of age and use. We might recommend spending a few hours on a Saturday giving it a clay bar and wax, but other than that, it's just gorgeous. And as you'd expect of a car like this, the chrome and trim were restored, the GTO badges are bright, and the glass has the proper vintage Soft-Ray tint. For Pontiac faithful, it just doesn't get much better than this in terms of high-quality driver-grade GTOs.

Few interiors are more inviting than the GTO's, and with black bucket seats and a center console, it emphasizes the Goat's dual nature. Reproduction seat covers duplicate the original intricate ribbed pattern, there are correct carpets on the floor, and fresh door panels don't show so much as a mark from a driver's elbow resting on the sill. All the gauges are original and still fitted to those four round pods in the woodgrained dash, and they're all in good condition with clear lenses and legible markings. The factory-issued AM radio isn't working; besides, you'll probably find the entertainment connected to your right foot to be far more suitable anyway. There's also a modern A/C system tucked under the dash and it's remarkably effective, especially in a white car. And yes, that's a 4-speed shifter sticking out of the center console, so it's a blast to drive. In back, the trunk has been correctly finished and topped with a correct mat and full-sized redline spare with jack assembly.

The engine is a correct 389 block with the proper coding, so we believe it to be the original 389 cubic inch V8 with Tri-Power, but we can't confirm. Pontiac knew its customers would be spending a lot of time under the GTO's hood tuning and tweaking, so they added plenty of eye candy for the genuine car guys who'd be owning them. It's a little scruffy, and here is where you can add a lot of value, but with the way it runs, perhaps you won't want to mess with it. Pontiac Turquoise engine enamel is still clinging to the block and it contrasts nicely with chrome valve covers and individual air cleaners. Underneath, the floors are perhaps a bit too nice, but that's hardly a demerit, and the exhaust system is a mellow-sound dual setup so it sounds appropriate. Stock Rally wheels with polished trim rings are framed by period-perfect BFG redline radials for a great performance look.

GTO prices are all over the map, but you really do get what you pay for. This car isn't perfect, but if you want a GTO to drive, you really won't find many better than this. Call now!