19_Chevelle_69
06-19-2006, 09:49 PM
The Pontiac GTO was offered with four 389 c.i. engine options from 265 bhp to 366 bhp, including a 4-speed manual transmission plus beefed-up suspension and brake improvements. Bucket seats and tachometers were part of the specification. Among all GM intermediates, the GTO was by far the most handsome, a perfect styling complement to tough engineering. It was available as a coupe or convertible but inevitably the more affordable coupes were best-sellers.
The Pontiac GTO is considered by many the first true muscle car. Whereas other manufacturers were concentrating on their fullsize lines, Pontiac saw the potential for dropping a big block engine into an intermediate frame and marketing it at a budget price. Pontiac sneaked past the GM restriction on this combination by making the GTO an option on the Tempest model, creating the hottest performance machine yet. The GTO sold in great numbers and would fuel the competition between GM, Ford, and Chrysler that would keep the muscle car industry thriving for years to come. The GTO would later evolve into the Judge, an extroverted option package of the blotted GTO, and would continue the tradition until the GTO died an embarrasing death in 1974.
The year was 1964 and the early stages of the muscle car era were dominated by fullsize cars. At GM, corporate policy prohibited any intermediate size car from having engines greater than 330 cid. The engineers at Pontiac had a different idea. They boldly made their 389 cid engine an option on the midsize Tempest and called the option package GTO, which copied Ferrari's GTO (Gran Turismo Omologato) model. The GTO package included the 389 V8, quick steering, dual exhaust, and premium tires, a bargin at just $300. The 389 cid engine came with 325bhp with a single 4bbl carb or 348bhp with the optional Tri-Power setup, 3 2bbl carbs. Pontiac hoped to sell 5,000 copies, they ended up selling 32,450. The car that was marketed under a Tiger motiff but soon became known as the "Goat" would stand the automobile industry on end and lead to a host of imitators. But no one in the mid-sixties would get it together quite like Pontiac.
Production:
Sports Coupe: 7,384
Hardtop Coupe: 18,422
Convertible: 6,644
Engines:
389 V8 325 bhp @ 4800 rpm, 428 lb-ft @ 3200 rpm.
389 V8 (3x2) 348 bhp @ 4900 rpm, 428 lb-ft @ 3200 rpm.
Performance:
389/325: 0-60 in 7.5 sec, 1/4 mile in 15.7 sec @ 92 mph.
389/348: 0-60 in 6.6 sec, 1/4 mile in 14.8 sec @ 95 mph
The Pontiac GTO is considered by many the first true muscle car. Whereas other manufacturers were concentrating on their fullsize lines, Pontiac saw the potential for dropping a big block engine into an intermediate frame and marketing it at a budget price. Pontiac sneaked past the GM restriction on this combination by making the GTO an option on the Tempest model, creating the hottest performance machine yet. The GTO sold in great numbers and would fuel the competition between GM, Ford, and Chrysler that would keep the muscle car industry thriving for years to come. The GTO would later evolve into the Judge, an extroverted option package of the blotted GTO, and would continue the tradition until the GTO died an embarrasing death in 1974.
The year was 1964 and the early stages of the muscle car era were dominated by fullsize cars. At GM, corporate policy prohibited any intermediate size car from having engines greater than 330 cid. The engineers at Pontiac had a different idea. They boldly made their 389 cid engine an option on the midsize Tempest and called the option package GTO, which copied Ferrari's GTO (Gran Turismo Omologato) model. The GTO package included the 389 V8, quick steering, dual exhaust, and premium tires, a bargin at just $300. The 389 cid engine came with 325bhp with a single 4bbl carb or 348bhp with the optional Tri-Power setup, 3 2bbl carbs. Pontiac hoped to sell 5,000 copies, they ended up selling 32,450. The car that was marketed under a Tiger motiff but soon became known as the "Goat" would stand the automobile industry on end and lead to a host of imitators. But no one in the mid-sixties would get it together quite like Pontiac.
Production:
Sports Coupe: 7,384
Hardtop Coupe: 18,422
Convertible: 6,644
Engines:
389 V8 325 bhp @ 4800 rpm, 428 lb-ft @ 3200 rpm.
389 V8 (3x2) 348 bhp @ 4900 rpm, 428 lb-ft @ 3200 rpm.
Performance:
389/325: 0-60 in 7.5 sec, 1/4 mile in 15.7 sec @ 92 mph.
389/348: 0-60 in 6.6 sec, 1/4 mile in 14.8 sec @ 95 mph