In the early 1960s, GM leadership got serious about abstaining from involvement in competitive motorsports. GM, along with the other American auto makers, had signed an agreement in 1957 promising to stay out of motorsports after the tragedy at the 1955 24 Hours of LeMans. And just like the other American car builders, most of the GM divisions had begun to clandestinely give support to privateer racers in the form of cars, parts, and engineering services. This involvement in racing had been the crux of Pontiac‘s advertising, attracting the valuable youth market. When the GM hammer came down, Pontiac management found itself searching for a new way to draw those younger customers to their showrooms. The answer would come in the form of the Pontiac GTO.
Pontiac needed a hook, something that would capture the imaginations and checkbooks of the youth market. If they could no longer use motorsports, a factory hot rod might just do the trick. Assistant Chief Engineer John Z. DeLorean, Bill Collins, Russ Gee, and some other Pontiac engineers built a prototype Pontiac Tempest with a 389 cubic-inch V8 under the hood and took it to GM’s Milford Proving Ground. Once there, they discovered the midsize Tempest could break the back tires loose with little effort. The prototype was a hoot, hilariously fun and decidedly brutish. The first muscle car was born. DeLorean christened it the Pontiac GTO.
There was a hook, though. At the time, GM had a rule limiting displacement in midsize passenger cars to 330 cubic inches. When DeLorean presented the GTO to Pontiac president Pete Estes, he suggested they could skirt the rule by declaring the GTO a Tempest trim package that was not subject to the displacement limitation. Estes agreed so long as DeLorean would promise production of 5,000 GTOs per year. Mr. Estes needn’t have worried as first-year GTO sales topped 32,000 copies.
The 1964 Pontiac GTO was equipped with the 389 cube V8 taken from full-size Pontiacs. The 389 was topped with a Carter four-barrel carb or optional triple two-barrels, chrome air cleaner cover, chrome valve covers, true dual exhaust, and the buyer’s choice of a two-speed automatic, three-speed or four-speed manual. If one opted for a manual transmission, the GTO came equipped with a chrome Hurst shifter. The suspension was stouter, with beefier front sway bar and stiffer springs. 7.50 x 14 inch wheels were shod in redline tires.
Our feature 1964 GTO convertible is finished in Silvermist Gray with a black vinyl convertible top over a red interior. It is powered by the 389 cubic-inch V8 fed by the three two-barrel carb option, and backed by a four-speed manual transmission. It is equipped with power steering, power brakes, power convertible top, bucket seats, machine-turned dash, and aftermarket under-dash air conditioning.
This handsome first year Pontiac GTO will cross the Mecum Auctions block at their Houston, Texas sale Saturday, April 5th.
Comments
Super cool car! I love the red interior. This back when GM built cool cars, too bad that’s no longer the case.
que signifie GTO
Remember the issue of Car & Driver Magazine actually trying to compare the ’64 Goat to a Ferrari GTO on the cover ? And people believed them …….ROTFLMAO!! At the local cruising Burger & Shake joints/hangouts, we used to take bets about how soon the new GTO owner would appear with front end damage due to the teensy little drum front brakes on the early years.
Hey Brett, that “triple two-barrel” carb set-up is better known as “Tri-Power” among car guys back in the day.