1969 Pontiac GTO
In early 1963 a team of engineers and designers got together at Pontiac and decided to focus more on street racing and power. The Tempest had been in production for a bit, and a more "muscular" powerful car was needed. Hence the acronym GTO or Grand Tempest Option became the code for the secret new development that would take place. John DeLorean actually claims the GTO came from the Italian Gran Turismo Omologato or Grand Touring Homologated (certified) which in reality the car was never meant for grand touring, but to be the fastest straight-line Pontiac produced.
For consignment, a car found by our consignor sitting in a neighbor's driveway then purchased and as what usually happens, the most basic of plans started in 2002 as a simple repaint then turned into a 4 year long frame off restoration. An original engine muscle car with a WT block, hidden headlights up front on the split grille and bathed in mirror quality applied and carefully finished Burgundy. Inside a Hurst shifter and like new Parchment interior. All finished off with Pontiac Rally 2 wheel's...time to get your classic "Goat" groove on. To top it all off this car is loaded with options all of which are verifiable through the provided PHS documentation.
Exterior
Our wonderfully restored car starts off with a hidden headlight horizontal ribbed split grille. This has a GTO badge and is split in the middle by the Pontiac "beak". This Endura beak forms a bump that runs to the windshield and along the way sports 2 air scoops for that just right muscle car look. Straight steel for all the rust-free panels and all bathed in miles deep correct Burgundy. Shiny window trimmings and bumpers, the rear housing the taillights within it. On the fenders, pristine GTO badging in white and chrome gives the competition a hankering at what they're up against. Nice stainless steel polished trim for the wheel well surrounds and rocker trim, meanwhile up top is a ultra clean Parchment vinyl roof that compliments the Burgundy nicely. A nicely sloping rear window gently makes its way to the trunk line and it almost forms a hatchback look. Dual pipes are peeking out from underneath the bumper and 14-inch rally 2 wheels are wrapped by red line rubber.
Interior
Opening the doors takes us past Parchment vinyl paneled doors that have pristine Parchment padded armrests, shiny actuators, and window cranks and clean black carpeting below. This interior was also the beneficiary of a complete restoration, and it looks the part. Nice Parchment vinyl buckets with some tuck and roll inserts and smooth bolsters are curved nicely to meet the headrests which nestle on the tops of the buckets. A center console/armrest, covered in black rests between the buckets and sports a storage compartment and chrome handled Hurst shifter. In back a wide bench in the same design and in more Parchment stretches from side to side. Upfront the dash has been restored and now is showing very clean and very original looking. A black padded dash top floats over a black dash front housing the triple round deep-set gauge cluster fronted by a wood rimmed original steering wheel atop a factory tilt column. As we move across the dash, we find the factory AM radio in the center just below the slide controls for the heat and A/C, and for the passenger a black door glovebox. The black carpeting is like new, and a crisp Parchment headliner is hanging tightly above.
Drivetrain
Under the hood and the chrome lidded air cleaner is a rebuilt and numbers matching 400ci V8 in these tight quarters. This mill carries a correct WT stamping code and 9790071 casting number. There is a single 4-barrel carburetor on top forcing fossils and air through a port matched intake manifold and cylinder heads. Behind is a numbers matching 4-speed manual Muncie M20 tranny. Final drive works out to be a correct to the car 10-bolt 3.23 Safe-T-Track rear axle. All looking good and showroom under this hood.
Undercarriage
It always fascinates this writer when a frame off restoration was completed, and you can view a virtually new frame and mechanical environment. This one does not disappoint as we gaze upon a new fuel tank, new stainless brake lines, new stainless fuel lines, new dual Gardner exhaust and straight black texture finished floor pans and toe kicks. Independent coil springs provide the ride for the front, and on the back is a 4 link with coil springs. Power disc brakes for the front and power drums for the rear. Very nice under here.
Drive-Ability
A wonderful experience as described by our decoder and test driver. She handles great, accelerates like a 350hp car should, and has strong bias free brakes on the panic stop. The interior is fully functional with only the AC blowing warm, but we did hear the compressor kick on, and all buttoned up the seating and surfaces. The only other issue that crept up on his drive was the headlight doors would not close on their own. Plenty of get up and go, and this car sure got up and went.
All is looking just fine for the exterior, interior, and drivetrain which is very special under that long hood. A great design year as Pontiac was finally into its own on the muscle car front. All boxes are checked in this classic, just turn the key and point the beak nose front end towards home.
VIN DECODE
242379B146665
2-Pontiac
42-GTO
37-2 Door Hardtop Sport Coupe
9-1969
B-Baltimore, MD Assy Plant
146665-Sequential Unit Number
TRIM TAG
ST 69 24237-1969 GTO 2 Door Hardtop Sport Coupe
BDY BAL555402-Baltimore Body #
TR 257-Parchment Vinyl Buckets
PNT 67E-Burgundy, Parchment Top
12D-4th Week December Build
