Introduced for the 1964 model year, the Pontiac GTO kickstarted the muscle car market. Sure, muscle cars weren't exactly new in 1964, but the Tempest-based model helped popularize high-performance midsize cars and prompted other automakers to create their own.
Even though it wasn't the most potent rig available, the GTO moved 32,405 units in its first year on the market. In 1965, sales soared to a whopping 75,352 examples and then reached nearly 100,000 examples in 1966. By 1967, the segment had become very crowded, but the GTO still remained popular, with 81,722 cars sold.
The hardtop you see here rolled off the assembly line that same year. And like many classics from that era, it ended up sitting in storage for more than 30 years. The first owner kept it until 1977, while the second owner drove it until the mid-1980s.
Most oldtimer rigs that end up in long-term storage don't get a second chance. They emerge back into the light with serious rust issues, and owners opt to scrap them or sell them one piece at a time. Well, this "Goat" got lucky, as the owner chose to restore it to its original specifications. The process began in 2019, and five years later, the GTO became a Concours-ready gem.
Spotted by muscle car aficionado Matt Gause, the Pontiac shines like it just rolled off the assembly line. The Mariner Turquoise paint is gorgeous, and the chrome trim is spotless. The same goes for the all-black interior, which includes bucket seats and a center console.
This "Goat" also features a few cool options, including a four-speed manual and a hood tach. The latter displays the revolutions per minute (RPM) of a downright gorgeous V8 engine. It's unclear if this unit is numbers-matching, and based on the footage, it may not be 100% factory-correct. However, it's amazingly clean and fits the general condition of the vehicle.
The GTO remained a V8-only affair in 1967, but Pontiac added a larger cylinder bore, increasing displacement from 389 to 400 cubic inches (6.4 to 6.6 liters). Options included a two-barrel economy unit with 265 horsepower, a four-barrel version with 335 horses, and a high-output powerplant good for 360 horsepower. The Tri-Power setup was discontinued.
The GTO remained available with a four-speed manual, but the old two-speed automatic was replaced with a three-speed TH-400 unit. This one has the three-pedal setup that's more popular among muscle car collectors.
How rare is this "Goat?" Well, no fewer than 65,179 of the GTOs delivered in 1967 were hardtops, so it's not exactly a hard-to-spot rig. Pontiac didn't keep records on drivetrain layouts for each body style, but we do know that slightly fewer than half got the manual gearbox. But while it may not be scarce, this 1967 GTO is a rarely-seen classic in this color and this type of condition. Check it out in the video below.
Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. Full profile
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