My great grandfather owned a Pontiac dealership in upstate NY. He left me a 64’ Tempest Custom when he passed. 100% original everything, under 60k miles, little straight 6. Looks identical to this bad boy. It’s my pride and joy.
That's awesome! My uncle used to have a red '65 Tempest that he sometimes raced at the local drag strip. The only car that ever beat him was an Oldsmobile which was later found to have been cheating!
My dad owned a 64 GTO conv, stick, silver/black. He was a USAF fighter pilot. Just before being stationed in Germany for the 2nd time in 65, he did some modifications. 65 Corvette steering Wheel, all Stewart Warner gauges, Koni shocks & 3.08 rear-end. I was fortunate to continue college in Germany. Dad allowed me to borrow the car often. Very few auto's could keep up with the little GTO. It was so much fun, all the frauleins wanted a ride. Prost!
My dad brought home his brand new 1964 Tempest 6 cylinder 2 door sedan. Man, was I disappointed! Dad, I said, for another $500 you could've got the GTO! Nope, monthlies were beyond his budget. 5 years later I bought a 1965 GTO used. Loved that car! (So did he). Thank you for the dream ride, Jay and Tim.
At 14 living in Detroit when the first GTO came out my neighbor bought one and as a kid I'll always remember how fast it was and the white ball on the shifter. I myself bought a new 69 GTO and loved it. Wish I still had it
This sure brings back some good memories! Back in The Day, my cousin bought a new '66 Pontiac, GTO just after he returned from his last tour in the Vietnam War. While the other guys were going to Japan or other places for naughty pleasures and blowing their meager combat pay, my cousin was sending every penny he could save back to his parents just so he could have a down payment on a new GTO. His girlfriend, then wife wasn't like a lot of the confused people who hated our troops back then, she was so proud of his combat heroics in the war that she insisted he keep his Purple Heart on the visor so everyone could see it; which he promptly threw in the glove box whenever she wasn't in the car because, as he said, "I just wanted to forget the whole damned mess!" - It was a real treat going for a ride in that AWESOME BEAST! I felt like such a big shot too lol! He talked about the car so often that I accidentally memorized many of its specs. lol... I can't remember my own phone number but, I remember this: it had a 389-CID, 335-HP, with 425 Ft-Lbs of torque, a 4-speed manual all-Synchromesh trans. and, if I remember correctly, he paid something like $2,500 or $2,700, for her but, that included floor mats! lol. I can't imagine what it's worth now! He must be in his 70's in 2020 and still has his cherry red Pontiac GTO dream car in his garage, having had it restored in 2012, with a modern improvement or two, a new, larger radiator, and disc brakes all around. It's about 90% original though. But, he did tweak the 389 just a wee bit... she now has a little over 575-HP with approx. 650-Ft-Lbs of torque.
Royal Pontiac made me a memory. Back out at LECC, a private beach in Ontario, CA......and in that era, my Hero, Ron Rogers, from B'Ham, MI...showed up. In his fresh/ today Royal '64 GTO, with 4-spd, trips, and 4:00 gears in Black. Hardtop car, headers already installed, and being rural Ontario.....uncapped. Took it up the laneway to 18A Hgy...a 2-lane macadam/black top surface. 2 ditches. 7 phone poles = 1/4 MI. I knew, as I marked it. Made this 12 yr. olds eyes water........Good Christ, are these cars fast...........
The first fast muscle car I drove was my brother-in-law 's '66 GTO hardtop. In 1977 I bought a clapped out '64 GTO convertible 4 Speed with an Earl Schieb white paint job and did a quasi restoration with NOS and nice junk yard parts back then. Rebuilt the 389 and added a set of '65 heads with a three angle valve job and Tri-power. Fast but scary with them drum brakes and single reservoir master cylinder. New Burgundy Red paint with white top and interior. Nice video brings back good memories. Thank you again Jay!
Where I lived, in central North Carolina, while in high school, the GTO was a dream car. One of the owners of Capel Rug mill, sold his Jaguar XK150 and bought a brand new 1964 GTO convertible. He was about 30 years old, give or take, and had the money to do that easily. We high schoolers drooled every time he drove passed us. The car was a metallic tan with tan interior and tan top. It looked good.
Loved this one. I sent the link to my older brother who actually grew up as a teenager in the 60’s and loved this car. At one time or another, he owned a ‘57 Chevy, a ‘64 Impala and a ‘64 Chevelle. Last I visited him, he had a 50’s Chevy in his garage that he was restoring.
As a teenage driver, I had a 1965 Pontiac GTO, 389, 4 barrel, 4 speed with posi. Same color as the 64 you have in the video Loved that car! Of course I totaled it. I was only 16 in 1967. I paid $1500 for the car. Bought it from a guy that was drafted to the military.
The story of how we got our (Dad, Mom’s and Mine) 1966 GTO is a great story, but I know I’ve written in the comments at another time. All I’ll say is it started with the ‘64 Car and Driver. I filled out the build sheet and it came off the ‘flat-car’ in Sacramento ready for the track. Not the drag strip but the Grand National. In those early sixties Pontiacs had a name to protect on the stock car circuit. Our “Royal Bobcat” was a “Highway Star”. I loved everything about it. She was Gunmetal Grey and had it all. It’s too bad that at the time Goodyear wasn’t making the ‘Eagle’ Brand, but America Racing was making the “Torque Thrust “ and a 15 inch wheel with Uni-Royals red lines looked great. Those really were the days when everything about America was Great.
Got my juices flowing seeing the Goat. Spent a year in the Arctic, saved my money and ordered a new 65 Pontiac Lemans GTO 389 4sp posi from the factory in September 1964. Got it delivered just before GM went on strike. Added American mags and was the man until GM started delivering cars again. Jay didn't mention it, but the 65 Chevelle SS 396 was the completion for the GTO on the street. Won a few, lost a few to Chevelle SS 396s.
I love this. I remember singing little GTO as a 15 year old kid riding out to Blue Lake park with friends a year older than me. Hot cars for teen age boys in the 60's was everything....well almost everything. Girls. Unfortunately my song was Satisfaction by the Stones.
This is a great history lesson on one of the muscle car pioneers. I love it when the owner can actually answer all these questions about his car, not just some rich guy that buys it for the prestige.
10 years old in 64. Dad took my brother and me to the auto show at McCormick Place every year. This was as cool as it got. Dad always drove Oldsmobiles but that year mom got her own Mustang. Of course she traded it in three years later as middle class people did in those days.
He cracks me up. I came to this channel as a car guy. I am still here learning business sense from Jay (how he suggests pocketing money from one job and spending on bills with the other). I also love how these stuffy guys come on the show talking about all the features of the new cars and he just just cuts through the crap and puts those one liners in there to make the car seem cheap lol. The dirty humor, etc. so funny. Good times.
I still have my 65 GTO conv. Bought it from the original owner about 25 years ago. Now just over 400 miles since restoration. Same blue metallic with black interior. I have it on my channel. Best driving 60's car I ever drove. Fun car, even at my old age. Same age as Jay.
The brake system has been upgraded. The GTOs/Lemans/Tempests had single master cylinders in 1964, 1965, and 1966. They changed to dual master cylinders in '67.
A friend of mine who graduated 2 years ahead of me ordered a brandnew '64 GTO, blue, Tri-Power, 4-spd. with Pos-Traction and that car was fun to ride in. He had the habit of driving by the high school several times a day and the blacktop road about a mile down from the school looked like a landing strip for planes with all of the burnout marks on it. 😀 The Pontiac dealer in town wished he had never sold him the car since he ended up doing warranty work once in awhile on it. These cars had their own character look on them that the current manufacturers haven't duplicated in the new cars of today. Another friend of mine came across a '67 that had the 421 engine in it and it ran real good too. Thanks for the review.
Love this entire car setup!! Uh, don't forget... my 1966(2) and 1967(2) Corvettes had tachs! Still missing wing windows these days!! Thanks for bringing this one for us!! ♡
Back in college I owned a nearly identical 1964 LeMans in a similar color scheme but with a 327 cu in engine & four-speed. Lousy gas mileage, but a lot of fun to drive. Never had trouble getting dates either. Sold it for $400 in 1972. Probably worth many times that now.
About time you did a Pontiac, Jay! I was beginning to think you didn't like them. I had a '65 with 4 speed and 4.11 posi. I still have dreams about that car. Thanks for the coverage of a real classic!
Loved the historical review. My Dad bought a 66 Tempest that had that 6 cylinder overhead cam and a Hurst 3 speed. While the car drove really well, that overhead cam wore out fairly quick. Also had problems blowing out pistons. I have a vivid memory of a piston blowing out on a family vacation and being stuck while waiting on a new piston to be delivered. My Dad slipped in a Chevy engine thinking the clutch plate which was the same size would be compatible. Not! I got to learn how to drive in that car. The spring on the clutch was so stiff and the clutch tended to grab. What a way to learn to drive a manual shift! Dad sold the car to a neighbor who rebuilt the original engine and put that engine back in. A few years later, he traded it in on another car my Dad was selling. I got to drive the car for a couple weeks before he sold it. Either he was gun shy on the engine or didn’t trust that I would take drive it modestly. I really enjoyed driving it in its original form.
Another great video Jay! This is also my bucket list car ^4 GTO can not get any better than that. I had a 69 GTO, I should have kept it, sold it when I traded for a 72 Olds W-30 with a 455 & Hurst M-22 Rock Crusher. Them were the days, thanks for the video's Jay, brings back the memories.
@ 12.00 till 12.22 I can see Jay is reliving his past and bringing up some pure emotions ....I Can relate to this......I must thank the Ponti guy doing the interview he was well versed on Pontiac cars .....cars bring out emotions...
very pleasant guest easy to listen to. Good looking car. thanks Jay love your shows to my inbox. Gives me the encouragement to get out in the garage and work on my old Ford
Childhood memory. Dad bought a new gulf stream aqua 4 speed, 4bbl, hardtop. He had to track it down because they weren't many for sale yet. People would always ask what kind of car it was. I still remember the Muncie whine and white shift ball. They were one of the fastest cars around in '64.
Had a 64 couple, Tri-Power, 4 speed and 3.90 axle. With the tires of the day the 389 would spin the tires in 4th gear when the end carbs opened. It was a straight-line car but light weight and quick. That was before the restoration craze hit and I wish I'd had more sense.
Finally a GTO! I enjoyed spotting all the differences between this car and my 1967 GTO. Most noticeable are the stacked headlights, 8 tail lights and hood tach on my '67. I changed the manifold, carb, exhaust and wheels on mine, but it was great seeing a true stock GTO like this one. Another great episode. Thanks, Jay!
Interesting and good to know. Small changes like that (and I'm guessing the tires are radials, which would not have been available in '64) do not detract from the originality for me. Especially when they make the car safer.
I had '65 GTO convertible, 389, tripower, 4 speed, manual steering and brakes, turquoise with black top and interior, the insulated top was quiet at 140 MPH, didn't flap, felt like going 35 MPH... the drum brakes were much better than the early disc brakes of later cars... the explosive tripower sound/roar and hotter cam/more revs/squalling tires when flooring it was the whole 'GTO experience' that Jay MISSED OUT on... like all GM midsizes from 1964 on, the car was exceptionally smooth and quiet like a full sized car in normal driving... totally reliable... in '65 the chrome exhaust splitter tips were in the wheel well behind the rear tire and you could hear them, gave a great stereo sound...
@@BuzzLOLOL unless you had the car in a wind tunnel, your top never saw 140mph. A 3.23 car could bury the speedo but that was about it...motor stopped pulling at ~5200?
@@MrBluzhound - Someone put a bigger cam and better valvespings in my GTO along with some head porting before I got it and it would rev to 6500 RPMs with 3.55 rear on 26" tall tires... the speedo needle went around to -0- again... www.andysautosport.com/learning_center/calculators/
Hey Jay, I believe the big Pontiac on the cover of the brochure wasn't the Grand Prix, it was the Catalina 2 +2! My favorite Pontiac of all time! I remember that particular brochure!
Nice to see the Goat as a ragtop. I like watching the roadtest, prolly the best part of each episode. One thing I notice is that, where they are available in each vehicle, you don't wear the seatbelts. As you drive along, the camera car catches the piles of trash and graffiti alongside the roads.... even up in the canyon, and on the freeway. I moved from SoCal in 2011 and except for a three day family emergency, I haven't been there since. Love your show; you are an American icon..... stay healthy and stay just as you are.
Absolutely beautiful. Almost teared up as I watched it. I never had a GTO but I did have a 65' Pontiac Catalina with the 389 in it and that car litterally jumped one time! [ i had a wirness in it when it happened ] Pontiac was fabulous............ "wide tracking".........
I had a similar issue with driveline noise on a 1965 GTO when it carried two or more people. It turned out that the ends of the transmission crossmember were bent down, raising the transmission just enough that the driveshaft would often contact the underside of the transmission hump. These crossmember ends are connected to the frame rails via rubber mounts. Once the crossmember ends were straightened, no more problems.
I have the same exact car with the same options, except the console !! I love it !! It is amazing to hear all about these car’s, especially from Jay !! He is a great car guy and a down to earth person. I had a great time talking to him for a half hour, at Pebble Beach.
What a wonderful review, as always Jay, love the conversation and history. Almost 60 years ago now, the GTO was quite a sensation when it came out. Do you remember that in '65 the shoe company, Thom McAn, came out with a GTO shoe, "Made to fit the Tiger!"
Thank's Jay, takes me back. I had a '64 GTO hard top. 389, 4bbl, 4spd, 410 limited slip. Bought it from the original owner in 1968 for $1,000.⁰⁰ I absolutely loved that car. Like y'all said, Pontiac got it right. 👍
I had one too! It was Red and later traded it for a one year old 1968 SS 396 Chevelle. Man....those were the days my friend, I thought they'd never end. But they did. :(
Great segment as always, Jay.... My Dad was a Pontiac dealer parts manager in the Sixties, so I saw a lot of GTOs back then... A couple of comments... that dual master cylinder was not stock on a 64 GTO... that became standard later, 67 or 68 i think... the OHC 6 you mentioned was available in 66 through 69 Tempests and Firebirds. What killed the OHC 6 was camshaft wear Lots and lots of camshafts replaced under warranty. there were two different cams and my Dad always kept them in stock!
My older brother had a 1964 GTO, 389 4 barrel, way back in 1967 a hard top, it had been ran through the mill before he got it, some fool had heated the rear springs as to lower the rear, and the 4 speed had been replaced by a 3 speed trans. My brother then beat the hell out of it too. I remember sitting in that car as a 14 year old and wishing I had a car like that. We don't see cars like that today do we?.
My dad was a very fiscally conservative Air Force Pursuit pilot who always bought frugal cars (Pontiac station wagon, Henry J, VW beetle), so my brothers and I have never understood why, with 3 sons in their teens, he bought a GTO in late 1966. It was a canary yellow convertible with black interior, 2+2 carbs, an 8 track tape player and (can you believe it!) a 2 speed automatic that would lay rubber at any speed (punch it at any speed, the 2 secondary barrels opened, followed by deep roar and the wonderful sound of squealing tires) (and got 8 mpg). I still argue that the 1966 was the sharpest model, and this one was gorgeous! We each have our favorite stories of driving this beautiful beast, some of which can't be told publicly (like whisky runs on the back road from wet Bristol VA to dry Kingsport TN), but even with a GTO convertible, I still didn't do very well with the ladies! This was soon after the introduction of the Michelin tires which were rated at an unheard of 20K miles for tread wear. My dad once told me that he just could not understand why they were bald at 10K miles (with three teen sons driving it)! Wish I still had it!
@@jameshay7247 There were certainly women who liked performance, but most just cared about style. In the 60s and 70s, they bought "secretary cars." They liked good looking cars, but they'd buy the base model with a few frills and an auto trans. Manuals are hard to drive in heels.
@@jameshay7247 Usually so... The only daughter of a local speed shop owner built her own '57 T-Bird (of course, with a bit of dad's help) that constantly suckered the out-of-town kids into drag racing. She just slaughtered them and then smiled so sweetly! The idea of a "little girl... 5'3", maybe 110 lbs.," driving a 375 hp T-Bird with a 4-speed was just beyond comprehension! The local guys just sat there at the Foster's Drive-In and laughed at the fools, but none of them raced her.
Jay,The GTO deserves your praise, but it was not the first or only car that was an alternative to standard American automotive fare as you suggest. Before the GTO was the Porsche Turbo of its day that provided me fun-filled and trouble-free transportation to college (mechanical engineering) and work (draftsman) for four years until I had to sell it (draft lottery number 9). I loved my 1963 Corvair Monza Spyder (black with red) and am sad to see how it was slandered and ignored.Clint
Awesome video and BEAUTIFUL car! I had a friend with one (also convertible and not a re badged LeMans) that was all restored except for paint and a new top. It had the Quadrajet on it, but she had a nearly complete tri-power setup only missing a couple of linkages. Life threw some curve balls at her and she had to sell it. Sounded just like this one; great sounds and a fun car!
Following up Jay's comments beginning at 11:15: Today, April 1, 2019, Jay actually does have an inline 6 OHC Pontiac Tempest in his restoration blog. We shall all stay tuned for that!
OHC 6 was Pontiac's attempt at a 'European type' engine... it was actually fun... for the sounds and RPMs... Mercruiser's marine version of the GM straight 6 was also a slightly hopped (bigger carb., 89 octane gas, hotter cam) snotty sounding engine compared to automobile version...
I can't help feel that a show like this will be a huge injection into the heart of car culture. It has felt so diminished broadly in America for the past 10 years.
PMD died in 1977-78 when they cast the last of the 1950s PMD engines. After that, Pontiac was only a design team making Chebbys look Pontiac-ish. And the Holden GTO wasn't even GM, Holden is not owned by GM, they don't (or didnt) have a majority stock, just a majority "voting stock". SO the so called "new gto" is a fucking lie import.
My FIRST CAR was a Black over Red 64 GTO!! It was EXACTLY what the intent of the GTO was... No accessories -- not even power brakes or steering! I had a Heater and an AM Radio..and the optional bucket seats and console... And I got one that ran particularly well!! I continued to out-perform many of the later "Muscle-Cars'...even some of the SS454 Chevelles and cars that you would never expect!
And YES Jay, I would Also LOVE to find another one! I HATE that I ever let mine go! I would even -- dare I say it here -- Love to have a CLONE of my '64..!! It would be for my enjoyment, rather than "Historic Preservation" and I would be happy to have a nice LSX engine and 4-wheel disc brakes... But this was a Great car, and Every "car guy" -- and Police Officer -- on the east side of Atlanta 'knew' my "Black Widow" GTO... And I got lots of attention "Cruisin' The Varsity"..!! (google "The Varsity" a VERY well-known 'Atlanta Landmark' Restaurant..)
My 1st car was a ‘63 Tempest LeMans convertible w/the 326 and 2-spd Power-glide, 4-wheel independent suspension and trans in the rear to improve weight didstibution and handling. What was John Z. thinking way back then?
This exact car (this color blue, white interior & white convertible top, 4 speed with a 389 & three deuces) at noon, sped through our school parking lot in the Spring of 1966, screeching and smoking the tires the whole way towards the exit. The Principal, a lot of teachers and a good portion of the student body ran outside to see who the "Perps" were!! Fortunately for my Friend and I, he went directly to his father's used car lot and took the plates off the GTO and transferred them to a 1958 "old man's" 3 on the tree brown/ Beige Rambler. When we returned after lunch.... All the teachers were at the schools entrances taking plate numbers and names... That GTO was never seen at school again!!
He even made an overhead cam version of the Pontiac v8's. The emission regulations made it stillborne, one of the great losses of the automotive American market. it is talked about on youtube on Uncle's Joe's Garage "the other guys overhead cammers".
@@aliceshaw8265 - BS... DeLorean was an electrical, industrial, automotive engineer at Chrysler, then Packard, and then the 'golden boy' in GM engineering(when I was there, also)... but his later GM fame went to his head, he was politicized out of GM, and he became 'Hollywood'... big ideas, nose jobs, face lifts, fake hair, phony new personality, drugs, trophy wives, etc... but he didn't have the unlimited money to fully back up his later dreams... (like he did at GM)... and he couldn't afford the engine and tranny he wanted for the DeLorean car...
I had a '70 Executive with the 400 as well. Iy was one of of the best engines I ever owned. My Grandpa gave that car. I drove it about a year and then decided I wanted a pickup. I still miss that car and my Grandpa!
GM had the corner on smooth engines in the '60's...Pontiac, Olds and Buicks were all turbine vibration-less compared to our Ford big blocks. It was like their engines were detached from the cars. I loved my parents' Fords but they never seemed as refined.
Had the chance back in 1985 to buy a near mint 68 Catalina 2 door hardtop with the 400 engine for $100. Friend didn't want it and now I kick myself in the butt for not buying it. And yes, the engine was as smooth as butter and whisper quiet! It had 54K original miles...
The '64 did not have the dual master brakes yet. They were introduced for '67, along with optional power front disc braking. Nice to have that added though. I did the same for my '64 post coupe. Beautiful car & thanks for the video!
The Sprint option was available in both the Tempest and the Firebird. The base model was a grocery getter, BUT the Sprint version was rated at 215 HP, with a 4 bbl. Not as fast as its GTO brother, but better handler due to the lighter engine. I remember one of the car rags, C&D or R&T, committed the unpardonable sin of swapping one of those 4 bbl Sprint engines into a Jaguar XK-E (!!), and it improved the performance over over the legendary Jag straight six. Heresy!! ;-) The late '60s were a rough time in a lot of ways, but a golden age for American cars.
You knew you were in a convertible in those days. But today's convertibles have the windscreen sloping so far back that you are almost covered by the top edge of the windscreen and you just don't get the same open car experience. Beautiful colour too.
GM had 3 speed manuals but 1st gear didn't have synchro, so they bought the new Ford all synchro 3 speed, since they didn't sell many, it just kept the 'base price' down... M-22 had straight cut heavy duty gears that were noisy...
@@BuzzLOLOL also these m22>s weren't available till later sixties maybe even early seventies,, they only worked well with a higher geared (numerically) rear end such as 4.11, definitely not freeway friendly.
My first car was a 64 GTO, tri power, 4 speed, etc. Bought it used in 67. It had been beat to death, but still was fast as hell. Had to sell it after being drafted.
Oh ah thats 2004 to 2006 for the new g.t.o. first two years they where 5.7 cubic inch. Last year they they where 6.0 liter. Ok. Horse power for the 06 was 400 h.p. an 400 foot pounds torque my and 06 was the corvette engine it was ok power wise nothing like todays cars though.but good enough.
NICE! I owned a '66 389, 3 duece, 4 on the floor...great car. My girlfriend had a 66 Pontiac Tempest OHC 6 with overhead cam 4 spd that was real mover! Thanks for showing this one, Jay...
My great grandfather owned a Pontiac dealership in upstate NY. He left me a 64’ Tempest Custom when he passed. 100% original everything, under 60k miles, little straight 6. Looks identical to this bad boy. It’s my pride and joy.
Nice
Take care of it
That's awesome! My uncle used to have a red '65 Tempest that he sometimes raced at the local drag strip. The only car that ever beat him was an Oldsmobile which was later found to have been cheating!
Nice, very nice.
My dad owned a 64 GTO conv, stick, silver/black. He was a USAF fighter pilot. Just before being stationed in Germany for the 2nd time in 65, he did some modifications. 65 Corvette steering Wheel, all Stewart Warner gauges, Koni shocks & 3.08 rear-end. I was fortunate to continue college in Germany. Dad allowed me to borrow the car often. Very few auto's could keep up with the little GTO. It was so much fun, all the frauleins wanted a ride. Prost!
Just a jewel in an ocean of boring automotive creations. So much creative style.
My dad brought home his brand new 1964 Tempest 6 cylinder 2 door sedan. Man, was I disappointed! Dad, I said, for another $500 you could've got the GTO! Nope, monthlies were beyond his budget. 5 years later I bought a 1965 GTO used. Loved that car! (So did he). Thank you for the dream ride, Jay and Tim.
Hats off to Tim for his detailed knowledge and experience with these vehicles. Him and Jay are great
Jay, you hit it out of the ballpark again with the GTO. What a fun car.
At 14 living in Detroit when the first GTO came out my neighbor bought one and as a kid I'll always remember how fast it was and the white ball on the shifter. I myself bought a new 69 GTO and loved it. Wish I still had it
This sure brings back some good memories! Back in The Day, my cousin bought a new '66 Pontiac, GTO just after he returned from his last tour in the Vietnam War. While the other guys were going to Japan or other places for naughty pleasures and blowing their meager combat pay, my cousin was sending every penny he could save back to his parents just so he could have a down payment on a new GTO. His girlfriend, then wife wasn't like a lot of the confused people who hated our troops back then, she was so proud of his combat heroics in the war that she insisted he keep his Purple Heart on the visor so everyone could see it; which he promptly threw in the glove box whenever she wasn't in the car because, as he said, "I just wanted to forget the whole damned mess!" - It was a real treat going for a ride in that AWESOME BEAST! I felt like such a big shot too lol! He talked about the car so often that I accidentally memorized many of its specs. lol... I can't remember my own phone number but, I remember this: it had a 389-CID, 335-HP, with 425 Ft-Lbs of torque, a 4-speed manual all-Synchromesh trans. and, if I remember correctly, he paid something like $2,500 or $2,700, for her but, that included floor mats! lol. I can't imagine what it's worth now! He must be in his 70's in 2020 and still has his cherry red Pontiac GTO dream car in his garage, having had it restored in 2012, with a modern improvement or two, a new, larger radiator, and disc brakes all around. It's about 90% original though. But, he did tweak the 389 just a wee bit... she now has a little over 575-HP with approx. 650-Ft-Lbs of torque.
Excellent comment
That's awesome. Good times my man.
It was real easy to take a 389 to a 421. Then she'd saw wood like a chainsaw through the gears.... Spinning that is....
Damn, that is so cool to still have your first car after all these years, and a cool one at that!
Asewsome story
I am living the dream watching these episodes…thank you Mr. Leno!
Royal Pontiac made me a memory. Back out at LECC, a private beach in Ontario, CA......and in that era, my Hero, Ron Rogers, from B'Ham, MI...showed up. In his fresh/ today Royal '64 GTO, with 4-spd, trips, and 4:00 gears in Black. Hardtop car, headers already installed, and being rural Ontario.....uncapped. Took it up the laneway to 18A Hgy...a 2-lane macadam/black top surface. 2 ditches. 7 phone poles = 1/4 MI. I knew, as I marked it. Made this 12 yr. olds eyes water........Good Christ, are these cars fast...........
Enjoyed the conversation as much as the car! Jay and his guest are true car historians.
Check out the Surf City Garage website, take the 'Virtual Tour' to see the SCG collection- 125 cars or more.
Does it include Tim's chest hair in the tour?
I think he's wrong about the 3 speed trans mine was a Saginaw no sync low gear 3 speed not Ford
My brother had a 64 (Red) and its 389 with 3 deuces was absolutely awesome
The first fast muscle car I drove was my brother-in-law 's '66 GTO hardtop. In 1977 I bought a clapped out '64 GTO convertible 4 Speed with an Earl Schieb white paint job and did a quasi restoration with NOS and nice junk yard parts back then. Rebuilt the 389 and added a set of '65 heads with a three angle valve job and Tri-power. Fast but scary with them drum brakes and single reservoir master cylinder. New Burgundy Red paint with white top and interior. Nice video brings back good memories. Thank you again Jay!
Where I lived, in central North Carolina, while in high school, the GTO was a dream car. One of the owners of Capel Rug mill, sold his Jaguar XK150 and bought a brand new 1964 GTO convertible. He was about 30 years old, give or take, and had the money to do that easily. We high schoolers drooled every time he drove passed us. The car was a metallic tan with tan interior and tan top. It looked good.
Loved this one. I sent the link to my older brother who actually grew up as a teenager in the 60’s and loved this car. At one time or another, he owned a ‘57 Chevy, a ‘64 Impala and a ‘64 Chevelle. Last I visited him, he had a 50’s Chevy in his garage that he was restoring.
As a teenage driver, I had a 1965 Pontiac GTO, 389, 4 barrel, 4 speed with posi. Same color as the 64 you have in the video Loved that car! Of course I totaled it. I was only 16 in 1967. I paid $1500 for the car. Bought it from a guy that was drafted to the military.
The story of how we got our (Dad, Mom’s and Mine) 1966 GTO is a great story, but I know I’ve written in the comments at another time. All I’ll say is it started with the ‘64 Car and Driver. I filled out the build sheet and it came off the ‘flat-car’ in Sacramento ready for the track. Not the drag strip but the Grand National. In those early sixties Pontiacs had a name to protect on the stock car circuit. Our “Royal Bobcat” was a “Highway Star”. I loved everything about it. She was Gunmetal Grey and had it all. It’s too bad that at the time Goodyear wasn’t making the ‘Eagle’ Brand, but America Racing was making the “Torque Thrust “ and a 15 inch wheel with Uni-Royals red lines looked great. Those really were the days when everything about America was Great.
Got my juices flowing seeing the Goat. Spent a year in the Arctic, saved my money and ordered a new 65 Pontiac Lemans GTO 389 4sp posi from the factory in September 1964. Got it delivered just before GM went on strike. Added American mags and was the man until GM started delivering cars again. Jay didn't mention it, but the 65 Chevelle SS 396 was the completion for the GTO on the street. Won a few, lost a few to Chevelle SS 396s.
I love these episodes with very well informed owners. Thank you sir for sharing your car with us!
I agree its incredibe just how much knowledge this owner had about his car and yet he spewed it out in a reserved calm and cool mannner.
I love this. I remember singing little GTO as a 15 year old kid riding out to Blue Lake park with friends a year older than me. Hot cars for teen age boys in the 60's was everything....well almost everything. Girls. Unfortunately my song was Satisfaction by the Stones.
This is a great history lesson on one of the muscle car pioneers. I love it when the owner can actually answer all these questions about his car, not just some rich guy that buys it for the prestige.
sounds like he restored, had it restored (aka wrote a bunch of checks), it himself!
10 years old in 64. Dad took my brother and me to the auto show at McCormick Place every year. This was as cool as it got. Dad always drove Oldsmobiles but that year mom got her own Mustang. Of course she traded it in three years later as middle class people did in those days.
I love Jay. What a lad.
Still made me laugh when he dumped the GTO book in the trunk 😂 'this must be rare' 'yeh its first edition' 'THUNNNNKKK'
He cracks me up. I came to this channel as a car guy. I am still here learning business sense from Jay (how he suggests pocketing money from one job and spending on bills with the other). I also love how these stuffy guys come on the show talking about all the features of the new cars and he just just cuts through the crap and puts those one liners in there to make the car seem cheap lol. The dirty humor, etc. so funny. Good times.
I know.
had a 65 389/360 close ratio 4 speed with 3:90 gears in high school. had a lot of fun with that car. thanks jay for bringing back memories
I still have my 65 GTO conv. Bought it from the original owner about 25 years ago. Now just over 400 miles since restoration. Same blue metallic with black interior. I have it on my channel. Best driving 60's car I ever drove. Fun car, even at my old age. Same age as Jay.
My favorite GTO was the 1965 model. When they made the headlamps vertical instead of horizontal it made the vehicle fast.
The brake system has been upgraded. The GTOs/Lemans/Tempests had single master cylinders in 1964, 1965, and 1966. They changed to dual master cylinders in '67.
A friend of mine who graduated 2 years ahead of me ordered a brandnew '64 GTO, blue, Tri-Power, 4-spd. with Pos-Traction and that car was fun to ride
in. He had the habit of driving by the high school several times a day and the blacktop road about a mile down from the school looked like a landing strip
for planes with all of the burnout marks on it. 😀 The Pontiac dealer in town wished he had never sold him the car since he ended up doing warranty
work once in awhile on it. These cars had their own character look on them that the current manufacturers haven't duplicated in the new cars of today.
Another friend of mine came across a '67 that had the 421 engine in it and it ran real good too. Thanks for the review.
Love this entire car setup!! Uh, don't forget... my 1966(2) and 1967(2) Corvettes had tachs! Still missing wing windows these days!! Thanks for bringing this one for us!! ♡
Back in college I owned a nearly identical 1964 LeMans in a similar color scheme but with a 327 cu in engine & four-speed. Lousy gas mileage, but a lot of fun to drive. Never had trouble getting dates either. Sold it for $400 in 1972. Probably worth many times that now.
About time you did a Pontiac, Jay! I was beginning to think you didn't like them. I had a '65 with 4 speed and 4.11 posi. I still have dreams about that car. Thanks for the coverage of a real classic!
Loved the historical review. My Dad bought a 66 Tempest that had that 6 cylinder overhead cam and a Hurst 3 speed. While the car drove really well, that overhead cam wore out fairly quick. Also had problems blowing out pistons. I have a vivid memory of a piston blowing out on a family vacation and being stuck while waiting on a new piston to be delivered. My Dad slipped in a Chevy engine thinking the clutch plate which was the same size would be compatible. Not! I got to learn how to drive in that car. The spring on the clutch was so stiff and the clutch tended to grab. What a way to learn to drive a manual shift!
Dad sold the car to a neighbor who rebuilt the original engine and put that engine back in. A few years later, he traded it in on another car my Dad was selling. I got to drive the car for a couple weeks before he sold it. Either he was gun shy on the engine or didn’t trust that I would take drive it modestly. I really enjoyed driving it in its original form.
Another great video Jay! This is also my bucket list car ^4 GTO can not get any better than that.
I had a 69 GTO, I should have kept it, sold it when I traded for a 72 Olds W-30 with a 455 & Hurst
M-22 Rock Crusher. Them were the days, thanks for the video's Jay, brings back the memories.
@ 12.00 till 12.22 I can see Jay is reliving his past and bringing up some pure emotions ....I Can relate to this......I must thank the Ponti guy doing the interview he was well versed on Pontiac cars .....cars bring out emotions...
very pleasant guest easy to listen to. Good looking car. thanks Jay love your shows to my inbox. Gives me the encouragement to get out in the garage and work on my old Ford
Childhood memory. Dad bought a new gulf stream aqua 4 speed, 4bbl, hardtop. He had to track it down because they weren't many for sale yet. People would always ask what kind of car it was. I still remember the Muncie whine and white shift ball. They were one of the fastest cars around in '64.
Love how that front end lifts up from the horsepower....whatta feeling!
Had a 64 couple, Tri-Power, 4 speed and 3.90 axle. With the tires of the day the 389 would spin the tires in 4th gear when the end carbs opened. It was a straight-line car but light weight and quick. That was before the restoration craze hit and I wish I'd had more sense.
Finally a GTO! I enjoyed spotting all the differences between this car and my 1967 GTO. Most noticeable are the stacked headlights, 8 tail lights and hood tach on my '67. I changed the manifold, carb, exhaust and wheels on mine, but it was great seeing a true stock GTO like this one. Another great episode. Thanks, Jay!
I much prefer the stacked headlights on the 67s'. I'd love one, but they're pretty impractical outside of the states.
He upgraded the brakes though, the dual master cylinder didn't came around until '67.
Interesting and good to know. Small changes like that (and I'm guessing the tires are radials, which would not have been available in '64) do not detract from the originality for me. Especially when they make the car safer.
love 67 GTO's. The front end looks mean. Cars aren't made
like that anymore. Nothing but chrome & steel
Yeah, looks like it had radial tires too. Some changes you just have to do for safety & a piece of mind.
Great episode, Shout out to Tim Miller. Great guy. He is a true GTO enthusiast.
My first car was a Tiger Gold 65 GTO. 389 tri power, and 4 speed.
I had '65 GTO convertible, 389, tripower, 4 speed, manual steering and brakes, turquoise with black top and interior, the insulated top was quiet at 140 MPH, didn't flap, felt like going 35 MPH... the drum brakes were much better than the early disc brakes of later cars... the explosive tripower sound/roar and hotter cam/more revs/squalling tires when flooring it was the whole 'GTO experience' that Jay MISSED OUT on... like all GM midsizes from 1964 on, the car was exceptionally smooth and quiet like a full sized car in normal driving... totally reliable... in '65 the chrome exhaust splitter tips were in the wheel well behind the rear tire and you could hear them, gave a great stereo sound...
@@BuzzLOLOL I was 16 in '65 man that was my dream car!
@@BuzzLOLOL unless you had the car in a wind tunnel, your top never saw 140mph. A 3.23 car could bury the speedo but that was about it...motor stopped pulling at ~5200?
@@MrBluzhound - Someone put a bigger cam and better valvespings in my GTO along with some head porting before I got it and it would rev to 6500 RPMs with 3.55 rear on 26" tall tires... the speedo needle went around to -0- again...
www.andysautosport.com/learning_center/calculators/
@@BuzzLOLOL 140 MPH in a 65 GTO convertible ? BS ! Prove it.
Hey Jay, I believe the big Pontiac on the cover of the brochure wasn't the Grand Prix, it was the Catalina 2 +2! My favorite Pontiac of all time!
I remember that particular brochure!
Your car owner really knew his stuff! Thanks Jay!!
Bandana Dee Isaac hahaha😂😂😂
Except for Muncie nomenclature.
Nice to see the Goat as a ragtop. I like watching the roadtest, prolly the best part of each episode. One thing I notice is that, where they are available in each vehicle, you don't wear the seatbelts.
As you drive along, the camera car catches the piles of trash and graffiti alongside the roads.... even up in the canyon, and on the freeway. I moved from SoCal in 2011 and except for a three day family emergency, I haven't been there since.
Love your show; you are an American icon..... stay healthy and stay just as you are.
Finally, a GTO! Worth the wait though; my favorite year and color. Fun episode - thanks!
Absolutely beautiful. Almost teared up as I watched it. I never had a GTO but I did have a 65' Pontiac Catalina with the 389 in it and that car litterally jumped one time! [ i had a wirness in it when it happened ] Pontiac was fabulous............ "wide tracking".........
I had a similar issue with driveline noise on a 1965 GTO when it carried two or more people. It turned out that the ends of the transmission crossmember were bent down, raising the transmission just enough that the driveshaft would often contact the underside of the transmission hump. These crossmember ends are connected to the frame rails via rubber mounts. Once the crossmember ends were straightened, no more problems.
I have the same exact car with the same options, except the console !! I love it !! It is amazing to hear all about these car’s, especially from Jay !! He is a great car guy and a down to earth person. I had a great time talking to him for a half hour, at Pebble Beach.
FINALLY! Jay Lenos garage FIRST Pontiac video! And you could not start it better then with a GTO :D
Thank you!
Ditto!
Would have been better with the tripower carb.s/cam/tune installed... a big difference from the base engine...
What a wonderful review, as always Jay, love the conversation and history. Almost 60 years ago now, the GTO was quite a sensation when it came out. Do you remember that in '65 the shoe company, Thom McAn, came out with a GTO shoe, "Made to fit the Tiger!"
Thank's Jay, takes me back. I had a '64 GTO hard top. 389, 4bbl, 4spd, 410 limited slip. Bought it from the original owner in 1968 for $1,000.⁰⁰ I absolutely loved that car. Like y'all said, Pontiac got it right. 👍
I had one too! It was Red and later traded it for a one year old 1968 SS 396 Chevelle. Man....those were the days my friend, I thought they'd never end. But they did. :(
@@rhm35z what happened to the Chevelle? Man wish I was alive then.
Great segment as always, Jay.... My Dad was a Pontiac dealer parts manager in the Sixties, so I saw a lot of GTOs back then... A couple of comments... that dual master cylinder was not stock on a 64 GTO... that became standard later, 67 or 68 i think... the OHC 6 you mentioned was available in 66 through 69 Tempests and Firebirds. What killed the OHC 6 was camshaft wear Lots and lots of camshafts replaced under warranty. there were two different cams and my Dad always kept them in stock!
My older brother had a 1964 GTO, 389 4 barrel, way back in 1967 a hard top, it had been ran through the mill before he got it, some fool had heated the rear springs as to lower the rear, and the 4 speed had been replaced by a 3 speed trans. My brother then beat the hell out of it too. I remember sitting in that car as a 14 year old and wishing I had a car like that. We don't see cars like that today do we?.
I drove one of those when I was in high school. I was thrilled. I later bought a '67 coupe with the 360/400 engine. Great cars.
My dad was a very fiscally conservative Air Force Pursuit pilot who always bought frugal cars (Pontiac station wagon, Henry J, VW beetle), so my brothers and I have never understood why, with 3 sons in their teens, he bought a GTO in late 1966. It was a canary yellow convertible with black interior, 2+2 carbs, an 8 track tape player and (can you believe it!) a 2 speed automatic that would lay rubber at any speed (punch it at any speed, the 2 secondary barrels opened, followed by deep roar and the wonderful sound of squealing tires) (and got 8 mpg). I still argue that the 1966 was the sharpest model, and this one was gorgeous! We each have our favorite stories of driving this beautiful beast, some of which can't be told publicly (like whisky runs on the back road from wet Bristol VA to dry Kingsport TN), but even with a GTO convertible, I still didn't do very well with the ladies! This was soon after the introduction of the Michelin tires which were rated at an unheard of 20K miles for tread wear. My dad once told me that he just could not understand why they were bald at 10K miles (with three teen sons driving it)! Wish I still had it!
Girls caring about musclecars was a gearhead delusion back then... ; )
My '65 GTO tripower 4 speed got 17 MPG in easy commuting...
Bristol dude here!
@@jameshay7247 There were certainly women who liked performance, but most just cared about style. In the 60s and 70s, they bought "secretary cars." They liked good looking cars, but they'd buy the base model with a few frills and an auto trans. Manuals are hard to drive in heels.
@@jameshay7247 Usually so... The only daughter of a local speed shop owner built her own '57 T-Bird (of course, with a bit of dad's help) that constantly suckered the out-of-town kids into drag racing. She just slaughtered them and then smiled so sweetly! The idea of a "little girl... 5'3", maybe 110 lbs.," driving a 375 hp T-Bird with a 4-speed was just beyond comprehension! The local guys just sat there at the Foster's Drive-In and laughed at the fools, but none of them raced her.
When something you are good at helps fuel something you love. Gotta hand it to Jay. 😃
Love this car lines . Jay you did it again , love the show
Poor Jay- you can tell he REALLY wants to rip a burnout but the owner won't oblige.
Even so, another great car vid!
2 lane blacktop, wow! One of the best ever!
Jay didn't remember Dennis Wilson being in that film. THE Original Beach Boy. Dennis moved the group's music to the car culture.
Great cars... idiotic story... like most car movies...
Jay,The GTO deserves your praise, but it was not the first or only car that was an alternative to standard American automotive fare as you suggest. Before the GTO was the Porsche Turbo of its day that provided me fun-filled and trouble-free transportation to college (mechanical engineering) and work (draftsman) for four years until I had to sell it (draft lottery number 9). I loved my 1963 Corvair Monza Spyder (black with red) and am sad to see how it was slandered and ignored.Clint
lol "this must be a rare book" " yep its a first edition" "throws it loudly into trunk" haha that dude died a little bit inside
I have that book!!!
I caught that as he tossed next to the tripower!
He didn’t hurt it though
I think it landed straight down- flat. Nothing wrong with that. If you’re going to throw it, that’s how.
Uhh, thats a '66 tripower in the trunk.
Awesome video and BEAUTIFUL car! I had a friend with one (also convertible and not a re badged LeMans) that was all restored except for paint and a new top. It had the Quadrajet on it, but she had a nearly complete tri-power setup only missing a couple of linkages. Life threw some curve balls at her and she had to sell it. Sounded just like this one; great sounds and a fun car!
Following up Jay's comments beginning at 11:15:
Today, April 1, 2019, Jay actually does have an inline 6 OHC Pontiac Tempest in his restoration blog.
We shall all stay tuned for that!
OHC 6 was Pontiac's attempt at a 'European type' engine... it was actually fun... for the sounds and RPMs... Mercruiser's marine version of the GM straight 6 was also a slightly hopped (bigger carb., 89 octane gas, hotter cam) snotty sounding engine compared to automobile version...
It's a Firebird, not a Tempest.
My first car love! I graduated in 1964 and these were the hot car of the day, and Mustangs of course. Great cars for great days! Thanks Jay!!!
The cleaner styling of the '65's caught my eye...
The GTO will always have a place in my heart. My dream car was always the '67 convertible. Red, 4 speed. Maybe one day
I had a ‘67 convertible, white top, parchment interior.....sold it in the mid 90’s. I still miss her.....
@@williamsporing1500 I just bought a 64 Chevelle SS convertible. It's all over my TH-cam channel
I can't help feel that a show like this will be a huge injection into the heart of car culture. It has felt so diminished broadly in America for the past 10 years.
Another homerun, Jay. Interesting car and and interesting owner.
Had a 64 Coupe in High school. One of the most fun cars I have ever owned. Wish I never sold it.
when jay is flipping thru his trunk books that guy looked nervous lol
True 😂🤣
This book looks like 100 year's old ,😆😂💯
I bloody love Jay! The owner is top notch too, very knowledgeable and interesting to listen to 👍🏻
Having Tony drive one on ‘I dream of genie’ was some good marketing as well.
Now I’ve got that song stuck in my head! 😂 Beautiful car and very knowledgeable owner…
GM never should have discontinued Pontiac. At least the GTO should be brought back in some form. But not that boring GTO from the early 2000's.
Only good thing from that 2000's GTO was the engine.
I agree. That 2000's GTO looked too much like the other Pontiacs. There were some clues if you looked at it too far away to see the name plate.
PMD died in 1977-78 when they cast the last of the 1950s PMD engines.
After that, Pontiac was only a design team making Chebbys look Pontiac-ish.
And the Holden GTO wasn't even GM, Holden is not owned by GM, they don't (or didnt) have a majority stock, just a majority "voting stock". SO the so called "new gto" is a fucking lie import.
Errr, Holden is owned by GM.
And the interior, ever driven a 2005 vette? 50 miles in you'll be smacking your past self for not snagging the goat instead :)
My FIRST CAR was a Black over Red 64 GTO!!
It was EXACTLY what the intent of the GTO was... No accessories -- not even power brakes or steering! I had a Heater and an AM Radio..and the optional bucket seats and console...
And I got one that ran particularly well!! I continued to out-perform many of the later "Muscle-Cars'...even some of the SS454 Chevelles and cars that you would never expect!
And YES Jay, I would Also LOVE to find another one! I HATE that I ever let mine go!
I would even -- dare I say it here -- Love to have a CLONE of my '64..!! It would be for my enjoyment, rather than "Historic Preservation" and I would be happy to have a nice LSX engine and 4-wheel disc brakes... But this was a Great car, and Every "car guy" -- and Police Officer -- on the east side of Atlanta 'knew' my "Black Widow" GTO...
And I got lots of attention "Cruisin' The Varsity"..!! (google "The Varsity" a VERY well-known 'Atlanta Landmark' Restaurant..)
The 1963 Tempest with a 326 was also pretty neat.
My 1st car was a ‘63 Tempest LeMans convertible w/the 326 and 2-spd Power-glide, 4-wheel independent suspension and trans in the rear to improve weight didstibution and handling. What was John Z. thinking way back then?
im not old enough for this channel but it's cool to see all these classics.
Love Pontiacs Like to see 61s 62s 63s All pontiacs
Agree, the early 60s Catalina were sweet drivers, good looking cars!!!
One bad GTO that i would love to have. 4spd muncie trans with that positive traction rear end. One beautiful combination.
64 and 65 best looking GTO body style to me. Beautiful car, too bad its a trailer queen.
please review more modern cars and motorcycles. Your reviews are from a buyers perspective and is really interesting to watch.
GORGEOUS CAR!!! GREAT HlSTORY TOO. THANK YOU.
This exact car (this color blue, white interior & white convertible top, 4 speed with a 389 & three deuces) at noon, sped through our school parking lot in the Spring of 1966, screeching and smoking the tires the whole way towards the exit. The Principal, a lot of teachers and a good portion of the student body ran outside to see who the "Perps" were!! Fortunately for my Friend and I, he went directly to his father's used car lot and took the plates off the GTO and transferred them to a 1958 "old man's" 3 on the tree brown/ Beige Rambler. When we returned after lunch.... All the teachers were at the schools entrances taking plate numbers and names... That GTO was never seen at school again!!
"And this is a rare book right? (Throws it back in the trunk)...lol
I had a 67 and a 69 . great cars, but the sweetest sounding gto's were the 64-66 with 3 dueces !
John Delorean was a very talented car guy.
He was a true visionary. R.I.P Mr Delorean.
@@aliceshaw8265 Made a nice Time Machine though! :D
He even made an overhead cam version of the Pontiac v8's. The emission regulations made it stillborne, one of the great losses of the automotive American market. it is talked about on youtube on Uncle's Joe's Garage "the other guys overhead cammers".
Royalbigness Shutup. Millions of people die everyday, but you don’t give a damn.
@@aliceshaw8265 - BS... DeLorean was an electrical, industrial, automotive engineer at Chrysler, then Packard, and then the 'golden boy' in GM engineering(when I was there, also)... but his later GM fame went to his head, he was politicized out of GM, and he became 'Hollywood'... big ideas, nose jobs, face lifts, fake hair, phony new personality, drugs, trophy wives, etc... but he didn't have the unlimited money to fully back up his later dreams... (like he did at GM)... and he couldn't afford the engine and tranny he wanted for the DeLorean car...
Thank you for covering the Pontiac GTO and its history.
I had both a 68 and 64 love both.👍
i had a '68 catalina with a 400, that was the smoothest idling engine i ever owned.
I had a '70 Executive with the 400 as well. Iy was one of of the best engines I ever owned. My Grandpa gave that car. I drove it about a year and then decided I wanted a pickup. I still miss that car and my Grandpa!
GM had the corner on smooth engines in the '60's...Pontiac, Olds and Buicks were all turbine vibration-less compared to our Ford big blocks. It was like their engines were detached from the cars. I loved my parents' Fords but they never seemed as refined.
Bill D.
Had the chance back in 1985 to buy a near mint 68 Catalina 2 door hardtop with the 400 engine for $100. Friend didn't want it and now I kick myself in the butt for not buying it. And yes, the engine was as smooth as butter and whisper quiet! It had 54K original miles...
@@gojoe2833 damn these cars got so cheap in the late 70s and 80s. Signs of the times.
The '64 did not have the dual master brakes yet. They were introduced for '67, along with optional power front disc braking. Nice to have that added though. I did the same for my '64 post coupe. Beautiful car & thanks for the video!
To be honest My favorite car of that era was the 66-67 GTO hard top
My good friend had one . It was a burgundy color with a black vinyl. Top . Many happy miles in that car .
"This has to be a rare book" *tosses it into the trunk lmao
Grajeda I was kinda surprised the guy didn't wince
*audible thud of the book landing in the trunk
11:46 he mentions the GTO but points to the
OHC lol
Saw that
should of punched jay in the head
The Sprint option was available in both the Tempest and the Firebird. The base model was a grocery getter, BUT the Sprint version was rated at 215 HP, with a 4 bbl. Not as fast as its GTO brother, but better handler due to the lighter engine.
I remember one of the car rags, C&D or R&T, committed the unpardonable sin of swapping one of those 4 bbl Sprint engines into a Jaguar XK-E (!!), and it improved the performance over over the legendary Jag straight six. Heresy!! ;-)
The late '60s were a rough time in a lot of ways, but a golden age for American cars.
No perverts, no propaganda... just cool cars, Jay Leno, and a laid back owner... worlds back to normal... :-)
You knew you were in a convertible in those days. But today's convertibles have the windscreen sloping so far back that you are almost covered by the top edge of the windscreen and you just don't get the same open car experience. Beautiful colour too.
I believe the M-22 was the 'Rock Crusher'.
Exactly,,,Rock Crusher has become a catch phrase now for the uninformed......I noticed stroker getting thrown around a lot now too!
GM had 3 speed manuals but 1st gear didn't have synchro, so they bought the new Ford all synchro 3 speed, since they didn't sell many, it just kept the 'base price' down...
M-22 had straight cut heavy duty gears that were noisy...
It was just that.....
Didnt hold up to a big block Chevy though... in most cases
@@BuzzLOLOL also these m22>s weren't available till later sixties maybe even early seventies,, they only worked well with a higher geared (numerically) rear end such as 4.11, definitely not freeway friendly.
My first car was a 64 GTO, tri power, 4 speed, etc. Bought it used in 67. It had been beat to death, but still was fast as hell. Had to sell it after being drafted.
You can tell when jay likes a car ;)
Mr. Leno! You're the best! I love your anthusiasm!
Jay just tossing around the guys super rare collection of Pontiac stuff??
"That's a rare first edition" - Jay throws it in the trunk.
Yup you can tell the rest of the clip the guy gets real quiet.
Oh ah thats 2004 to 2006 for the new g.t.o. first two years they where 5.7 cubic inch. Last year they they where 6.0 liter. Ok. Horse power for the 06 was 400 h.p. an 400 foot pounds torque my and 06 was the corvette engine it was ok power wise nothing like todays cars though.but good enough.
He never hurt the book. He dropped it into the trunk from a foot or so and it landed flat. I don't see any reaction by the owner.
Jay likes to pretend European cars, especially Italian, are so much better...
NICE! I owned a '66 389, 3 duece, 4 on the floor...great car. My girlfriend had a 66 Pontiac Tempest OHC 6 with overhead cam 4 spd that was real mover! Thanks for showing this one, Jay...