Pontiac GTO: 5 things only serious automobile enthusiasts know about the 1967 model

In 1964, the Pontiac GTO debuted as a LeMans option package. But that term didn’t last long, and the GTO soon reached legendary status in the annals of muscle car history. The first generation of GTOs remained in production until 1967, when it received some minor visual redesigns. Pontiac stacked headlights and added a hood scoop in 1965. The GTO had its own moniker and nearly 100,000 cars were sold the following year.

More subdued changes for 1967 were a redesigned grille and the adoption of an eight-piece taillight array. Under the GTO’s massive hood, however, came the biggest changes. The GTO’s 389 cubic inch V8 engine was enlarged to 400 cubic inches and featured a three two-barrel carburetor configuration known as Tri-Power was ditched for a Rochester four-barrel. The new carburetor wasn’t something Pontiac’s engineers wanted, but starting in 1967, GM barred multiple carbs on anything that wasn’t a Corvette.

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John DeLorean Created The Pontiac GTO

Before founding the DeLorean Motor Company, John DeLorean had a long career with General Motors. Most people know him only from the silver gull-winged automobile that bears his name and appeared in the “Back to the Future” movies.

DeLorean, who dropped out of school to serve in World War II, was born in Detroit and graduated in 1948 with a degree in engineering. Before Banky Knudsen joined Pontiac in 1956, which was then losing ground to rival brands, DeLorean worked. For Chrysler and Packard. At Pontiac, DeLorean was a creative force that produced several vehicle patents and invented the hidden windshield wiper.

Although DeLorean predicted that demand for high-performance cars would increase, GM’s top executives were nervous about an impending antitrust lawsuit from the government. Additionally, the engine capacity limit set by the firm was one cubic inch for every ten pounds of curb weight. After realizing that option packages were exempt from this restriction, DeLorean and his crew added the W62 GTO package to the Tempest’s option sheet. It took 5,000 orders for Pontiac dealers to get wise to GM’s top executives.

By the end of the year more than 32,000 had been sold and GM was unable to kill the goose that laid the golden egg. By 1967, the suit had caught on with the GTO, and GM’s desire to reintroduce high-performance vehicles was fueled by the success of Trans Am racing. The DeLorean remains with Pontiac long enough to craft the Firebird and Grand Prix before going off on his own in 1973.

The GTO’s 400 Cubic-Inch Engine Came In Several Variants

A 400 cubic-inch V8 engine was the only available engine option for the 1967 Pontiac GTO; However, it was available in three different configurations. The two-barrel carburetor economy model produced 255 horsepower and averaged just over 10 miles per gallon. It can propel the 3,648-pound hardtop version from 0 to 60 mph in 8.1 seconds.

A thirsty four-barrel carburetor in the standard setup lowered fuel efficiency by 10 miles per gallon, reduced the 0-60 time to 5.7 seconds, and increased output to 335 horsepower. The high-output configuration included timing and tuning adjustments that increased power to 360 horsepower at the cost of approximately 1.5 miles per gallon of increased engine consumption. A hot cam, a modified exhaust system and other items were included in the $77 HO package High volume air purifier.

Of the approximately 82,000 ’67 GTOs, fewer than 14,000 were optioned with the HO. The $263 Ram Air Kit was the next step up, and included stronger valve springs and all the hardware needed to attach an air intake to the previously decorative hood scoop.

The 1967 GTO Was Faster Than A Mustang GT-500

In the late 1960s, muscle cars were common, but if you owned a 1967 GTO, you could easily outrun most competitors in a drag race. Motor Trend recorded a quarter mile time of 4.9 seconds for the manual transmission variant and around 13.4 seconds for the automatic transmission vehicle. With its 427 cubic inch V8 engine, the Corvette Stingray could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds, making it the only faster production car that year. The Mustang Shelby GT-500 was Ford’s biggest mainstream offering, but with a 0-60 speed of 6.5 seconds and a quarter-mile time of 15 seconds flat, that beast was relegated to the GTO’s exhaust cloud.

Despite the 440-inch Hemi V8 engine under the hood of some 1967 Mopar vehicles, the Plymouth GTX needed 6.6 seconds to accelerate the beast from 0 to 60 mph. That year, the Ford Shelby Cobra was the fastest vehicle on the road thanks to its LeMans-dominant 427 cubic-inch motor, lightweight chassis and four-second 0-60 performance. Although few 427 Cobras were ever produced, you’ll rarely find yourself wheel to wheel.

The ’67 GTO Is A Pop Culture Icon

The ’67 GTO is a mainstay on TV and movie screens. It appeared in classic movies like “The French Connection,” modern television shows like “I Dream of Jeannie” and “Maniacs,” and in the fourth episode of “Seinfeld” season 8, pretending to be bad guy George’s favorite ride. Costanza.

The GTO has also been commemorated in music, although the most famous tribute to the GTO is based on two popular misconceptions. Because the phrase “Little GTO” appears so many times in the song, most people refer to it, however the actual title of the song is simply “GTO”. Although most people know the Beach Boys version, Ronnie and the Daytonas were the first to record the song and make it to number one.7 on the Billboard Hot 100 in September of 1964. Their version even earned gold record status by selling more than a million copies.

Only About 1/8 Of ’67 GTOs Are Convertibles

With 96,946 sold, 1966 was the GTO’s biggest sales year, although the 1967 model wasn’t far behind. Fewer than 82,000 ’67 GTOs were produced by Pontiac, and none of them are likely to remain on dealership lots for long. Unfortunately, only 9,500 of them were available with the beautiful convertible body design. Perhaps Pontiac realized that people of the time were obsessed with haircuts and that hardtop models would appeal to those more interested in coiffures.

For an automobile that was seventeen feet long and six feet three inches wide and weighed over three thousand pounds, rollover concerns were undoubtedly not at the top of the list. As one might expect, the 1967 GTO convertible was extremely rare at the time, making it an extremely valuable asset now. as if With a little investigation, you can find a variety of 1967 GTO hardtops between $25,000 and $30,000; Convertibles are often more expensive, costing more than $45,000. In October 2023, a blue convertible with a six-speed manual transmission and a retained Chevy LS engine sold for $112,000.

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