Former Museum Dweller: 1968 Pontiac GTO
The Pontiac GTO is credited with starting the mid-size muscle car movement in the mid-1960s. And would remain a top seller in the field although growing competition would limit its sales record to the 1966 model year. The car was redesigned in 1968 along with the rest of GM’s intermediates and would be one of the best-looking of all Detroit’s performance automobiles (IMO). This ’68 GOAT was restored about 30 years ago and spent considerable time in a museum, retaining its current good looks.
This GTO is as nicely equipped as you’re likely to find anywhere, with loads of comfort items for the driver and his/her passengers, like bucket seats, automatic transmission, factory air conditioning, and power windows. This Pontiac stickered for more than $5,000 when it was new, a tidy sum for a dealer car in those days. We’re told the machine originated in California and the sheet metal and drivetrain are original to the vehicle at 54,000 miles.
Several variants of the Pontiac 400 cubic inch V8 were offered in the nearly 88,000 GTOs assembled in the 1968 model year. This vehicle was treated to a restoration by a GTO specialist in 1991 and lived in the owner’s personal museum for three decades after that. In recent years, it appears to have moved to less noble surroundings, inside a garage with a cover over the car to protect it from the elements. More recently the brakes and fuel system have been refreshed and the tires have less than 100 miles on them.
The aqua/turquoise paint on this GTO looks magnificent and is perhaps the best color choice for the hardtop body style (again, IMO). If you plan to be at the Pontiac Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio later in July 2024, you’ll have a chance to see this wonder in person – if it doesn’t sell sooner. Located in Holbrook, New York, this Pontiac is available here on craigslist for $76,500.
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Comments
I don’t remember that color.
I had a friend with a GTO painted that color.
Beautiful car. Lots of great options. Better than the 68 GTO from a few weeks ago that gave off the impression it was pieced together. This is expensive, rightfully so.
Steve R
I don’t know about ’68 paint colors, but I can confirm it was available in mid-1969. My girlfriend bought a new LeMans that summer while I was at Ft. Sill. It wasn’t a GTO, but it did have that color paint with a pearl white interior.
I married her two years later and got to make the final 12 payments on the car. It was actually very reliable. Well… except for the water pump failure in the desert north of Ft. Bliss at ~35,000 miles.
Code K – Meridian Turquoise Metallic
Car is two towns over from me. Looks sweet….
Could be the nicest car ever for sale on Craigslist?
Can’t help but think a serious seller would find better avenues to entice a buyer.
I want it, it sure looks perfect and has all the options I want, especially A/C as I live in Texas. But that $ is a bridge too far for me.
Meridian Turquoise with a Parchment interior. All correct.
Appears to be super nice and with a ton of options.
I’ve always liked the new body style and have come to appreciate the ’68 with its wing window before Astro ventilation became a thing. This one has it all and doesn’t need a restoration. Hope it finds a good steward.
Nice car , would be more interested if original buyer checked off “4 Speed ” back in the day .
Jerry
Newly married, we had a 68 Goat down at Ft Bliss in 68 when I was drafted.Ours was gold w/ black vinyl top, 3 speed 400. Cost new $3600. Was sent to Alaska, took the Goat loaded with our belongings up the ALCAN, in November of 68. Over 600 miles with chains on. I have lots of memories with that Pounding Poncho.
So nice it would be like having a new ’68 GTO.
(now if it had a 4 speed, and I had an extra $76K, and the room for it . . . .)
This car is extremely well optioned, right down to the cornering lamps. Great color. I prefer 69’s over the 68, but this is an exception to that comment. Literally better than new, Gary actually over-restores his cars. His collection is Pontiac history!
This car literally looks too perfect to drive. It is very nice.
Had the same color combo on my ’68 GTO, agree that a 4 SPD. would be a plus, was owned by the Ames Pontiac Parts outfit so you would think the details would be 100%. Will see about the price, maybe worth it, doesn’t matter how or where it’s listed, it will be seen if it’s on the web.
You are absolutely right, listings get shared. Craigslist probably has more reach than almost any sales platform, with the possible exception of eBay or Facebook.
Steve R
All of Steve’s cars were nearly perfect. He had the black 69 RAIV Judge that sold for $600,000 plus years ago. Steve was a true pioneer in the Pontiac world. He sold me NOS parts for my 1977 Grand Prix SJ in 2005. I will never forget how he helped me. This 68 is beautiful. Worth every penny when you consider a new F150 coats more.
Too nice! Perfect color and interior combo. The Rally l wheels are never seen enough. And I’ve never seen cornering lights on a GTO.
Does anybody know if window stickers were typed by hand back then? I ask because the second page has a typo, referring to the car as a “GOT HARDTOP COUPE.” That wouldn’t happen with a machine-generated window sticker, so it’s either manually typed or a reproduction. A PHS report would be a nice addition to the supplied documentation.
This is a standard Pontiac GTO not a convertible with an automatic transmission with over 50k miles. I don’t care who restored it l have to ask. Is this Pontiac worth 76k? Maybe a drop top 455 4 speed I could justify such an ask. Pristine GOAT through. I know it will find a good home.