Ready To Go Top-Less: 1968 Pontiac GTO
This 1968 Pontiac GTO convertible is a running survivor ready for top-down driving as summer approaches. I don’t know about you, but with our long winter this year the idea of rolling down sunny roads in a convertible like the one found here on Craigslist thanks to reader Kelly D is mighty appealing.
It’s being offered for the owner at a Philadelphia repair shop, and even at a whopping $25k asking price, the shop owner is offering any additional work at a discounted rate. Seems pricey, but with great condition convertibles fetching over $40k, there just might be a bit of room for profit since this beast seems to have all the right bones to build, and rebuild, on.
But with muscle this beautiful, is it really a seller? Or is this the ultimate keeper. For me, this GTO convertible is perhaps the most iconic representative of not only the second generation of GTO’s but the entire decade-long run (from 1964 to 1974) of this model. The massive hood with its trademark double scoop and raised rocket outline peaking above the “Endura” bumper – the first time a matching body-color bumper was used by Pontiac. It’s brilliantly balanced door placement, just off center, with sweeping haunches that lead to the trunk – certainly big, but not as gaudy as some of its rivals.
Combine good looks with the punch and power of this GTO’s YS code 400 factory rated at 350HP/445TQ V8, and you know why Motor Trend magazine named this car it’s 1968 Car of the Year. Don’t get me wrong, this is not a cheap project – and a project it is. You can see in the pics the hours and hours (and hours) it will take to get this car show-worthy. But if there’s one car that might deserve to be a labor of your love (and money), this might be it!
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Comments
Awesome car. I almost bought one of these when I lived in Massachusetts but the body was too far gone and the price was too high. Same color and year
Any buyer should have the vin checked I noticed it has lemans taillights right off
GTO sellers often include a photo of the data plate showing a VIN that starts with 242 and/or offer Pontiac Historical Society (PHS) documents to prove it’s real.
As much as I wanna buy a 68 Goat. It ain’t gonna be this one for 25. It appears the car doesn’t have any options and for 25, you can Definitely get a better bang for your buck. I actually know of another white rag in PA that is also a column shift, which, that guy says is rare, either way, I rather have the his/her shifter. He’s asking 30 and his engine bay is nice.
Well I love GTOs but this has three strikes against it for my taste The price, the Endura bumper, and I don’t like convertibles so I would pass to let others have it.
Tail lights and shift on column is not sporting
The convert is a plus
Some had column but majority were console
Tread softly it’s s possible fake 👀
https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/Discussion-c8409_ds670565
Is that a donkey disguised as a goat? Buyer beware for sure.
Mine had the 4bbl.carb, Hurst ” his & hers” shifter…good times.
Looks like a standard interior but faux wood on the back of the front seats? I don’t recall ever seeing that before*.
* Not a gto expert for sure.
It’s not faux wood, Redwagon. These plastic seatbacks deteriorate badly with time hence the current state that they are in. Most major restoration parts companies carry new ones (bought mine twice from OPG) in the original colour and grain. The seatback, trim, fasteners etc are about $200 for a pair.
Definitely the wrong taillights. Those are from a LeMans/Tempest. GTO lights will have horizontal bars, not squares.
Seems a pretty glaring omission for an intentional fake but in this day and age of VIN swapping I’d check this one out closely.
And yet the seller makes note of having new “Correct GTO” taillights?
In the sellers defense (and there is not much of one) he said “New GTO taillights INCLUDED”, so he’s not implying that they are on the car. That said, as someone else pointed out, the engine color is wrong for this generation of Pontiac, and with all of the other very questionable things: read, column shift which is soooo rare for this car, and all of the work that would be required, I would strongly recommend that ANYONE who has any kind of interest in this car, do extra due diligence to confirm EVERYTHING that the seller is saying. If it all checks out, AND you’re prepared to spend a tidy sum of money to make it even passable for cruise nights, let alone showing it, have at it, and may Lady Luck be with you. You’re going to need it. Peace and best wishes. https://www.mecum.com/lots/SC0509-79357/1968-pontiac-gto-convertible/
Horizontal taillights were one of the things that distinguished the GTO from it’s lesser brothers in 1966-67. Pontiac continued that theme, albeit much more subtly, in 1968-69. The special taillights vanished on the 1970 version.
So he has them? That makes sense as they’re very easy to get. It’s interesting he didn’t take 15 minutes with a screwdriver to put them onto a car he wants $25k for though.
Engine color is wrong too. Should be Pontiac metallic blue not the later 70s blue.
If in fact this is a clone, how much would it be worth then?
First time I ever sat inside a GTO was 1985, and I finally got why these were so popular back then. I felt like I was in something really special, not just a garden variety LeMans with a big engine but something unique. And that was before I even started it up. No wonder Pontiac sold so many of these.
Shame there is so many decful people out there looking to make a quick buck on people with little knowledge…so much for honesty….thats what hurts the hobby and eventually kills it….sad
First time I ever sat inside a GTO was in 1965 in a 1965 GTO when I was 14. It belonged to a friends older brother and he must have been feeling good that day as he was giving his little brother and his brothers friends a ride in his new car. It was a dark blue convertible with white interior and tri-power and a 4 speed. With the top down that day you felt like you were somebody riding in that car. Probably the reason that ’65 GTO’s are my favorite year.
Ask him to purchase the PHS documents. They’re only $30 or $40, and they tell you everything about the car. If he doesn’t want to, that’s your signal right there to walk away. This is a huge project for someone who absolutely loves the ’68 Poncho. Like Garr, he loves this car so much, he would be the right person to buy it. Anyone who doesn’t feel like he does about it, should take your time and keep looking. There are plenty of deals out there if you’re patient. This ain’t one of em.
OOPS!!!! beware
It’s green so it is hard to remain objective in finding anything positive about it after that discovery. For $25K upholstery should not have rips from front to back, the seat back panels should have been replaced. The glob of rubber where from of the door glass comes together with the windshield should have been replaced.
Detailing the engine compartment would have done wonders in alleviating the thought that the owner perhaps did not take very good care of his car. A sloshing of Armor All on the interior plastics would be a good idea. The area around the base of the steering wheel definitely needs attention. Personally I don’t care for this and later Pontiac’s’ but aside from that I think this is a $13000.00 car max and I would not want to be in it much over $7000.00.
Conveniently has the steering wheel positioned over the shift indicator. Lemans had a 2 speed auto. GTO ‘s came with a 3 speed.
The March issue of the GTOAA “The Legend” magazine has a classified ad for a ’69 mild custom hardtop, yes it isn’t a convertible, but the “asking” price is $26,000 with great paint and a custom interior. Mecum sold a ’68 #3 Convertible for $30,000 in early 2018. Paint it and it’s worth $50,000? NO WAY. Only in the sellers dreams. This car maybe is worth maybe $10,000 on a good day. Discounted work is exactly what the name implies – cheap and substandard – or there is a huge markup in the price of the car.
This auto screams scam. As one person wrote, not be in it for over 7000.
That way if Le Mans you could put in another 5 or6 K and still make a few grand back; selling it as a Lemans.