Tri-Power Poncho: 1967 Pontiac GTO
When Pontiac executives conceived the GTO in 1964, they projected to sell 5,000 copies a year. That was grossly underestimated as sales would quickly top out at close to 100,000 units in a model year. The race was on, and every major U.S. manufacturer soon had a mid-size muscle car. This 1967 edition looks quite nice and has a Tri-Power carburetor set-up (which is not original). There is some rust present that the photos don’t point out. This “GOAT” is in Tallahassee, Florida, and is available here on craigslist for $27,500. Thanks for the tip, “zuko”!
The GTO was an option on the Tempest/LeMans in 1964-65 and got promoted to series status in 1966. It continued in that role through 1971, after which a cooling performance car market brought it back to option status. The car received its first restyle in 1966, so the changes were more subtle for 1967, although noticeable. For example, the taillights were redone, and Rally II wheels were available, like the ones on the seller’s auto. Mechanically, the 389 cubic inch V8 was upgraded to 400, and the optional triple 2-barrel carburetor arrangement was dropped.
We’re told this GTO sports newer paint and it presents well in the photos. Yet, there is rust present which you would have assumed would have been taken care of before the paint was applied. The vinyl top might be older as one of the photos shows it without a lot of luster (or it’s just dirty). The passenger compartment is fine, although the carpeting could have been vacuumed before the photos were taken, showing instead what may be worn floor coverings.
The Tri-Power motor should be a selling point, but the seller overlooks providing any photos of the engine compartment. The car is said to have once had factory air conditioning, but the hardware has been removed. But we’re told the Pontiac runs and sounds great so, hopefully, no mechanical attention is needed. This GTO has the “His/Her” Hurst Performance Dual-Gate shifter for the automatic transmission, which enabled the tranny to do its job automatically or be manually shifted if you desired. The odometer broke at 37,000 (or 137,000) miles. Is this a lot of GTO for the asking price?
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Comments
Pics or the tri-power add on never happened
Weird they wouldn’t show any pictures of the motor. Just make sure you wonder. Good looking car otherwise too bad there isn’t better pictures of the interior also. People who only take five or six shots of their car and want close to $30,000 for it certainly doesn’t want to sell it that bad. Just my opinion.
When I saw the ad I called a friend who happened to know the owner of the car and originally thought it was the same car the seller bought brand new in 1967. however, that wasn’t the case. I guess the seller had a longing for those days and 5 years ago bought this car.
He’s also a local lawyer in Tallahassee so he is a legit seller
Thanks for clearing that up. Those Tallahassee lawyers are Saints. I just wrote the cheque.
Exactly Davey Boy! my thoughts as I opened this one. I am always looking for GTO, in this case the auto trans killed it for me, but nonetheless this is for sale by an attorney, that speaks for itself, if you don’t understand it, or it isn’t right, you either hide it or ignore it. if the trans didn’t kill it, being sold by an attorney sure will.
Price seems suspiciously low for the condition of the car depicted in the ad. And why do people insist on putting tri-powers on 67 and up 400 equipped GTOs? A good 4-bbl is better in terms of power and drivability and less temperamental.
Agreed Bick. Unless it’s an open engine car, or came originally equipped, there’s no value added.
There’s something amiss in Denmark my friends.
I really don’t like the way this one feels. It would take me longer than I would like to spend in verification of everything claimed. AND, end up spending dollars to gather dimes for a rig that I should have just gone with my gut feeling.
Don’t get me wrong I absolutely love the early GTO’s. Just not this one. I’m skating away!
Happy Happy to All. ! !
All hands on deck with you Bick!
Could not agree more with you. Why would you not want to show it off? No brainer to me. I’m headed down the road kicking rocks. See you guys later.
My dad’s big time attorney went to jail for embezzling funds from his own firm.
I feel much better about it now.
The Tri-Power was legendary, and there were quite a few GTO’s delivered new with dealer-installed Tri-Power setups. Many more were sold over the counter, and used setups were available cheap back then. Nothing looks as good as a Tri-Power under the hood! As previously mentioned, not enough photo’s to really judge the overall condition.
My long lost ’67 convertible was originally gold. PO painted it red. I always thought gold was so cool.
I have one just like this. But it’s a 1: 18 scale die-cast. LOL. Closest I’ll get to owning one of these. Cheers, nice car!
Got a question, is this a hundred dollar paint job over a bucket of rust. Rear quart panels don’t look to healthy. Don’t think I want to deal with this lawyer.
..
I don’t understand how he figures $27500 is a reasonable price for this car. the carpet is trashed, steering wheel is cracked and there is a hole in the drivers seat back. The vinyl roof needs replacing and there is a lot of bubbling beneath it. Both rear quarters are rusted all around the wheel wells, and the hood is rusting on the left front. There is a lot of rust being hide by the nice shinney paint. But the biggest is the missing wiper blades.
Hmmm, any mention of “rust”, is scary and a red flag. I sold a 69 GTO Judge for $10,000, in the early 90s. I bought it new in 69 for $3000. It had only 50,000 original miles and was never in salt, snow, etc. In 1975 I relocated from Wisc, to Las Vegas, the GTO was stored in a real good garage from 1975 to 1980 when I drove it from Wisc to Vegas. Even with good care, it had rust spots at the bottom edge of trunk, and had rust front fenders, just behind the wheels/tires. Frame was solid as were floor and trunk pans, interior was pristine. The buyer came from Chicago, and did a very thorough inspection. The selling point re my GTO, was that it was all original, engine had never been touched, interior had no wear at all, and original paint, Matador Red, was perfect except for noted trunk and the lower front fender spots. It was an extremely clean original condition GTO. I wonder now re what happened to that GTO.