Vehicle Description
There's little doubt that anyone cruising down the road would do an
immediate doubletake if they saw this 1968 Pontiac GTO coming up in
their rear-view mirror. GTOs are a respected muscle car nameplate
to begin with, and this specimen, clad in a dramatic color and
carrying its original big block power under the hood, turns the
figurative control knob on its heralded status all the way to
"11".
This GTO's exterior is all about visual impact, with its muscular
form carrying deep black paint that's finished off with a black
vinyl top. Having been applied only a few years ago, the paint
fortunately avoids that common fault-exhibiting vulnerability the
shade tends to have - it looks impressively blemish-free and is
only a thorough waxing from really looking its best. Pontiac did
some fairly extensive remodeling on their second generation of GTOs
the very year this one came out - reducing its wheelbase, dropping
its height and reshaping the rear contour of the roofline to a
semi-fastback form, and the aesthetic fruits of that labor are
obvious. Broad across the front, with its signature Endura
monochromatic black bumper - a feature that was ahead of its time
both in terms of aesthetics and impact absorption - sitting
underneath its distinctive split front grille, it's a car that
appears both aggressive and refined at the same time. GTOs of this
era didn't go in for a lot of badging and emblems, leaning instead
towards a more custom-looking, almost aftermarket vibe, but those
that are on display here all represent themselves well.
The black vinyl interior retains its original configuration and is
a great example of late '60s automotive styling. It's more than
road-ready inside, but it could be brought to a whole new level
with some well-focused attention. The buckets up front and bench
seat in back still look fresh and show no tearing across their
surfaces, remaining well-padded and comfortable. As a '68, this GTO
may have a shortened wheelbase relative to its predecessors, but
there's still a lot of room inside here, so you'll get nothing but
contented smiles from your backseat passengers. The dash area sits
nice and level, with all of its original factory gauges still
intact and a solid dash pad above. Refurbishing wooden accents and
gauge lenses certainly isn't the most difficult of restoration
tasks, and it will make a dramatic difference with this venerable
muscle car's interior. The trunk area in back is well aligned and
solid-looking. With no carpet lining to obscure the view, you can
more easily see its clean, damage free floor and wheel wells.
With its original matching numbers 400-cubic inch V8 sitting under
its double-scooped hood, this GTO has the power to match its
aggressive looks. The big block was professionally rebuilt by Wayne
Calvert Racing Engines just a few years ago and was armed with a
pair of Edelbrock aluminum heads and 4-barrel carb to up its
performance. Power readings taken after the rebuild confirmed the
precision of the work performed, yielding undeniably pleasing
results - a full 380 horsepower and an otherworldly 441 ft./lb. of
torque. It's paired with the GTO's original smooth-shifting 3-speed
automatic transmission to make for an authentically stock
drivetrain that's fully up to the rigors of frequent driving. A
high-impact Pontiac classic, it sits on a set of 15" custom wheels
that are outfitted with Cooper Cobra radials.
This 1968 Pontiac GTO offers a great combination of magnetic curb
appeal and well-maintained big block power, and it'll no doubt get
lots of looks out on the boulevard. Call today!