Matching-numbers. 35,070 original miles. PHS documented. Rotisserie restoration with photos and receipts. Factory A/C. Multiple award winner. Known ownership history from new. Exceptional.
The restoration is exemplary and given the quality of the base stock from Texas, that shouldn’t be a surprise. There’s an extensive photo album that accompanies the car showing the multiple stages of the frame-off work, and the results speak for themselves. The paint is correct code R Montero Red, which is how the car was originally delivered. You can see the quality of the finish work on the original quarters simply by sighting down its flanks, where you won’t find any ripples or waves. Gaps are as the factory did it, no better and no worse, which is how the GTO Association prefers to see the cars (no over-restoration permitted!). The paint is modern urethane, so it should look great for years to come with only modest maintenance and given that it has been driven so seldom, there are no notable demerits that we need to mention. A single white pinstripe follows the contours of the fenders and all the chrome and stainless trim has been restored or replaced with high-quality reproduction parts. This car extremely well detailed in every way that matters.
The unusual red-on-red combination this GTO wears is complete, with the cowl tag indicating code 222-B, which is red vinyl buckets. They’re just beautifully done. Of course, everything is new inside the car, including carpets, door panels, dash pad, and the woodgrained appliques on the dash, making it look quite crisp in person. The three-spoke steering wheel frames unrestored factory gauges that are all fully operational, including the clock. There’s also a factory AM radio and, of course, the A/C blows ice cold thanks to a recent service. The center console was optional and houses the standard shifter for the PowerGlide automatic transmission, which was the only automatic available in ’66. Overhead there’s a white power convertible top that’s so beautifully fitted that we were hesitant to fold it for photos, and it stows under a matching red boot that uses Pontiac’s irritating plastic clips to hold it in place. There’s also a highly detailed trunk with correct mats, a full-sized spare with jack assembly, and exactly zero rust issues hiding underneath.
Mechanically, this GTO carries its original YS-coded 389 cubic inch V8 with a 4-barrel carburetor. With only 35,000 miles on it, the engine needed little more than fresh gaskets and seals and a full clean up to be ready for show, and it runs superbly—this is not your run-of-the-mill trailer queen. When it was first completed, it carried a factory Tri-Power setup which was incorrect for this particular car. After being docked those points in competition, it was retrofitted with a correct intake manifold and 4-barrel, which it wears today (the Tri-Power setup is available to the car’s next owner, please contact us for details). It’s highly detailed and quite exact, from the decals and hose clamps to the Pontiac Turquoise paint. The Frigidaire A/C compressor dominates the top of the engine bay and it has been recently serviced so the system works correctly. There’s also a proper louvered air cleaner, reproduction Delco battery (it had a tar-top battery in it, which was another demerit leading to the Sliver Concours score), and a new wiring harness. It starts easily and idles well, and if you want a GTO to drive, this one will suit you just fine because it works like you’d expect from a low-mileage car with an insanely expensive restoration.
The chassis is equally well detailed with proper fittings and colors throughout. Check out the immaculate floor pans, the laser-straight frame that has never been hit, and the rebuilt brake and suspension systems. The PowerGlide shifts easily and the torquey 389 pulls it around with the kind of enthusiasm you’d expect from a GTO. The exhaust system is not quite stock and includes Flowmaster mufflers that sound awesome, but this was another few points that cost the car its Gold award and it’s easily rectified if you want. 3.23 gears out back certainly help make it feel relaxed on the road and it has been fitted with correct spiral shocks. Pontiac Rally I wheels always look great, and these are fitted with reproduction F70-14 Firestone redline tires that look great and have lots of life left in them.
Documentation, as I mentioned, is extensive. There’s a full PHS package proving this car is everything we claim it is. There are also titles for previous owners establishing an unbroken ownership change and backing up the mileage claim, receipts for restoration work, and a large photo album documenting the entire restoration start-to-finish. Other niceties include judging sheets from competition to rectify any remaining demerits and a set of owner’s manuals.
People call all the time and ask about what a car isn’t instead of what it is. Well, this car doesn’t have any holes in its pedigree that need filling. It is gorgeous, heavily documented, authentic, and ready to enjoy. Cold A/C in a bright red GTO convertible on a summer afternoon sounds like an ideal way to spend your free time and there are many who will argue that the ’66 GTO is the most attractive of all. This car gets everything right and has no needs. If you want the best, this might be it, all at a price that’s a fraction of the cost to get it there. Call today!
For more details and photos, please visit www.HarwoodMotors.com
