For Sale at Auction: 1969 Pontiac GTO in Newport, Rhode Island

Chassis No. 242679B175672
Engine No. 29B175672

This 1969 Pontiac GTO Ram Air III convertible combines the era's most desirable performance package with the openness of drop-top motoring. This 1969 Pontiac GTO Ram Air III convertible combines the era's most desirable performance package with the openness of drop-top motoring. What set the Ram Air III apart from a standard 400 was its cold-air induction with functional hood scoops that fed outside air directly into the four-barrel carburetor. It also paired that induction system with high-flow, round-port cast-iron heads, intake and exhaust manifolds, and a hotter camshaft than the base 400. It was noticeably freer breathing with a stronger top-end pull than a standard GTO of the same displacement, and in the case of this car was paired with the close-ratio four-speed manual transmission, Hurst T-handle shifter, and Safe-T-Track heavy-duty differential. A hood-mounted tachometer, Rally gauge cluster, custom sport steering wheel, and center console complete a cockpit built for spirited driving, while front disc brakes, heavy-duty springs and shocks, and a heavy-duty radiator round out the Ride & Handling package as noted on its original build sheet.

A copy of its original window sticker shows it was originally sold by Ted Papp Pontiac of Riverton, New Jersey, with a base price of $3,382 and a final window sticker of $4,421.63 (nearly half of the era's $9,430 median family income, and over 43-percent more expensive than a base Pontiac Catalina sedan). Today it remains a beautifully presented numbers-matching example. Restored as originally specified in Crystal Turquoise and shows 67,000 miles that are believed to be original.

One of just a select few Ram Air III, four-speed convertibles built for 1969, this numbers-matching GTO is backed by a continuous ownership history dating to 1972, including a copy of the original factory build sheet recovered from beneath the driver's seat and a copy of its original window sticker from Pontiac Historic Services. Outfitted with Goodyear Red Line Polyglas tires, matching top boot, AM radio with an eight-track player, power brakes, power top, and seat belts, it still carries its factory-rated 366 horsepower and 445 lb-ft of torque into the open air. It is a prized example of one of Pontiac's most rambunctious performers of the era and stands ready to deliver the same visceral thrill buyers chased new off the showroom floor in 1969.