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We hear the same thing over and over: “I love GTOs but they’ve gotten too expensive.†We also hear a lot of guys say, “I just want a driver, I don’t need a show car.†Well, if you’ve felt that way, then you should take a good look at this 1967 Pontiac GTO. Yes, it’s a real GTO with PHS paperwork to back it up. It’s also a rather rare Sports Coupe (AKA 2-door “postâ€), which is by far the rarest of all GTO body styles with only 7029 being built. It’s mostly original with an older repaint, and is powered by a genuine Pontiac 400 cubic inch V8 with the original, numbers-matching 400 included on the side. It’s quite clean, not perfect, but clean, and it’s hard to argue with the price. You want a real GTO that’s a great driver, this is a very good choice. According to the cowl tag and the PHS paperwork, this is indeed an unusual Cameo Ivory on Parchment Sports Coupe, and surely there were only a handful of those built in 1967. It wears an older repaint, probably dating back to the ‘80s, so don’t expect it to win trophies. However, despite some minor checking on the rear deck, it’s in really decent shape and doesn’t really need to be repainted—that kind of defeats the whole “affordable GTO†angle. Instead, it looks decent from even five feet away and the sheetmetal is quite straight because it’s never been totally disassembled. Nobody will make fun of this Goat, I promise! It’s also quite liberating to drive a car that doesn’t need constant mothering at a show (think of how much you’ll save on spray wax!) and that doesn’t run for cover when dark clouds show up. It does have some nice chrome, including the bumpers and mesh grille, the proper GTO emblems are where they belong, and it even carries original T3 headlight bulbs, which are probably worth a few hundred bucks by themselves. It looks pretty darned good and will certainly stand out at the local cruise night just because of the unusual body style and color combination, and it needs no excuses from the guy who owns it. The docs say it should have a Parchment interior, and that’s what’s in this GTO today. Hard to say what’s original and what’s reproduction because it all looks pretty consistent. The front seats are probably too nice to be original, but if they are reproduction seat covers they’re very good quality—check out how deep the pleats are. You don’t get that with the cheap modern stuff. The black carpets are probably also replacements, but they might have been done a while ago, and with the original door panels and dash pad, everything has mellowed into a consistent, well-preserved look. You’ll quickly spot a set of optional gauges in the woodgrained dash, including a factory tach, and they all work like they should. It also includes the legendary “His-n-Hers†shifter for the TH400 3-speed automatic transmission, and it’s a lot of fun to jam it over there to the right and rack it through the gears yourself. The original AM radio is offline, but do you really care about what awfulness is currently available on AM radio? Meh. The passenger gets their grab handle and the back seat is in great shape. The only real demerit in the passenger compartment is the headliner, which has some damage behind the sun visors, but those are relatively cheap and easy. The trunk is clean and neatly outfitted with a reproduction mat and full-sized spare with jack assembly. The engine is a later Pontiac 400 cubic inch V8, which is what is supposed to be there anyway. It’s coded Y9, which suggests it’s from a 1976 model and that’s OK, because it’s the same thing they were using in ’67 (the original matching-numbers YS-coded 400 block is included with the car if you really need a matching-numbers car). Personally, I don’t much care the matching-numbers nonsense, especially when cars run as beautifully as this Poncho does. Turn the key and it fires easily and after a few moments of grumpiness on the choke, this sucker is ready to hurt someone. It’s turbine smooth but kicks the lightweight GTO forward like there’s a JATO rocket strapped to the rear bumper. It snarls and barks like a proper muscle car, throttle response is like a scalpel, and it just works. Stomp around with your foot on the floor and you may never stop smiling. Seriously, this thing is an absolute party to drive and the minute you punch it, you’ll forget all that other nonsense you were worried about. It looks right, thanks to corporate turquoise engine enamel, chrome valve covers, and a GTO louvered air cleaner assembly. There’s an Edelbrock 4-barrel carburetor and aluminum intake manifold, which are part of the reason this sucker runs so well, and a giant radiator keeps it nice and cool no matter what you do. It also has a new master cylinder, fresh battery, a recent tune-up, belts and hoses, and all that stuff so it’s ready to enjoy. Just get in and start having fun. It really is that easy with a car like this. Underneath, it’s clean but obviously not shiny and perfect. The body has never been off the frame, but check out how solid and clean those floors are. The rockers are just as nice, protected by a thin layer of undercoating. The TH400 3-speed automatic transmission was rebuilt at some point and since it’s the single most durable automatic gearbox ever invented, go ahead and have some fun. Out back, a sturdy GM 10-bolt rear shrugs off the 400’s torque and has relatively tame 3.36 gears inside so it’s comfortable on the highway. Factory cast iron exhaust manifolds are good for reliability because they’re not prone to leaking and there’s a recent Flowmaster dual exhaust system that sounds heroic, both at idle and hammering down the road. As a full-sized car, this GTO also rides pretty darned well and power steering and brakes mean anyone can get in and go without any prep at all. It’s sitting on correct Rally II wheels that are probably original to the car, as well as a set of right-sized 215/75/14 Goodyear radials that fill the fenders perfectly. Documentation is quite good, including the original Protect-O-Plate, owner’s manual, shop manual, some receipts for recent work (new starter and master cylinder, which is nice), reference books, and the aforementioned PHS documentation. And, of course, the original block and crank are included, too. You’ll figure out how to get it home. Don’t focus on the stupid stuff. You want a GTO that’s a blast to drive, this is it. You want a GTO you can afford that doesn’t need a lot more money poured into it, this is it. You want a GTO that will stand out because it’s legitimately rare, this is it. And if you just want a car that won’t hassle you, well, this is it. I don’t want your phone call where you whine about the headliner or matching numbers or colors—I’ll hang up on you. No, I want to hear from a guy who wants to go out, burn some rubber, and grin like a mental patient while he’s doing it. Because I have his GTO right here.
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