First year of the revolutionary second-generation GTO
The GTO, inspired by Ferrari’s legendary 250 GTO, was released in 1963 to much excitement. The vehicle’s production ran for four generations until 1974, when it was discontinued, save for a brief fifth-generation revival production run in Australia as the Holden Monaro.
The second generation, which today’s feature is a vanguard year model, featured less blocky, more curvy ‘semi-fastback’ design elements, as well as a departure from the formerly signature single hood scoop to new, smaller dual ones. The 1968 GTO also saw the debut of the ‘Endura’ front bumper, designed to be almost completely immune to low-speed impacts and bounce back from deformations. These were heavily marketed by Pontiac on the 1968 GTO and are still considered treasured collectibles today by some enthusiasts.
This particular GTO saw an extensive refurbishment in the early 1990s and an engine rebuild in either 2017 or 2021 (or potentially both; the listing offers both dates for the rebuild in different sections). The current owner claims to have added only 6,000 miles since the purchase in 2016.
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Mayfair lady
The pale yellow coating on this gorgeous machine is Mayfair Maize, and the color is the factory original, but with a repaint as part of the restoration in the early 1990s. The Endura front bumper sits jutting off the front, framing a two-part grille, with the driver’s side portion featuring silver ‘GTO’ block lettering atop the mesh. A thin raised bump runs along the entire front and hood, flanked by the twin scoops on the hood that were new to the 1968 model year. The rear bumper is chrome and comes in a blocky, solid line piece with a dip in the middle.
The black convertible top is a replacement, also from the 1990s restoration, but it does feature full power extension and retraction. Pontiac badging can be found on the sides, front, and rear, and silver block lettering ‘GTO’ can also be found on the back. Rounding out the outside, 15″ Cragar S/S five-spoke wheels are shod in BFGoodrich Radial T/A tires.
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A classic look with modern conveniences
The entire cabin was touched up about 30 years ago, with several modern features added that don’t look out of place. The original manual shifter has been replaced with a silver Hurst T-handle shifter, which looks elegant and timeless. An AM radio has also been included, seamlessly blending into the wood paneling on the dashboard.
The two front bucket seats and rear bench are reupholstered in black vinyl, as is the padded dash where it’s not covered in rich wood paneling. A heater and defroster are included, but no air conditioning. The tri-spoke steering wheel features power steering at least, with a black clad rim, polished aluminum spokes, and a green translucent roundel in the center with the Pontiac logo.
New Rally instrumentation is present, with a 0-120 mph speedometer in the middle, flanked by an analog clock on the right and a combi-gauge for engine temp, oil, and fuel on the right. The owner indicates that the fuel gauge reads a little low, while the engine temperature gauge actually reads high. There is also a tiny 8,000 rpm tachometer and a more accurate temperature gauge installed on the bottom of the dashboard.
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Equipped with a great V8
Under the hood is a completely rebuilt 400ci (6.6L) V8 with a single four-barrel carburetor. There is some confusion as to when the work was done, with the listing mentioning in two different sections that the rebuild was effected in 2017, the year after the current owner’s purchase, and that it was also rebuilt sometime in 2021.
In any case, this arrangement of engine and carb is rated for about 350 hp and 445 lb-ft of torque, a monstrous amount for a vehicle this size, giving plenty of pick-up and acceleration. All that power is sent to the rear wheels by way of a four-speed manual transmission, and all the fumes and heat are pushed out through a custom dual-exhaust system. All four wheels feature drum brakes, and the odometer shows 19,000 miles, though the true mileage is unknown.
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Final thoughts: A fine addition to any collection
The Pontiac GTO is a pillar of American Muscle, and this 1968 model, which ushered in the second generation, was a milestone that saw several important changes and revisions to the design. The factory color is retained, if updated, and while there have been some liberties taken in the cabin and a rebuild under the hood, the car mostly retains the same curves and lines that made it charming back then, and collectible today. If you’re looking for a showy piece of American Muscle history, you could do far worse than picking up this beauty.
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