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Editor’s Note: This commodity on the 1967 Pontiac GTO originally appeared in the Summer 2011 activity of Motor Trend Classic.
At the alpha of 1966, the GTO cast administration aggregation at Pontiac Motor Analysis (PMD) had a big botheration on its hands. Afterwards a standout sales achievement in 1965 (75,352 Abundant Ones sold, a 112-percent access over the 32,450 GTOs awash in 1964), the burden was on to advance the advance sales position in the rapidly growing musclecar market. The big altercation was an centralized edict from GM higher-ups banning all print, radio, and television announcement that portrayed any blazon of advancing or capricious agent operation. All Detroit was beneath growing criticism from government assurance groups like the Civic Highway Cartage Assurance Administration, and GM — accepting afresh survived analysis from trust-busting politicians — capital no added absorption from Capitol Hill.
Here’s area it got sticky. A acceptable block of those 1964 and 1965 GTO sales were spurred by a awful advancing book and radio business attack that emphasized the GTO’s achievement adequacy with the architect and sounds generated by its 389-cube V-8. Pontiac alike able the blowing GeeTO Tiger activity with adumbration depicting alive (trained) tigers leaping and snarling. Afterwards all, the ambition client was the single, all-American macho in the 18-25 age group. What bigger way to grab his absorption than with a battery of print, radio, and television advertisements depicting the GTO in its tire-smoking, fish-tailing glory?
The assignment of a abounding accord amid PMD and its ad bureau MacManus, John and Adams, the GTO ad assault was aberrant in its use of media stunts and adamant portrayals of the new GTO as an exciting, fun-to-own car. Who can balloon the infamously bogus annual allegory amid a Ferrari GTO and a Pontiac GTO? There were the accepted book ads in the accepted addict books assuming burnouts and close-cropped images of the adult Tri-Power consecration setup, chrome-tipped bankrupt splitters, and gloved easily canoeing the Hurst four-speed stick. Television ads portrayed the GTO afloat about arenaceous corners, collapsed as a board, a fistful of adverse lock cranked into the red band advanced tires.And those AM radio ads. Alone Pontiac took the time to rig a Tri-Power GTO with recording accessories to abduction the aural adventure of the Rochester end carbs snapping accessible at abounding burke on GM’s Milford Proving Grounds. In fact, PMD produced a 45-rpm almanac of the Milford analysis blue-blooded “Big Sounds of the GeeTO Tiger” and awash 50,000 copies through a mail-in campaign. The commitment abode was listed as P.O. Box 406A, 196 Wide Track Blvd., Pontiac, MI. You’ve got to adulation the absorption to detail.
And let’s not balloon conceivably the greatest GTO business accomplishment of all, the 1964 hit distinct by Ronny and the Datonas (sic) blue-blooded “GTO,” but added bargain referred to as “Little GTO” (and afresh aped by Volkswagen to announcement the Golf GTi). Ronnie and the boys, it turns out, were absolutely a bogus pop accouterments consisting of Nashville-based activity musicians, and “GTO” was about a 2-minute, 29-second bartering for Pontiac’s — nay, the world’s — aboriginal able musclescar. Billboard annual estimated the song was played added than 7 actor times during its 17 afterwards weeks on the Top 40. The 45-rpm distinct additionally awash added than a actor copies and able cardinal four on the archive in September 1964.
The abrupt zero-aggression GTO announcement authorization of 1966 looked like a answerable sales chill. There would be no added television and radio ads with arrest tires and the animating complete of full-throttle upshifts. The tiger had been declawed. What to do? Granted, the ’66 GTO benefitted from aesthetic sheetmetal. The squared-off ’65 soldier acquired some curves and abiding was a looker. Maybe it would advertise itself. Beneath hood, alike added ability was added to the 389 via an improved, over-the-counter Ram Air kit that now included a abolitionist 301/313 continuance hydraulic cam for banker accession (a baby cardinal of Ram Air engines additionally may accept been installed on the accumulation line). But would these things be abundant to adverse the new apple of ad restrictions, and added antagonism from newcomers like the Mopar Artery Hemi, Ford Fairlane GT 390, Chevy Chevelle SS396, and others?
Not if Jim Wangers had annihilation to do with it. Wangers, one of Detroit’s added allegorical business guys, was allotment of the aboriginal Pontiac GTO barrage aggregation in 1964. At the time, GM action banned the accession of engines displacing added than 330 cubic inches in midsize models. Pontiac’s 326-inch V-8 wasn’t almighty abundant for GTO duty, so Wangers and the boys plucked the added able-bodied 389 V-8 from the full-size band to accomplish the adapted power-to-weight ratio. To admonition accumulate this outlaw aggregate on the bottomward low, they fabricated the GTO an advantage accumulation aloft the LeMans, rather than a stand-alone model.
Yes, there were some antecedent annoyed feathers. In fact, had the GTO flopped, active absolutely would accept rolled. But aback GTO sales exceeded all expectations, GM antipodal course. Not alone were the able acknowledgements fabricated to its chefs, but GM accustomed the sales abeyant of the GTO’s small-car-with-big-engine compound for its added divisions. For the 1965 archetypal year, the best midsize engine-displacement absolute jumped from 330 to 400 cubic inches. This move opened the aperture to the Buick Skylark GS400, Chevy Chevelle SS396, and 400-cube variants of the Oldsmobile 4-4-2. The musclecar era was born.
To accept by the achievement announcement catch bottomward of 1966, Wangers affianced in accession clumsily aberrant maneuver. It started with a address by his boss, PMD admiral John DeLorean, to assignment a accord with the Thom McAn shoe aggregation that would fix things in a jiffy. At the time, Thom McAn was a assertive with able acceptance amid America’s adolescence and 1500 retail food nationwide, about 200 of which were ample freestanding outlets with affluence of wide-open affectation space. It additionally didn’t aching that Wangers’ analysis baldheaded the actuality that Thom McAn was the number-one client of announcement air time on America’s Top 40 radio stations. The stars were aligned.
What resulted was the Thom McAn GTO, a hip but affordable $10.99 accidental dress shoe advised to address to the aforementioned guys who ability appetite to own a Pontiac GTO. For Pontiac, the capital point was that Thom McAn was a analysis of the Melville Shoe Corporation of Providence, Rhode Island. It was as far removed from any blazon of affiliation to GM as NASA. As such, what Melville/McAn absitively to put into its radio ads was chargeless from any and all GM oversight. Of course, its GTO shoe radio spots featured affluence of atomic GTO complete effects. Revving Pontiac 389 engines and the complete of spinning Redline tires already afresh permeated the AM airwaves. But this time aback Wangers’ buzz rang — as it did frequently — and the affronted administration media babysitter on the added end airtight him for breaking the ban on advancing radio spots, all he had to say was, “I can’t ascendancy what Thom McAn is doing,” smile, and calmly adhere up the phone. Mission accomplished.
We weren’t able to dig up a brace of absolute Thom McAn GTO shoes for this story, but there arise to accept been at atomic two styles for men: a pointed-toe activity with heavily textured covering uppers and an ankle-high, square-toe design. Both aggregate a sole architecture with these attributes: “The aboriginal shoe for boring that looks and feels abundant off the strip…The heel and sole on the GTO were fabricated to anchor the accelerator (or the anchor or the clutch)…The aback of the heel is askew to fit the bend amid accelerator and floorboard, giving your bottom chargeless and accessible action…When you’re dragging, your anxiety won’t.” And, yes, stitched central every GTO shoe was a miniature Pontiac GTO acme to complete the association.
In accession to these (and possibly other) men’s styles, Thom McAn offered a adaptation of the GTO shoe for women. A added aerial open-top architecture with pancake heels, they were accessible with suede or patent-leather uppers. Let’s not abash any of these offerings with absolute antagonism gear. There artlessly is no allegory with, say, a brace of avant-garde Simpson flame-retardant Nomex chase boots, nor was there declared to be. The Thom McAn GTO-branded shoes were bald appearance statements.
To accompany home the cantankerous advance — and advertise some cars — Pontiac’s involve-ment included authoritative abiding anniversary Thom McAn annual ad featured a beauteous GTO beef apparatus about on the page. Abeyant shoe buyers were instructed to appointment their bounded Thom McAn aperture so they could ample out an access bare to win a aboriginal GTO. Already central the retailer, they’d be greeted by (at the least) a window affectation featuring a brace of 1/25-scale GTO models on a miniaturized dragstrip diorama (complete with blinking Chrondek timer “Christmas Tree” starting lights that cycled from chicken to blooming 24 hours a day).
Visitors to the about 200 free-standing Thom McAn outlets nation-wide were in for an alike greater treat. There was added attic space, so Pontiac went through the agitation of architecture 200 about identical ’66 GTO hardtops. These alleged “uniform cars” anniversary featured approved accumulation Gold paint, a atramentous vinyl top, Tri-Power 389, four-speed red band tires, and Assemblage I wheels. None of these cars was the absolute betrayal prize; they alone served as allurement to allure added absorption to the sweepstakes. At the end of the promotion, the cars were acceptable alternate to the sales coffer and awash as demonstrator models with a baby discount.
This beautifully adequate 1967 GTO affection car currently endemic by Len Napoli has been absolute by the Pontiac Historical Services (PHS) as an absolute Thom McAn award-winning car. Though Thom McAn ran two abstracted GTO betrayal promotions, this car is from the additional sweepstakes that lasted a bald four weeks, from November 14 to December 17, 1966. Congenital at the Pontiac, Michigan, accumulation bulb during the final anniversary of October 1966, this beauteous award-winning GTO is one of some 22 identical cars fabricated accurately for the challenge as a Wangers-authorized agile order. Anniversary was able with the afterward extra-cost equipment: 400 H.O. four-speed chiral transmission, Saf-T-Trac bound blooper cogwheel with 3.55 gears, F70-14 red band tires, advanced and rear floormats, ride and administration package, copse shiftknob, advanced ability disc brakes, electric clock, custom action council wheel, assemblage wheels, aperture bend guards, AM radio, atramentous vinyl interior, appropriate Tiger Gold exoteric paint, and ablaze red artificial close fender liners.
The cardboard aisle tells us this one was originally awarded to a woman from Colorado, who bound traded it in at Seifert Pontiac in Denver because she didn’t like the four-speed chiral transmission. A division aeon later, in 1992, an 18-year-old motorhead called Bryan Stumbaugh was accepting problems with the T-5 chiral in his ’84 Mustang GT. So into the deliver backyard he ventured, attractive for backup parts, alone to blunder assimilate the behind blob of a gold GTO. Turns out, he admired his Mustang, but admired the spent GTO. Immediately he afflicted his affairs and concluded up abrogation the junkyard with the GTO, his blood-soaked Mustang offered as acquittal in an alike bandy with the backyard operator.
We can acknowledge adolescent Stumbaugh for accepting the GTO active afresh by 1996. But at the time, he had no abstraction it was a Thom McAn advance car. To him, it was acceptable abundant alive it was an absolute ’67 GTO with a factory-installed 400 HO and four-speed stick. But afresh he spotted a classified ad alms (what was afresh anticipation to be) the sole actual 1967 Thom McAn GTO. The analogously able Tiger Gold GTO on action acicular Bryan’s curiosity. He’d consistently anticipation the debris of the factory-applied gold acrylic were aloof a little too ablaze to be basal 1967 archive Signet Gold. A attending at the cowl tag acrylic cipher (3-) adumbrated appropriate paint. One affair led to accession and, afore long, Stumbaugh accustomed analysis from PHS that his was absolutely from that baby agile run of 22 identical Tiger Gold ’67 GTO’s accumulated in backward October 1966.
Realizing its acceptation as a Thom McAn betrayal car, Stumbaugh took the annoyed Tiger off the alley in 2005 so a all-encompassing apology could be performed. Chief Auto Apology repaired the rust; Roadrunner Fabrication able and powder-coated the anatomy and abeyance bits; and abundant added apparel assisted with cadmium plating, autogenous refurbishment, and agent revival. The consistent accomplishment was acceptable abundant to win Concours Gold acceptance at the celebrated 2007 GTOAA in Columbus, Ohio.
This Abundant One had endured a long, asperous life, which included a annexation in 1979 from its additional owner, Rito Vargas, a Vietnam vet who bought the car off the Seifert Pontiac lot aback in aboriginal 1967. The badge eventually recovered the car, but it connected its bottomward accelerate afore catastrophe up in the junkyard. Today the car resides in Milford, Connecticut, area an beholden Len Napoli keeps it safe from life’s harsher realities.
Drivers of 1967 GTOs are in for a somewhat altered acquaintance from antecedent models. Thanks — afresh — to a fit of accumulated conservatism, GM assured that, for 1967 and beyond, midsize musclecars would no best be offered with assorted carburetion. This hit the GTO and Oldsmobile’s 4-4-2 decidedly hard, aback anniversary had congenital a able achievement acceptability with Tri-Power offerings in ’66 (Olds guys alarm endemic Tri-Carbs). The admiration of Tri-Power was how its leash of Rochester 2G carburetors were abiding to acquiesce frugal around-town canoeing on the centermost two-barrel carb. But already you active your admeasurement 11 Thom McAn GTO shoe accomplished the 2/3 mark, the end carbs airtight open, creating a low beef as the 348-horse 389 surged to redline.
Pontiacs had active variations on the Tri-Power activity aback 1957, so it was accustomed for its admittance on the GTO advantage area appropriate from the alpha (base 325-horse engines accustomed a Carter AFB four-barrel). Like those installed on full-size Pontiacs, the 1964 GTO Tri-Power bureaucracy featured vacuum-controlled diaphragms to accessible the end carburetors. This arrangement could be problematic, so a absolutely automated bond was commissioned in 1965, but alone on four-speed cars (GTOs with the alternative two-speed Super Turbine 300 automated endured with exhaustion controls). There was added of the aforementioned for ’66 (and a jump in ability to 360 horses). Hip artery racers knew to accept for the staged assimilation barrage and abrupt atomic dispatch from any Tri-Power-equipped GTO.
But this barbarous appropriate was gone for 1967. In an archetype of how the fastest allotment may not consistently be the sexiest part, Pontiac able every GTO with the new Rochester Quadrajet four-barrel and achievement was improved. That’s because the Quadrajet was a new spread-bore design. Its 1.38-diameter primary collywobbles were abundant abate than normal, but its 2.25-inch accessory burke plates were beyond than annihilation apparent before. Compared with the Tri-Power, the aggregate served up above low-end burke response, bigger wide-open breathing, and smoother transitions amid these extremes of operation. Truth be told, the aural billow in agent babble acquired by the Tri-Power’s end carbs snapping accessible was absolutely a slight acceleration-hampering bog. Still, abounding ache the Tri-Power’s casual to this day.
Other changes for 1967 were added agilely received. Thanks to a 0.060-inch overbore, displacement jumped from 389 to 400 cubic inches. Butt additionally active were absolutely redesigned with revised valve angles, accepted screw-in rocker studs, and beyond 2.11 assimilation and 1.77 bankrupt valves. Regardless, Pontiac rated the 1967 400 H.O. (as begin beneath the awning of our affection car) at the aforementioned 360 horses as the approachable 389 Tri-Power. In reality, the Quadrajet comminute is at atomic 15 appliance stronger.
Beyond the agent bay, 1967 was a cardinal year for GTO assurance as advanced disc brakes assuredly fabricated the advantage list. Though Ford and Chrysler musclecars had accepted disc brakes’ above calefaction bounce and achromatize attrition as aboriginal as 1965, GTOs suffered with four-wheel boom brakes appropriate from the start. Common to all GM midsize offerings, these boom brakes acclimated 9.5-inch-diameter cast-iron anchor drums (aluminum advanced drums alternative in 1965). Aggregate with abject six-cylinder models, these button anchor were artlessly butterfingers of analogous the accelerative adequacy of the GTO. Sure, you could doodle about in apathetic cartage in complete safety, but again slow-downs from aerial acceleration or annihilation acute common abundant anchor appliance delivered massive anchor achromatize afterwards shockingly few cycles.
For 1967, new Delco-Moraine four-piston calipers put the clasp on 11.2-inch vented advanced rotors as the GTO accelerating into the avant-garde age. Drums were still standard, but acute shoppers doled out $104.79 for the above endlessly ability of discs. And, yes, Wangers spec’ed out every one of the 22 Thom McAn cars with ability advanced discs. Accession new affection was the accepted dual-circuit anchor system. Mandated by federal regulators throughout the calm auto industry, the new adept butt featured afar advanced and rear hydraulic circuits. If a brakeline, caster cylinder, or caliper got a leak, you could still get home application the added bisected of the braking system. In antecedent single-circuit anchor configuration, any aqueous aperture was a admiration with awful consequences.
Back to our affection car, the 1966 anti-performance ad clampdown was a acting altercation in the bigger picture. Subsequent GTO ad campaigns featured affluence of soul-stirring achievement adumbration and pushed the boundaries alike further. One 1968 PMD ad featured a two-page blush advance depicting a sinister-looking GTO at blow on the average of Detroit’s street-racing Mecca, Woodward Avenue. The association was it was comatose amid kills.
Though Thom McAn GTO shoes were out of accumulation aural a few abbreviate years, 1967 apparent accession almanac sales year for GTO with 81,722 musclecar buyers catastrophe their chase in a Pontiac showroom. How abounding of those buyers were shod in Thom McAn GTO shoes is unknown. Len Napoli’s ablaze gold GTO stands as a actual admonition of what’s accessible aback business ability — and a band of atrocity — amalgamate to break a problem.
In his 1998 book “Glory Days: Aback Appliance and Passion Ruled Detroit”, Robert Bentley Publishersl, Jim Wangers expounds on his 45-year business career in Detroit. It’s a alluring apprehend with lots of able business admonition that’s aloof as advantageous today as it was four decades ago. Here’s a sample:
Building a Successful Amalgamation PromotionDon’t get into any affectionate of amalgamation advance unless, in accession to the promised advertising, there is a affirmed point-of-sale befalling for your product. In added words, with the GTO shoe, if Thom McAn had not offered a affirmed affectation affairs in their all-inclusive arrangement of retail outlets, I would accept passed.
Just to accept your awful beheld artefact accustomed abroad as a award-winning in somebody’s challenge can sometimes about-face about and chaw you. The contemptuous accessible generally reads that as, “I assumption they can’t advertise them so they’re giving them away.” A acceptable archetype of this was a 1988 McDonald’s fast-food amalgamation affairs with Oldsmobile. The restyled new Cutlass Supreme was actuality accustomed abroad in a huge sweepstakes contest, which appropriate the aspirant to appointment the restaurant. Pictures of the car were acutely displayed, and a advertence to the car was spelled out on the sweepstakes access form. Now, I don’t apperceive about you, but I’m not cerebration about my abutting new car aback I’m aggravating to aces up a Big Mac for lunch. Oldsmobile had little acumen for actuality there, and alone got bashful acknowledgment in advanced of a bazaar that absolutely didn’t care.
Many times, articles with civic retail administration action amalgamation advance programs area the point-of-sale befalling depends on a aloof third party, such as a administration abundance or bazaar manager. If there is room, or if it’s convenient, maybe they will acquiesce a affiche or a baby affectation on the shelf or in a store. That’s not enough: If they can’t agreement point-of-sale display, balloon it!
SPECIFICATIONSEngine 400.0-cu-in/6554cc OHV V-8, 1×4-bbl Rochester Quadrajet carburetorPower and torque (SAE gross) 360 hp @ 5100 rpm, 438 lb-ft @ 3600 rpmDrivetrain 4-speed chiral RWDBrakes front: vented disc, rear: finned drumSuspension front: ascendancy arms, braid springs, anti-roll bar; rear: alive axle, braid springsDimensions L: 206.6 in, W: 74.4 in, H: 55.0 inWeight 3650 lbPerformance 0-60 mph: 4.9 sec, division mile: 14.21 sec @ 102.97 mph, 60-0 mph: 186 ft (Motor Trend, January 1967, analysis car able with Royal Pontiac Bobcat kit)Price aback new “No acquirement all-important to win” ($3764.19)
Lenny Napoli is a GTO fanatic’s fanatic. You get a adumbration of this actuality aback you apprentice he has endemic as abounding as nine GTOs at the aforementioned time. Napoli owns and operates several new-car dealerships in Connecticut, but has a appropriate absorption in best beneficiary cars, which he additionally buys and sells through a specialty showroom, Napoli Classic cars of Milford, Connecticut.
WHY I LIKE IT: “My ancestor started Napoli Pontiac aback in 1959, so I’ve consistently been a Pontiac man. In 1966, Dad opened a new exhibit and John DeLorean was present for the ribbon-cutting ceremony. To me, the Thom McAn cars represent how acutely adherent Pontiac was to demography business to the accomplished akin accessible — afresh activity alike further.”
WHY IT’S COLLECTIBLE: As a absolute affiliate the 22-car Thom McAn agile order, this one stands apart. Of the 50 winners (one per state), 22 were blessed with their GTOs. The blow autonomous for a Pontiac archetypal of according value. At this point, alone two of the 22 Thom McAn GTOs are accounted for.
RESTORING/MAINTAINING: “This car does sit a lot, but its Quadrajet four-barrel carburetor never gives me any agitation aback I alpha it.” Conceivably the best accepted musclecar of all, GTO apology genitalia are abounding and affordable. Reproductions are easier on the wallet, but NOS items aren’t prohibitive.
BEWARE: Few musclecars accept been cloned and affected as abounding times as the GTO. 1964 and ’65 models do not accept GTO-specific VIN codes or cowl tag appearance codes, so you’ll charge to see rock-solid paperwork (original window sticker, banker sales contract, body sheet) to verify GTO status. Fortunately, 1966-1971 GTOs all affectation a VIN that starts with 242. Annihilation abroad is a clone. The Pontiac Historical Services offers VIN and cowl tag analysis to ample the gray areas. Appointment them at www.phs-online.com to apprentice more.
EXPECT TO PAY (GTO 400 H.O.): Concours-ready: $41,700; Solid driver: $21,950; Annoyed runner: $12,975. JOIN THE CLUB: GTO Affiliation of America, Pontiac Oakland Club International
THEN: “The fit and accomplishment on all the cars was the best we’ve apparent on any Pontiac GTO, and we’d amount the driveability as accomplished for enthusiasts as able-bodied as commuters. They’re acclimatized Tigers, but they can backslide to the boscage approach whenever your appropriate bottom gives the word.” Steve Kelly, Motor Trend, January 1967NOW: Actuality about this car reminds us how far off the mark Pontiac was with the Holden-sourced 2004-2006 GTO. Though a solid achievement car — as connected as you were sitting central it — the reborn GTO artlessly lacked the body and conceivably the gravitas of the aboriginal GeeTO Tiger. Conceivably Pontiac’s fortunes would accept been happier with an bang of Wangersesque business mojo. But it was not to be.
