Pontiac's GTO is often credited as being the first muscle car. As model year 1966 ended, an astounding 96,946 GTOs traversed Pontiac assembly lines, which set a high-water mark that would cement the GOAT as the most salable muscle car that was produced during the golden age of performance.
Author David Bonaskiewich examines this model year in precise detail, taking into account every cosmetic change and optional hardware that warranted this sales boom. The Coke-bottle styling for the remodeled GTO certainly tipped the scales for some consumers. However, as they say, "The devil is in the details."
This book delves into those details, showcasing the vast array of optional equipment across its three bodystyles (hardtop, sports coupe, and convertible). Thorough examinations of the drivetrain, interior, suspension, brakes, and wheels and tires are exhaustive, which unveils exactly why the 1966 GTO was the most successful muscle car ever assembled.
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Chapter 1: Pontiac History
“Bunkie” Knudsen
Pete Estes and John DeLorean
Tempest
AMA and GM Racing Bans
Super Duty
Birth of a Legend: 1964 GTO
Refined for 1965
1967
1968–1969
1970–1972
1973–1974
2004–2006
Chapter 2: Design and Concept
Muscle Car Fever
GM, Ford, and Chrysler Competition
Tempest and LeMans
GTO Becomes Its Own ModelGTO Bodystyles 29
Chapter 3: Marketing and Promotion
Jim Wangers
Advertising Campaigns in 1966
Royal Pontiac and the GeeTO Tigers
Chapter 4: Hardware
389 Engines
Tri-Power
A.I.R.
Exhaust
Transmissions
Rear End
Interior
Suspension and Brakes
Wheels and Tires
Chapter 5: Legacy and Present-Day Trends
GTO Clubs and Resources
Original-Owner Cars
Day Two GTOs
Auction Prices
Appendix I: Production Figures
Appendix II: Interior, Exterior, and Cordova/Convertible Top Colors
Appendix III: Options List
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