The 1964 Pontiac GTO was released on October 1, 1963, and fired up a Tri-Powered 389 CID V8 engine that, once ignited, was heard ’round the World.
With the creation of the GTO, Pontiac Motor Division kicked off a revolution of factory-built high-performance cars that caught all of the other auto manufacturers off guard… including its parent company, General Motors.
At the time, General Motors (GM) had the policy to cap the motor size to 330 CID V8 in a midsized car. However, everyone knew the quicker way to horsepower was more cubic inches.
Under the leadership of John DeLorean and with the help of Jim Wagners, these two figured out a loophole where they snuck in the full-zed car engine as part of an option package.
As the story goes, the 1964 Pontiac GTO was born and became the first car of the muscle car era.
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The Genesis of the 1964 Pontiac GTO
If Pontiac Motor Division (PMD) would reach the youth market and capture their attention and pocketbooks, DeLorean and Wagners knew they couldn’t simply repeat what had been done in years past.
DeLorean and Wagners did what all the hot rodders of the day were already doing… they stuffed a full-sized car engine into a lighter-weight mid-sized car and bolted on a bunch of performance parts. It was a clever and effective magic formula.
What was the magic formula?
… Priced less than $3,000? Check!
.. Mid-sized lightweight car? Check!
… Full size car V8 engine? Check!
… A trio of optional two-barrel carbs? Check!
… Optional close-ratio 4-speed gearbox? Check!
… Dual exhaust? Check!
… Safe-T-Track positraction differential? Check!
The 1964 GTO checked all the right boxes for over 30,000 buyers. While sales initially started out slow, Pontiac sold six times its projected figures, with 32,450 units sold in the first year of production alone.
What helped catapult sales was a cover story featured in Car & Driver magazine. In its March 1964 issue, they declared the 1964 Pontiac GTO was faster in the quarter-mile than its namesake—the Ferrari 250 GTO.
While it has been rumored that Pontiac had swapped the block with a 421 CID V8 engine, the fact remains that it was in print as a Royal Bobcat tuned 389 CID V8, and, more importantly, people believed it.
With a base 389 VID V8 engine and options like a 4-speed manual transmission, Tri-Power carburetors, and positraction, it’s no wonder the Pontiac GTO became known as the first muscle car.
What does GTO stand for?
GTO stands for “Gran Turismo Omolgato“, which, loosely translated from Italian, means it’s a car certified to engage in various types of racing competitions. The GTO name was inspired by the successful Ferrari 250 GTO Italian race car. It was a marketing move made by John DeLorean to (not so subtly) state his GTO was an American-made performance car that meant business.
“In racing terms, ‘G.T.O.’ means ‘Gran Turismo Omologato.’ In Pontiac language, these three letters designate a special, white-hot Tempest.”
– Bob McVay, Motor Trend, Jan 1964.
1964 Pontiac GTO Option Package
In 1964, the Pontiac GTO option could be added to a Pontiac Tempest model on either a hardtop, coupe, or convertible body style for $295—the equivalent of $2,400 in today’s dollars.
When the GTO option was selected, it included roughly a dozen cosmetic and performance upgrades that transformed it from a grocery-getter to the quintessential muscle car we all know and love today.
1964 GTO Specs
- 389 CID V8 engine with 325 HP (24,205 produced)
- 4-barrel Carter AFB carb
- 3-Speed manual transmission
- Hurst shifter
- Heavy-duty suspension
- Dual exhaust
- Chrome valve covers
- Chrome air cleaner
- Special hood (with nonfunctional hood scoops)
- GTO badges (interior and exterior)
- Redline US Royal Tiger Paw tires
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1964 Pontiac GTO Options
Upgrading a 1964 GTO was as simple as a checkmark.
Comfort and Convenience Options
- Power steering
- Power brakes
- Power title driver’s seat
- Power windows
- Custom air conditioner
- Tinted glass all around (or just the windshield)
- Washers
- Two-speed wipers
- Seven-position tilting steering wheel
- Padded dash
- Console
- Radio
- Electric antenna
- Regular rear seat speakers
- Reverberating rear seat speakers
- Luggage compartment light
- Ski racks
- Removable luggage carrier
- Deluxe wheel discs
- Wire wheel discs
- Custom wheel discs
- Black or white fabric top
- Rayon cord whitewalls (optional at no cost)
Performance Options
- 389 CID V8 engine with 348 HP with tri-power carbs (8,245 produced)
- 4-speed wide ratio manual transmission (M20) with Hurst Shifter
- 4-speed close-ratio manual transmission (M21) with Hurst Shifter
- 2-Speed Super Turbine 300 automatic transmission
- Metallic brake linings
- Heavy-duty radiator
- Safe-T-Track limited-slip differential
- Custom sports steering wheel
- Handing kit (extra-stiff shocks and 20:1 quiet steering)
- Extra stiff shocks (alone)
- Tachometer
- Rally clock
- Vacuum gauge
- Exhaust splitters (Dealer-installed option)
- Mechanical 3-2BBL carburetor linkage
- High-performance full transistor (breakerless) ignition
1964 Pontiac GTO Specs
- Wheelbase: 115 inches
- Length: 203 inches
- Overall width: 73 inches
- Height: 53.5 inches (hardtop and coupe)
- Height: 53.6 inches (convertible)
- Shipping weight: 3,272 (Coupe)
- Shipping weight: 3,292 (Hardtop)
- Shipping weight: 3,422 (Convertible)
Production Figures
- Coupes: 7,384
- Hardtop: 18,422
- Convertibles: 6,644
- Total: 32,450
Original Cost
The original MSRP sticker price for a 1964 Pontiac GTO was $2,810. The GTO package represented $295 of the total sticker price.
Engine Specs
- Type: ohv V-8
- Bore and Stroke: 4.06 x 3.75
- Displacement: 389
- Compression ratio: 10.75:1
- Carburation: 1-4BBL
- Bhp: 325 @ 4,800
- Torque, lb-ft: 428 @ 3,200
Tri-Power Engine Specs
- Type: ohv V-8
- Bore and Stroke: 4.06 x 3.75
- Displacement: 389
- Compression ratio: 10.75:1
- Carburation: 3-2BBL
- Bhp: 348 @ 4,900
- Torque, lb-ft: 428 @ 3,600
Quarter-Mile Performance
Car & Driver clocked a 389 CID V8 with Tri-Power 0-60 time at 4.8 seconds with a quarter-mile time of 13.1 seconds @ 115 mph.
Motor Trend clocked the base 389 (325 HP) 0-60 at 7.7 seconds with a quarter-mile time of 15.8 sec @ 93 mph.
Road & Track clocked the 0-60 times of the tri-power version (348 HP) at 5.7 seconds with a quarter-mile time of 14.1 sec @ 104.2 mph.
Ryan
Ryan has owned muscle cars since 1986 and currently owns a 1972 Dodge Charger Rallye. He combines passion and experience to create engaging content for fellow muscle car enthusiasts. In 2018, he founded Muscle Cars Illustrated, authoring hundreds of articles on tips, history, and trends in the muscle car industry. He attends national car shows, auctions, and museums to stay current with the latest developments in the muscle car industry.
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