Faults:

During the short time I owned it, only the clutch had to be replaced.

General Comments:

I bought a used 1964 Pontiac GTO when I was 18 years old. I‘m now 77. I loved the car and it ran great. It had a 389 ci engine with a four speed transmission. Unfortunately, my draft designation was 1A and in 1966 I enlisted in the Army because I didn’t want to get drafted. The car sat until I came home from basic training, although my uncle stopped by to occasionally take it for a spin. The car was eventually sold to a friend who told me he drove it across the Mohave desert at 115 mph. He eventually sold it to a young lady who was attending a nearby college. If I had a safe, decent place to keep a restored 1964 GTO, I wouldn’t hesitate to buy another one.

Faults:

The rear axle went out at 45,000 miles, but since I was towing a small trailer at speeds of over 70 mph I believe it was my fault for putting too much of a strain on it.

It burned about a quart of oil a month which does not seem unusual for a high-performance car of the time.

It quickly became sluggish unless it was regularly and properly tuned and timed, which I did at least every two months.

General Comments:

The '64 GTO was the first of the breed and for an introductory year surprisingly little was wrong with it. Combining the track-tested Pontiac workhorse 389 motor, a reliable drive train and a super light weight body made for results that inspired awe and true driving excitement. Quite a few of my friends also had GTO's, but those far heavier 65-70s models couldn't keep pace with my little goat. Neither could the 442's, Grand Sports or even most Corvettes. It was also a great highway cruiser seeming most relaxed in the 80-90 mph range with plenty of reserve left if you wanted to give it a little more go. Additionally it was a comfortable car to drive and the fit and finish were up to the benchmark GM standard of the day. A regular routine of waxing, polishing and maintenance was all that was needed to keep the elements from doing damage to the fragile materials used in those times. Better brakes and handling would have been appreciated, but this car was built for straight line power and that's what it delivered. I have no doubt I would still own the car today if it hadn't been stolen. Shame on Pontiac for putting that storied 3-letter nameplate on yet another abomination.