[1stgenbird]

I was fortunate recently to acquire a 65 GTO with tripower at a great price. The car is in beautiful condition inside and out and runs great. I purchased from a Canadian friend that lives about 12 hours drive from me and has owned it since 1997 but decided he had too many toys so time to sell the GTO. He claimed it had the original engine per the person he purchased it from in North Carolina. It was originally a Powerglide but the previous owner converted to a Muncie M-20.
I rented a u-haul trailer and hauled it home from Canada.
As I become more familiar with the car, I don't believe the tripower is a 65 but a 66 as the choke is the intake manifold stove type. I know in cars of this vintage, manufacturers may change up parts mid-year. As this car was built in Jan 1965, would Pontiac have begun installing 66 intakes mid model year? I have yet to pull #s from the carbs.

[Tom Vaught]

Never have seen a 66 Tri-Power Intake on a 65 GTO Tri-Power engine in production.

I would look at the Engine Code for the 65 GTO as well as the date codes and cast numbers on the cylinder heads. Then Post those up on the forum.

Tom V.

[pfilean]

I think if you check the date code on the manifold you will find it way later than the build date for the car. Then do as Tom suggests and check the engine code on the engine and see if it came with a tri-power.

It is common for these to have had a tri power added. I know at local cruise nights there are a couple of GTOs (one 65 and one 66) that often get parked near each other. The 65 has a 66 manifold and the 66 has a 65 manifold. I wish these guys would come with some wrenches and make a trade.

[rexs73gto]

It's very simple to see the difference in 65 vs 66. The 65 has a center carb that is smaller then the front & rear carbs. The 66 has all the same size carbs on it. If you look at the carbs you can see the difference & if you can't see or tell if it's the same size or smaller all you need to do is pull the front & center carb to see if there different. VERY SIMPLE.

[geeteeohguy]

My April, 29 1965 built '65 GTO has the original tripower set-up it was born with, and it's a '65 set-up. '66 intakes were only originally installed on '66 cars. MANY earlier cars were retrofitted to '66 TP intakes in later years. PHS or, if you have it, the POP will tell you if your car actually was an original tripower car. Most of them were not.

[Ron Landis]

Originally Posted by rexs73gto

It's very simple to see the difference in 65 vs 66. The 65 has a center carb that is smaller then the front & rear carbs. The 66 has all the same size carbs on it. If you look at the carbs you can see the difference & if you can't see or tell if it's the same size or smaller all you need to do is pull the front & center carb to see if there different. VERY SIMPLE.

the air cleaner bases are different diameters...no need to pull any carbs.

[KEN CROCIE]

Of the 8245 '64 GTO's produced with tri powers only 19,645 remain.

[Dick Boneske]

Originally Posted by KEN CROCIE

Of the 8245 '64 GTO's produced with tri powers only 19,645 remain.

That's probably true!! LOL. Many were removed from '64 Bonnevilles bought by old guys like us who didn't open the end carbs at all, resulting in varnish and endless problems 'til the dealer said "Let's put a AFB on and end the problems!" Same thing happened in '57/'58 with both Olds and Pontiac.

[Tom Vaught]

Originally Posted by Dick Boneske

That's probably true!! LOL. Many were removed from '64 Bonnevilles bought by old guys like us who didn't open the end carbs at all, resulting in varnish and endless problems 'til the dealer said "Let's put a AFB on and end the problems!" Same thing happened in '57/'58 with both Olds and Pontiac.

I have bought a bunch of those 63-64 Tri-Power carbs over the years (for very reasonable prices. So I have an opinion about one thing on the 1964 Tri-Power Intakes. I would like some solid info vs my opinions on the deal:

I have seen 1964 Tri-Power Intakes with a double raised casting on the water cross-overs and have seen Tri-Powers without the double raised casting on the water cross-over.

Both supposedly in the early 70s time frame were documented as true 64 GTO Tri-Power Intake Manifolds. Please provide some facts on this deal.

Tom V.

[Dick Boneske]

The two raised ribs on the casting behind the water outlet is found only on later '64 manifolds. I believe the change was made in January, '64.

The many '64 manifolds I've had dated pre-January, '64 do not have the two ribs.

Maybe others can zero in on the date of the change, but I can only say I believe it was sometime in January.

[FHummel]

Originally Posted by 1stgenbird

I was fortunate recently to acquire a 65 GTO with tripower at a great price. The car is in beautiful condition inside and out and runs great. I purchased from a Canadian friend that lives about 12 hours drive from me and has owned it since 1997 but decided he had too many toys so time to sell the GTO. He claimed it had the original engine per the person he purchased it from in North Carolina. It was originally a Powerglide but the previous owner converted to a Muncie M-20.
I rented a u-haul trailer and hauled it home from Canada.
As I become more familiar with the car, I don't believe the tripower is a 65 but a 66 as the choke is the intake manifold stove type. I know in cars of this vintage, manufacturers may change up parts mid-year. As this car was built in Jan 1965, would Pontiac have begun installing 66 intakes mid model year? I have yet to pull #s from the carbs.

The '65 GTO tripower would have the two large end carbs and smaller center carb with the tube-to-choke setup - no '65s had '66 trips installed by factory. The engine code in your car (if original) would be stamped 'YR' for a correct '65. The Pontiac 2 speed auto was not a Powerglide, but rather an ST-200 (super turbine). No parts of the aforementioned automatics were interchangeable. I have a total numbers matching '65 GTO with all the correct parts as it left the factory in April of '65. Look on the center carb for a vacuum slide switch. All automatics left the factory with vacuum operated front and rear carbs and the center carb vacuum slide switch brought in the front and rear carbs simultaneously via the other vacuum/mechanical linkage/parts. If you'd like more info let me know.

FHummel

[carbking]

Originally Posted by 1stgenbird

He claimed it had the original engine per the person he purchased it from in North Carolina.

EVERY older vehicle that I have ever purchased had either:

(A) the original engine
(B) the original engine but it has been rebuilt

This was true even of the Jeep with the 6-cylinder Jaguar engine in the engine bay with the cylinder head in the back!

Pontiac installed no 1966 intakes on production 1965 engines, just as there were no 1967 tripower GTO's.

Enjoy the car for what it is, not for what someone told you it was when they sold it to you.

Jon.

[Tom Vaught]

Originally Posted by carbking

Enjoy the car for what it is, not for what someone told you it was when they sold it to you. Jon.

At the end of the day, only you and your family can enjoy the car to the fullest so do not worry so much about the time line of changes over the years (because the car has been modded in the past).

Enjoy the car for what it is today.

Rarely, do any of the "big boys" drive their classics on the street. Jay Leno being an exception.

Others make the cars as perfect as they can get them but at the end of the day the final cost is they broke even on what they spent, lost money on the deal, or are too afraid to drive and enjoy the car.

Nothing on my 50+ year old 64 GTO is perfect these days. It is a decent survivor type car.

Not really worth much to anyone but me. I have had people tell me it would make a good parts car for another restoration. 'If you say so bub!"

Happy Thanksgiving and a Merry Christmas to all in another month.

Tom V.

[NEW64OWNER]

Did you buy the PHS docs for your 65? That tells you what it came with. Obviously if the intake has the divorce choke set up it is a 66 not 65, not a big deal in my book unless you want an absolute matching every thing car. If it's an original 3x 2car then having a 66 replacement is the next best thing. My 64 is a PHS documented 3x2 car but it has a 66 engine, I'm currently installing a 66 tripower to make it look as it came basically, almost.