#1  
Old 06-29-2016, 10:24 PM
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Default The Competition

Just had these two out together and had to snap a few photos. I'll let you decide which one wins. One or the other is going the wrong way.....



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  #2  
Old 06-29-2016, 10:30 PM
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The GTO wins on styling alone.

All of the early GM A-body cars look good, but Pontiac was a cut above them all.

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Old 06-30-2016, 06:58 AM
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I like them both but the rear wheel wells of the GTO are so much better than the Chevelle. Nice cars - congrats.

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Old 07-01-2016, 07:31 AM
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Yes, very nice Rich! You should be proud of your accomplishments, and rightly so.
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Old 07-05-2016, 09:53 PM
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Is the Malibu SS an L79 ?

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64 GTO convertible, gone but not forgotten
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Old 07-06-2016, 08:22 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gto_ron View Post
Is the Malibu SS an L79 ?
Yes. Just like the GTO, it is the real deal, paperwork and all. And having driven both of them quite a bit, I'd say the quickest one is.......oh, wait, the wife is calling me......


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Old 07-06-2016, 07:24 PM
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The Sunfire '64 wins hands down. Always was a fan of the '64-'67 Chevelles, but the dash and interior layout is totally inferior to Pontiac. No competition. And then you start getting into the details, and the Malibu/Chevelle is obviously the cheaper car. Like 'em a lot, but the Pontiac is a better looking and better laid out car.

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Old 07-06-2016, 08:21 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rich-Tripower View Post
Yes. Just like the GTO, it is the real deal, paperwork and all. And having driven both of them quite a bit, I'd say the quickest one is.......oh, wait, the wife is calling me......

Okay, I'll bite.

So I gather you think the Chevelle is quicker.

Seat of the pants, or track numbers?

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Old 07-06-2016, 08:56 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rich-Tripower View Post
.......oh, wait, the wife is calling me......

Been there, done that! Lol

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Old 07-06-2016, 11:08 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by geeteeohguy View Post
The Sunfire '64 wins hands down. Always was a fan of the '64-'67 Chevelles, but the dash and interior layout is totally inferior to Pontiac. No competition. And then you start getting into the details, and the Malibu/Chevelle is obviously the cheaper car. Like 'em a lot, but the Pontiac is a better looking and better laid out car.
This is one of the funniest posts I've read in a long time. Not trying to be a smartalec, just struck me as very funny to someone who has worked heavily on both cars and driven both quite a bit. I cursed the GTO during most of the final build process and by then I had quite a bit of experience putting cars like these together though this was my first Pontiac build. I've restored the Chevelle twice and my Chevelle wagon and those just fell together like a dream. The GTO fought me every single step of the way so to me maybe it is just personal!

Looks are subjective, both have their own appeal.

They are BOTH incredibly cheap cars when you get right down to it and having rebuilt both of these cars myself I'd have to give the win to the Chevy on the front end sheetmetal engineering side alone. Good golly Pontiac, KISS. How many and how many different fasteners can you use to bolt together a front clip? Nothing fit well on the GTO, everything needed tweaked and other than trim everything that went back on the car is what came off of this same car during the restoration. The Chevy uses fewer bolts and fewer kinds of bolts yet seems to be more solidly assembled. From the cowl back there isn't a lot of difference other than how the bumpers attach. Just my personal observations.

Drivetrains are a toss up, depends on if you prefer raw low-end torque or high end, high winding power. Both are a lot of fun in their own ways and you need to adapt your driving style to the cars' strengths and weaknesses.

Other than where the ignition switch and heater controls are placed, the interior layouts are pretty much the same. I suppose the dash layout preference is which you experienced first or most often. I've had the Chevelle for 35 years so I am more familiar with that one. I much prefer the tach position in the Chevelle, but neither is really that great in placement or readability (both are too small and too low to read at a glance and both take your eyes off the road pretty dramatically).

Quote:
Originally Posted by b-man View Post
Okay, I'll bite.

So I gather you think the Chevelle is quicker.

Seat of the pants, or track numbers?
The comparison is seat of the pants since we've not had the GTO to the track since the restoration was complete. If I was pressed, I'd say GTO out of the hole (love that torque!) for sure but the Chevelle could catch it at the top end if the race were long enough. The Chevelle would never win in the 1/8th mile for example. It would really boil down to which car had the better driver as overall they'd be closely matched in the quarter. As they sit the GTO has a slight (3.31 vs. 3.55) gearing advantage so the Chevelle might not be able to overcome that advantage but the L79 has a broader useable RPM range and noticeably lighter curb weight. Add headers, super tuning and better gears to both and it would still be close but I think the GTO's torque advantage would begin to show a distinct advantage even though the GTO spots the Chevelle a distinct weight advantage. No replacement for displacement and torque is king.

But then, my 2006 GTO would eat both of them for lunch! And in the end, it really doesn't matter because all of them put a SEG on my face any time I drive them. Will have to talk to cousin Bob about taking them both to the track at the same time for some bragging rights. Problem is he lives 500 miles away from me (I still have the car here though) and the closest track is 100 miles further than that. He used to drag race the GTO regularly (never modified it other than gears and improved fuel lines and tuning) so he'd be right at home with it at the track.

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Old 07-07-2016, 12:23 PM
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A good friend of mine has the same pair, almost. '65 GTO 389 4 spd 3.36 gear, Holley carb, and a '65 Malibu SS, built 355, 4 spd, 3.36 gear, vortec heads, Holley carb. He just sold the Chevelle, it was a knockout of a car: Willow green, black gut, torque thrusts. I drove both cars, and found the Chevelle to be quicker off the line and the possible winner in an eighth mile. The GTO had much more torque....the way it pulls in 3rd and 4th is harder than the Chevelle.....in this case, the GTO would beat the Chevelle in a 1/4 mile race or one that was a bit longer. After the top of second gear, the goat had the torque advantage. But the Chevelle got out of the hole like a jack in the box. Also, compared to the '65 GTO, the stamped aluminum grille and trim of the Chevelle comes off as cheap. (similar to a '64 GTO!) Your mileage may vary.

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Old 07-07-2016, 03:12 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by geeteeohguy View Post
A good friend of mine has the same pair, almost. '65 GTO 389 4 spd 3.36 gear, Holley carb, and a '65 Malibu SS, built 355, 4 spd, 3.36 gear, vortec heads, Holley carb. He just sold the Chevelle, it was a knockout of a car: Willow green, black gut, torque thrusts. I drove both cars, and found the Chevelle to be quicker off the line and the possible winner in an eighth mile. The GTO had much more torque....the way it pulls in 3rd and 4th is harder than the Chevelle.....in this case, the GTO would beat the Chevelle in a 1/4 mile race or one that was a bit longer. After the top of second gear, the goat had the torque advantage. But the Chevelle got out of the hole like a jack in the box. Also, compared to the '65 GTO, the stamped aluminum grille and trim of the Chevelle comes off as cheap. (similar to a '64 GTO!) Your mileage may vary.
I've never been a huge fan of the front of the 64 GTO but the rear end treatment is pure gold. Both cars are traction limited with stock style tires. Gearing doesn't help get out of the hole quickly, both could benefit from some gears in the 3.73 range. The L79 would love 3.90s or 4.10s but it already sings pretty good on the highway with 3.31s. Both would greatly benefit from headers. The GTO does have stainless trim in most places while the Chevelle has aluminum trim most places, but they pretty much look the same to me until you get real close.

Personally, I'd love to have a full set of '65s: Gran Sport, 442, Malibu SS and GTO. I'm a quarter of the way there.

I've had my L79 for 35 years and am a BIG fan of that engine so maybe I'm biased, just a little. The L79 surprised more than a few big block cars back in the day, no doubt about that.

The first time I got my foot into the tripower though I became a big fan of that set up too! What a sound. My cousin is much better at driving the GTO than I will ever be though. I guess I'm just a little afraid to hammer on it too hard since it isn't actually my car though he lets me drive it anytime I want since it is still sitting in my garage almost three years since it was finished.

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Old 07-11-2016, 06:17 PM
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Great stuff, Rich. I agree the L79 is a helluva engine, and basically bulletproof. I too wouldn't mind having a quartet of GM's '65 A-bodied finest. They all have their good points, and all are solid and attractive cars.

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