[Jerry H.]

Been owning and restoring 65 GTO's for over 30 years but never, ever heard of a 65 with a bench seat. How about this one. Claims to have documentation.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...e=STRK:MEWA:IT

[Jerry H.]

Been owning and restoring 65 GTO's for over 30 years but never, ever heard of a 65 with a bench seat. How about this one. Claims to have documentation.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...e=STRK:MEWA:IT

[bdk1976]

That's crazy. Would love to see the docs on that car (if indeed legit).

Funny that they used the Tempest door panels, though. I have seen split bench seats with the Lemans/GTO covers (diagonal pattern) on them before - were they aftermarket? Or perhaps Tempest Custom? If they existed, I would figure it to be very odd that they were not used in this case.

[bdk1976]

Just noticed that it is a 5N/Pontiac car...tough to make out the interior code on it from the pic, though.

[The Champ]

Never heard or seen of one either, but he claims to have the PHS documentation and the original window sticker and order form.

As with any '64 or '65 GTO, I would have to see the PHS info regardless of whether or not it had the 5N code.

He claims it's rare, but is a bench seat car with column shift desireable???

[Jurassicgto]

Desireable? Hell yes.
Haven't you heard that song from "Cake"

"stick shifts and safety belts, bucket seats have all got to go. When I'm driving, I need my baby close to me."

[Andre]

Something about that car just isn't right.

I suppose you could have gotten a car with a power bench seat, but I would have thought that it would have the interior scheme of a '65 Lemans 4 door bench seat, and not the 2tone Tempest interior. Also noted the door panel emblem is from a '64 Lemans.

There really are not enough pictures to tell the story on this car, but I think it started it's life as a Tempest Custom.

[gtoric]

Since bench seats were not offered on the Le Mans series, there is definately something wrong with this picture. I really don't like the door panels. Love to see the PHS paperwork on this car.

[bigpop]

i just EMed this person on some specific questions and to reiterate in his return EM what the paperwork says to verify the bench seat.My only quess that it may be legit is that it may have been a special car for one of the major autoshows in 65 that showcased the 65 GTO.I know of a Bonneville that had weird options that made the circuit in 65.This sounds VERY fishy to me.If he returns my request,I will post his reply.I am not counting on anything substantive. bigpop

[Zimtok]

I beleive it could happen.

My borther inlaw had a 69 Chevelle SS, four speed on the floor with a bench seat. He knew it was orriginal because his uncle ordered it from the factory that way.

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[bdk1976]

Bench seat was not an RPO on the GTO in 64/65 as it was in later years (or on 69 chevelles).

[BOB VIDAN]

Damn it Andre, I scratched my head until I got bald trying to see what didn't look right about that car and think you are dead right on the door panel emblem and interior. Emblem is 64 only to my knowledge and interior looks 64 also.

[Tom Vaught]

I believe Mike Cooper (of 63 Tempest fame)
was supposed to have a unique 64 GTO seat
combination too! Don't remember if it was a
bench seat deal or the three on the tree column deal.

As far as being able to put a bench seat in a 65 GTO, my brother-in-law had a FACTORY 65 442
Olds (4 speed naturally) with bench seat so I do know the other brands offered it.

Agree that the car is built with 64 door trim.

Forgot to look and see when the car was made.
Did anyone see that info?

Tom V.

[mike nixon]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by gtoric:
Since bench seats were not offered on the Le Mans series, there is definately something wrong with this picture. I really don't like the door panels. Love to see the PHS paperwork on this car. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

so what you're saying here is that all leman's came with buckets if i read this correctly?

i know this statement is wrong because there were a bunch of bench cars sold in this area.

as for the column shift, that's not uncommon in a gto you just don't see them much anymore.

the 3spd cloumn shift was the std trans for these cars. you had to order the hd 3spd to get the floor shift.

i agree with andre on the door panels and emblems, they look to be 64 units. the rest of the car is entirely possible i think. i'd like to see the documentation on it tho.

mike

[gtoric]

Mike, I meant that the 2-door style Le Mans series did not receive bench seats in 1964 or '65. The only RPO choics that were offered in those two years, that related to seating, was a power assist option and heavy duty springs/cushions. A choice of seating configurations was not on the books. If you wanted a bench seat, you had to order a Tempest or Tempest Custom or a 4-dr sedan Le Mans. If you had to have buckets, you got a Le Mans or special ordered a Tempest Custom 4-dr sedan or Safari with buckets. Have you ever seen a 2-dr '64 or '65 Tempest with factory installed bucket seats?

Part of the reason that the GTO option was not offered on the Tempest or Tempest Custom was that bucket seats were part of the GTO RPO, and bucket seat interiors weren't to be had in the 2-dr Tempests. By '66 the notch-back strato bench seat became a special order RPO for the Le Mans and GTO.

I'm not saying that there is absolutely no possibility that a 1965 GTO did not get built with a bench seat. We all know that some pretty strange equipment got installed into cars 40 years ago. If you knew the right strings to pull, you could get just about anything that you wanted. Pre-production and concept cars are another matter. I am saying that a bench seat in a '65 Le Mans/GTO was not an offered option.

If a broadcast sheet or PHS documentation can dispute my contention, I will stand corrected.

[bigpop]

Hum,no reply from the seller on my request for documentation.Draw your own conclusions.In my EM to him,I stated that I was very serious about buying this car if he could provide the information to show it's uniqueness and rarity..My conclusion,a bull**** artist trying to make a fast buck from an unaware buyer,pitiful.

[stevep]

There is a guy on the MA./CT.border with a 65 bench seat GTO.It has the GTO/Lemans seat pattern with a fold down center armrest.I didn't see any paperwork,but if someone made this seat,they did a great job.
He bought the car this way and is a legit guy.

[Tom Vaught]

I looked at my original literature for the 64 Tempest/Lemans
seat offerings again last night and the pattern looks like a Tempest Custom S pattern for a 64. Same deal for the door trim.

The pic I have shows the Wide "bars" in the seat pattern for the 64 seat.

I thought a couple of times about having a GP fold-down arm rest built into a rear seat along with a proper rear speaker deal for a 64 Convertible (vs the mickey Mouse cardboard box inder the cloth deal. Never happened.

Tom V.

[Jim Doran]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by stevep:
There is a guy on the MA./CT.border with a 65 bench seat GTO.It has the GTO/Lemans seat pattern with a fold down center armrest.I didn't see any paperwork,but if someone made this seat,they did a great job.
He bought the car this way and is a legit guy. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

SteveP, the gentleman you are referring to is Paul. He is a friend of mine. He does in fact have what you describe, however I have not seen the documentation. He does claim it to be legit and he owns over 10 GTOs with most being 65. I have some pics of his car, but nothing substantial on the interior.

[Goatoligst]

Yes I have and the owner claims it is factory.
I also have seen back in 1967 A friend of mine ordered a 1967 GTO H/T and it came with Lemans Interior. Including the grab handle. Obviosly a pontiac screw up.