[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by Old Man Taylor

It turned out that he broke, so I ended up winning that day after all.

LOL!

In this game, ya just never know.

The guys in the local speed shops here used to try to get dad to say what his plans were for the upcoming weekend, so that they would know which track(s) to avoid...



K

[Tom Vaught]

Originally Posted by Old Man Taylor

I was an avid reader of Drag News in those days. A few weeks before I took my car back out to Lions, I read about Pete running 12.86 at Bee Line in Arizona with a 4 barrel. When I showed up at the track he had his '64 there. I figured I was OK as he was in Formula 6 with a 4 barrel, and I was in Formula 2 with a tri-power. When I went to look at his car it had a tri-power on it. They decided to try that and see how it performed. I knew I couldn't run even close to his car, so I corked it up so that all I had to do to drive home was put the hub caps back on. It turned out that he broke, so I ended up winning that day after all. I tried to get some info out of him about what he had done to the car. All he would admit to was running an experimental Pontiac cam shaft. ANY cam was allowable in AHRA. In those days the "stock" class racers were pretty tight lipped.

I have seen some "factory 744 camshafts" that actually spec-ed out at 250-255 at .050 duration (made by Lunati).

Tom Vaught

[NYGTO]

Being a purist at heart I'd like to find a set of Bucrons to run on.

[NYGTO]

Here's my 3:55's (25in.) and 3:90's (22in.) compared to the stock tire height.

Can you tell I'm ready go?

Only four months till the track opens!

[aceaceca]

A 64 GTO post coupe, close ratio 4 spd, 3:90 posi, tri power with mechanical linkage, same 12 degrees initial and 32 total timing, Doug four tube headers, Crane H302 cam, fuel cool can, and M&H slicks that did not provide enough bite. Best time 13.16 at Eastex and Gay Pontiac drag strip , Houston, Texas.

[evilarkie]

I read a lot of the posts and couldnt help myself as I am about as original as they come. I bought my 64 GTO Convertible 4bbl 4 speed with only power steering in May 1964 in Ft Smith Arkansas. It was sitting on the show room floor and the dealer wouldnt let me take it out to test drive so I had to drive a tripower coupe instead. Since it was only 50 years ago, my memory is that there was not enough difference in performance to make up for the problems of keeping the three carbs tuned. OBTW, did I mention, I still have the car and have just now started doing some of the mechanical updates such as repairing the brakes and replacing seals. It was parked in dry storage for way too many years as I relocated due to my job so when I finally got it in my own garage again, I started piddling with it.
To put it in perspective, I never took it to the track. I never lost a stop light drag and never did really run it for times. I have loved the car now for all of the 50 years that my name has been on the title and I still have the original warranty card and owner's manual just in case i need warranty service. The 389 has never been touched, and the only things that have ever been changed on it are the water pump and oil.
Now that I have started trying to learn how to work on stuff, I am running up against stuff that I can't find information about ANYWHERE. So, wish me luck and hopefully I can get the goat back on the road before I assume room temperature.
Carl 1owner64gto@triad.rr.com

[Greg Reid]

Originally Posted by evilarkie

I read a lot of the posts and couldnt help myself as I am about as original as they come. I bought my 64 GTO Convertible 4bbl 4 speed with only power steering in May 1964 in Ft Smith Arkansas. It was sitting on the show room floor and the dealer wouldnt let me take it out to test drive so I had to drive a tripower coupe instead. Since it was only 50 years ago, my memory is that there was not enough difference in performance to make up for the problems of keeping the three carbs tuned. OBTW, did I mention, I still have the car and have just now started doing some of the mechanical updates such as repairing the brakes and replacing seals. It was parked in dry storage for way too many years as I relocated due to my job so when I finally got it in my own garage again, I started piddling with it.
To put it in perspective, I never took it to the track. I never lost a stop light drag and never did really run it for times. I have loved the car now for all of the 50 years that my name has been on the title and I still have the original warranty card and owner's manual just in case i need warranty service. The 389 has never been touched, and the only things that have ever been changed on it are the water pump and oil.
Now that I have started trying to learn how to work on stuff, I am running up against stuff that I can't find information about ANYWHERE. So, wish me luck and hopefully I can get the goat back on the road before I assume room temperature.
Carl 1owner64gto@triad.rr.com

Wow...what a great story and a great looking GTO. You've come to the right place for help...but I suspect they'll be requiring MORE PHOTOS!

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

Originally Posted by evilarkie

Now that I have started trying to learn how to work on stuff, I am running up against stuff that I can't find information about ANYWHERE.

Man that car is beautiful.
I really like the ones with color-keyed interior / exterior - especially the teal/turq examples.

Hope to see it someday.
I am outside of Greensboro area.

Welcome to PY Forum
We Can Help !

[Rich-Tripower]

The (old) GTO has never been running in my personal memory so I can't provide any input on GTOs from back in the day, but how about a little cross-make rivalry? My 1965 Malibu SS has the L79 (350hp/327ci) engine with a wide ratio 4-speed and a 3.31 posi. Many years ago, with a very inexperienced driver (me, have only ever made about a dozen timed passes) and a set of slicks and a COMPLETELY bone stock engine and drivetrain I was able to net a best of 14.93 at about 92mph. These small blocks respond very well to headers and deeper gears so I'm sure it could do a lot better given a little help mechanically but it is and will remain stock.

Anyway, an anecdotal story about my Chevelle came from the owner of the dealership it originally came from who told me a great story of how this car took down a 64 GTO in a best 2 out of 3 street race (the Chevelle won both of the first two runs) on main street in their small town. Don't know any details about the GTO in question or even how accurate the story is, but it's fun to share with my Pontiac buddies. To be honest though, given the consistant MPH my Chevelle can make, I can't imagine in stock form it could consistently compete with stock GTOs with capable drivers however.

[AdamIsAdam]

Cool thread! Love the first hand stories. Man, I was born too late. Lol.

[Tom Vaught]

Originally Posted by AdamIsAdam

Cool thread! Love the first hand stories. Man, I was born too late. Lol.

Maybe for the GTO Generation, But I will tell you that NEVER has Pontiac PERFORMANCE been like it is today. The KRE Guys running in the 5s, Pontiac engines running twin turbo and Supercharged times in the mid to low 6s, "Street" GTOs with the capability to easily run 10 second times with 275 DR Tires.

So you actually are in the Peak Era of Pontiac Performance vs "Missing Out" on the Performance deal.

Tom V.

[AdamIsAdam]

True. Plus, nowadays one can walk into a dealership and buy several different 12 seconds cars (Shelby mustang, ZL1, Mopar Hellcat!) and drive to the track comfortably, at 80, w/AC, and get 20+ MPG in the process.

But it's just not the same as the legend in our own minds. :-)