1965 Pontiac Tempest GTO 2-Door Hardtop
2024.0041.0001, Generously donated by Jim & Dudley Grove
Engine: 389 cu. in. (6.4L) Cast-iron block, V-8
Output: 256 HP @ 4.600 RPM
Transmission: 4-Speed Manual
Wheelbase: 115 in.
Overall Length: 206
Weight: 3478 lbs.
Top Speed: 115 MPH
No. Produced: 55,722
Original Price: $2,855
Manufacturer: Pontiac
When the 1963 edict banning participation in racing came down from on high, Pontiac engineers recognized an opportunity. Forced off the racetrack, it was time to transfer the company’s performance image to the street. Thanks to engineers Bill Collins and John DeLorean, a 389-powered Tempest was already an experimental project. There was an avid “youth market” looking for a low-priced vehicle, unlike anything their parents drove. DeLorean even had a name for this product—the GTO.
Even though it was affordable, the GTO wasn’t Spartan. Following other Pontiac models, a customer could, with options, build his dream car. From a high performance drag racer to a boulevard cruiser with power and creature comforts, the GTO had no equivalent. Initially part of the Tempest Le Mans series, car insurance was inexpensive. Before long, agents caught on and rates rose dramatically, forcing some owners to make monthly payments. Even this didn’t curb enthusiasm for the GTO.