Unusual 4-speed GTO 2-door sedan (AKA 2-door “post). Nice older restoration in rare but correct colors. Later 455 that runs great and pulls strong. Restored interior with correct seat covers and new carpeting. Fast, clean, fun GTO ready to enjoy!

You don’t become a legend by accident, and the Pontiac GTO achieved its legendary status by combining performance, price, and style in a way that had never been done before. Today, as in the ‘60s, that combination generates new fans every day and makes the guys who were there want them even more. That’s why we like this 1966 GTO 2-door sedan so much—it delivers the goods. The 2-door sedan with a post between the door and quarter windows was the rarest GTO body style, but the one most highly sought by racers because it’s lighter and stronger than the standard hardtop. That alone should give you some idea of this Goat’s seriousness of intent. But this is no boy racer, and that’s obvious with the code W Platinum paint job, a subtle color that was on the 1966 paint charts but seldom selected. It looks awesome here, so we’re kind of scratching our heads at that one. Underneath, there’s some clean bodywork that emphasizes the sleek look, which was all-new for 1966. You’ll also find some nice chrome that was obviously restored when the car was refinished a few years ago, all of which makes it look very much like a GTO should look.

The black bucket seat interior was restored to mostly factory specs, and yes, that’s a 4-speed shifter in the center console. New seat covers, replacement carpets, and correct door panels make it feel right when you slide behind the wheel, although there are a few upgrades to help with the experience. That fat steering wheel is a nice upgrade over the usual skinny plastic pieces found in cars of the era and there are auxiliary gauges and a tach to help you keep an eye on the engine up front. A Hurst shifter manages the 4-speed manual gearbox and there’s a cool carbon-fiber applique on the dash that looks both traditional and high tech at the same time. There’s also an AM/FM radio in the dash, complete with speaker selector, and it all works as it should. Even the clock keeps good time—nice! WE believe the headliner was replaced at the same time as the rest of the interior, and there are some wrinkles on the C-pillar, but the flash from our camera makes it look worse than it is. The trunk is finished with a correct mat and a full-sized spare with jack assembly and cover.

The nice thing about Pontiac V8 engines is that they’re virtually identical externally, so the 455 that’s under the hood now slips right into the spot that was originally occupied by a 389. In fact, without the decal on the air cleaner telling you about the extra 66 cubic inches, the engine bay would look quite correct. There’s Pontiac Turquoise engine enamel, factory intake and exhaust manifolds, and a big 4-barrel carburetor underneath the chrome air cleaner. There’s also a recent wiring harness, a big radiator up front, and both power steering and power brakes are part of the package. It cranks over easily, starts quickly, and idles with the kind of muscular lope that you’d expect from something wearing GTO badges. You can feel the extra cubes on the road where this thing is just effortless in everything it does and if you row the 4-speed properly, it’s shockingly fast. Looking around under there you’ll also find clean original floors and rockers, a 10-bolt rear end with what we believe to be 3.23 gears inside, and a Flowmaster exhaust system for an awesome soundtrack. Suspension and brakes are stock and in good order, and it sits on period Keystone wheels with fat 215/70/14 radials all around.

This is not a show car but replace that air cleaner decal with a proper 389 piece and it’ll certainly pass muster at 80% of the shows you attend. But is that the point of a GTO? I would argue that it’s much better to turn the key, row the gears, and listen to that big V8 sing its song. The GTO is still magic after all these years. Call today!

Harwood Motors always recommends and welcomes personal or professional inspections of any vehicle in our inventory prior to purchase.