The Worst GTO?

Okay... I'll admit from the last post, I didn't "just look at" the car in western Iowa, I bought it.  The 1974 GTO is a car I've always liked in terms of appearance.  It was the last of the twentieth century GTOs, from a time when gasoline and insurance costs effectively killed the prospects of increased performance in cars.

 

1974 GTO

 

The basic concept of the original Pontiac GTO was to stuff a big engine in a small-to-midsize car.  That fundamentally changed through the '60s and '70s, as the GM A-Body (1973) car grew to a stout 3900 lbs and over 207" of length. The first (1964) GTO was 3500 lb and 203" long.

 

1964 GTO

 

 1973 GTO

 

Today, GTO enthusiasts put the '73 and '74 at the bottom of the popularity list, and still argue over which car is worse. Early '70s buyers, voting with their wallets, said the better car was the 1974 with 7058 units selling.  The 1973 sold 4806 cars, only 68% of 1974 sales. In my opinion the 1973 had more of a Grandpa look (like me) than a muscular look.  In fact, it looks like the '73 would be faster if driven in reverse. Did Pontiac put the body on backwards?  The base 1974 GTO was also about $200 less than the base 1973 GTO.  Not as much luxury, but more of a muscle car feel with the 1974.

 

 

 

Bringing home the goods

 



I find the '74 GTO body style, based on GM's X-Body, to be considerably more brawny looking.  It also seems more consistent with the initial intent of the GTO.  The '74 was 3600 lbs and 199" long (including those awful federally mandated 5 mph-crash bumpers).  That's 300 lbs lighter and 8" shorter than the 1973, and nearly identical to the 1964.  The '73 came available with either a 400ci/225hp or 455ci/250hp engine, while sadly the 1974 only came with a 350ci/200hp engine.  That put the weight-to-power ratio for the 1973's 400 and the 1974's 350 at about the same level.
 

Where did Pontiac blow-it with the '74 GTO?  Pontiac's Super-Duty 455, available in the Firebird line, should have been an offering for the 1974 GTO.  It would have easily fit, and may have produced the greatest GTO of all.  They gave the GTO the operable reverse air-scoop of the Trans Am... why not the engine?

It looks potent!

On a high note, the 1974's performance was comparable to the 1964's performance, which was good enough to write songs about (Ronny and the Daytonas - Little GTO).

I had a chance to buy a 1973 GTO about 12 years ago in Wheatland Wyoming. I think the price  was $4500.  It was a one owner, low mileage, all original... nice car.  If available, I would buy it today, but I'd hide it in the back of my garage.