How to Restore Your Pontiac GTO: 1964-1974

by Donald Keefe

The photos in this edition are black and white. Starting life as a hopped-up Tempest, the 1964 Pontiac GTO featured a 389 V-8, heavy-duty suspension, quick steering ratio, dual exhaust, and a floor shifter. Equipped with this performance package, the GTO set itself apart from other pedestrian coupes of the same era, and it made history. Many regard it as the first muscle car. As muscle car wars reached fevered pitch, the GTO would establish itself as one of the most prominent performance cars of the era, and from 1964-1972, more than 500,000 GTOs were built.

You are shown different levels of restoration and afforded the information to select the right type of restoration for your particular car. This book covers how to verify the authenticity of your particular car, the most desirable models to restore, and option information. Like our other Restoration Series books, this new entry focuses on the actual hands-on, how-to procedures for restoring a GTO to its original condition. Each chapter illustrates the key procedures for completing a specific portion of the restoration project with detailed captions and color photographs.

"How to Restore Your Pontiac GTO" covers all aspects of restoration - engines and drivelines, bodywork, interior and trim, suspension, brakes, chassis, and steering. The book provides guidance to assess your facilities, ability to do the work, and then determine the best course for completing the work. Sourcing and selecting the best parts for your restoration is also covered. If you are restoring any GTO of this time period, this book will be a valuable resource for years to come.

178 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Don Keefe has been writing about cars professionally since 1988 and in that time, has become one of the leading experts on Pontiacs, as well as American experimental and non-production cars. His byline and photography have appeared in High Performance Pontiac, Collectible Automobile, Hemmings Classic Cars, The Barrett-Jackson Experience, USA Today and Pontiacracing.com. Additionally, he has written promotional material for Pontiac-GMC and TV scripts for Speed TV and has appeared on the History Channel’s Dream Machines. Don lives in western New York and is currently the editor-in-chief of Smoke Signals, the official magazine of the Pontiac-Oakland Club International.