Muscle Cars in Detail No. 8: 1964 Pontiac GTO CT590

Entertainment Book of 1964 Pontiac GTO; 389 V-8 By Bunkie Knudsen, John DeLorean, Bill Collins

Muscle Cars in Detail No. 8: 1964 Pontiac GTO

By the mid-1960s, the American automotive market was yearning for faster, more responsive, and sportier cars—and a crew of high performance enthusiasts at Pontiac recognized this. Large V8s were commonly installed in full-size cars, but performance was hampered by pure chassis weight. Under the guidance of Bunkie Knudsen, John DeLorean, Bill Collins, and others, Pontiac installed the high-performance 389 V8 into the nimble and lightweight intermediate-size LeMans chassis. It was a watershed moment for Pontiac; the 1964 GTO delivered astounding performance and created the muscle car blueprint that the Detroit manufacturers followed in the 1960s and 1970s.

"Muscle Cars in Detail No. 8: 1964 Pontiac GTO" delivers a comprehensive review of this trend-setting and historic car. The GTO housed a 389 V8 engine with a single Carter AFB 4-barrel carburetor—and along with dual exhaust and a standard 3-speed or optional 4-speed manual transmission, it supplied extraordinary performance. To improve traction and handling, the GTO was fitted with stiffer springs, larger-diameter front sway bar, and wider wheels. And to give it panache, the GTO was adorned with distinctive badges and hood scoops. The 1964 GTO is a landmark car, and this paperback goes well beyond the glossy overview of other books about the sports car.

All "In Detail" series books include an introduction and historical overview, an explanation of the design and concepts involved in creating the car, a look at marketing and promotion; plus an in-depth study of all hardware and available options, as well as an examination of where the car is on the market today. Also featured is an appendix of paint and option codes, VIN and build-tag decoders, and production numbers.