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Multiple choice: The 1964 Pontiac GTO is:
(A) The car that the term 'Muscle Car' was coined from.
(B) A Pontiac Tempest LeMans on steroids.
(C) GM's vision of the modern day Ferrari GTO, from whence it's name was derived.
(D) All of the above.
Ok, of course you correctly answered (D). Gran Turismo Omologato is an Italian term for GT (Gran Touring) class cars that have been qualified for racing as production vehicles. Pontiac took a standard production line car and added heavier duty suspension and engine enhancements, applied the Italian term and started the muscle car revolution with the 1964 GTO.
TFM offers this second muscle car from a now defunct series that was to feature six such sixties and seventies legends. The others were to include the '69 Camaro SS 396, which has been issued, '70 Mustang Boss 429, '70 Barracuda, '70 ½ Pontiac Trans Am and the '71 Chevy Chevelle SS 454. It is not clear if any of these were in the works or may ever see production. The GTO is well done overall. The highlights include working coil spring suspension front and rear and operational shocks at the rear. The interior boasts a soft seat 'feel' with folding seats and a nicely done wooden steering wheel, if a little too thick to be accurate. The 3-D gauges are nice. It appears as though the glove box was to be operational but cut from final production.
The hood scoop grillwork and wipers would have looked better fabricated in photo-etch material, as would the delicate wire wheels but they work adequately well in the image. Chrome tips on the exhausts would have been more accurate. The engine bay details help make up for some shortcomings - the plug wiring and battery cables are grand and the fuel lines look terrific. The master cylinder vacuum hose and radiator hoses lend extra realism. The model comes with the 'up' top and the covered 'down' top, in black. The ride height and stance looks spot-on. This is a solid three ½ star effort.
The issue price is $120.
(09/25/2001)
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