Pontiac had the monster Catalina 2+2 and Chrysler had the 300s in the
late 50s and early 60s. But these were examples of BIG heavy "sled"
cars (over 4,000 pounds) with monster engines--like the 421 SD in the
Catalina 2+2. What made the GTO different was it became the first "light"
production car with a monster engine and performance package. Many other
"muscle cars" followed and were even faster than the GTO, but
no other car ever matched the combination of performance, style, and mystique
of the GTO.
To the left: The 1964 Pontiac GTO started America's muscle car craze:
- 389 CID engine with tri-power (three 2-bbl. carburetors)
- 348 HP, 428 ft-lbs torque @3200 RPM, weighed only 3200 pounds
- Hurst 4-speed manual and Optional 3.90:1 rear end
- 0-60 in 4.6 seconds, 14 seconds in the quarter-mile
"But the GTO was the first example of a production car which used a manufacturer's big-car engine in a smaller-car body....it was the fastest production street sedan, and could give the smaller, more expensive Corvette a run for its money. Such power from a car delivered off a dealers showroom floor was unheard of; it was an automotive phenomenon..." --Albert Drake, 1982 The BIG Little GTO Book.
After eight years of direct U.S. involvement in Vietnam, national security advisor Henry Kissinger and North Vietnamese negotiator Le Duc Tho signed a cease-fire in Paris.
Bat Out of Hell....Meat Loaf
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