1968 Pontiac GTO

[Paul Ceasrine]

Danny,

I think the Road Runner thread will get more hits,,,,,,,,,

Though the GTO was the '1968 Car of the Year', there were quite a few mixed reviews for the car.
Hot Rod Magazine called it, 'the best balanced car Pontiac's ever built'

Car Life Magazine stated, 'a nose-heavy, under-steering lump'

Performance Results;
15.93 @ 88 MPH,,,,,,(Car Life),,,,,,,,,,400/350HP, Automatic, w/3.23 Gears

15.50 @ 90 MPH,,,,,,(Car & Driver),,,400/360HP, Automatic, w/3.55 Gears ('HO')

15.10 @ 94 MPH,,,,,,(Hot Rod),,,,,,,,,,,400/360HP, Automatic, w/3.90 Gears ('HO')

14.70 @ 97 MPH,,,,,,(Motor Trend),,,,,400/360HP, 4-Speed, w/4.33 Gears ('Ram Air I')

14.50 @ 98 MPH,,,,,,(Car Craft),,,,,,,,,,,400/360HP, 4-Speed, w/3.90 Gears ('HO')

14.25 @ 99 MPH,,,,,(Super Cars),,,,,,,,400/366HP,,4-Speed, w/4.33 Gears ('Ram Air II')

Note: All performance tests were performed in a stock dealership car, with G70 x 14" tires.

When comparing apples-to-apples, the 68' GTO 400/350HP and the
Road Runner 383/335HP were pretty much equal in the 1/4 mile
with 4-Speed transmissions, but when comparing Automatic transmissions, the Road Runner could outrun the GTO.

[442OLDS]

Originally Posted by Paul Ceasrine

When comparing apples-to-apples, the 68' GTO 400/350HP and the
Road Runner 383/335HP were pretty much equal in the 1/4 mile
with 4-Speed transmissions, but when comparing Automatic transmissions, the Road Runner could outrun the GTO.

Is this why the 68' GTO 400/350 HP is now rated by NHRA at 325?

[Run to Rund]

Pontiac's front end treatment worked well with the new rounded body style. They "pushed" the Endura front bumper, but iirc it was a lot heavier than the standard chrome bumper. Like with Olds, the Ram Air option had gone "mainstream" in the option book for 1968.

[Paul Ceasrine]

The 'most famous' 1968 Pontiac GTO print ad.

This ad was pulled, as the Woodward Avenue reference was all you needed to know,,,,,,,'Street Drag Racing'

GM Management realized the issue, and pulled the ad after only
'one' printing.

[Dick Butler]

I ran 14.25 at Orange county 99 MPH with the 350HP 400 4 spd. NO CHANGES. Full exhaust and Air cleaner on it.

[Paul Ceasrine]

1968 Pontiac GTO Price List;

Base Price; $3101

Primary Options:
* Power Steering: ($95)
* Power Brakes: ($35)
* Disc Brakes: ($63)
* Retractable Headlight Covers: ($52)
* AM Radio: ($61)
* Hood Tach: ($63)
* Dash Rally Guage Cluster: ($84)
* Dual Exhaust Extensions: ($21)
* Custom Rally Wheels: ($50)
* Safe-T-Track Differential: ($42)
* Special Axle Ratio's: ($63)
* Speedometer Gear Adapter: ($11)
* Center Console: ($68)
* Rear Super-Lift Shock Absorbers ($48)
* Turbo-Hydra-Matic Transmission: ($236)
* Close Ratio 4-Speed: ($185)
* Ram Air Hood Scoop: ($50)
* 400/360HP 'HO' Engine: ($76)
* 400/366HP 'Ram Air II' Engine: ($342) {available mid-year production}

[Alex Denysenko]

Originally Posted by Paul Ceasrine

1968 Pontiac GTO Price List;

Base Price; $3101

Primary Options:
* Power Steering: ($95)
* Power Brakes: ($35)
* Disc Brakes: ($63)
* Retractable Headlight Covers: ($52)
* AM Radio: ($61)
* Hood Tach: ($63)
* Dash Rally Guage Cluster: ($84)
* Dual Exhaust Extensions: ($21)
* Custom Rally Wheels: ($50)
* Safe-T-Track Differential: ($42)
* Special Axle Ratio's: ($63)
* Speedometer Gear Adapter: ($11)
* Center Console: ($68)
* Turbo-Hydra-Matic Transmission: ($236)
* Close Ratio 4-Speed: ($185)
* Ram Air Hood Scoop: ($50)
* 400/360HP 'HO' Engine: ($76)
* 400/366HP 'Ram Air II' Engine: ($342)

Also Paul,

Little known 1968 (I think 1968 only) option was a 265 HP 400 2 barrel regular fuel engine.
A girl I dated in high school circa 1970 parents had one that she got to use and actually became her car eventually.
When I got to drive it the first time on a date I could not understand what a pig it was until I opened the hood.

[Mark Yacavone]

When comparing apples-to-apples, the 68' GTO 400/350HP and the
Road Runner 383/335HP were pretty much equal in the 1/4 mile
with 4-Speed transmissions, but when comparing Automatic transmissions, the Road Runner could outrun the GTO.


B.S.

Originally Posted by 442OLDS

Is this why the 68' GTO 400/350 HP is now rated by NHRA at 325?

No. That's why the RR 383 is now @ 300 horsepower

[Paul Ceasrine]

1968 Performance Tests
Motor Trend Magazine (February 1968)

[SCOTT SST2871]

Originally Posted by paul ceasrine

danny,

i think the road runner thread will get more hits,,,,,,,,,

though the gto was the '1968 car of the year', there were quite a few mixed reviews for the car.
Hot rod magazine called it, 'the best balanced car pontiac's ever built'

car life magazine stated, 'a nose-heavy, under-steering lump'

performance results;
15.93 @ 88 mph,,,,,,(car life),,,,,,,,,,400/350hp, automatic, w/3.23 gears

15.50 @ 90 mph,,,,,,(car & driver),,,400/360hp, automatic, w/3.55 gears ('ho')

15.10 @ 94 mph,,,,,,(hot rod),,,,,,,,,,,400/360hp, automatic, w/3.90 gears ('ho')

14.70 @ 97 mph,,,,,,(motor trend),,,,,400/360hp, 4-speed, w/4.33 gears ('ram air i')

14.50 @ 98 mph,,,,,,(car craft),,,,,,,,,,,400/360hp, 4-speed, w/3.90 gears ('ho')

14.25 @ 99 mph,,,,,(super cars),,,,,,,,400/366hp,,4-speed, w/4.33 gears ('ram air ii')

note: All performance tests were performed in a stock dealership car, with g70 x 14" tires.

When comparing apples-to-apples, the 68' gto 400/350hp and the
road runner 383/335hp were pretty much equal in the 1/4 mile
with 4-speed transmissions, but when comparing automatic transmissions, the road runner could outrun the gto.

im a pontiac guy but you can tell times have changed i took my daily driver 08 pontiac g5 to the track last week and ran it ,15.89@89mph 4cylinder no turbo bone stock and got 30 mpg going there!