How do i Identify of a real GTO 64 or 65 since there is a 37 on firewall tag.

The 1964 GTO had headlights side-by-side horizontal and a very definitive GTO on the grille

A 1964 will have a 389 with 3 - two bbl carbs

1964 Le Mans. Only has 'Pontiac' on the grille. As for paperwork, it's been like 45 years.. so that I can't help with but I had a '64 GTO

But the next year, they put the headlights vertical.. a '65

Not sure we are answering his question. Sounds like, by body style, he has a 65 but does not know if it was made as a GTO or another model (lemans, tempest, etc) and cloned later in its life to appear to be a true factory GTO. Anyone know of a key in the VIN that would tell him what is came off the production line as?

Good point taver91. Just doing the best I could. But really - if the grille is gone, which is understandable on a 50 year old car- man idk

Jim. My man. Thanks, on behalf of the OP

Hey Jim, In reading your comments above I have a question. here is my manifest which says model 237....shouldn't this say 2237 for a 64 GTO?? seems to almost say that its an absorbed 65 tempest lemans..but its a 64 manifest. what are your thoughts? thanks alot

thanks a lot Jim....Travis

65 GTO will have an "N" on category 5 on cowl plate on fire wall.. depicted as 5N

1964-65 the GTO was an option on the Tempest LeMans. 1966-71 it was its own model with 242 VIN. 1972-74 it was an option again. Contact PHS Online with the VIN and get their report. It is the gold standard as anyone in POCI or GTOAA will tell you. Please ignore suggestions about getting one from any other vendor. Any real buyer will insist on PHS docs and will dismiss anything else.

fordnut...64 came with a 325hp 389....the optional 348hp 389 was extra $$...tri-power as I was called was available until 66...67 came only with 4bbl qudra-jet....64 and 65 was part of tempest/lemans...66 was a separate name.

1964 & 1965 was the only year it was an option on the Lemans. In 1966 was the 1st year to be a seperate GTO model, but was called a Tempest GTO in Pontiac codes. 64 & 65 sales went thru the roof, is the reason why. They could charge more as a seperate model over an option. On the 64 & 65 cowl tag it would have a 10. That was the GTO option #. Go here for all Pontiacs 1960-1975. http://www.tpocr.com/pontiacbp4.html These are helpful Pontiac sites http://pontiacregistry.com/ http://www.gtoheaven.com/links.html

The only true way to hundred percent prove that you have a 64 65 GTO is with PHS documentation go to Phs-onlne.com pay your $75 and they'll send you the pedigree on your car.

For 1964 the only way to tell for sure that the car IS a GTO is to have it verified by the Pontiac Historical Society (PHS). However, there are numerous ways to tell that the car is NOT a GTO. First, a Lemans would have louvres on the bottom forward section of both quarter panels. A GTO does not. If louvres are present, it is not a GTO. Second, the radiator core support for a GTO will be inverted (won't hold water) at the bottom; on a Lemans or Tempest the core support will be U shaped (will hold water) EXCEPT, if the car was a factory AC car, in which case the former core support was used to allow for a heavy duty radiator. Third, if the GTO emblems on the rear quarter panels are placed in the exact same symmetric position the car is likely a clone, as the factory templates for installing the emblems put them in two slightly different locations relative to the rear and the height of the quarter panel. Lastly, if the VIN on the car begins with "624" instead of "824" the car is a clone, as the "6" denotes a six-cylinder engine. If the car has a "5N" on the data plate on the firewall it could be a GTO, as one of the plants used that designation for GTO's in 1964. But, not all of the plants did so; therefore the lack of a 5N does not preclude the car from being a true goat. VIN plates and firewall data plates can be swapped, louvres can be removed and the hole filled, and even core supports can be switched out. The only way to know for sure is to run the VIN by PHS and even then if the data plate has been switched you may not know. The VIN was also stamped into the top of the frame rail under the trunk pan behind the left rear wheel, however, the only way to actually see it is to remove the car from the frame, as most frame rails are filthy with dirt and rust, making it necessary to use a wire brush to clean it up enough to see it. And, even at that, the frame could have been switched if the car had been in a wreck at some point and a boneyard frame was used to replace the original.

I have a 1965 GTO clone for sale. The car vin shows that it was manufactured as a Tempest and was “GTOed. I have been told that over 70% of Tempest were GTOed. My car has red exterior and black vinyl bucket seats. Paint and interior are in excellent condition. Car is 4 speed with console. I had a brand new GM 400 cubic inch V8 engine installed in 2016. New motor has less than 10k miles. Rally wheels and excellent tires. Call or e-mail me. Tim Ellington (404) 213-7307 t.ellington1@comcast.net

Hello, I have a 1965 GTO Pontiac Plant with 5N at the bottom of the firewall tag. I’m getting ready for a full resto-mod restoration. It’s a shell right now. Rolling frame and body with doors and trunk lid, that’s it. Anyone know of a designation for the drag car options on the tag? Option was 390 or 453 (if I remember right) for the rear gears with the M-21 4- speed close ratio trans (not available without special rear gears). I special ordered one in 1965, wish I could find it. I’m buying another 1965 GTO from a family member, still has original paint so switching rear quarter emblems without being noticed is tough. One note, only the LeMans Body was used for the GTO option in 1965, the first numbers after the usual 2 being 37. Any good used front fenders available? Thanks

In 1964 & 65, the GTO power and trim package were options to the A body LeMans platform. The GTO was not a stand alone model until 1966.