Summary

Powered by matching-numbers 400ci Ram Air IV V8 engine rated at 370hp, mated to a Muncie 4-speed manual transmission and GM 12-bolt axle with 3.31 ratio gears. One of 310 equipped with 4-speed manual transmission from the factory. PHS paperwork included.

Details

This 1969 Pontiac GTO Ram Air IV is one of 310 units built with a 4-speed manual and Ram Air IV engine combination. It has undergone a partial restoration focused on reuniting its original, matching-numbers 400ci Ram Air IV V8 engine (with service replacement cylinder heads and rated at 370hp) with the car after 56 years. Originally removed due to valve spring issues common to the Ram Air IV's high-lift cam and original metallurgy, the engine was replaced in the early 1970s with a 1965 389ci Tri-Power V8 for street racing. The original engine changed hands but was never reinstalled in another vehicle. In 2004, it was purchased via an eBay auction and shipped to Ken's Speed & Machine Shop in Brooksville, FL, where it received a $2,800 rebuild that included a .030-over bore, new pistons, bearings and gaskets. Seventeen years later, the original car - still with its factory Muncie 4-speed transmission - was located and purchased from the original owner in Sun Valley, CA, where it had spent its entire life. The drivetrain includes a 12-bolt rear end with 3.31 ratio gears, swapped in during the 1970s to replace the original 4.33 HD axle for better highway cruising. The suspension retains its factory configuration with coil springs, and power disc brakes provide stopping power. The fuel system is original, and cooling is managed by a factory radiator with a water-pump-driven fan. The factory-style exhaust system complements the drivetrain. The car rides on factory Rally II wheels with period-correct tires. While not a frame-off restoration, the car received a fresh coat of its original Mayfair Maize paint and retains its 80,000-mile survivor status (the title reads exempt). The partial restoration and reunion of the drivetrain were completed at Auto Restorations by Harry in Malabar, FL, fulfilling a long-term goal of reuniting the GTO with its original engine and transmission. Documentation includes the original purchase order, sales contract, scheduled price sheet, Window Sticker, PHS paperwork, Protect-O-Plate, owner's manual, warranty pamphlet, original California license plate with 1969 registration, engine rebuild invoice, 16 years of correspondence between the previous owners and eBay auction records.