Words & photos: Gary Rosier
George Hanner of Port Orange, Fla., now owns this beautiful example of a 1964 Pontiac GTO Convertible (6,644 convertibles were produced total). While it is not a factory stock GTO, it IS equipped like new – except that its original 389 cu in engine has been replaced with the Pontiac 400 cu in engine.
While you could say it’s been restomoded, it’s more like ‘built to suit the owner’s taste’ – with an eye on keeping it as close to original as possible according to the decoded cowl tag.
The original paint code (Gulf-stream Aqua “Q” Code) was reproduced; new carpet, interior and convertible top were installed along with 1965 Pontiac Ralley 1 Wheels. These were upgraded with BF Goodrich 15 in. red-line radial tires (225/70R15) for safety and reliability.
4 wheel GM Disc brakes bring it to a safe stop and a new aluminum radiator keeps everything cool. The wood-grain steering wheel really dresses up the interior, but is not the stock wood-grain wheel. It’s got the correct tach in the correct factory placement, and is as reliable now as it once was.
The A-body platform was reintroduced as an intermediate-sized platform introduced in the 1964 model year for the all-new mid-sized cars of four GM divisions. Notable examples included the Chevrolet Chevelle, Buick Special, Oldsmobile Cutlass and Pontiac Tempest. The A-body cars were the first intermediate-sized cars designed with a full perimeter frame. All A-body cars had a 115 in. (290 cm) wheelbase except the stretched-wheelbase wagons. Some of GM’s most successful products in the muscle car era were A-body models, including the Pontiac GTO, Chevrolet Malibu SS, Oldsmobile 442 and Buick GS.
Of particular interest was that GM had set a corporate policy prohibiting V8 engines larger than 330 cu. in. (5.4 L) in these models. However, Pontiac fitted its 389 cu. in. (6.37 L) V8 in the Lemans to create the GTO — commonly considered the first popular muscle car. Though this violated the 330 cu. in. limit, Pontiac got around the rules by designating the GTO as a low-volume option package rather than a specific model.
The sales success of the 1964 GTO led the corporation to increase the cubic inch limit for 1965 A-body cars to 400 cu. in. (6.6 L), opening the door for the other three divisions to offer similar muscle cars. The 400 cu. in. limit for A-body cars, as well as for other GM cars that were smaller than full-sized (with the exception of the Chevrolet Corvette), was continued through the 1969 model year.
The first Pontiac GTO was available as an option package by Pontiac for the Pontiac Lemans as stated above. It was available in a coupe, hardtop or convertible, as this one is. This particular GTO was born as a factory GTO, but along the way was rebuilt using the Pontiac 400 cu. in. engine. It does have the optional 4 speed transmission and Hurst shifter that it was born with, just refreshed and upgraded with new parts.
George’s interest in cars is credited to his late father, who himself was a season-ending champion of Long Island Raceway in 1934! He was also known as the “best damn mechanic” in Yonkers for many years. There were five boys in the Hanner family and ALL participated in various forms of racing, including Go-Karts, motorcycles and even drag cars. George still to this day has more than a keen interest in muscle cars and tinkers with motorcycles too!
George is most proud of the fact that he recently did a Hot Rod Power Tour (Long Hauler) in his still-original ’61 Bubble Top Impala. This was accomplished with his daughter Stephanie. His legacy, he says without blinking, is that his two daughters (Lorraine being the other) will each get one of the two cars.
The ’64 Pontiac GTO he recently purchased is going out on the next tour without a doubt, he says with a grin, with one or both of his daughters along once again.
“Little GTO” was a popular song in the ’60’s but this GTO isn’t little at all with its gleaming paint, clean lines and no expense spared to create such a beautiful example of the car that is often credited as starting the Muscle Car craze!
