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1965 Pontiac GTO Parked for Over 5 Decades Flexes Tri-Power Muscle

After a very successful first year on the market, the GTO was already prepared to become a superstar in 1965.
1965 Pontiac GTO 6 photos
Photo: Craigslist
1965 Pontiac GTO1965 Pontiac GTO1965 Pontiac GTO1965 Pontiac GTO1965 Pontiac GTO
And thanks to massive improvements, including refined styling, but also as a result of a brilliant marketing campaign put together by General Motors, the 1965 sales of the GTO jumped to over 75,000 units (and the numbers continued the growth next year, getting close to 97,000 units).

The GTO could be ordered with a choice of several engines, including the base 389 (6.3-liter) with 335 horsepower, but also the famous Tri-Power rated at 360 horsepower.

The Tri-Power magic is also available on this ’65 GTO, but on the other hand, its current condition is rough, to say the least.

In case you’re wondering how come this once-gorgeous Pontiac GTO ended up pushing its Tri-Power muscle so close to a complete demise, the answer is as simple as it could be.

Everything you see in the pictures is the result of approximately 5 decades of sitting, as the owner explains on Craigslist that the car was originally parked during the ‘70s and has been sleeping ever since.

Unfortunately, only a few photos with the GTO have actually been included in the listing, so figuring out what needs to be saved and what doesn’t isn’t necessarily easy. But given it’s such an old GTO that has been spending decades on the side of the road, it’s better to assume it needs almost everything – for what it’s worth, the owner does say that the Tri-Power V8 is going to need a full rebuild.

The good news is the car comes with lots of extra parts to be used for a full restoration, but without an in-person inspection, it’s hard to tell how complete the car continues to be today.

As for the price, the owner is willing to let this GTO go for $15,000.
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About the author: Bogdan Popa
Bogdan Popa profile photo

Bogdan keeps an eye on how technology is taking over the car world. His long-term goals are buying an 18-wheeler because he needs more space for his kid’s toys, and convincing Google and Apple that Android Auto and CarPlay deserve at least as much attention as their phones.
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