3-speed automatic is formidable foe for 4-speed but multi-shift
gearbox still holds the lead and popularity vote

PONTIAC first put high performance into a medium-size package when they introduced the GTO in mid- 1964, and they’re not finished yet. In- ternally the ’67 GTO is as much changed from the ’66 as a Tempest is different from a Bonneville. There’s a new 400- cubic-inch engine under the hood, Wide-Oval tires on each wheel, and disc brakes up front if ordered. Outside, changes are restricted to a slightly re- styled rear end and an optional tach- ometer on the hood. Automatic trans- mission GTOs up un- til now haven’t been known as ”storm- ers” but this is the year to change that. The secret is Turbo Hydra-Matic 3- speed that can be optionally fitted with Hurst’s new dual-pattern shift quadrant. In its conventional pattern, each gear can be held as long as desired and then the stick can be moved forward or back- ward without anything happening until the governor says OK. This is the way it’s always been on many cars, but the Hurst version has a second slot with built-in detents that allow the shifter to move only one gear at a time. Slight pressure on the stick while moving it forward locks it into the next higher gear. There’s no chance of skipping a gear or going all the way into neutral at full rpm – which can be a costly mis- take. The new GTO with Turbo Hydra- Matic throws down an exciting chal- lenge to its 4-speed brother, as we found when we tested both. First we took our two identical GTQs – with the exception of transmissions – to Ace Wilson’s Royal Pontiac in Royal Oak, Mich., to be personally prepared by Milt Shornack, Royal’s Performance Center director. Milt is the driver of one of Royal’s ”GeeTO Tiger Cars” and has won more than a fair share of drags and titles. Royal Pontiac has gained recognition through its ”Bob- cat” kit as the headquarters for ”hot” GTOs, and has shipped prepared ”Ti- gers” all over ihe country. In addition, we used a third, unmodified GTO for transportation around the Detroit area. We liked the ’66 GTO but we’re sold on the ’67. The car is church-quiet in- side, mostly as a result of better weath- erstripping around the curved, frameless side windows. Our ”town” car had op- tional heavy-duty suspension which didn’t shake or jar us in the least and

Motor Trend / January 1967