1965 GTO 389 Tri-Power Close Ratio 4 Speed 3:90's

[Big Banger]

This 65 GTO is a two owner, 91000 mile, original unrestored car. It had one repaint in the 70's and the motor has never been out of it. I bought it from a guy in Kenosha, Wisconsin where it sold new at Universal Pontiac. The original owner now lives in Belvedere, Illinois and I recently talked to him. He saw a 65 GTO road test in one of the car magazines of the day and ordered this car just like the one being tested. It has a 389 Tri-Power, Close Ratio 4 speed transmission, 3:90 Safe-T-Track rear end with Metallic Brake Linings, HD Cooling, Ride & Handling Package, Quick Ratio Steering and Rally Guages. I have the original Motor Vehicle Purchase Contract from Universal Pontiac, Extended Warranty Certificate and the Protecto-Plate. The color is Teal Turquoise with Parchment interior. I think we all wish we could find a car that was originaly built the way we would have ordered it, this one is as close as it gets for me.

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s24/1BigBanger/Protecto20Plate20002.jpg
http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s24/1BigBanger/Sept202010008-1.jpg
http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s24/1BigBanger/Sept202010010-1.jpg
http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s24/1BigBanger/MotorVehiclePurchaseContract.jpg
http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s24/1BigBanger/5YearExtendedWarranty_0001.jpg

[mockingbird812]

Cool Goat Big Banger. Welcome aboard. what is "Alum Front Wheels"?

[Big Banger]

Thanks, the original owner tried to get the aluminum 8 lug wheels that were available on the full size Pontiacs. I thought it meant aluminum front brake drums but they are not on the PHS Documents.

[Bill Pritchard]

Wow, what an awesome option list, and a beautiful color combination to boot <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/drool.gif

[Tenney]

Very cool! Still recall a sharp teal '65 that our school bus would roll past ever morning ...

[Big Banger]

Here is the extended warranty certificate opened up,

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s24/1BigBanger/5YearExtendedWarranty_0002.jpg

[Tommy Nolen]

Neat car and great documentation. I have one of those Alemite warranties with my '61 Impala SS, I guess that was about the first of the extended warranties. I'm also currious about the &quot;aluminum wheels&quot;, wonder just what that was.....although Pontiac referred to the eight lugs as aluminum wheels, they never had aluminum wheels, only the drums were aluminum and to my knowledge they were never factory installed on any GTO.
Grest car

[Big Banger]

The &quot;Aluminum front wheels&quot; must have referred to aluminum brake drums which were optional on the front only. I have the March 1965 issue of Car Craft magazine, the GTO being tested is a lot like this car and they mention the aluminum front brake drums.
On the PHS documents the option sheet shows [69-1 Rally Wheels], [69-4 HD Brakes - Aluminum Front Drums], [69-5 would be both]. The Billing History Card shows 69-2 which is nothing so there must have been a mistake.

I assume the original owner asked about the 8 lug wheels and ordered the Custom Wheel Discs (spinner hubcaps) because they were not available.

[Big Banger]

This is the only work order I got with the car,

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s24/1BigBanger/workorder_0002.jpg

[Big Banger]

A good guy (John V) from another website looked over the paperwork for my car and found that it was built with a wide ratio 4 speed transmission code 77-9. The code 692 that I thought was nothing is for metallic brake linings found on the special equipment form. The original owner ordered the close ratio 4 speed and what appears to be aluminum front brake drums. The dealer must have screwed up the order for the transmission, the aluminum front brake drums were not available with metallic linings so he didn't get them.
Thanks John V,
Mat

[1969z280]

It is my understanding that the only way to get a M21 Close Ratio in a 1965 GTO was to order the 3.90 gear. This follows given the way the dealer wrote the order with the 3.90 ratio and close ratio transmission on the same line with the same price. I don't think you could order that gear set with a wide ratio. However, many strange things happened at the plant back-in-the-day. Ed

[SUSQ]

Nice piece my friend! IMHO, the '65 was the zenith in GTO styling. Welcome to a great site.

[StealthBird]

VERY cool car!

This was my GTO back in the late 70's to mid-1980's. Bought it for $750 in 1977, had original paint (Blue Charcoal), but only a 4-bbl and 2-speed. Drove it to college almost daily.

By the mid-1980's, I dropped in a built 400, T400, 4.56 gears, and did some street racing, but I still kept it looking stock.

[Big Banger]

Thanks guys.

This is what John had to say about my car regarding the transmission,

&quot;My interpretation is that the Order may have been in conflict with the mandatory options and ordering restrictions associated with the Close Ratio. Perhaps somebody was contacted to resolve it, with or without the retail customer's involvement, or else the Dealer/Salesman realized the discrepancy when he transcribed his Purchase Contract to the Order Forms.

The Close Ratio required the Metallic Brake linings. Sales Code 692 shows that the Order included the Metallic Brakes. It also required the 3.90 axle with Safe-T-Track. Sales Codes 703 and 71P indicate these options were included.

But the Purchase Contract also mentions &quot;Alum Front Wheels&quot; which I can only guess means the Aluminum Front Drums option was desired. Problem was, this option could not be ordered with the Metallic brakes.

The HD Rad was required, Sales Code 432. Listed on the Purchase Contract but not noted on the Billing History. I can't explain that, except that the HD Rad may have been included with Tri-Power, not considered a separate extra cost option.

Same for the HD Fan. Not clear if the correct HD Fan was indicated by Sales Code 644 or 534. No HD Fan is indicated on the Purchase Contract but the Sales Code 534 is coded on the Billing History Card (in combination with 531, Tinted Glass-All Windows).

So was the Close Ratio 4 spd deleted because of a failure to order the HD Rad at extra cost? Or did the Dealer simply order it incorrectly? Or did the order get coded wrong at order entry?

Assuming the Dealer did purposely order the Metallic Brakes, he certainly knew of the ASSE Order Form, this option also ordered on that Form. As was the Quick Ratio 20:1 Manual Steering Box option, also ordered.

I suspect that one reason this order got &quot;confused&quot; is that the Dealer may have attempted to order the Aluminum Drum brake option in combination with the 3.90 axle. That would have been kicked out. The Aluminum Drum brakes could NOT be ordered with the Close Ratio 4 spd because it required the Metallic Brake option. Perhaps by the time the order was sorted out, the Close Ratio was deleted?

My thinking would go like this. At order entry, they see the Aluminum Drum option. No problem. Then they see the Close Ratio. Oops, no go with the Alum Drums, so switch to Wide Ratio. Then they see the 3.90. Oops, no go with the Alum Drums, so delete the Alum Drums and add the Metallic Brakes. But order entry doesn't think to reverse the decision on the trans and the Wide Ratio gets specified for the build.&quot;



I think John is correct, it doesn't make sense that there would be two codes for the close ratio transmission (code 778) if it was only available with axle ratios 3:90 - 4:33. It does make sense that the wide ratio would have two codes because of the different speedometer gear, one for ratios 3:08-3:55 (code 77W) and the other for ratios 3:90-4:33 (code 779) the code my car has.

The original owner told me he figured out the car came with a wide ratio soon after he bought it. He took it back to the dealer and they put a close ratio in it for him. John mentioned the dealer might have changed the gear set rather than the whole transmission. I will have to check the numbers on the case to see if it is the original or not.
Mat

[Big Banger]

StealthBird - That is a good looking GTO, I like the color, I had a 65 Catalina that was Blue Charcoal.
Mat

[Svendsen]

Great find, cool car with a great color combination and excellent documentation, thanks for the pics!

Arvid Svendsen

[PeteLeathersac]

Cool car especially the originality and paperwork!.
Quite the herd o' Goats there on your farm!.

Not a Goat but I was looking at this '65 Post car ad yesterday..
Certainly the complete opposite end of the order spectrum to your cars!.
Goofed up some but looks like it may be a solid car for the dough!.

http://stirling-on.canadianlisted.com/ca...oor_297194.html (http://stirling-on.canadianlisted.com/cars/1965-pontiac-tempest-custom-crome-coupe-2-door_297194.html)

<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif
~ Pete

[Big Banger]

Thanks and you're welcome!

Pete, that is nice Tempest, minus the extras.

[Big Banger]

Since I posted my GTO, I have found the quick ratio manual steering box, 19 1/2&quot; clutch fan, am manual tune radio and an original steel 65 Ram Air pan.
Mat
http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s24/1BigBanger/Tri-Power20Ram20Air20Pan20004.jpg
http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s24/1BigBanger/Tri-Power20Ram20Air20Pan20003.jpg
http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s24/1BigBanger/6520Manual20Tune20radio.jpg

[mockingbird812]

Well that is good news. Did you buy these are unearth them elsewhere?

[Big Banger]

Unfortunately I had to buy them. I didn't think I was going to find that radio, I searched everywhere and even asked anyone with a Tempest or Lemans for sale on craigslist if they had one that they would swap for a pushbutton and $$$$. The car isn't missing anything now .
Mat

[scuncio]

Those non pushbutton radios are definitely hard to find!

Cool car. I also need a quick ratio manual steering gear for my 65 - where did you get yours?

[Big Banger]

Thanks, PM sent.
Mat

[P.J.]

Im My opinion the 65 is king!
Nice car great interesting documentaiton
Thanks
PJ

[andy_exotics]

Nice car you have here, good luck with the restoration.

[Big Banger]

Thanks guys.

[JoeG]

65 goats were really cool and yours is set up for all business..docs to boot
...You've got a gem in the rough there..........Nice !!

[Big Banger]

Thanks Joe, I have been looking for a l~o~n~g time for one like this.
Mat