1966 Pontiac GTO Convertible - Mountain Goat

Really, we do mean treasure. John's GTO is a numbers-matching original that garnered the Gold award in the concours category of the 2001 and 2002 GTOAA East Coast Regional Meet. Like the classic timepiece that bears his name, Cartier is a perfectionist. Scoring Silver in the concours category in 2000 just did not satisfy him. "They took off eight points in 2000 for not having the original jack stand or factory fabric tape around the brake-light harness," he lamented. So John took the next six months to make the necessary changes. "I was lucky enough to find an unmolested jack stand on ebay for 30 bucks," Cartier told us. But as is often the case in our hobby, his road was not always paved with silver and gold.

John Cartier's journey to "Pontiaddiction", like most of ours, started in his youth. "I remember as a boy going to the local Sunoco with my dad's '66 Tempest and hearing fill it up with 260." In youth (and part of adulthood) the all too familiar game of junkyard rummaging, parts matching, and putting lipstick on pigs got old quick, so the search for an authentic '66 GTO began in earnest.

After chasing prospects in three different time zones and feeling completely spent, John put the search on hold. One day by complete surprise, a man beeped John's pager, so he called the number in Oregon. Cartier probably figured, why not give the Pacific Time Zone a try, as he already searched unsuccessfully through the other three. The voice on the line told John that he saw his want ad while thumbing through an old Hemmings Motor News and that he had what may be the best '66 GTO left in existence. Pictures were sent and Cartier was soon on the road again. After seeing the Goat for less than five minutes, he paid the asking price of $25,000 and in February of 2000, his new prize completed its 3,500-mile trip home to Flanders, New Jersey, in a covered trailer.

John is one of a privileged few owners of the "Mountain Goat." Originally a dealer swap from Simpson Pontiac Cadillac in Everett, Washington, to a dealer in Portland, Oregon, for a bit over $3,800, the GTO sold shortly thereafter to a doctor in the Portland area for the paltry sum of $3,500. It changed hands again in 1989 for $7,000 going to a devout hobbyist who according to John, spent "unimaginable" hours in meticulously restoring the venerable Goat to its present glorified state.

In John's GTO you have pure topless passion--the PG kind that is. Actually, the PPG kind. In 1990, the previous owner completed the restoration of the Goat, repainting it in its original Montero Red hue, using PPG Duracryl paint. The under-carriage is flawless, untouched, and even includes the date coded '66 PMD spiral shocks.

An impressive documentation package also accompanies the pride of John's garage. Rounding out the package is the complete PHS paperwork and ownership history. In addition to the concourse trophies, the GTO also earned a first place finish at a local North Jersey POCI event and other General Motors sponsored events as well. John quips, "In order to build a true reputation, you must enter reputable shows and then show to the highest standard." Perhaps the most impressive accolade of all is that John's GTO acquired this much hardware and notoriety in only the first 2 years of ownership.

Of course the GTO is powered by its original 389 WS Tri-Power engine that boasts a 10.75:1 compression ratio, the correct 068 cam with 288/302 degrees duration and 093 stock cylinder heads featuring 1.92/1.60 valves and 1.5:1 ratio rockers. The distributor and coil are the correct date coded stock applications that are free of hesitation and lag. The GTO exhales through a stock replacement exhaust from Gardner and bucks out 360 hp via the numbers-matching original Hurst-shifted Muncie four-speed transmission. The 3.55 Safe-T-Track in the correctly coded YH differential housing makes the Goat a formidable performer that more than holds its own on any track or street anywhere. John's GTO is true testimony of the fusion between classical European styling and pure American muscle. Outstanding design, sophisticated appearance, and Neanderthal power make this GTO timeless but the appearance was altered slightly.

We were fortunate enough to enjoy a ride with the top down on the winding mountainous asphalt of northwest Jersey and when you dump it into second on a straight away, you get pulled right back to yesteryear without missing a beat. The sure-footed Goat's reputation for balance and stability held true even with the original spiral shocks, Rally Is, and redlines taming all the terrain it came in contact with in mid-'60s technology fashion.

Despite its factory original appearance, there are a few deviations from "as-delivered." Assembled in the Kansas City, Missouri, plant, this GTO interestingly enough came with a white convertible top. During the 1990 restoration, the previous owner opted for the black and we certainly have no complaints. The Deluxe wheel discs have also given way to Rally I wheels and the walnut shift knob is not on the original options list. But all are correct for the year so no points are deducted at the shows. And its correctness is what John enjoys most. He spent over $600 sending the steering wheel out to get completely refurbished and well, you decide how it looks.

These days, the great mountain Goat is enjoyed sparingly at best. The GTO was never raced while it was in John's possession and while basking in the twilight of retirement, this quality piece of Pontiac history enjoys limited action in occasional weekend use and the elite show circuit. Cartier enjoys keeping in regular contact with the Goat's previous owner (now 74 years young) in Oregon. Every now and then a "surprise" comes to John's mailbox. Last time it was a set of negatives detailing some of the goat's Rocky Mountain roots. John quips, "I would've paid 35,000 bucks for the car, it's so beautiful. It was really hard for the old guy to part with it, but I'm glad he did". We can see why.