Tim's 455 is equipped with...
Tim's 455 is equipped with the Edelbrock Performer RPM Power Package that includes a matched-induction system, heads, and camshaft. A March Performance serpentine-pulley system adds flash and an updated look, and a Vintage Air A/C system keeps occupants cool, while a Griffin polished-aluminum radiator and twin electric fans do the same for the engine.
The Son's '64 GTO
Tim appreciates his dad's '64s, but in his younger days, he was more into late-model performers. "I bought a '96 Cobra Mustang, then a Saleen Mustang," he explains. "I modified them and raced at the local dragstrip regularly."
With all the attention that was paid to Doug's '64 however, Tim soon decided that he too would like to build a '64 GTO but with a few more modern amenities. In what Doug describes as "a weak moment," he offered Tim his other '64 GTO, which had been awaiting a resto since 1992.
Doug bought this one out of Chicago and learned a valuable lesson about "sight-unseen" purchases. He and Jackie limped it home from the Windy City making frequent stops at auto parts stores as the headliner rained decomposing material down on them with each passing truck. They made it all the way to Georgia without a breakdown. Then 17-year-old Tim, excited to check out his dad's new Goat, hopped in for a spin down the street and instantly blew a head gasket! At the time, he had no idea that same GTO would be his 12 years later.
 New A/C controls found a home...  New A/C controls found a home in what would be the stock location in Tim's GTO. The AM radio is original but has been fitted with an electronic eye just below the Delco logo to accept commands from the remote control for a stereo system ... |  ... an Alpine AM/FM CD head...  ... an Alpine AM/FM CD head unit that is hidden in the glovebox. Two MB Quart midrange speakers are tucked in the air vents, and two more are mounted on the package shelf with a pair of high-range tweeters. |  Tim's Air Ride RidePROe controller...  Tim's Air Ride RidePROe controller is stealthily stashed away where the ashtray used to reside. |
"I started that Pontiac on January 1, 2004," Tim tells HPP. "Dad gave it to me to build a drag car for the GTO Nats. January 2, I was outside sandblasting the frame, and dad realized we weren't building a drag car. In seven months, the GTO went from frame-off to finished. We made it to the GTO Nats with less than a mile on it. We were bolting on headlight bezels and grilles as it was loaded on the trailer."
Beginning with a '70 455 engine, the block was machined as needed and bored 0.030 over. The stock crank was refurbished, and aftermarket forged-steel rods were employed with JE forged flat-top pistons. While the oil pan is stock, a high-volume oil pump ensures the crude gets to where it's needed.
Inside Tim's GTO, the only...
Inside Tim's GTO, the only clues to the extensive upgrades are the additions of the aftermarket A/C controls, factory A/C vents, and short Hurst shifter for the Tremec five-speed. The Air Ride RidePROe controller is hidden in the ashtray. A factory four-spoke wheel and in-dash tach are vintage touches. Lamar Stevens Upholstery in Atlanta, Georgia, replaced all the worn textiles with reproduction items from YearOne.
An Edelbrock hydraulic cam featuring 231/240-degrees duration at 0.050 and 0.516/0.516 lift was installed to complement the company's aluminum heads. A set of 1.65-ratio roller rockers and Comp Cams pushrods move 2.11/1.66 stainless valves in the 87cc chambers. Compression is approximately 9.5:1.
A Performer RPM intake is bolted to the heads and is fed air and fuel by an Edelbrock 800-cfm Thunder Series AVS carb, which draws atmosphere through a K&N air cleaner and fuel through a high-volume mechanical pump.
An MSD Pro-Billet distributor, coil, and 8.5mm wires deliver spark to the plugs, and Doug's 1.875-inch headers exhaust the 462 into 2.5-inch mandrel-bent pipes with an x-style crossover and a pair of Spin Tech mufflers.
Power is fed through a Hays flywheel, a Centerforce Dual-Friction clutch, and a Tremec TKO five-speed. An HD steel driveshaft transfers the twist to a Moser 12-bolt rear featuring 3.55 gears and a posi unit.
The stereo's output is boosted...
The stereo's output is boosted by JL 500/1 and 300/4 amps mounted in the trunk under a custom cover. A pair of JL W-7 8-inch subwoofers are also in the trunk behind custom grillework.
Unlike dad's GTO, Tim's sheetmetal was pretty clean to begin with. The duo replaced the trunk floor, patched the quarters, and straightened dings before employing a regimen of PPG products to complete the body. Two Marimba Red basecoats are under four coats of PPG Concept 2000 clear that were wet-sanded and polished. Carl Bartholomew, of Cleveland, Georgia, restored the bright trim, and the bumpers were rechromed.
Tucked under the now-pristine body of Tim's GTO is a state-of-the-art Air Ride Technologies ShockWave suspension system. It features Air Ride's tubular lower-control arms up front and single-adjustable airspring bellows with integral shocks at the four corners.
Thanks to Air Ride's RidePROe compressor system, the suspension can be adjusted for ride height from the cockpit via an electronic controller that interfaces with the solenoids, compressor, and tank mounted in the trunk. Aiding the handling are Addco 1.25-inch-front and 1-inch-rear stabilizer bars to further reduce body roll in the corners, and an AGR steering box tightens the ratio to 12.7:1 for quicker response to steering input. A set of big Baer Brakes and 18-inch wheels and tires finish off the upgrades.
Tim is impressed with the handling of the GTO. As for Doug, "It's a little too sports car for me. It doesn't feel anything like a '64 GTO anymore." Both agree, however, the major problem when driving it is actually staying in the seat through the corners.
Note the "down-low" stance...
Note the "down-low" stance of Tim's Goat in this photo as compared to the cover. It's made possible by an adjustable Air Ride suspension system.
Conclusion
So what is it about '64 GTOs that has kept Doug captivated all these years? "I was 21 in 1964 and lived through the musclecar era," he says. "It just stays with you. The '64 GTO was part of my life from the beginning. Working in the Pontiac dealership reinforced that loyalty, and I was able to watch Pontiacs evolve.
"When people mature and have to be responsible adults, soon they want to relive their childhood. I did as well. I searched for my original '64 GTO, but all I could track down was the original transmission, never the complete car."
A set of 18x8.5 Billet Specialties...
A set of 18x8.5 Billet Specialties wheels with 245/40ZR18 BFG g-Force tires are fitted up front on Tim's GTO. The wheels feature 4.5-inch backspacing to fit in the wheelwells and clear the Baer 13-inch disc-brake system.
Happily, Doug is able to share his feelings for Pontiacs with his family. "I get wonderful satisfaction out of building these cars with my son. We work together 8 hours a day running the family business (high-end appliance dealer), and then we go home and work 3-4 more hours in the shop on our GTOs, all without a cross word. We respect each other and each other's opinions. Sure there is give and take, but we work it out. Who can ask for a better relationship than that?"
And so the '64 GTO projects continue to evolve for this father and son team.
Out back, 18x10 wheels have...
Out back, 18x10 wheels have 275/40ZR18 g-Force tires. Backspacing is 6 inches. "The tires are close, 3/8-inch from the quarters on the outside," Tim says, "There is little room for body roll, but they don't rub. However, with the Air Ride suspension, the body doesn't roll much anyway." For stopping, there are 12-inch Baer brakes.
"I had been around '64s all my life," Tim says, "and it always fascinated me how dad knew every nut and bolt on them, and that he was so detail-oriented in building them. Now I like my '64 more than my later-model 442, Grand National, and Saleen Mustang."
"My son taught me that you can upgrade these GTOs to perform and handle like a more modern machine while retaining the classic look," Doug said. "Now I'm trying to do with my GTO what he's done with his." To that end, Doug is working on upgrading to a Stainless Steel Brakes Corp system and a switch to modern 18-inch wheels with steamroller tires, as well as springs and shocks to complement the changes.