1964 Pontiac GTO - Father and Son 64s

Some fathers and sons go fishing to strengthen their familial bond, others may regularly take in a ball game. But in HPP, fathers and sons build Pontiacs, one of the most rewarding shared endeavors of all. Such is the case with Doug Askew and his son, Tim, a pair of Greensboro, Georgia, natives who have an affinity for '64 GTOs.

For Doug, the affection for Pontiac's first musclecar came in 1963 when, at the tender age of 20, he worked at a Pontiac dealership. "I was shopping for my first new car," he recalls, "I liked the '63 LeMans, but my sales rep, Jim Duke, suggested that I wait for the '64 models to come out because there would be a new option called the GTO. He didn't know much about it at the time but sent me the literature as soon as it was available. Needless to say, one look and I had to have one."

Doug's first new car was a Marimba Red '64 GTO with a 325-horse 389 four-barrel engine, black interior, a four-speed, and a 3.23 Safe-T-Track rear. Soon after delivery, Doug and his new wife, Jackie, headed to Daytona Beach for their honeymoon, making memories with their new Goat.

The GTO stayed in the family until 1969 when it was sold to help finance the construction of a new home. In 1975, son Tim was born, and his brother, Jack, arrived a few years later, as did a succession of '64 GTOs, ensuring that the young Askews grew up with constant exposure to Pontiacs.

The Father's '64 GTO
By 1983, Doug was searching for yet another '64 GTO. Shortly after purchasing this No. 2 condition Pontiac, a chance encounter with a deer put the Goat's nose out of joint, not to mention the right door and quarter-panel, prompting the decision to go ahead with another restoration earlier than planned.

The body was removed from the frame, and soon thereafter, Doug learned the true meaning of "Bondo Bucket" as it became apparent after stripping the shell that both of the quarters, the floors, the trunk, the package shelf, and even some areas of the roof needed to be replaced with fresh metal.

Once the metalwork was complete and the flanks of the GTO were as smooth as 12-year-old scotch, two coats of Martin Senour acrylic enamel were applied over primer and sealer of the same brand. Three coats of urethane clear followed, as did wet-sanding and polishing.

Fortunately, the news regarding the drivetrain was more positive. Though this GTO is not a factory Tri-Power model, under the hood was a correct '64 348-horse Tri-Power 389 that had been rebuilt to stock specs prior to Doug purchasing it.

The factory four-speed trans was reinstalled, as was the Safe-T-Track 3.23-geared rear. Using mostly stock replacement parts, the suspension was completely rebuilt, and an 0.875-inch rear stabilizer bar from a later Pontiac and boxed lower control arms were installed to augment the factory 0.938-inch bar up front in reducing body roll and understeer, while aftermarket gas shocks smooth the ride. GM restoration paint was used on chassis components and gloss black enamel was applied to the frame. The Askews rebuilt the GTO's four-wheel 9.5-inch drum-brake system as well. In fact, all the restoration work except the interior upholstery was performed by Doug and Tim at their home shop.

Around 2003, after the GTO was back on the road and leading a life of cruise-night leisure, Doug decided the Hot Rod Power Tour was too good an opportunity to pass up. However, thinking a stone-stock '64 GTO might not be the most comfortable mode of transport across 1,800 miles of Southern states in midsummer, he decided a few mods were in order.

To keep the red Morrokide from welding to his skin while driving in the heat of the day, Doug installed a knee-knocker-style aftermarket A/C system. A vintage, aluminum Edelbrock intake was bolted on, along with the company's 600-cfm carb to simplify the induction system, and an MSD Pro-Billet distributor and a 6AL box, which is hidden under the seat, ensures reliable spark. Stock log-style exhaust manifolds gave way to a set of Ram Air units to feed the 2.25-inch duals with twin mufflers and factory splitters.

Finally, a Tremec TKO five-speed trans from Hanlon Motorsports in St. Peters, Pennsylvania, and a Centerforce Dual-Friction clutch replaced the factory four-speed, providing a lower First gear as well as an Overdrive gear to turn lower rpm on the highway. "Now the GTO is fun to drive anywhere," Doug says. With a set of Weld Wheels that, at a glance, look like '60s vintage Halibrands, and blackwall radial rubber, the GTO took on the attitude of mild modified from back in the day.