Sue Thompson purchased this 1970 Pontiac GTO new from a dealership in Atlanta, Ga. and drove it until the mid-1980s. When she purchased another car, she retired the Pontiac to the parking lot. She later gave the GTO to her son, Bill Thompson, who started the restoration process. It took five years to bring the Pontiac to the pristine condition it’s in today.
According to Wikipedia, the Pontiac GTO was manufactured from 1964 to 1974 and is considered by many to be the first true muscle car. In 1963, General Motors management issued an edict banning divisions from involvement in auto racing. At the time, Pontiac’s advertising approach was based on performance, and racing was an important component of that strategy.
Jim Wangers proposed a way to retain the performance image that the division had cultivated with a new focus on street performance. It involved transforming the redesigned Tempest into a “Super Tempest” with the larger 389 Pontiac V8 engine. By promoting the big-engine Tempest as a special high-performance model, they could appeal to the speed-minded youth market. The name was inspired by the Ferrari 250 GTO, a highly successful race car.
After Mr. Thompson restored the Pontiac, he drove it to a family reunion. It was the first time his dad had seen the GTO since it had been restored, and it brought tears to his eyes. Sadly, Mr. Thompson’s mother did not live to see the restoration of her old GTO.
In the trunk of the GTO are all the vehicle’s service records, the original warranty, owner’s manual and bill of sale. Mr. Thompson has won many plaques and trophies at car shows in Blue Ridge, Dalton, Ga., and Tennessee. During the week, Mr. Thompson keeps his GTO tucked safely away in the garage, but when the weekend rolls around, you will most likely find him at a local cruise-in or competing in a car show.
Story and Photos by Shannon Hammett
