In late 1963, the GTO was developed by John Z. DeLorean as a performance option for the Pontiac Tempest, and it was conceived to give Pontiac some additional performance in their lineup. The GTO combined aggressive styling and even more aggressive performance to lure muscle car buyers to Pontiac. Interestingly enough, the entire project circumvented GM’s prohibition of fitting an engine over 330 cubic inches in their intermediate models, making the car somewhat of an in-house hot rod. Nevertheless, it proved to be successful and helped cement DeLorean’s reputation in the industry. The GTO option attracted 32,540 buyers in 1964, and according to legend, Pontiac received 5,000 orders before the GM brass even learned of the car’s existence!

By 1966, the GTO had been introduced as its own specific model within Pontiac’s lineup. Fittingly, it was restyled with a slightly more curvaceous design, and it would gain what would become known as “Coke bottle” styling cues for its rear fender lines. The standard 389-cubic inch engine was tuned to belt out 335 horsepower, but the most desirable option was the “Tri-Power” setup, which had triple two-barrel carburetors that could bring horsepower to 360, making this high-powered version a fierce competitor on drag strips across America.

According to the car’s window sticker, when this 1966 Pontiac GTO Hardtop Coupe was delivered to Ray Steidle Pontiac, of Milford, Ohio, it was equipped with a Tri-Power 389 that was mated to a four-speed manual transmission; the “Ride and Handling” package with heavy-duty shocks and a stabilizer bar; and Rally wheels. It wore Barrier Blue paint with a Blue interior, which is the same color combination it sports today. Documentation accompanying the car suggests that after leaving Ohio, the GTO remained in the Southeastern United States, with owners in Tennessee, Virginia, and North Carolina, before finding its way to the Andrews’s in Fort Worth, Texas.

The GTO proved to be a massive success for Pontiac, with a total of 96,946 examples sold, and the 1966 model remains one of the most beloved by enthusiasts. The Andrews’s example checks all the right boxes. With the Tri-Power 389 and a four-speed transmission, it is ready to trounce Mustangs at the stoplight, just as it did when new.