1964 Pontiac GTO Royal Bobcat
Personal story and photograph submitted by owner Tenney Fairchild
for participation in the the 2008 GM Century Cruise
This is the 1964 Pontiac Royal Bobcat GTO Car & Driver test car - as ordered, driven and "raced" by Jim Wangers – it’s the car that helped launch a movement AND a magazine. A legend in American motoring, the 1964 GTO is thought by many to be the first muscle car. This car is one of the first GTO’s built, and it was purpose built for the infamous Car & Driver road test, pitting it against the legendary Ferrari 250 GTO (which never made it to the track that day).
Ordered by ad man and NHRA Nationals champ, Jim Wangers – under approval from Pontiac GM John DeLorean – this car was built November 11, 1963 – sans insulation – and sent to Pontiac engineering over a weekend where a 421 HO engine was installed – along with an M-21 close ratio 4spd. and a limited slip Safe-T-Track 3.90:1 rear axle. Itwas then sent to notorious tuning house and clandestine factory engineering outlet, Royal Pontiac, to be prepped for the test. Tuned by Royal Pontiac legends Frank Rediker and Charlie Brumfield, and later Milt Schornack.
GM’s Century Cruise pays tribute to GM’s past and the passion owners have for their vehicles. On Saturday, August 16, 2008 this vehicle and more than 100 other classic GM vehicles will cruise from the GM Global Headquarters at the Renaissance Center up Woodward Avenue to the heart of the Woodward Dream Cruise in Royal Oak and the surrounding suburbs. One of these vehicles will be crowned “top cruiser” based on a text voting campaign.
Next GM Century Cruise Participant
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