With a $12,500 price tag, I don't think it will take long to have

$33,000 tied up in restoring this GTO.

The decision to downsize probably made sense at the time. I mean nearly all the hot cars shrunk down from full-size platforms to intermediates during the 60s. The trend was towards small ponycars for a time and sales went crazy. Enter insurance, emissions,  crash and rollover standards. Mainstrean cars were turning into heavy monsters and a fresh look at something more rational was due. Even the Mustang went to Mustang II that year (not that they were great but timing was impeccable). The irony is the '74 were planned, introduced, then the Arab oil embargo hit 3 weeks later. The thirstiest fleet of cars in a time of uncertain fuel availability.

The road testers of the day drew some valid comparisons between the '64 & '74 GTO. The '74 was good both in concept and execution but alienated GTO purists because it was a humble X-body powered by a smogger 350. A competent car that was perceived as cashing in on the GTO name.

That project is going to take some cash & dedication, but it is worthy to be saved. Do you think anybody would notice if a 428 Pontiac was painted up to look like the 350 and slipped in?

I appreciate the concept a lot more now than I did at the time.

The late auto journalist Joe Oldham also had the same sentiment 45 years on in a column he penned in Hemmings Muscle Machines not long before his death. 

I'd sure take a '74 GTO over a '74 Mach 1.

The Duster 360 / Dart Sport 360 were actually pretty hot in '74 and would be competitive with their special 360s equipped with 4-bolt main caps, windage  tray, and large valve J-heads that help make 245 net horsepower . Haven't seen one in a long time though.

I bought a J Code 360 that I found in a Taxi Cab  at Frampton's Auto Wreckers in London back around 1987. I was going to put it in my 318 powered 69 Coronet. I got it torn down and then ended up selling the car with the engine. I wonder if it still survives...

4SPEED427 wrote:

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I'm a minority I guess, I think the 74 GTO's are kind of cool...

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 Also agree. One year only, therefore unique. And as Joe Oldham suggested, with the benefit of hindsight, we didn't realize what a neat little package it was for its time. 

The picture that Ray posted shows perfectly what the Kijiji offering was like when new, right down to the trim level and colours in and out, the 4-speed. I thought all the 1973 X-car Hatchbacks were supposed to carry a "hatchback" nameplate glued to the quarter panel.

gparis7 wrote:

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4SPEED427 wrote:

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I'm a minority I guess, I think the 74 GTO's are kind of cool...

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 Also agree. One year only, therefore unique. And as Joe Oldham suggested, with the benefit of hindsight, we didn't realize what a neat little package it was for its time. 

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I agree with you guys.  When they first came out, I did think they were a disappointment, but retrospectively I now too realize what a neat car they are.  No problem to add a few more horses under the hood for those so inclined.

I suspect if Pontiac had marketed them under any name other than GTO, they would have been received much better by the public.