how do I verify my 1970 "GTO" is in fact a real GTO?

Asked by nettor May 24, 2012 at 04:03 PM about the 1970 Pontiac GTO

Question type: General

The VIN on the dash and body tag on cowl have correct numbers for a GTO. The engine is a non- numbers mathcing pontiac 350 cubic inch. The speedometer only goes to 120 mph. The face of the dash looks LeMans. The trunk lid is LeMans. Is there a number on the frame or somewhere else to verify that the car is a GTO? I do not have any original paperwork, just a copy of a title from 1975 out of North Carolina. I am in Connecticut. Thank you for any help or advice, Joe

8 Answers

you can send the VIN and a fee to pontiac historical service , phs-online.com. they can tell you exactly what that car was ordered with , options,trim ,drive train numbers, it's awesome I did it for my car a few years ago. well worth the money !

3 people found this helpful.

also you can veiw a copy of the GTO catalog on yearone.com and in the 1st few pages is info on how to break down the VIN and data plate with engine & head codes and other info. good luck, nice car !

2 people found this helpful.

if it was a GTO it would have had a 400 or 455 engine , i've never seen anybody swap out a 400 or 455 for a 350,especially a pontiac 350. if you look at the front of the engine on the passenger side just below the head you'll see an engine code usually 2 letters YS .WS . that will tell what engine you have also on top of the engine where the distributor is you'll find the date code , that and the engine code will identify you engine

5 people found this helpful.
10,635

In the years since 1970 anything could have happened. The 350 is not original, no point in researching it. Do look here tho: http://ultimategto.com/cgi-bin/statsexplorer.cgi?year=1970&f1=style+popgto+clrpaint+dtmatrix+vinmatrix+dataplate+price The 455 was rare that year, and its very unlikely you have a Ram-Air. This is easy to fix...400 blocks are easy to find, any 400 from 1967 to 1971 is okay and will bolt right in. If you want a correct date-code engine, the site I listed will help you track one down. You can find decent rebuilt 400 HP engines from S+J in Washington that run on pump gas. By all means contact PHS to get the proper data for your car. You might also want to carefully remove the passenger seat and peel up the carpet. If the car hasn't been taken apart, you will find the original build sheet under the carpet. It might be in bad condition, so be careful if you want to remove it and preserve it. It will help you confirm if you have a real GTO, or a Lemans with a VIN tag from a totaled GTO. It happens. A lot. Good luck!

4 people found this helpful.
30

Canadian made GTOs had 350 engines. Check the VIN for the assembly point.

3 people found this helpful.
420

h90943 is incorrect. The only GTO to ever get the 350 cubic inch engine was the 1974 model. By the way, it was a Pontiac 350(about 354 cid actually), not from Chevy(or Buick or Olds).

420

I would guess that your 1970 GTO was repaired/restored with some non-GTO parts. A lot can happen over the decades.

20

If the VIN starts out with 242 then it is a GTO. Anything else, like 237, 235 or 233 is a tempest or lemans.

2 people found this helpful.

Your Answer:

GTO

Looking for a Used GTO in your area?

CarGurus has 2 nationwide GTO listings and the tools to find you a great deal.

Postal Code:

CarGurus Experts

  • #1
    Rucko
    Reputation
    870
  • #2
    Norm Davis
    Reputation
    780
  • #3
    taver91
    Reputation
    750
View All

Find great deals from top-rated dealers

Search

Related Models For Sale

Used Chevrolet Camaro
25 Great Deals out of 511 listings starting at $11,500
Used Chevrolet Corvette
29 Great Deals out of 593 listings starting at $10,989
Used Ford Mustang
61 Great Deals out of 1,603 listings starting at $6,500
Used Pontiac Firebird
17 listings
Used Dodge Challenger
35 Great Deals out of 886 listings starting at $1,001
Used Dodge Charger
36 Great Deals out of 983 listings starting at $4,888
Used Chrysler 300
28 Great Deals out of 550 listings starting at $2,995

Content submitted by Users is not endorsed by CarGurus, does not express the opinions of CarGurus, and should not be considered reviewed, screened, or approved by CarGurus. Please refer to CarGurus Terms of Use. Content will be removed if CarGurus becomes aware that it violates our policies.