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1968 Pontiac Tempest GTO Convertible
Provided by Hemmings
 An all-new body shell greeted GTO fans in the model's fifth year of production. While the "coke bottle" shape was itself all new, the steel-reinforced "Endura" rubber front bumper that was standard on the GTOs gave this series a distinctive appearance well beyond the Tempest from which it was derived.
Other styling clues for the 1968 GTOs included twin hood scoops, GTO-only taillamp treatment and, of course, identifying lettering on the grille and deck lid. The list of standard equipment in the '68 GTO was impressive: besides the regular GM safety features there were dual exhaust, three-speed gearbox with Hurst shifter, red-line tires, bucket or notchback armrest seats, sports suspension, disappearing wipers and hidden headlights. The 350-horse, 400-cube V-8 was standard motivation, but the truly heavy-footed had a choice of a 375-horse, 4-barrel V-8 or a 390-horse, four-barrel Ram Air V-8 for an extra $77 or $342 respectively. A TurboHydramatic was available and, of course, a four-speed manual floor shift was also on the options list. A total of 87,864 GTOs found new owners in 1968 with 77,704 hardtops and 9,980 convertibles rolling off the assembly line. Of these, 36,299 had stick shifts and 51,385 used Hydramatic trannys. The production figure of 87,864 represented the second-best year of GTO output to date, exceeded only by the 1966 cars. GTOs, of course, were all about performance. After all, if you didn't want to be king of the quarter-mile you could save yourself mucho moola and buy a regular Tempest convertible instead. But the Tempest wouldn't do 88.32 mph in 15.93 seconds in the quarter with a GTO's 350 V-8 and automatic, nor did a Tempest stand a chance of cutting a 98.20 mph in 14.45 versus a GTO equipped with the Ram Air I option and a four-speed gearbox! Today, collector demand for GTOs is as strong as ever. If you're looking for unrestored cars watch out for good old body rot and rust, just as in all cars of this era. You can expect that the drivetrain has been given some vigorous workouts during its time on the road and extensive mechanical rebuilding could be in the offing. The most desirable combo would be a convertible with the Ram Air package and four-speed transmission.
If you're thinking of buying a car that has been restored, be sure and check the numbers on the chassis and engine very carefully. These cars can be easily faked-up out of regular Tempests so make sure you're looking at the "real thing" before you write a check. Buy a good one -- or restore one to show condition -- and you'll have one of the truly legendary Muscle Car icons to drive, display and enjoy!
| Base price: |
$ 3,327 |
| Base weight: |
3,590 lbs. |
| Body: |
Two-door all-steel five-passenger convertible |
| Wheelbase: |
112 inches |
| Length: |
200.7 inches |
| Suspension: |
Independent a-arms |
| Suspension (rear): |
leaf springs |
| Brakes: |
Hydraulic drum, internal expanding |
| Engine: |
400-cid cast-iron overhead valve V-8; 4.12 x 3.75” bore and stroke |
| Output: |
350 bhp @ 5,000 rpm; 10.75:1 compression ratio |
| Transmission: |
Three-speed manual with Hurst shifter standard |
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