Nineteen sixty-six was an excellent 12 months for Pontiac. The GTO was on the prime of its sport, ultimately promoting over 96,000 models. However, from an engineering perspective, the Tempest, Tempest Customized, and LeMans made information because of the brand new OHC-6 and OHC Dash engines. A type of fascinating automobiles, a 1966 Pontiac LeMans Dash Sports activities Coupe, is our Choose of the Day. It’s on the market on ClassicCars.com by a seller in Macedonia, Ohio. (Click on the hyperlink to view the itemizing)

When John DeLorean developed the OHC-6 program, it was a pleasant tangent from the transaxle that had been a singular Tempest function from 1961-63. Although primarily based on Chevrolet’s 230cid straight-six, the OHC had its personal block and, naturally, head. The 165-horsepower one-barrel OHC-6 was customary all through Pontiac’s A-body line save the GTO, however a four-barrel Dash model with 207 horses was an choice. Goodies included higher-compression pistons, larger cam, Rochester Quadrajet, and the same old upgrades like stronger springs. Although this was fewer horses than the bottom V8 (250-horse 326), the Dash seemingly supplied higher efficiency. For V8 followers, there nonetheless was the 285-horsepower 326 HO or, in fact, the GTO.

On two-door coupes, Dash-equipped A-bodies featured a mid-body racing stripe, whereas four-doors did with out the stripe; station wagons weren’t accessible with the Dash engine. Commonplace was a three-speed guide on the column, however a three-speed on the ground, four-speed, or two-speed automated (on column or console) had been accessible. Alas, it was a V8 world, and customers had been keener on shifting as much as a low-revving V8, although the Dash discovered a pure house within the 1967-69 Firebird

This Madeira Maroon 1966 Pontiac LeMans Sports activities Coupe (the one with the B-pillar) is a Dash with the fascinating four-speed. The restoration is a bit more than a decade previous, however it’s nonetheless wanting good with “wonderful panel gaps and no proof of patching or reducing imply that this automotive in all probability led a simple life,” per the vendor. “There are just a few blemishes and indicators of age within the end, however nothing that requires consideration, and it actually doesn’t detract from the superior look.” Dig the crimson stripe too — what a pleasant distinction with the paint!

Inside, bucket seats had been customary within the LeMans (black, on this case), however the console was non-obligatory, so the Hurst shifter pokes via the ground of this one. Woodgrain decorates the dashboard and is complemented by “that beautiful steering wheel [that] provides a European sports activities automotive really feel,” which is within the Dash’s vein since its engineering was influenced by these automobiles throughout the ocean. “The upholstery, door panels, and carpets are new, and the headliner was just lately changed.”

For you people eager to see when you can beat up on small V8s, the three.55s out again are simply the precise factor for spirited driving. Being a six, it seemingly hasn’t been raced and abused, so it “nonetheless feels tight and well-assembled, which isn’t one thing we are able to say about a whole lot of GTOs.” Good level!

Add $4,000 value of Hurst mags and redlines and you’ve got one very good junior GTO. Pontiac known as it GeeTO Tiger, Jr., and that was spot-on. For $34,900, you possibly can personal an American automotive that was forward of its time.

To view this itemizing on ClassicCars.com, see Choose of the Day.