There has long been a rumor that one of the major car magazines published an article about a 1964 Pontiac GTO, where the car had been peformance modified
Executive summary
The long‑running rumor that a major car magazine ran a story about a 1964 Pontiac GTO that had been performance‑modified is grounded in fact: multiple mainstream and enthusiast publications have published features on modified or rebuilt 1964 GTOs over the years, including High Performance Pontiac/Hot Rod, MotorTrend (via High Performance Pontiac content), and Car Craft, among others [1] [2] [3]. What cannot be proven from the supplied reporting is a single canonical “one rumor” article—there are many documented examples rather than one unique source tied to the vague folklore (sources reviewed: [1]–[5], [6], [8]3).
1. Documented magazine coverage of modified ’64 GTOs
Major mainstream and specialist magazines have repeatedly run features on 1964 GTOs that were modified for performance or restored with modern upgrades: High Performance Pontiac/Hot Rod has published multiple restoration and customization features on ’64 GTOs, including father‑and‑son projects and concours‑modified builds [1] [4] [5], MotorTrend’s archive hosts a High Performance Pontiac feature about a customized ’64 GTO with a solid camshaft and upgraded chassis bits [2], and Car Craft documented a project build that added forced induction, modern suspension and other performance hardware to a ’64 GTO [3].
2. The kinds of modifications magazines described
The published articles detail a spectrum of changes—from sympathetic concours‑style restorations with tasteful upgrades to full performance conversions: examples include engine upgrades such as Nunzi cams and superchargers, modern suspension components like Art Morrison clips and Ridetech ShockWaves, Global West tubular control arms for improved cornering, and modern brake systems and interiors—each documented in magazine features about specific cars [2] [5] [3].
3. Editorial context and motives behind such stories
These features serve multiple editorial purposes: celebrating preservation and craftsmanship, offering how‑to inspiration for hobbyists, and showcasing shop or parts‑maker capabilities—High Performance Pontiac and Hot Rod run both human‑interest restoration narratives and technical project builds, while Car Craft focused on the nuts‑and‑bolts of increasing horsepower and compatibility with modern drivetrains [1] [3] [5]. That mixed agenda explains why many magazines spotlight modified GTOs repeatedly rather than a single defining “modified GTO” exposé.
4. Why the rumor culture around a single article persists
Enthusiast folklore often compresses many magazine pieces into a single “story heard around the hobby”; Car and Driver’s historical role as a high‑profile tester—and controversies such as accusations of manufacturer “ringer” press cars—have further muddied collective memory, so readers sometimes misattribute or conflate individual test cars and magazine features into one legendary article [6] [7]. The supplied sources show multiple independent features rather than one unique instance to which the rumor could be pinned (p1_s2–p1_s6).
5. Gaps in the available reporting and what remains unverified
The materials reviewed confirm that major magazines published multiple articles on modified 1964 GTOs, but they do not identify a singular “famous” rumor article as an origin point; therefore it cannot be asserted from these sources that one specific magazine story is the root of the long‑running rumor without additional citation or a clearer description of which article is meant [1] [2] [3] [6].
6. Bottom line — what can be said with confidence
It is accurate to state that mainstream car magazines have published articles about performance‑modified 1964 Pontiac GTOs—across Hot Rod/High Performance Pontiac, MotorTrend’s features, Car Craft, and similar outlets—so the broad claim behind the rumor is true in aggregate, but the supplied reporting does not support identifying one single magazine article as the definitive source of the legend [1] [2] [3] [5] [6].