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VIDEO: Pat McNamara Breaks Down His 1965 Pontiac GTO, ‘Charlotte’

The fall 2018 issue of Ballistic Magazine is on newsstands now! You grab your copy of the fall 2018 issue of Ballistic Magazine today at OutdoorGroupStore.com.

In the issue is a feature on Pat McNamara‘s 1965 Pontiac GTO. Here’s brief excerpt from the story:

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Mac’s 1965 Pontiac GTO

“It was a long time that I wanted that car—’65 to ’67 models specifically—and this one was perfect because I was born in 1965,” Pat McNamara said. “I always had a fascination with muscle cars, and even though I’ve owned other vintage cars like ’60s Cadillacs, the GTO was at the top of my list. So a number of things came together to let me buy this one, and I am really happy about it.”

The original muscle-car era gave great memories and created unique bonds between enthusiasts, and they remain today as the iconic reminders of that time. GTOs like Mac’s are considered valuable collectors’ cars when restored to the beauty and function they originally demonstrated.

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Mac’s is also unique because, unlike some trailer-queen show cars, he still drives it.

“You know, the thing handles like a Jeep. It’s not like driving a Honda Civic around,” he said with a laugh. “When I was growing up in Connecticut and in high school, there were lots of guys with used cars like this. You really have to experience a muscle car. You have to smell it and look at the front-end styling, and hear it when you turn the key.

“Take it out on the road, and there is nothing like the thrill of that raw horsepower. I have driven some of the new muscle cars, and they are badass, but these cars from 1965 through 1970—the Chargers, the GTXs, the GTOs—were simple in their styling. They all wanted to look nasty. They still do. There is nothing like it.”

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To read the entire story, pick up your copy of the fall 2018 issue of Ballistic Magazine today at OutdoorGroupStore.com.

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