1968 Pontiac GTO/LeMans/Tempest
1968 Pontiac GTO Commercial
Pontiac introduces the new 1968 Pontiac GTO with the Endura Bumper.
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Official GTOAA 1968 Tech Advisor - Scott Veracka (603) 795-4342 Email
1968 Magazine Articles
1968 Factory Manuals & Brochures Archive
1968 VIN Tag & Data Plate Decoder
1968 Pontiac Tempest/LeMans/GTO Special Equipment Order Form
1968 Magazine Advertising
John Perkins
John Perkins... born and raised in Lansing, Michigan. John writes that he knew in his youngest years that he wanted to be an automobile designer. His father slowly climbed the ranks of Oldsmobile of Fisher Body to Chief Body Engineer. Everyone in Lansing worked at either Oldsmobile or Fisher Body.
“Like a lot of little boys, I just loved cars. Cars were just in my blood,” Perkins said. “Even in my teenage years, I just kept drawing. I would be inside drawing cars while the other kids were playing outside
At the Cadillac studio, Perkins worked on overall designs of vehicles as well as the details such as bumpers, grilles and wheels. Perkins stayed at the studio for four years before transitioning to Pontiac Studios in 1968 to work on sporty vehicles like the Firebird and GTO.
“As a designer, the change from stately Cadillacs to sport cars, cars that were closer to what I liked to drive myself, was marvelous,” Perkins said.
Throughout his career, Perkins was an artist as well as an engineer. The engineering expertise he gained at Kettering helped qualify his designs.
“Having an Engineering degree as my background was beneficial because I could work with engineers to come up with a compromise of what looks good and what is buildable,” Perkins said.
The upward trajectory of Perkins’ design career continued in the decades ahead as he was influential in the design of vehicles that became cultural icons including the Cadillac DeVille, Buick Riviera, Chevelle, Pontiacs and Cutlass Supreme through Oldsmobile Aurora. Perkins retired in 1999 after 37 years in automotive design with GM.
“I look back fondly on having such a wonderful career because I was following my dream,” Perkins said. “I was doing something I loved as a profession.”
1968 Pontiac GTO - Early pre-production photo in Verdoro Green with white pinstripe. Note the rocker call outs did not make production on the GTO, only used for Tempest & LeMans. Photo is courtesy of Musclecar Films
1968 Pontiac Service Manual
