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Pontiac GTO

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Comments

  • graphicguygraphicguy Member Posts: 13,665
    It's true that GM brought the GTO to market on a short development schedule. That probably is the main culprit in it's derivative styling. Still, I don't know where the General can go with it. It either has to break clean from the typical Pontiac mold, or continue to look like the rest of the family (not necessarily a good thing).

    Though not in the market, I'd like to slip behind the wheel of one of the new ones, if for no other reason, to see how far the modern muscle car has come.

    My long departed (and still missed) '67 didn't have the "tri-power" (something about GM brass withholding that for only the Corvette at the time), but it did have the 400 c.i.d. with the 4bbl carb. It was Gold with a black covertible top.

    The Marauder was stillborn....it could have been so much more. That's what happens when the car companies only want to stick their toes in the ocean instead of jumping in headfirst.

    Shifty...off topic but think it's worth mentioning, I just saw a "for sale" sign on a '72 914 with the 1.7. Sign said they'd take the first offer over $3K. It looked to be in dandy shape. You know how that goes, though. You can't tell a book by its cover.
    2023 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring
  • andys120andys120 Member Posts: 23,369
    for the next gen GTO in CAR that combined
    an edgy look like Caddy's with a really retro
    nose treatment featuring a recessed split grille
    and stacked headlights.

    CAR(UK) seems to have good sources.

    2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93

  • jae5jae5 Member Posts: 1,206
    Totally agree. I think the GTO shows a rush to market, a good and bad thing. Good that they wanted to tap a market niche and have a product for it, but bad that they didn't develop something with a little more style, a head-turner (in a good way, not like the Aztek where you turned your head AWAY).

    Also agree on the Marauder. Could have been much more than what it was. The wait, due to an improved frame and suspension, didn't really justify the approx. 2 year period for the car.

    I'm curious too as to where the GTO design is going to go. I mean, the shape really wouldn't take too kindly to spoilers and an ground effects kit. It would probably turn out to look like an Opel/Saab or maybe a Beretta Z26 in the front. I wouldn't go beyond maybe a functioning hood scoop.
  • fbrusseefbrussee Member Posts: 31
    "none of the mid 60s cars on the floor looked anywhere near as good as the GTO"

    WHOA, I can't let that one slip by....the 65 Buick Riviera with the clamshell headlights, the 64 Lincoln with the longer wheelbase, eggcrate grille and suicide doors, the 66 Galaxie 500 XL convertible 7 litre, all gorgeous cars, IMHO.

    Sure the GTO was a knockout, but it wasn't alone.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Ah, "eyes of the beholder" I guess is the watchword in this discussion. A '63 Riv is not bad, not bad at all, but the Fords of that era were just plain dated. How many times can you build a '62 Nova and inflate it?

    I have rarely seen a GM design improve with age, with some rare exceptions (Corvette and ...er...er...Corvette).
  • ezraponezrapon Member Posts: 348
    As the former owner of a black over red 67 GTO convertible, to hear you guys say it was run of the mill or mundane is ludicrous. The chrome grill, amber parking lamps, scoop, wood dash, slotted tail lamps, ralley one wheels... they truly don't make em like that anymore, and never will. Those late 60's SS, 442, Z/28's defined style. Opening the hood on a 427 or 454 SS at a service station was an event. With very few exceptions, I think automotive styling peaked many years ago... but then again, so did I.
  • obiwanobiwan Member Posts: 57
    Sure, they aren't making them like they used to. Compared to cars from the 60's, today's cars look like used bars of soap. I love the looks of 60's cars. But it wasn't just the muscle cars that looked good. Every car back then had style and character. Many cars back then had chrome grill, amber parking lamps, wood dash, etc. However, if you didn't see the hood, you may not be able to tell if it has a scoop and was therefore a "performance version" of the car. Heck, 90% of the GTO's sheet metal was shared with the LeMans. A 6 cyl Chevelle could be mistaken for an SS454 unless you knew what you were looking for.

    Compared to today, cars back then looked great. But the muscle cars didn't really stand out all that much from the coupes and sedans of the day. Sure, the enthusiasts could tell at a glance but they were the only ones.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    you could tell with your EARS---lol!
  • revdrluvrevdrluv Member Posts: 417
    ...through one could argue that without a hood scoop or chrome grill, cars from the 60's look like un-used bars of soap. lol
  • benjordan2benjordan2 Member Posts: 8
    The GTO back in the day are cool, but I love my new GTO. I plan on pulling off all the GTO bandage. I like the element of surprise. Whats better than pulling up to a Mustang in your look alike of the cavalier, and blowing there doors off. Maybe get a sticker on the back saying "yea its a Goat"
  • graphicguygraphicguy Member Posts: 13,665
    Shame on me....I did forget about cars like the Riv, Camaros, Mustangs.....I guess I was more in "tune" with what my Father was driving at the time....boxy Fords, Mopars and Oldmobiles...those were rather non-descript.

    In addition to being able to tell what kind of car it was by the sound of the "rumble" coming from under the hood and out the back, it was very easy to spot a performance car....even ones based on their more mundane and vanilla counterparts. There was no mistaking a plain jane LeMans for a GTO....or a Cobrajet from a 6 cyl Mustang. Even with my ears covered, I could tell the difference in a heartbeat. Hood scoops (most of the time functional), different front/rear treatments, Chevy "cowl induction" hoods, etc. There was plenty to tell a muscle car from it's more sedate cousins.
    2023 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring
  • benjordan2benjordan2 Member Posts: 8
    For the mustang Lovers I hear that the 05 is going to be a little more than the Goat. Were talking at least 2000 dollars more.
  • andys120andys120 Member Posts: 23,369
    until about 1968 Muscle cars were near twins to their more sedate cousins. For example '64 - '65 GTOs had only small hood scoops, exhaust tips and
    small badging to distinguish them from their ?LeMans siblings. If a Goat went by you at WOT or you were standing right next to it, you could tell it from a 326 LM but a non-enthusiast wouldn't know the Goat from a glasspack equipped 326.

    Similar principles apply to pony cars and other factory hot rods until they started really setting them apart in the late '60s.

    BTW there was a period when you could get
    4-speed, 427 powered big Chevies and Fords in plain Jane pillared sedan (Biscaynes and Customs)bodies with dog-dish hubcaps. Talk about sleepers
    Only small fender badges gave these away visually.

    2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93

  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Some of those muscle cars were barely driveable---the street Hemis for instance.
  • ezraponezrapon Member Posts: 348
    I was so busy remembering my old gto I forgot the other guys. Chargers, Super Bees, Daytonas, Hemi Cudas, 440 6 pack Challengers, Boss 302, and yes, the Rambler Scrambler, AMX, and Javelins. All of these beasts had less powerful siblings, but there was always a scoop, a pair of crossed flags, a shaker hood, bumble bee stripes, wider tires or some other visible cue to the casual fan that gave away the secret. Maybe it was the gleam in the eye of the driver; the same gleam I have right now remebering these works of art from days gone by. On the style side. I fully agree, even the old man's car was cool. We had a fast back 63 Galaxy 500 XL...man was that cool. Electra 225, the Rivs, the early gran prix, catalina 2+2 (421), Imala SS, cougars, firebird 400's, Shelby's, and so many more. Those were the days gentlemen(and ladies).
    We still have stylistic cars today, but not the giant shopping list of yore!!!
  • graphicguygraphicguy Member Posts: 13,665
    Dunno'...maybe I was more in tune with what the "hot" cars were back then. Didn't have a license, yet as I was way too young.

    That said, I can remember as a "tot" riding around with my Father and immediately being able to distinguish a Chevelle SS 396 from a regular 'ol Chevelle....or a GTO from a LeMans....or a "Super BEE" from a regular Charger....or a Mustang GT from a plain Jane Mustang....or a Road Runner from a its Plymouth bretheren.
    2023 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring
  • orwoodyorwoody Member Posts: 269
    I still have never gotten used to the 10 foot spoiler on the "Superbird".
    First car I bought with my pennies, was a used 68 Polara Sport w/383 HO. I still have fond memories of stomping the floor peddle and hanging on for dear life. Most of the rigs were awesome off the line and down the straight. Handling and cornering generally required rebuilding the suspension, springs, shocks, roll bars....
    I'm looking forward to driving a new GTO, not only for the deja vu, but for the thrill of winding it through twisty roads and touring that wasn't possible back then. (well it was, but it was very tiring work)
  • andys120andys120 Member Posts: 23,369
    Obviously you were a budding car nut back in the day which meant you looked for the subtle cues that separated the hot cars from their ordinary brethren.

    I recall making a "GTO" out of the 1/25 scale AMT '64 LeMans kit. It was easy enought to do. I took a 389 from a Grand Prix kit. Painted the grilles black added small badges and splitter exhausts.

    The only thing I couldn't duplicate were the hood scoops

    2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93

  • obiwanobiwan Member Posts: 57
    ... I wasn't a car guy until well after I hit puberty. My father views cars as nothing more than a necessary expense for family transportation, an expense which needs to be optimized in ways that remove everything that makes driving a real pleasure.

    When I was a kid, I'm sure I could tell a louder car from one that was more sedate. But to me they were just cars. Two cars with small visual cues like hood scoops or rally wheels, while noticable to the enthusiast, were barely visible to me. They sparked no interest in me as I sat around with the baseball cards, comic books and candy cigarettes, or even as I grew older and was more focused on finding "dirty" magazines and beer.

    I'm sure many who read this and other car message boards would be in the class of people who can identify early muscle cars from ordinary cars merely at a glance. But the world is primarily composed of people like my parents. People concerned merely with transporting the family tribe from point A to point B than with the journey between. Or, worse yet, people who, when asked, only know that they want a "pretty red one". To them terms like SS396, Hemi, Fastback, etc. may as well be in greek.

    Car enthusiasts are a rare breed. That's worth remembering when you try to comprehend why the GTO is the car it is today.
  • graphicguygraphicguy Member Posts: 13,665
    You may be right...I never thought of myself as an auto enthusiast when I was still intensely eyeballing cars from my Dad's rear window. There was a point where I could pick out the manufacturer just by lisenting to the unique sounds the starter motors made from each manufacturer. As I look back and as I look at what I've done since I was a "youn'un", one of my interests was always cars....not "reglar ole cars", but real driver's cars. That could explain my foilbes with some fairly unpredictable iron (for a teen in the late '70s, at any rate) when I got my driver's license (Fiats, MGs). I did have my "testosterone fueled period" when I had a string of muscle cars (a GTO, Trans AM, Torino GT and a Mustang GT). I was something of an anomally since I wasn't squarely in the General's camp, not the MOPAR camp, nor the FORD camp. I really sent my friends into a frenzy when I began my love affair with those "foreign" cars. And I always bought cars that were well used...usually 7, 8 even 10 years old. At the time, the U.S. was firmly entrenched in the "bogus" oil crisis and buying Diesel VW Rabits. No one could understand why I loved those big V8 dinosaurs, or the small, great handling (generally finicky and bought more to see if I could keep them running from week to week) European marks. When they ran, they ran well. When they didn't run....well, I'd better have plenty of LAVA soap on hand.

    The GTOs gave birth to my early interest in those types of cars (and, as some say, the birth of the muscle car era).

    While it may be a bit of wishful thinking on my part, it was my hope that the General would have done something a bit more to make the return of the GTO something with more "panache" in the looks department.

    As it stands, at least on paper, it looks like the performance of the "new" GTO will carry on as a worthy succssor to those fire breathers of yore.

    Perhaps the next generation will bring back some of the style of the originals...not retro, per se, but something more recognizeable as a purely American performance icon.
    2023 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring
  • obiwanobiwan Member Posts: 57
    In 1964, the general produced a unique motor car and started a whole new class of cars. The 1964 is quite unique in how plain it is and how it stands out from the rest of the GTO line. As it's style evolved, so did the rest of them.

    40 years later, the general is defining a whole new segment of cars with the GTO name. It's plain but it will evolve. Yet another reason why this car is every bit a GTO through and through.
  • crispiegeecrispiegee Member Posts: 90
    Photos do not do the GTO justice. It is absolutely stunning in person.

    If it was just a new GM offering with no name on it, you wouldn't hear any cries of, "This isn't a REAL GTO!" The quality and finish are spot on, and the seats coddle you. I think GM has a world class high performance coupe, regardless of what you name it.

    Nice work, Aussies!

    P.S. The '05 Mustang GT, by the way, was quite a looker too. It made the '04 Mach 1 that was sitting next to it look like a shipping crate.
  • crispiegeecrispiegee Member Posts: 90
    I wonder if this has happened to anyone else: Since doing all my research on the GTO and Holden Monaro, I have developed a greater interest in traveling to Australia. The country looks so beautiful in photos, and the people come across as wickedly funny (like the Brits) and down-to-earth (like mid-west Americans). My kind of people!

    The board of tourism in Oz should try to capitalize on the interest generated by the GTO. Maybe GM could offer "Homeland Pick-up," similar to BMW's European delivery program.
  • trishieldtrishield Member Posts: 17
    Well, a dealership here in South Dakota got the first GTO in the region. Torrid Red, black leather, automatic transmission. They gave me a call and I went to look at it Saturday. And of course, I took some pics for you all.

    http://www.ot2.cupofnoodles.com/trishield/gto01.jpg

    http://www.ot2.cupofnoodles.com/trishield/gto02.jpg

    http://www.ot2.cupofnoodles.com/trishield/gto03.jpg

    http://www.ot2.cupofnoodles.com/trishield/gto04.jpg

    http://www.ot2.cupofnoodles.com/trishield/gto05.jpg

    http://www.ot2.cupofnoodles.com/trishield/gto06.jpg

    http://www.ot2.cupofnoodles.com/trishield/gto07.jpg

    http://www.ot2.cupofnoodles.com/trishield/gto08.jpg

    http://www.ot2.cupofnoodles.com/trishield/gto09.jpg

    http://www.ot2.cupofnoodles.com/trishield/gto10.jpg

    http://www.ot2.cupofnoodles.com/trishield/gto11.jpg

    http://www.ot2.cupofnoodles.com/trishield/gto12.jpg

    http://www.ot2.cupofnoodles.com/trishield/gto13.jpg

    http://www.ot2.cupofnoodles.com/trishield/gto14.jpg

    http://www.ot2.cupofnoodles.com/trishield/gto15.jpg

    http://www.ot2.cupofnoodles.com/trishield/gto16.jpg

    http://www.ot2.cupofnoodles.com/trishield/gto17.jpg

    The car is at Southtown in Worthing SD, AND THEY WOULDN'T LET ME DRIVE IT UNLESS I BOUGHT IT. Also, as you all can see, the price was marked up $3,500 over MSRP. Absolutely ridiculous. I told the salesman so, and he said it's the first GTO in the region, so they felt marking it up was fine in this case. He said any other GTOs they recieve later this year likely won't be marked up. Uh huh.

    Anyways, my impressions.

    The car is just as fine as it was when I saw it at the Dream Cruise last August and posted my pictures for everyone here to see.

    It's a sleek, well proportioned car in person. Pictures seriously don't do it any justice. Exterior gap tolerances are all very tight with the exception of the trunk lid, and nothing was misaligned.

    The grille and lower bumper are fiberglass, as is the wing and mirrors, the rest of the car is steel. The hood is especially heavy, which surprised me, it reminded me a lot of my Grand National.

    Under the hood is the LS1, the same as it looks in any other car that's had it. The GTO covers are thick, beefy plastic, they don't flex at all when pushed on. All the familiar GM accessories are there, like the AC Delco battery, Delphi stickers and so fourth.

    The trunk is very small, it should hold two medium sized suitcases, and perhaps a set of golf clubs, but nothing more.

    Torrid Red isn't the same red the GTO show cars were wearing. It isn't even dark. It's bright, in your face, ticket-my-[non-permissible content removed] red. It's practically flourescent. It's not metallic either, it's flat. I don't like it, I think the darker metallic red should have been offered. But at least the finish wasn't full of orange peel like it was on the GTOs I saw at the Dream Cruise.

    The doors open and close with a high quality thunk, but they don't have the heavy feeling of the old G-bodies.

    The interior of the car is wonderful. The leather is sumptious, the seats front and back are prefectly bolstered and comfortable the instant they grip you. Head and legroom in the back is exceptional. All controls are perfectly placed once you know where they are. The switchgear has a nice smooth motion with no clickety clacking, and they're soft coated to boot. The Blaupunkt system sounds incredible, much better than I thought it would and the separation is theatre like. The gauge cluster is awesome when lit. The gauges themselves glow white, flourescent white, not yellow-ish white, and they're very bright. The driver information windows are large, and easy to read and adjust.

    My minor quibbles are the gauge cluster faces should be offered in black with grey stitching on the wheel and shifter instead of red. Getting into the backseat is a chore too. You have to hold down a button to make the seats power forward, and the motors are *slow*. There should be a second speed to make them move faster.

    Otherwise, the car is pretty cool.

    Now, if only I could actually drive one. >:(
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 32,889
    If the color in your pictures is accurate (and my monitor is accurate), that looks more like a dark Hot Pink to me. Yikes!

    '11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S

  • crispiegeecrispiegee Member Posts: 90
    Those photos need to be color corrected -- that red isn't even close to what it looks like in person.

    I just saw the GTO at the Detroit Auto Show and it looked 100 times better in person, though I have a red car now, so I wouldn't get that color. I wish they had used the dark metallic red too.

    Thanks for posting the pics, though. Did you drink much coffee beforehand? :)
  • andys120andys120 Member Posts: 23,369

    2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93

  • crispiegeecrispiegee Member Posts: 90
    Remember when you could order any car in any shade?

    I have thousands of car brochures dating back as far as the 1960's, and you could buy a garden variety Plymouth in any one of about 24 colors. You name it: Four shades of blue, three shades of green, two or three shades of white/cream/ivory; Two yellows, merging into beige, copper, tan and brown.

    Yep, those were good times... with the exception of the crappy quality of the actual vehicle...
  • jae5jae5 Member Posts: 1,206
    Plus seeing the car, it really is a decent machine.

    I only have a few gripes. I was a little disappointed in the gauge cluster also but in the sense that there aren't enough. There should be gauges for the oil temp and batt voltage IMO. And that trunk, forget it. I'm thinking a couple of duffel bags, that's it. But in seeing the vehicle itself, there is more room in the engine bay than I thought since before I only saw pics of it in the mags. All in all, I think the car is decent.

    And unfortunately, that red is pretty close to what it is.
  • snakerbillsnakerbill Member Posts: 272
    Where in the world did you get the idea that the 05 Mustang was going to cost more than the GTO? The Mustang will cost about 9000LESS. Did you just make that post up as you went along? Such silly attempts at misleading gossip is a big waste of time, and you should know better. Get the facts straight.
  • ezraponezrapon Member Posts: 348
    The salesman was speaking of the next generation 6.0 z06 engine coming next. Was a bit underwhelmed with the car in general, that, and the next model with the faster engine made it easy to keep my wallet in place. 3 in stock, 6-speeds miss the grand gas guzzler tax. They are getting full sticker. Stereo was better than SSEi or GTP. No on star, hud, sun roof, xm radio, a bit to spartan for me.
  • obiwanobiwan Member Posts: 57
    I pick it up tomorrow. Well, actually today since it's after midnight...
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,146
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  • fbrusseefbrussee Member Posts: 31
    We need a report ASAP! What did you order (color, auto or stick), likes, dislikes, plans to enhance or modify, dealer experience, etc.

    Mine was promised for February when I put my deposit down, now they're saying May-June!!!!!!!
  • benjordan2benjordan2 Member Posts: 8
    Talk to a dealer last week, the new o5 which is suppose to have a retro look is going to be more, due to LOA.....
  • robertkcalrobertkcal Member Posts: 14
    Ok, I want to post a picture of my GTO, how do I do it?
  • snakerbillsnakerbill Member Posts: 272
    I do not know what LOA is, but I spoke with my local Ford dealer, and the price of the GT with auto trans and several other things will be 27200, plus TTL. That is a lot LESS than the GTO which the dealer wanted 38475 for. Ford dealer will sell at MSRP with no add ons and no customer rip off. Also, there is no l000 dollar gas guzzler tax on the GT Mustang, and it looks like the performance of the two cars will be so close that only instruments could spot any difference. The GTO has more power, but weighs a lot more than the GT Mustang, also, the Mustang is better looking and has seperated dual exhaust pipes which really look better than the two pipes stuck together on the GTO. There is a lot of money difference between these two cars with the nod going to the GT Mustang. Those are the facts.
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 32,889
    GTO is not just about performance. If you want a BIG coupe with alot of v8 grunt, the Mustang ain't gonna cut it. But if you are just looking for an American V8 and don't care about anything else, then, yes, the Mustang is the hands-down better buy.

    '11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S

  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    first of all your photo has to have a URL and be residing on some host or another.

    Once you've got that figured out, you use this string, but use < and >, not the ( and ) that I have used:

    (img src=URLOFYOURPHOTO)

    that should do it.

    Host
  • casoncasecasoncase Member Posts: 48
    Removing the spoiler should be a matter of two or four bolts or screws, right? Are the bolts/screws visible from the trunk hood? Of course the remaining holes would need finishing. Edmunds has a lot of spoiler info if you do a "spoiler" search.

    I ordered my GTO on Dec. 5. It was already inbound as a dealer issue. It's still not here (Western Connecticut) and I've not seen one yet. Maybe it's the weather. I figure I'll live another week or so if it doesn't arrive soon.

    Another GTO site is LS1tech. Not as good as this one.

    Thanks trishield for the pictures.
  • czkf1czkf1 Member Posts: 17
    Magnusan is working on an Eaton supercharger kit, for the 2004 GTO, so is Vortech, it will produce well over 425HP, easily. At least the GTO is cheap and easy to work on.

    So why is the trunk so small, on the GTO for such a big car? This car is 10 inches longer than a S4, but has half the trunk space and only two doors. The GTO is also 7 inches longer than a CLK55 & 50% smaller trunk. I guess the extra space is around the engine?

    In spite of all this, I might get one, the price is right and the GTO emblems are easily removed. Maybe I can put a Saturn emblem on it?

        Don
  • czkf1czkf1 Member Posts: 17
    The spoiler makes it look less stealth, but filling the holes could be costly, if one wanted to make it look clean.

    The only other problem with the GTO, other than what I mentioned, above, is the four speed automatic. The car really needs a 5 or 6 speed automatic, then they could get rid of the gas guzzler tax. I think Ford is considering a 5 speed auto on the mustang, but GM has not made any noise about creating a 5 or 6 speed automatic, which is unfortunate.

    Now if Ford had the 2005 body style mustang, with a Cobra engine, 5 or 6 speed automatic and the IRS, that would be a fun car.

        Don
  • jae5jae5 Member Posts: 1,206
    In terms of the trunk, GM states it had to reposition the gas tank to behind the rear seat to pass the rear-crash testing standards, along with some other packing issues. I would think the same tweaks that apply to the f-body/corvette LS1 applications would have similar results in this one (cam, intake, rockers, throttle body, exhaust).

    FAST has 2 versions of a 2-piece intake that's really slick. Not only is it improved over the stock LS1, it has small notches in the lower half in the port area that allow you to open them up the ports on the intake and heads at the same time, allowing perfect port-matching. You basically bolt the lower half of the intake to the heads, make sure everything is straight and hit it. Again, this allows the ports of the intake and heads to be matched while the notches allow you to make sure you don't take away too much material. The intakes come in 73mm and 90mm throttle body openings. Add to this a Comp Cams bumpstick, roller-tip rockers, then re-reoute that exhaust so that there's a pipe on the left and one on the right and the tiger really would be in the tank.

    In terms of the trans, I haven't heard anything new about the GM/Ford five- and six-speed auto. I know back in late 4th quarter '02 and again in 1st & 2nd quarter '03, they were talking about a JV to make the 5 and 6-spd auto, especially since Ford has the industrial park in at the Torrence Ave. plant and that ZF has a facility there. Add to that the fact that Borg-Warner and SPX are here also and it kind of made sense, in a nightmarish sort of way. But again, haven't heard anything since early 2nd-quarter '03.
  • montanafanmontanafan Member Posts: 945
    GM has already announced a multi million dollar investment to produce 6-speed automatic transmissions for cars and trucks. The transmission is to be built in one of their Michigan plants.

    Reason the trunk is so small, that is were the gas tank ended up.
  • snakerbillsnakerbill Member Posts: 272
    A friend of mine wanted to remove the spoiler on his 02 Mustang GT, so we went shopping for a pair of flat red lights which would fit in the holes. We found these lights at a chrome shop for l8 wheelers, and they fit the holes perfectely, and they are hooked up to the brake lights. It works fine and looks like it came from the factory. It only took us 30 minutes to install these lights. They only stick up about one eight of an inch. There are several other kinds of little lights that were on display at the truck center, and I think that would be the way to go for only l4 bucks for the lights.
  • czkf1czkf1 Member Posts: 17
    On the 99 up Mustang, since it comes with (GT) or without (6cyl), one only needs to find a 6cyl deck lid, to completely remove the spoiler, with no holes to patch. I have done this on one of my previous mustangs.

    Since the GTO only comes with a spoiler, this solution is not as workable, unless one of the other pontiacs uses the same deck lid.
  • andys120andys120 Member Posts: 23,369
    It's a Holden with no relationship to any existing Pontiac.

    2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93

  • obiwanobiwan Member Posts: 57
    Ok,

    Sorry about not posting for the last day or two. I've been having WAY too much fun in my new silver/black 6 speed GTO. :)

    First impression: HOLY COW THIS CAR IS [CENSORED] AWESOME!!!!!

    Second impression: HOLY COW THIS CAR IS [CENSORED] AWESOME!!!!!

    Third impression: The skip shift is really annoying. This thing corners like it's on rails. This car has way too much power. Wait. No it doesn't. :D These tires aren't going to last long.

    Build quality is superb. Materials are top shelf. The sound system is fantastic. Much better than the Monsoon system from the old F-body.

    I have several pictures arranged in a thread on another message forum. Can I post a link to that thread without getting my hand slapped by a moderator? ;)
  • b4zb4z Member Posts: 3,372
    No.
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,146
    Sorry, obiwan. The membership agreement says no. :(

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