Flashy Pro Street cars are fun, and the polished show queens are cute, but there’s nothing more cool than resto-mod. Seriously, who doesn’t love a classic that looks good on the street and performs well at a traffic light? No tricks, no frills, no situations; Only strength and ostentation – a lot of bragging. This gorgeous GTO is a stunning vehicle that blends 376 cubic inches of Chevrolet LS3 performance with a modern drivetrain, fully upgraded body and leather-wrapped, air-conditioned cockpit. And if you’re looking for some muscle-pickup that’s road-ready, show-ready, and battle-ready, this is the perfect way to ram the scene and bruise some ego!
A new original 42 GTO symbol from two year rotisserie restoration, this legendary Pontiac is a timeless hunk of GM muscle clean, energetic and ready to roll! This rebuild was performed by an avid GTO enthusiast who has, as of now, between 40 and 50 restorations under his belt – an experience that sparkles, figuratively and literally, when you take one look at the shiny PPG Viper coupe two-stage black. Ahead of that graceful hue is a stainless-steel two-port grille that hangs with a prominent “G T O” badge and clean parking lights between a new bumper and much-requested T3 headlights. At the top of that grille is a tall hood in the center of a small scoop in front of tinted glass centered behind stainless tires and a polished driver’s mirror. On either side of the hood, bright fender emblems and subdued quarter scripts are perfectly complemented by the stainless steel wheel rims, stainless rocker guards and brushed door handles. And at the rear of the car, a stainless-steel valance folds the elegant taillights between the bold outlets, polished exhaust tips and a new second bumper.
Purchased as a reliable call-and-travel kit straight from Chevrolet Performance, Poncho’s GM Divine Small Block, officially known as the LS376/525, cranks out a respectable 10.7-in-1 compression at 525 hp and 486 lb-ft. of torque! At the front of that treadmill, a Specter brushed air tube funnels cold winds into a mounted GM throttle body, which is threaded to the lightweight GM intake. That air meets spark in the L92’s rectangular heads, which ride under Corvette’s familiar rod covers. A lumpy crank, crushed connecting rods, and heavy-duty pistons compress this volatile union. ASA racing-inspired cam maximizes traction efficiency through better breathing. Speaking of breathing, this smooth valve passes exhaust gases through the horrific exhaust vents. Lubrication is greatly improved by the high quality holly oil pan. A CVF Serpentine drive spins a brushed AC alternator against a brushed AC compressor. There is a Cold Case installed cooler that slides between two intake fans and a dedicated expansion tank.
After a few miles since its restoration from the ground up, the completely reconstructed undercarriage of this goat has been carefully upgraded in all the right places. The powerful small block calls for a new Tremec T56 Magnum 6-speed engine, which uses a hydraulic McLeod clutch to twist a custom Inland Empire driveshaft. This 3.5-inch aluminum tube powers Ford’s new 9-inch hub, which spins a position differential around the 3.50 sport gear. This drivetrain rides on a restored suspension, upgraded with tubular control arms and a QA-1 coil. Power-assisted cornering works well with power-assisted stops, which is achieved with the full list of The Right Stuff Detailing components that includes 13-inch front rotors, powder-coated calipers and 11.5-inch rear rotors. In the center of the car’s hardwood floors is a Pipes exhaust system suspended in an X-shape in front of the aggressive Street Pro muffler. And everything rolls on chrome-plated Ridler 645s, which spins 225/45ZR18 Sumitomo HTR Z5s in front of 275/35ZR20 Sumitomo HTR Z5s.
Swing the doors and you’ll find a clean leather interior that feels like the perfect place for a warm summer evening. Front and center, TMI buckets with red stitching lead to an upholstered seat with red stitching. The LS3’s vitals are displayed by the Dakota Digital Scale VHX, which rides next to the classic climate control system and RetroSound audio with Bluetooth. Like-new carpet installs chrome transmission behind chrome-plated foot pedals. On either side of the vehicle, soft-touch door panels blend handcrafted hardware with red embossed emblems. The driver spins a polished steering wheel around a tilting shaft. Passengers store essentials in an upholstered box on demand.
