by Michael GolubiewskiProduction Editor
This GTO can go
Steve Evans of Conyngham owns this week’s ride, a 2004 Pontiac GTO which he purchased brand new and has “been modifying ever since.”
The GTO has been produced by General Motors twice, first from 1964-1974. That time span’s version is considered by many to be America’s first true muscle car. After a 30-year absence, the GTO returned in 2004, produced by GM Australia. (The 2004-06 GTOs were an Americanized version of the GMC Holden Monaro, which was produced for the Australian market).
GTO is an acronym for an Italian term “Gran Turismo Omologato” (the original GTO was inspired by a Ferrari model called the 250 GTO). Evans says that his GTO still has its stock 5.7-liter V-8 engine and T-56 transmission, but he has upgraded some parts in the transmission. It also has the stock 3.42 gears with a Harrow cover that helps the Pontiac with wheelhop control. Evans has also added some airbags to the rear springs to also help with the control.
Evans added a body kit from a 2005 Pontiac GTO, and the exterior color of the car is a factory color called Impulse Blue Metallic. The GTO’s wheels come from Complete Custom Wheel in Florida and are 19 inches wrapped in Toyo T1R tires. The hood is carbon fiber and is called a “banshee hood,” which Evans purchased from PFYC.com. He has also added Kooks stainless steel headers attached to a custom cat back system that he made himself and Flowmaster Super 44s for mufflers.
As far as the engine modifications go, Evans has put AFR heads on the engine, with a Thunder racing cam and he has upgraded the fuel pump, fuel injectors, fuel lines, pushrods and oil pump. He painted the engine block, intake and fuel rail covers in classic Pontiac blue metallic paint.
Air is delivered through an AEM Brute Force cold air intake and a F.A.S.T. 92 mm intake. Evans says that he has added numerous Autometer Phantom gauges as well as a Hurst linelock with a Hurst pistolgrip shift handle that is threaded onto a custom shift handle from Precision Motorsports of Florida and bolted to a GM shift handle from Australia.
The braking system was upgraded to a set of Powerslot rotors and Hawk brake pads. With the modifications, Evans says that he comes up with 430 horsepower at the rear of the car and has other modifications planned, including new paintwork, a new and different cam, some suspension modifications, and he says one day he will add a twin turbo kit.
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