New DD: 2004 Pontiac GTO

[V]

About 2 months ago, I decided that my '98 Cadillac STS was no longer worth dumping anymore money into and that I needed a different daily driver. That same day, I got a text from a friend with a picture of this car for sale down in south Jersey. I called the number on the for sale sign that day and was told someone was coming back to look at it that evening and very very interested. Being 2 hours away, I just let it go. But I did call back the next day, a Wednesday, to see if it sold. The seller said they were having it brought to a mechanic on Saturday but she didn't take any deposit nor would she. I then decided to make the drive down right then to see it that night. It was as I expected and had been told so I agreed to buy it that night. My friend helped me out and had the car dropped off at his house the following day. That Friday after work, I rented a U-haul trailer and went down and picked it up.

Its a 2004 Pontiac GTO, LS1, T56, with 145k miles. 1 owner car from new, Impulse blue metallic, with the optional blue leather interior. I knew it would need some work before I could daily drive it so I was still driving my Caddy as I fixed a few small things. The first thing I addressed was a rubbing driveshaft. it has an aftermarket 1-piece aluminum DS that was rubbing on a rear seat belt bolt. Trimming that bolt was the ONLY modification that the installation of the DS called for and whoever installed it didn't do it. That was a quick fix. I also installed new rear cradle poly bushings and a diff mount insert. I also changed the diff fluid which made a world of difference. I even replaced a rusty looking factory strut brace with a used BMR version. Then about 2-3 weeks after I bought the GTO, the motor in my caddy sold on ebay, so the STS got torn apart and the GTO became my daily driver in the beginning of November.

I've also bought a few interior pieces that were either missing or damaged, a vent, a kick panel, power mirror switch, etc. The car does have some a dent and a crease on the drivers side door and fender. So far, I already got a fender in the same factory blue color, just haven't gotten around to putting it on. The radio system was replaced by the previous owner with a Pioneer touchscreen unit and MB quart component speakers throughout.
The rest of the car is bone stock. The transmission was also replaced recently according to the seller. Seats are in decent shape, just 2 split seams, one on back seat, one on drivers. In time they will all get replaced with new blue Katzkin covers.

Since driving it, I have noticed some clutch issues, so I have a new setup ready to go in. I got the generic LUK ls7 setup along with a new slave, TO bearing and hardware. I also ordered new master to slave solid stainless lines(factory rubber sections swell as the age) and a remote bleeder line.

I figured that if I didn't like the car or something was majorly wrong with it, I could always pull the drivetrain and swap it into my white GTA, lol. For the price, I just couldnt pass it up. The caddy part out will pay for this GTO and then some.

This picture is of the car the second day I had it. Not much to look at just yet but it'll get there.




And a few days later after I added the strut tower brace and pulled the FRCs to repaint them.

[BonzoHansen]

Much better than that caddy heap!

[Blackbirdws6]

Congrats and enjoy. Love that color.

[ar0ck]

Love that color and generation, congrats!

[Featherburner]

Congrats and good luck with your new car. A couple things to look out for: brake lines rusting through and strut mounts/bearings(they're always bad). As for the split seams, that was a problem from new! They had problems on dealers lots with them splitting.

[LS1ow]

Pics of the interior please !

[3.4 grape of wrath]

Looks good! Enjoy.

[sweetbmxrider]

Nice grab dude

[madness410]

niiiiiiice

[maroman88]

Blue/Blue is my favvvvvv

[V]

Still doing good with the GTO. I have yet to do the clutch change but I have all the parts ready to go. LS7 clutch, stainless hard clutch lines, arp hardware, etc.
I fixed some rattling heat shields.
Any damaged or missing interior parts were bought.
Bought a BMR skid plate to replace the missing oem one.
Gotta find time to fix an off-track window.
Still haven't installed the replacement fender or bought a replacement door.
Also, I took the first step in my Holden Monaro conversion.

[V]

More Holden parts have been purchased.
Also, today I just picked up a replacement drivers door and hood, both in the factory Impulse blue metallic color.
Now just need to find time to swap the fender and door. I changed the hood this afternoon already.

[V]

Finally got around to swapping out the damaged fender and door this weekend.

[V]

Recently finished up the LS7 clutch install, w/remote bleeder and stainless steel hard lines from Classic Tube.
Had to have the T56 input shaft replaced due to a failed pilot bearing.
Replaced the e-brake cables.
BMR skid plate installed since the oem was missing.
Replacement starter now actually allows the car to start, cold or hot.
Installed a Magnaflow catback system.
Did an oil change finally too.



Last week, I bought another trunk lid so I can shave the spoiler. Just need to get a welder.



EDIT: Tonight(8/10/18) I just bought the remaining emblems and side repeaters that I needed for the Monaro Conversion. Only have the front bumper, and door sills to go.



And finally, the new gauge face has arrived. Pearl blue.

[V]

Bodywork on the new trunk lid is basically done. Just needs a final sanding, some epoxy primer and a fresh coat of Impulse Blue Metallic. I'm painting the spare tail panel too so I can put the Holden emblems on that and still keep my stock gto trunk/tail panel untouched.

[Blackbirdws6]

Coming along nicely

[V]

Finally got a deal in the works for a front bumper conversion kit. All new Holden parts, getting shipped over from Australia.

[V]

I recently picked up a back-up camera that mounts in the location of one of the license plate lights and has a small built-in LED light for the plate. My issue is that now I would have 2 different lights for the plate so I'd need to swap out the stock bulb for something that matches that LED light. Problem is that the LED is not a separate bulb so its not like I'd ever be able to find an exact match so I was trying to think what my options would be.

One option is to buy a few LED oem size bulbs and see how close of a match I could get. From a quick test, it seems the LED is around the 6000k temp range and not overly bright. So a 6000k replacement would be my first try. I just feel I wont be able to match the brightness, if its more or less. (I could tint one lens or the other to fine tune brightness I guess)

The only problem with just changing the stock bulb is that now with the camera, there's a cutoff line(some light is blocked by the protruding camera) so the light pattern between the two sides would look somewhat different. I don't know how noticeable it'll be until I actually wire up a bulb in the stock lens.(I'm doing this all on a spare tail panel that will be getting painted soon)
Its not a huge deal, but it'd bother me and I want the car to look like it came that way.

A second option I came up with was to try to find a good quality LED strip light, about 6" long and mount that directly above the plate between the 2 oem lens locations. I would actually cut out a slot and have the strip recessed in so the LEDs themselves wouldn't be visible from behind the car. Having the light more centered would lessen the affect the camera would have on the spread of light across the plate.






I ordered one LED strip light that could work. Its 8" long and I'd center it above the plate. I wired it up and see how it looks just in the general area first. I figured id I really liked it, then I'd cut out a recess for it so it'll sit up in the panel out of sight.

This is the light.





The LED strip is a decent quality part it seems and the color is reasonable too.
However, I was looking at it along with the rear panel, and I couldn't decide on a good way to mount it, without requiring a large amount of fab work. Its doable, but I just don't have that time right now.

So I came up with a new plan. I took that camera/light out of the current location. I will be using both stock license plate lights, with my choice of whatever bulbs.
As for the camera, I cut a small square hole in the flat section right between the 2 lights. I then dropped the camera down into from above. That way they camera will be centered, I don't have to match bulbs, or do a bunch of fabrication. I had to figure out some type of retaining setup to hold down the camera in place solid but still allow it to be removed if needed.


I had to cut the hole slightly wider than the camera in order to be able to slide it up and in. Once in, the camera slides to the right over a small lip. Then I mounted a tab where I can put a screw through into to hold the camera in position. I epoxied small pieces of plastic in place to align the camera properly.

I did also cut the one side off the camera/lens assembly in order to have it fit. I then epoxied a piece on for a screw to thread into. I cut the leads for the led light short since I will no longer be using that light with this setup. I'll be using the stock license plate light lenses and may get a pair of simple LED bulbs for them.

It may not be the prettiest job, but the pieces are solid, and I just primered it quick to give it a uniform look even though it wont ever be visible. The rear tail panel and trunk lid will be going to paint in a few weeks along with the new front bumper kit(shipping from Australia Sept 24th).

[Blackbirdws6]

Good choice on the revised mounting location. I was going to recommend ditching the camera and getting one that mounted differently but you solved the issue.

[sweetbmxrider]

That's funny, as I was reading the first part I thought to myself, "Cut a hole and mount it centered." Nice work dude.

[V]

All packed and now waiting for the boat to pick it up from down under. Brand new front end conversion parts purchased from Holden, packed, and shipped by a fellow enthusiast.
Some scuffs but getting painted anyway. Includes all fog/driving lights and bezels, foam absorber, and Holden grille assembly.

[ar0ck]

Its going to be a sharp looking car Paul!

[LS1ow]

im still waiting for pics of the blue guts

[V]

Originally Posted by LS1ow

im still waiting for pics of the blue guts

Interior is still just DD quality, nothing special. But new blue leather seat covers will be bought next summer.




Update on the Monaro front end: It has finally reached our shores, but the shipping container has been randomly selected for a customs search/unpack. So that will cause some delay. As soon as I get it, I'll be having the bumper painted as well as having the hood, trunk, and rear bumper, repainted Impulse blue metallic. Then I can put all the rest of the Holden conversion parts on.

[wrong generation]

Originally Posted by V

Interior is still just DD quality, nothing special. But new blue leather seat covers will be bought next summer.




Update on the Monaro front end: It has finally reached our shores, but the shipping container has been randomly selected for a customs search/unpack. So that will cause some delay. As soon as I get it, I'll be having the bumper painted as well as having the hood, trunk, and rear bumper, repainted Impulse blue metallic. Then I can put all the rest of the Holden conversion parts on.

Sweet. Lmk when the dismantle / install party is.