Thread: 1997 Black GTP - Soon To Be Thumping.

Car looks killer

I vote gto

Originally Posted by Below Average Joe

I hate loans, but it's your money. Go GTO....

Originally Posted by Bluemagic

I second this but if I had a choice it'll be the gto

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Agreed. But not all of us have $10,000 in cash laying around. I can afford paying on a loan working 2 jobs now.

Originally Posted by idrivejunk

Go retro, buy something cool with a carb and some chrome. And fix that rotten spot before you go for top dollar selling that sharp black sedan.

Negative. I will not go back in years. I need something newer and most likely LSx powered.

Originally Posted by QuinlanGTP

Car looks killer

I vote gto

Thanks man. The GTO is really growing on me. I hate the interiors, so boring. But who cares about that? I just want to go fast.

Ws6 or bust

Car looks great, love them pregens.

If you go LS, go TA WS6. More aftermarket goodies and parts are easier to find.

I loved my GTO, but it was a cop magnet and parts are hard to find and expensive. I'm glad I traded it in. Going to wait a few years before getting another hotrod.

Also right now, I'm putting money towards guns and fixing up my house.

Whatever you decide, do tons of research, I didn't on my GTO and kinda got burned.

Love this Car Bro its Crazy Sick Keep it up bro

Originally Posted by 98buicksupercharged

Ws6 or bust

Those were my first thoughts as well, but the GTO is really growing on me.

Originally Posted by TexasTanker19kilo20

Car looks great, love them pregens.

If you go LS, go TA WS6. More aftermarket goodies and parts are easier to find.

I loved my GTO, but it was a cop magnet and parts are hard to find and expensive. I'm glad I traded it in. Going to wait a few years before getting another hotrod.

Also right now, I'm putting money towards guns and fixing up my house.

Whatever you decide, do tons of research, I didn't on my GTO and kinda got burned.

I heard parts are more expensive for the GTO because it's basically Australian. I want an LS2 > LS1 though, honestly. The price of a decent of a decent mileage 05-06 GTO, is close to the same, if not cheaper than a clean 98-02 Ws6. (I will only buy a 6 speed). Its a tough decision because you can't go wrong with either engine. The GTO is just really starting to catch my attention.

What are some things I need to be aware of?

Originally Posted by ThatPontiacDoe

Love this Car Bro its Crazy Sick Keep it up bro

Thanks man.

If you do go LSx, come with me to LS fest next year.

Originally Posted by TexasTanker19kilo20

Car looks great, love them pregens.

If you go LS, go TA WS6. More aftermarket goodies and parts are easier to find.

I loved my GTO, but it was a cop magnet and parts are hard to find and expensive. I'm glad I traded it in. Going to wait a few years before getting another hotrod.

Also right now, I'm putting money towards guns and fixing up my house.

Whatever you decide, do tons of research, I didn't on my GTO and kinda got burned.

Whtcha got now TT


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Originally Posted by DanPrixGTP

What are some things I need to be aware of?

1. Rear seats like to come apart on the head rest....all GTO's
2. Driver side water leak
3. Sh1tty stock two piece drive shaft
4. Stock rear springs sag (classic Pontiac sag) causing wheel hop, have to upgrade rear suspension(not cheap)
5. The 4L65E Auto trans have high failure rate, The M6 not so much, but the slave cylinders are junk, have to upgrade.
6. LS2 models (05-06) have drive by wire, TB upgrades are stupid fuking expensive
7. Stock Brakes have what we call death wobble when shutting down from speeds above 80 (which is often LOL)
8. Aftermarket air intakes are not cheap cause the best ones are Over the radiator style.
9. Chin spoilers are hard to find(the good ones) all the others are expensive
10. Stock radiators fail often
11. Rear diff likes to whine, Also the IRS(independent rear suspension) rear half shafts aren't cheap if you bust one.
12. SAP grills unlike GPO grills are $800 for legit ones, the knock offs are $200+
13. SAP(special appearance package) parts are crazy expensinve
16. Getting tuned cost about $400, unless you know people
17. Wheel options are limited because of rear fender well design, can't go bigger than 275 without lots of modding
18. Window switches go out often, have to buy used
19. key fobs are expensive and go out also
20. Door lock actuators go out and have to buy used, hoping they work
21. Driver seat likes to rip easy
22. It's an Australian car, importing new parts is a nightmare....and expensive
23. Any owner that says they babied it...is full of sh1t.
24. Stock headlight housings are junk, fade easy and are expensive to replace
25. Stock door handles like to chip paint, the upgrades are Cadillac Catera handles which are hard to find

That's what I can remember right now, join the LS2GTO forum to see alllll the problems GTO owners deal with.
Not saying don't get one just find one with upgrades at a good price....um, yeah about that...GTO owners think sh1t is made of gold.

Oh and the LS1 only has 50hp less than the LS2 with a BIGGER, cheaper aftermarket. Go look at GTO LS2 headers for example.

To answer RED, I have a 2010 GMC Terrain now, loaded and slow. I will get a hot rod later in life, also I am buying Guns now haha.

GTO will cost far more to own, hands down.

Sure the 6.0 has the 5.7 beat is the power and torque feel but thats really all it's got going for it.

Also if the 5.7 blows up, swap a 5.3 block in there for chump change and keep on going. Because 5.7 aluminum blocks will cost you 3 arms and your whole wallet compared to a iron garden variety gen 3 small block from a truck. Slap the heads and crap on the iron block and carry on. Not to mention a 58x AL 6.0 block on the used market is going for 2-4k because it's made on pixie dust and dragon blood.

Ffdp is correct. Aluminum ls motors are expensive. Iron block is where it's at. I've got an Iron 6.0 for the camaro going to the machine shop.

Thanks to the ZZP Black Friday deal, I pulled the trigger on some new 10.5mm wires and an Aluminum Oversized Radiator. No time wasting on getting it installed. Bring on the heat.









Radiators are overrated:


Annnnnnnnd in she goes:

That looks titties


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Yeah its huge, and probably close to twice as light compared to the stock radiator. It weighs next to nothing. Yay for aluminum.

You know what. I kept refreshing and looking at picking up one of there radiators but ehh didn't really need it and was hoping some other better stuff would pop up for sale. It does look damn good Dan.


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Originally Posted by REDCRAPGP

You know what. I kept refreshing and looking at picking up one of there radiators but ehh didn't really need it and was hoping some other better stuff would pop up for sale. It does look damn good Dan.


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Definitely should have done it. The price cut on this, was like 60% off, so it was a damn good deal. Seems to be working like a champ, but then again it is winter now and a radiator basically isn't even needed. lol

I mainly bought it because I can't run the A/c in my car on hot days for extended periods of time. Car temp will keep rising and I've seen 230+ before. Hoping this new radiator keeps the coolant temps down on warm summer days and I can actually use my A/c like I am supposed too.

Another update:

Put the Pre-Gens on the car for the winter. I'm not a fan of the black on black look with this car. But much better than my old steelies I rocked for 2 years.








I also pulled the trigger on a nice trade. Nick wanted to trade a NIC cam and 7.050" Intense pushrods for some 1.9 rockers. So I figured this would be my chance to do so, when I saw the ad.

I've always had a sweet spot for the NIC cam. I'm not here to break power records, but I sure as hell want the car to lope. I will be going with LS7 Lifters, Rollmaster Double roller (getting the crank gear chamfered too), 130# Springs (still not sure yet).

Off come the Harland Sharps:


All Gone


Pile-O-Parts:


Harland Sharps definitely have to be the best looking rockers on the market:


New Pushrods:


Christmas came early:




Hello beautiful:


If anyone cares, XP Cam Vs. NIC Cam

NIC on top:


NIC on left:


NIC on left, they look quite similar:


NIC on left:


On plan on having everything installed by Spring time.

NIC cam on a IC setup hmm that'll be interesting


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Originally Posted by REDCRAPGP

NIC cam on a IC setup hmm that'll be interesting


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Yes sir and e85.

It doesn't make sense to me why people think you can't run an IC with a NIC cam. Sure you can. The benefit of the NIC cam is to be able to run a very small pulley, sub 3.0~ without an intercooler (compared to most cams - because of the huge valve overlap).

An intercooler will never hurt. Unless your name is Tyler.