Hey All, not sure if anyone here is a member of POCI and gets their monthly magazine. But, Don Keefe, whom I'm sure many know or recognize the name, is the Editor-In Cheif. Don is also a writer for HPP and a big Grand Prix Enthusiast. In this months edition of Smoke Signals, he had an article talking about the 97-03 GTPs and I thought I'd post it up here for everyone to enjoy. Also, the GTX he is referring to from HPP IIRC was Chris White's old GTX.
"In particular, I want to focus on one particular car that captured my imagination a decade ago and still holds it today. That is the Wbody
Grand Prix, particularly the supercharged GTPs from 1997-
2003.
I personally believe that they are an exciting, affordable and practical
platform for an all-around performance car. If your situation dictates
that your hobby car and your daily driver be the same vehicle,
the GTP really is the one sensible choice. It offers the interior and
trunk volume of a family car with the all-weather advantages of front
wheel drive. Best of all, it boasts the handling and acceleration of a
pony car and the torque they make will remind you of a strong running
389.
As far as the styling goes, they still look great- certainly one of
Pontiac’s best looking cars from that era. Sure, some people may
find the styling a little bit dated, but by 1966, even the ‘61 Ventura
was a little long in the tooth. No one complains about that now.
With the earlier versions of the GTP falling into the $5,000 and
under range, they represent a lot of bang for the buck. You might
have to search for that perfect combination of options, condition
and price but there are great deals to be had out there.
The other aspect of the latemodel GTP that makes them so
appealing is the strong aftermarket support for them. While some
parts manufacturers have come and gone in the decade since their
introduction, it seems like the companies out there have stabilized as
of late and they have also come to market with a wide range of performance
enhancers for the engine, transaxle and the suspension-
even turbo kits.
If you’re into drag racing, the front-drive layout isn’t nearly as bad
as you might think. A set of drag radials on a 300+ horsepower
GTP can provide 60-foot times in the 1.80s. A handful of GTPs are
running 9-second quarter-miles with front-wheel drive, so it’s definitely
doable.
Back in the late ‘90s, I was involved in the building of a 1998
Grand Prix GTX, built with the help of Pontiac-GMC, SLP Engineering,
Thrasher, Baer Racing and others. It was built for the 1998 and ‘99
SEMA Conventions and later went on to be a project car for HPP. It
remains my favorite magazine car ever. It made over 350 horsepower
before the 75-horse shot of nitrous, would run 13s at 106 on
street tires and would get 31 mpg on the highway. I think it’s the perfect
street performance car in this era of $3.25 a gallon gas. Maybe
it’s time for me to build another one!"
If anyone is interested in signing up for POCI (Pontiac-Oakland Club International), you can do so at their website Welcome - Pontiac-Oakland Club International, Inc.
Originally Posted by Iron Indian
