This isn’t a judge nor a public defender, this GTO ladies and gentleman is a Goat all by itself. When we look at modernized customs or really just any customs, it is easy to think that someone of wealth has paid to get everything done and just got the keys and is snagging all the credit; and yes sometimes this happens but in the case of this GTO, the owner (like so many of us) had to deal with “life” first but somehow manage to transform a bondo baby into beauty.
Buy a muscle car over the telephone (scary) and soon realize that the engine is showing signs of compression loss. Well that leads to making the engine stronger, better, faster. By taking the 400 and boring it to a final 461 c.i., adding an Eagle crank and forged pistons with a 10.0:1 ratio gets you an engine that not only comes to life but manages to make this Goat run respectable 12’s.
Now the engine is strong but you see that bubbles are protruding out of the paint like bubble wrapping paper. Instead of being gitty and popping them while making the sounds of a school girl, you die a little inside because you know what flaky glaze of bondo cheat sauce lies beneath (and lots of it).
Like so many good things in life, a classic can seem to always take two steps back just as soon as you think you are getting heading forward. That is why so many gearheads have mechanical “salad bars” in their garage instead of gleaming works of envy inducing Detroit muscle. Car guys form bonds with other car guys because it is a moment of “Holy shit, you actually got it put together”.
Well this 69 Pontiac GTO never failed to put up a fight and the owner was not only going to make it run but he was going to make it his daily driving bitch. This happened by placing aftermarket shocks, springs, spindles, sway bars, and anything else that started with an S. Then to make this Goat stop better than a new car, 13″ rotors were placed up front and 12″ rears with dual piston calibers up front and singles out back.
For me personally, I salute the owner for saving the 400 and making it better. Sure many rest-mods place a LS engine in it and I have no quarrels with that, but to have a loping carbureted beast under the hood is music to my ears.
