So far she's just a plain jane 1987 Pontiac GTA (Gran Tourismo Americano) .... NOT!... no it's not a Firebird or Trans Am... she's better.
5.7 TPI (350 c.i.),
4 wheel disc brakes on 16" mag's, stock WS6 suspension package, T-Tops, Hyper-Tech "air-crusher" on the intake plenum, Dyna-Flow exhaust, and a Hyper-Tech "Super-Chip". These cars were made the first year (1987) because Chev Camaro couldn't keep it's promise to kick the Rustang 5.0 litre's butt. Yes these car's did it easily in every way. The engine was pulled from Corvette's platform (C4 'vette engine) and massive mod's were done to suspension to kick their butts. She is an absolute blast to drive on a windy highway or a drag-strip. She pulls a 14.99 in the quarter mile right now at 3500 feet (adjusted altitudes usually sit around 4200 feet) above sea level and the 60' times are a staggering 2.0-2.1 sec's (massive launch on the stock rear gear set and beats a lot of street cars to the 60 foot mark).
As for being on the highway and being a great handling car..??? just ask the kid with the 2006 Rousch Mustang that had his a** handed to him on some tight cornering on the way into Golden B.C. ..... or the BMW Z4 that got his doors blown off on a long strait stretch at a little over 150 mph. Maybe if you can find the guy in the Lambo that was MASSIVELY embarrassed by what he called a "trash-can" .... both in outright handling, fuel mileage and bang for the buck ($600,000 car vs. a $10,000 car) during racing with him.... THE PONTIAC GTA ROCKS!!!
The GTA even looks classier sitting beside any of those "other" cars. And when they start complaining to me, I just turn up the volume on the 800 watt custom stereo and drown them out; even with the T-Tops off. She's got a Sony cd head unit, Kicker 6x9's in the side panels. two Kicker 6x9 box's in the spare tire recess and Sony sub's along with a Rockford/Fosgate to power it all.
Ok ... enough bashing the other rides... kinda. I'm the 2nd owner of this car and it had 110,000 original klm (60,000 miles) on it when I bought it. It now has just a little over 125,000 klm (82,000? miles) now and is garage kept just about all the time. I don't let the car see rain (if I can help it) nor does it get driven in snow (but in Alberta you can never count on not hitting a freak snow storm in May or Sept).
I have more pics comming of the GTA as the weather permits getting it out of the garage and to the car wash (dust... I hate it!!).
I'll get some video of it also on the strip and auto-cross course so you import guys can see how the story really goes.. LMAO
What most cars see on the highway ..... and then not for long.... buuuubyeeeeeee...........
Had the car out on Race City's oval recently (3/8 mile and it's pretty tight) and she performed very well, even with the track being slightly wet. Lapped at about 95mph down the straits and 90mph thru the corners with no drift at all. You can see this track and our drag strip at www.racecity.com
Updated July 15/07 Installing a Venom NCS-1000 Nitrous system with approx a 125 shot. Thanx to the guys at Python Performance in Stanton California for re-programming the computerized brain box for it. I'll have some 1/4 mile times and stats soon.
Jan 20/08 Here's a tip for all of you guys that have a hard time hooking up to the pavement and don't want to spend massive $$ on street slicks and changing them all the time. Go get a set of FULDA z-rated tires. Treat them like a drag slick and you'll tear yer rear-end apart. AWESOME TIRES!!!
Had my GTA on the roadcourse at RaceCity at the end of the year. Passed down the long front stretch at just over 140mph and screamed thru the corners. I didn't realize just how well these cars handle cause ya can't drive like that on public roads. Race season is approaching and I'll have vid's of her on the dragstrip soon.
Mar/09 Well I blew the tranny doing a burnout leaving a carshow in Sept. It was actually the 6 yr olds fault..... I did it once and he told me ... Do it again dad!!! so we did.. LOL So right now she is sitting in the garage with a tranny beside it waiting to be installed temporarily while the new one is being built. It will be a 700-R-4 with a manula valve body, better pump, 2200 stall, upgraded clutches and a switch to shut off that damn lock-up torque converter.
