The Ultimate Pontiac GTO Picture Site
by Sean Mattingly. 2004 GTOAA International Convention coverage
There's no bigger GTO image collection anywhere!
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More research. Here's another view of that black bracket. It has a tab on it that attaches to the intake manifold. It's not so easy to get a look at this part while the air cleaner is still installed. CLICK->
This one is engine colored. It holds several vacuum lines. CLICK->
Here's another engine paint colored example on the driver's side of a Ram Air car. Looks like the wires are covered with black electrical tape. CLICK->
This was a treat. The 2004 GTOAA International Convention held a "Pontiac Performance Drive Event" to GTOAA members on Wednesday at the Pontiac Silverdome. The Silverdome was just up the road from the convention. Upon arrival, this is the sign that outlined the day's schedule. There were thrilling Bondurant Drift Demonstrations using stock 2004 GTOs where you could ride along. There were Rhys Millen and Greg Anderson autograph sessions. There were Rhys Millen Drift Demonstrations. And... You could drive one of many new 2004 GTOs through a performance driving course. CLICK->
We're just inside the entrance to the Peformance Driving Event. See the GTOs on display. There's a Barbados Blue and Quicksilver one as well as the Pontiac Movie cars (in the back). Take a look at those cement blocks holding down the corners of the tent! That tent isn't blowing away. It was real windy on Wednesday. CLICK->
Besides watching the Drifting Demonstrations, you could get in line and drive 2004 GTOs as well as other new Pontiacs. Most people wanted to drive the 2004 GTOs. That's Jeff Klein holding the sign. He's on the UltimateGTO.com staff. The line was shorter at the end of the day. I got to drive a 2004 GTO a total of five times on their road course. I got faster and faster each time. CLICK->
This is a new Phantom Black 2004 GTO that was open for driving by GTOAA members at the "Performance Drive Event." This guy is going to get his turn at a drive. Earlier in the day, two of the GTO's had the manual transmission. Later in the day, they removed them from the circuit for some reason. Maybe we abused them too much! Convention-goers were not shy about testing the cars to their limits. When they were doing acceleration tests from a dead stop, the cars were burning out and getting a little sideways. The car has plenty of power to break loose on the shifts if you want it to. The cars did a good job of showing off their performance. CLICK->
We're standing in line for a test drive, looking at some of the cars we could choose from. That's a Phantom Black 2004 GTO to the left, a reddish 4-door Grand Prix (or something) to the right, and an Impulse Blue 2004 GTO behind it. All the orange cones in the background defined the performance track. You can just make out a Quicksilver GTO on the track behind the guys in white. CLICK->
After picking your car, you move to the first part of the track. It's the "Acceleration" test. You come to a full stop at this stopsign. Then, one foot holds the brake - the other on the gas. The car whines up, and you let go of the brake. If you did this right, you get tire spin. The tires bark "Hey, look at me!". There is a radar sign at the end which tells you your speed. You must get on the brakes right after the radar for a sharp right turn. I got to 49mph after three tries (with the automatic). The car was quick. CLICK->
This is Keith MacDonald, a member of the UltimateGTO.com email list. Keith tries his hand at driving a Quicksilver 2004 GTO. What did you think about the drive, Keith? CLICK->
This guy tries out an Impulse Blue 2004 GTO with his wife in the passenger seat. I wonder if he took it easy around the track? It's fun to make the wife scream. They either scream "Stop it!, stop it!" or they scream "Wheeee!" CLICK->
A couple more guys waiting for the go-ahead to start out on the track. That's Jeff Klein in the Phantom Black GTO. At this point, his adrenaline is pumping as he prepares to drive it over to the stopsign for an acceleration test. The guy in the Impulse Blue GTO has his son with him. The Pontiac factory crew was good at coordinating which car's turn it was to pound the pavement. CLICK->
Jeff Klein in one of the Phantom Black 2004 GTOs. He got to drive the GTO twice. He was able to get 48mph at the end of the Acceleration part of the course. Just past the radar readout sign, he was unafraid to hurl the car into a hard right turn. No orange cones were destroyed by Jeff during the making of this web page. CLICK->
I caught a grin from Jeff as he ends his lap in the Phantom Black 2004 GTO. I'm getting ready for my next hot lap. At this point I'm thinking to myself "This is a really big parking lot. This is not my car. I will fry these tires. I will drive as fast as I can. I will not back down. This car will squeal through all the corners louder than last time. I will show this car no mercy." CLICK->
There were two peformance tracks at the Peformance Driving Event. One was for us to drive, the other was for the professionals. Pontiac's Jim Hopson was on hand to speak with the crowd before the drifting demonstrations. He explained what the sport is about, and stressed the main purposes of drifting; to make some noise and fry some tires! Here, a crowd of visitors watch the Drift Demonstrations that used stock 2004 GTOs. There was lots of screaming tires and smoke. The professional drivers showed off how the car can do donuts. Looks like a scene from my high school parking lot back in 1984 when I would do donuts with my '68 LeMans, minus the grandstands! This demonstration was better. Nobody had to run from the cops at the end. PICTURE SET CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE ...
