GTO: I Love it

"Dale Franks" (DaleFranks)
02/16/2014 at 23:52 • Filed to: None

Seriously, this is the most fun car I've ever had. Even if the Tremec 6-speed manual is a bit shitty. I've gone from riding my VFR1200F 90% of the time to about a 50-50 split with the GTO.

DISCUSSION (20)

Milky > Dale Franks
02/16/2014 at 23:55

I gotta ask, is it a '04 or '05+ ?

Either way though I wanted one of these real bad when I was car shopping a year ago, but still to expensive for me. Nice car sir.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Dale Franks
02/16/2014 at 23:56

What year? This car got a lot of crap when it was new b/c "it's not a GTO" you know what i don't car. it's awesome.

THOMAS5 > Dale Franks
02/16/2014 at 23:58

My neighbor has a black one with a aftermarket exhaust that sounds very nice and meaty.

Dale Franks > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles
02/17/2014 at 00:02

It's an '06.

Dale Franks > Milky
02/17/2014 at 00:03

It's an '06. The '04 doesn't have the hood vents.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Dale Franks
02/17/2014 at 00:04

nice. it was 05 that the power jumped up a bit right?

Dale Franks > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles
02/17/2014 at 00:07

Yeah, Holden replaced the LS1 with the LS2 motor with 400 hp and 400 torques.

feather-throttle-not-hair > Dale Franks
02/17/2014 at 00:17

Hells yeah they are. One of my best friends drives one, an 06 6mt, with a monaro front end conversion. I've hooned it on multiple occasions and every time I get to drive it, it is a pleasure to do so. I absolutely love going immediately back and forth between it and my 350z, just a really cool contrast. My car is a little more pointy, a little lower and a bit less nose heavy, while the gto delivers power in the same manner but is much much stronger, nvh are vastly improved and the interior is much nicer.

My car will never be close to his in pure awesome car guy cred though. I recall driving it once on the freeway when a modded wrx slowly passed on my left, packed full with five dudes in it. It passed me, slowed down and let me pass and then pulled up roughly equal with me. They weren't trying to race, just checking out the car. So I dropped it into third and gave it WOT for just a couple of seconds, from about 60-80 before backing off again. You know...just so they could hear that glorious LS2. This time, when they slowly rolled by again, four thumbs up were all sticking out of the windows of the wrx. The dudes on the left of the car had actually crowded over so they could make their approval known to me. Awesome.

Milky > Dale Franks
02/17/2014 at 01:00

Ahh, noted. But good, get all the horsepower.

DOMdotCOM > Dale Franks
02/17/2014 at 01:16

My dad has a cyclone grey metallic 06, z06 cats, intake, headers, exhaust, short shifter, some other goodies and I LOVE driving it. That car is so goddamn fast and fun. You have 17s or 18s? Extra gauge option?

shop-teacher > Dale Franks
02/17/2014 at 01:28

I had a black '04 for a short time. I bought it as a certified used car when it was 14 months old, and had 5200 miles on it. Over the next 3 and a half months it spent 31 days in the shop for various maladies. Now here's the crazy part ... I still miss it!!! Even though she was a vicious bitch to me, I LOVED that car. I managed to put 6000 more miles on it in our short time together, I just loved driving it. Every time I started that engine, the sound got me a little stiff down there. I sent it off with a big burnout before trading it in on the truck I'm still driving 8 years later.

jdrgoat - Ponticrack? > Dale Franks
02/17/2014 at 02:40

Heck yeah, still enjoying mine after 6 years of ownership so far. There are a lot of little things you can do to make them better, and just a few small quirks you have to watch for.

What is it about the T56 you don't like? It can be a bit heavy and slow feeling... but I think once it's warmed up that largely goes away. Have you ditched the stock shifter yet? It is, to put it gently, lacking.

Redd, the RX-7 that could > Dale Franks
02/17/2014 at 03:11

Man, I want one so bad, I wouldn't even care about the low MPG's, the sound and image would be so worth it, a hoot to hoon too.

RazoE > Dale Franks
02/17/2014 at 09:41

It also replaced the rear fascia with the exhausts on either side. Before both pipes came out the same side. Which honestly is creative, but it doesn't look cool at all.

Kinja'd!!!

Dale Franks > jdrgoat - Ponticrack?
02/17/2014 at 14:41

No, it's still bone stock. Haven't replaced anything yet.

jdrgoat - Ponticrack? > Dale Franks
02/18/2014 at 02:51

How many miles? I could give you a shortlist of recommendations if you want. But one thing is, the stock shifter really should go. General recommendations on this car are to stay away from the Hurst and the B&M (I do have experience with a B&M). I have an MGW-P now, and it's pretty great.

Dale Franks > jdrgoat - Ponticrack?
02/18/2014 at 10:47

69,000.

And if you have some suggestions for mods, that's be great.

jdrgoat - Ponticrack? > Dale Franks
02/20/2014 at 03:05

Aside from the shifter (which you won't regret), here's a couple things.

Front radius rod bushings. I was really surprised how much of a difference these made in making the car feel, especially when using the brakes. And not any kind of aggressive braking, just normal in town stuff. And really easy to install, except for torquing the last bolt, but that also didn't take too long.

The ride was nicer with the stock springs... but the rears are prone to sag. I'm waiting until summer until I make a final judgement on the Lovells zero-drop that I just put in.
But I can recommend the Konis!

From there... what are your plans with the car? There's brake upgrades, cam swaps, exhausts (I like my JBAs, say what you will about shorties)...

What are you planning on doing with the car?

Dale Franks > jdrgoat - Ponticrack?
02/20/2014 at 10:59

What are you planning on doing with the car?

Umm...driving it to work a couple of times a week. Taking the wife out on the town occasionally.

Oh, and going to Qualcomm Stadium to run autocross.

jdrgoat - Ponticrack? > Dale Franks
02/22/2014 at 00:45

I don't know how I forgot to mention sway bars! The rear one should be upgraded for sure (it was already on my car when I bought it), and should be easy enough to do yourself. The front requires dropping the cradle, which can get expensive at a shop. I'm not sure if the SLP bar is still available, but the Whiteline bars can be bought separately.

Rear sway bar, RR bushings, and shifter are three great easy mods.

Also, I just installed an anti-wheelhop axle, and would highly recommend that as well. Very easy to install, I got it from GForce1320. You might not get too much wheelhop while autoxing or daily driving, but it's a nice way to know you're not as likely to blow up your rear end.