We know there are still many of our readers who aren't completely "on-board" with g-Machine styling. We also know that of this group, many are diehard Pontiac fans who sincerely believe the GTO died eternally in '74, or maybe even a little earlier. A still larger percentage of these hardcore fans, also feel there is no justice in equipping a traditional Pontiac with anything but a true Pontiac powerplant. We doubt the featuring of one car on the pages of one magazine will change all of that, but we'll try.
This is certainly no ordinary car, and we'd like to think this is no ordinary magazine. It then stands to reason to argue further the car's owner and builder, Andrew Borodin of West Chicago, Illinois, is no ordinary guy.
The 32-year old had a desire for what he felt would be the ultimate musclecar. No compromises would do, and the plan was hardly short-term. If Andrew was to build his dream, it would be precisely as he wanted it. It would be a ground-up effort, a full-frame job. It would be designed for brutal acceleration, serious handling and braking, and reliable comfort. It would incorporate some of Andrew's favorite touches from the musclecar era (like the Trans Am shaker hood), and some of the latest styling goodies (like the Kinesis wheels) to bring the past together with the present. It would have to be a stickshift, but the traditional Muncie four-gear has been upgraded to the amazing Richmond 6-speed. The traditional Pontiac V-8 has been replaced by 502 inches of Fast Times Motorworks-built GMPP fat-block Chevy. A Lunati cam and rockers work with a Holley intake and cylinder heads to make a broad, fat torque curve. Holley's Commander 950 injection system gives Borodin the freedom to tweak the big Chevy mill to his content.
With power concerns addressed, Andrew focused on the suspension. He researched what he wanted and found it in a combination of Hotchkis anti-sway bars, Global West control arms, Carrera front springs, and Global West rear springs. Absorbing road irregularities is a job for adjustable HAL/QA1 shocks at all four corners.
Stopping power comes in the form of Wilwood Racing 6-piston, 14-inch front rotors with Baer Racing rear discs on each end of the 3.31:1-geared Strange 12-bolt out back. These mods have delivered easy-shifting 13-second flat quarter-mile times, with much more left in the combination. The 2.2-second 60-foot times are evidence of that. After a long assembly period, this "new" car is still learning to fly, and as time passes and fine-tuning occurs with all facets of this combination, even more performance is expected.
The real reason Andrew built this car was for all-around performance, and it began delivering as soon as the paint dried and the Nitto tires were mounted up on those cool Kinesis hoops. The grip was instant, and the big A-body responded well to its new cornering prowess.
The interior of this '70 is one of our favorite parts of the car. It's simple, yet purely functional and comfortable. It's a nice mix of Corbeau seats, Auto Meter gauges, and a custom-designed and built gauge panel. The crew at Addison Auto Interiors (in Addison, Illinois), finished off the rest. If Pontiac was still making '70 GTOs today, we can only hope this is how the interior would lay out. The ample gauges and centrally-located Vintage Air control panel make a nice balance between aggressiveness and comfort in the cozy black leather hides of the racing seats.
So, did this car change anyone's minds? Did any of you g-Machine naysayers decide that modern flavor can really add plenty to the aggressive style of elder muscle machinery? Maybe, or maybe not. We're not here to force your opinion, but we're here to present evidence. Look over the photos, and see what this ground shaking GTO has to offer. We know you like the look, but you don't have to tell anyone. Your secret is safe with us.