My GTO Judge Build Thread
07-17-2009 | 09:24 PM
#1
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From: Cornfields near Pontiac, IL
My GTO Judge Build Thread Well since I have a thread going for the Z/28 and I have ALOT more work into this one, figure I'll make a thread for this car. Not sure where to put this, figured the GTO section would fit it best.
Background info...
Basically got this car as my 16th Birthday present from my grandparents. They had the car and never drove it. Only had 29000 miles on it. I learned to drive in this car as well as down the road, leaned to work on cars through trial and error. Ive done a majority of the work on the car myself, minus the actual spraying of the basecoat/clear coat and some of the engine work. I drove the GTO during a couple winters in high school and college and rust had its way with the car. So in 2003, I decided to retire it from daily driver and start restoring it. Pontiac stopped making the Judges in 71, so I wanted to make what I thought a 72 should look like (even though the body changes between 71/72 are minimal) Orbit Orange paint, a hood tach, black out the grills, Judge spoiler and stripes, and the 71 rear valance panel with the exhaust cutouts in it. Im ALONG way from finished but here is what I have so far. Best I can do on my income working at a tire shop.
Here is the GTO after I replaced all of the panels with solid (or best available) panels. I deleted the vinyl top off the car although still tossing around the idea to put a black one back on...
This 400 came out of a 77 Grand Prix SJ along with a TH400 transmission. Me and my friend rebuilt it. It has a cam similar to the Pontiac RAIV cam, headers, intake, and a performance rebuilt Q-Jet and a Th400 transmission with a Hurst His/Her Factory Shifter that I took out of a 68 GTO. I have a 12 bolt rear end that Im going to put in once I find a ring and pinion.
Here are several pictures taking during the final blocking and after the paint job...
And as the GTO sits now. My goal for this year is to finish the outside, which all I need is weatherstripping, a GTO hood tach, fix and reinstall the spoiler, Judge stripes, and touch up various nicks from reassembly and then wetsand and buff the car one more time. Next year I plan on attacking the interior, switching over from white to black.
Background info...
Basically got this car as my 16th Birthday present from my grandparents. They had the car and never drove it. Only had 29000 miles on it. I learned to drive in this car as well as down the road, leaned to work on cars through trial and error. Ive done a majority of the work on the car myself, minus the actual spraying of the basecoat/clear coat and some of the engine work. I drove the GTO during a couple winters in high school and college and rust had its way with the car. So in 2003, I decided to retire it from daily driver and start restoring it. Pontiac stopped making the Judges in 71, so I wanted to make what I thought a 72 should look like (even though the body changes between 71/72 are minimal) Orbit Orange paint, a hood tach, black out the grills, Judge spoiler and stripes, and the 71 rear valance panel with the exhaust cutouts in it. Im ALONG way from finished but here is what I have so far. Best I can do on my income working at a tire shop.
Here is the GTO after I replaced all of the panels with solid (or best available) panels. I deleted the vinyl top off the car although still tossing around the idea to put a black one back on...
This 400 came out of a 77 Grand Prix SJ along with a TH400 transmission. Me and my friend rebuilt it. It has a cam similar to the Pontiac RAIV cam, headers, intake, and a performance rebuilt Q-Jet and a Th400 transmission with a Hurst His/Her Factory Shifter that I took out of a 68 GTO. I have a 12 bolt rear end that Im going to put in once I find a ring and pinion.
Here are several pictures taking during the final blocking and after the paint job...
And as the GTO sits now. My goal for this year is to finish the outside, which all I need is weatherstripping, a GTO hood tach, fix and reinstall the spoiler, Judge stripes, and touch up various nicks from reassembly and then wetsand and buff the car one more time. Next year I plan on attacking the interior, switching over from white to black.
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07-31-2009 | 01:40 PM
#11
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iTrader: (12)
Joined: Aug 2007
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From: Cornfields near Pontiac, IL
Well...bit the bullit and bought some American Racing Torque Thurst II wheels for the GTO. They are 15x7 with 265/50R15 Dunlop GT Qualifiers all the way around. I think they made the car, granted still need the spoiler, hood tach, and Judge stripes, but huge improvement over the stock ones which I was on the fence about keeping them or getting the TTII's. Anyways...pics...
