About 2 months ago, I decided that my '98 Cadillac STS was no longer worth dumping anymore money into and that I needed a different daily driver. That same day, I got a text from a friend with a picture of this car for sale down in south Jersey. I called the number on the for sale sign that day and was told someone was coming back to look at it that evening and very very interested. Being 2 hours away, I just let it go. But I did call back the next day, a Wednesday, to see if it sold. The seller said they were having it brought to a mechanic on Saturday but she didn't take any deposit nor would she. I then decided to make the drive down right then to see it that night. It was as I expected and had been told so I agreed to buy it that night. My friend helped me out and had the car dropped off at his house the following day. That Friday after work, I rented a U-haul trailer and went down and picked it up.
Its a 2004 Pontiac GTO, LS1, T56, with 145k miles. 1 owner car from new, Impulse blue metallic, with the optional blue leather interior. I knew it would need some work before I could daily drive it so I was still driving my Caddy as I fixed a few small things. The first thing I addressed was a rubbing driveshaft. it has an aftermarket 1-piece aluminum DS that was rubbing on a rear seat belt bolt. Trimming that bolt was the ONLY modification that the installation of the DS called for and whoever installed it didn't do it. That was a quick fix. I also installed new rear cradle poly bushings and a diff mount insert. I also changed the diff fluid which made a world of difference. I even replaced a rusty looking factory strut brace with a used BMR version. Then about 2-3 weeks after I bought the GTO, the motor in my caddy sold on ebay, so the STS got torn apart and the GTO became my daily driver in the beginning of November.
I've also bought a few interior pieces that were either missing or damaged, a vent, a kick panel, power mirror switch, etc. The car does have some a dent and a crease on the drivers side door and fender. So far, I already got a fender in the same factory blue color, just haven't gotten around to putting it on. The radio system was replaced by the previous owner with a Pioneer touchscreen unit and MB quart component speakers throughout.
The rest of the car is bone stock. The transmission was also replaced recently according to the seller. Seats are in decent shape, just 2 split seams, one on back seat, one on drivers. In time they will all get replaced with new blue Katzkin covers.
Since driving it, I have noticed some clutch issues, so I have a new setup ready to go in. I got the generic LUK ls7 setup along with a new slave, TO bearing and hardware. I also ordered new master to slave solid stainless lines(factory rubber sections swell as the age) and a remote bleeder line.
I figured that if I didn't like the car or something was majorly wrong with it, I could always pull the drivetrain and swap it into my white GTA, lol. For the price, I just couldnt pass it up. The caddy part out will pay for this GTO and then some.
This picture is of the car the second day I had it. Not much to look at just yet but it'll get there.
And a few days later after I added the strut tower brace and pulled the FRCs to repaint them.
