Flying Tigers - Pontiac GTO

When the Pontiac GTO was reintroduced a couple years ago, reactions were mixed, because the car didn't seem to come from the same end of the gene pool. That fact that the "new and improved" GTO was designed and manufactured by GM's Australian operation didn't help matters. All the more reason, then, to pair a '65 and '04 GTO, and see just how much DNA they actually share.

Drive '65
While it's obvious that these Pontiacs are separated by some 40 years of technology and distinctively different designs, it turns out they can have far more in common than just a Pontiac emblem. All it takes are a few aftermarket modifications.


Using new technology, Larry Weiner of Performance West improved on the vintage '65, bringing its performance up to date. And RKSport invigorated the '04 by reaching back to the past for some of that fire-breathing musclecar attitude.


GTO hobbyists who grew up in the Sixties no doubt recall the "Tiger" ad campaign. Even though some GM execs disdained the Pontiac tiger theme and thought it "undignified," this feline mascot is still the most recognizable icon of Pontiac's heritage. So when Weiner did an extensive restification on his '65 GTO, he spared no expense in sharpening its claws, both under the hood and throughout the chassis, as a fitting tribute to the Tiger.


But what about the modified '04 model with the matching paint? The builder of the car, RKSport, felt that it too needed to have some razor-sharp fangs. That meant bolting on a number of upgrades, such as a Magnuson supercharger, along with a racy RKSport body package to match the extra muscle.