Vehicle Description
Though it definitely wasn't the first muscle car to enter the
marketplace, the GTO was one influential automobile. Its very
introduction prompted Pontiac's competitors to quickly scramble and
trot out their own offerings to fuel what would become a muscle car
war. Having benefited from a restyling that included some signature
styling cues, this 1971 Pontiac GTO is a great representative of
both its model and its era, and comes equipped with its original
top of the line, large displacement powerplant.
Like a few other of its counterparts of the era, the GTO would
graduate from being an option package on an existing model to a
nameplate of its own, but 1971 would mark the last year the GTO
would hold onto this status for a while. It debuted to the car
buying public with a pair of new distinctive "wire mesh" front
grilles, a sturdier front bumper ands most notably, a revamped hood
with dual scoops moved forward to just above the grille. Dressed
out in its original shade of Cameo White that still looks nice and
even from front to back, and features crisp red lettering on its
fenders, deck lid and rear spoiler to provide just the right amount
of contrast, this is a great looking muscle car -modernized to keep
up with the changing times, but still very much holding onto the
identity that created such an impact to start with. Its black vinyl
top looks fresh and unscathed by the elements, and its chrome
bumpers and trim are table-straight and show no serious
blemishes.
Still in its original configuration, the black vinyl interior has
held up well over the years. It's a great example of early '70s
styling, with its buckets up front and bench in back showing no
tears or obvious threadbare areas. The textured chrome panel
sitting below the instrument cluster is a really cool look, and it
matches well with the wood grain look of the dash just above it.
Despite its black color being especially prone to cracks and
warpage from sun exposure, the dash pad sitting on top remains
impressively level and unmarred. As most classic car aficionados
know, one of the more difficult and time-consuming parts of
bringing a car to the next level is sourcing and obtaining random
missing interior parts, so it's good to see everything intact here
- from gauges to control knobs. The trunk area is both generously
proportioned and in good shape - there's plenty of room for luggage
and you can see from the straight floor and wheel houses that all
is well inside.
This GTO rolled off the assembly line with Pontiac's top tier
powerplant of its era - a 455 cubic inch V8. The big block got good
reviews for its performance by Motor Trend, who especially noted
its ability to run on unleaded gas and still retain strong ability
from 0-60, a prowess that was no doubt aided by its impressive 480
lb/ft. of torque. Paired with a 3-speed automatic transmission,
it's a great sounding engine, likely to attract serious attention
on the boulevard as it emits a nice deep rumble out of its
aftermarket exhaust. Equipped with both power steering and power
brakes, it's an easy driver, as well. This GM classic sits on a set
of 14" stock PMD wheels, outfitted with BF Goodrich T/A
radials.
If you're looking to put an undeniable muscle car classic in your
garage, you really need to see this 1971 Pontiac GTO. Call
today!