This is what I’m debating for the car …

What to do?

  • Z7 Turbo for the GTP, have a fast DD, screw the GTO

    Votes: 10 41.7%
  • Get the GTO and have two semi-nice, slow cars.

    Votes: 14 58.3%

  • Total voters
    24

Bru

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74gto1.jpg


I think I’ve decided what I’m going to do, but I wanted to see everyone’s thoughts are on this situation.

OK, I’m bored with my current setup. I’m ready to go balls out or get a second, project car. My uncle has a 1974 GTO that he’s trying to unload -- the pic is the same color combo. White exterior, red interior. It’s bone stock with a fresh engine and a mild camshaft – fewer than 100 miles on the fresh engine. Otherwise, it’s stock. He has a 1968 GTO, and that’s his baby that he bought brand new in 1968; this is a project car that he ran out of time for.

I’m torn whether I should buy this car and have a nice weekend cruiser. I’ve already talked to a local Pontiac builder about a head/cam/intake/carb package that would get 300-350 horsepower and look stock, which is key. My pops and I have talked about a project car for years, and he’s recently retired. So this would both of ours project even though I would shelling out the cash for the car. I don’t really want this car to leave the family, it's basically a Nova and the options are practically limitless.

Then there’s the GTP, which is already faster than the `74 GTO by a long shot. If I didn’t buy the GTO, I would do the Z7 turbo from ZZP and probably run low-boost for a season to preserve the trans. Then the following season build the transmission and up the boost. I’ve already researched turbo applications and would go with the Z7 for sure.

The problem with buying the GTO is that when I move out of the house I’ll likely be going to a condo with single car garage. And that’s assuming that I could actually buy a place while owning two cars.

I just paid off the GTP and do not want another car payment, so trading in the GTP for a faster daily driver is out of the question. Plus, I think the GTP is a solid platform for a fast DD. I’ve already got very nice struts/springs/handling upgrades and recently bought drag radials for the car.

What do you say?
 
Last edited:

PANDA

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I would wait till you move into your condo and become stable with money before you go buying alot of mods (turbo kit) or another car. I assume your a few years older than myself (22) so I would say put your own place before cars. But if I had to choose, buy the GTO... A grand prix, turbo or not, isnt going to be worth crap in a few years. A old GTO will ALWAYS retain its value and probably increase value.
 

IDAFC21

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id probably say go w/ the gto. if you take your gtp to the next level and somethin goes sour youre out on your ass until it gets fixed. w/ the gto you'd still have your gtp to get you where you need to be every day reliably. but like panda said, id focus more on your house right now than your toys. would your uncle be cool with storing the car at his house if you moved into that condo w/ the 1 car garage? or is he trying to unload it cuz he just wants it out of there for something else
 

Yaj Yak

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like this:
z7 pipes= 850bucks...
turbo= 600 ish...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...STRK:MEWA:IT&viewitem=&item=120195997707&rd=1

wastegate= 200ish...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...STRK:MEWA:IT&viewitem=&item=350003993521&rd=1

bov= 200ish
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...STRK:MEWA:IT&viewitem=&item=320194116261&rd=1

i/c 250 ish
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2-25...emQQcategoryZ33742QQihZ002QQitemZ120201272412


so far... around 2200 bucks...

theres probably some gaskets and stuff i am forgetting... like 103's... (walmart 10 bucks) (breather.. got one) (thermostat... check) (air filter... check)

ill buy some used injectors off the clubgp classifieds for around 200 bucks...

sell a buncha shit off my car (headers, ic, s/c, fuel rails... etc..) and in my estimates only have to pay like 800 er so bucks outta pocket...


i dunna... while that gto may be fun, IMO it could get old... (boring...)

Thats a car that you pull up next to, and expect it to be balls to the wall quick... you pull up next to your or my gtp... and you dont know if it runs 15s or 12s...
 
W

wanablaze

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I'd say buy the GTO. Clean it up and park it in the garage. As money comes in, build it up. Just keep it for a few years, look at it as an investment.

I'd be worried about modding the GTP. Mostly because I would hate for it to break down. Now you have no usable car.
 

LeddZepp8687

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I'd say buy the GTO. Clean it up and park it in the garage. As money comes in, build it up. Just keep it for a few years, look at it as an investment.

I'd be worried about modding the GTP. Mostly because I would hate for it to break down. Now you have no usable car.

x3

Dont let that happen to you.

Cause that is exactly what happened to me. I moved out and after 3 months my tranny blew up. I didnt know what to do and didnt have much money saved up. I was loaned a car by a good friend but knew I couldnt drive it forever. I was forced to go out and buy a new car. Now that I'm paying on the new car, I still havent fixed the other car.

The GTO is an investment, turboing the GTP would be fun, but seems like an unwise decison at this time
 

Bru

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Thanks for the responses, guys. This isn't a "some day in the future" decision. My uncle wants to unload the car as soon as possible. Two weeks ago I was supposed to go and pick up the car. Unfortunately, the weather was so poor that I didn't want to drive a 30-plus year old car that I'm not familiar with for two hours on 294/I-55 in the snow -- oh yeah, the car is in Coloma, Michigan up on I-94 near St. Joseph, Mich.

In the down time when I haven't talked to my uncle, I began second guessing myself as to whether I want the car. I already told him last month that I am going to buy his`74. Turbo kits looked good, and the `74 seemed like a lot of work to go fast.

But the `74 isn't all about going fast. It's about the rich smell of 34-tear-old old vinyl and raw gasoline vapors that fume out of the car when you open the door, and the looks people give you as this weird little muscle car that's the end of an era strolls past during cruise nights at the local hot dog joint.

So basically, yes, I'm going to get the GTO. First It's going to get some tires and brakes, then a nice exhaust for the 2008 season. Like you guys have mentioned, it's going to appreciate in value, and something like this is only going to gain value. Wanablze was right on, it's going to take little things here and there over time, but that's the beauty of a second, project car.
 

Bru

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Euro, thrust me. I'm very familiar with the runt status of the 74s, it was the last of the first run of GTOs (1964-1974). In 1973 the GTO was much larger and much uglier. For 1974 they switched to the smaller Nova (X-body?) platform and it was an option package on the Ventura. It's got a 350 Pontiac 4-barrel and typical 350 transmission.

The value has nowhere to go but up :D My uncle bought this one at a mom and pop car lot for $2700. He's a GTO enthusiast and ran the VIN/numbers before buying the car. Everything checked out. This isn't going to be stored in a bubble until it becomes valuable. I'm gonna drive, beat on it and make it faster.

Plus, this is a treat to myself after paying for college, getting a kick-ass job (been there one year now) and also a sizable bonus from work ... giggidy.
 

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