Pontiac GTO Judge Resurrected…Sort Of: Tuner Prepped Model Based on the Camaro

The makers of the fire-breathing Phoenix T/A that we saw at the 2009 SEMA show in Las Vegas are back with yet another proposal for a Pontiac model based on the latest iteration of Chevy’s Camaro pony car. This time the people over at Trans Am Depot will give birth to a modern day interpretation of Pontiac’s famed 1969 GTO Judge. The tuner named its creation “The GT9 Goat”.

The teaser renderings and photos of the faux-Pontiac reveal a bespoke front end with a split grille and a revised hood with air scoops, while at the back we find new tail lamp and bumper designs as well as a restyled trunk sporting a prominent wing. The characteristic profile side stripes, quad tail pipes and the newly styled alloy wheel options round off the exterior changes. There’s no word yet if there will be any kind of upgrades to the interior and the mechanical hardware of the Camaro.

Read more »

SEMA: HPP Comes up with its own Trans-Am Camaro kit

The last time we heard from Heide Performance Products (HPP), the Michigan-based tuner showcased a Daytona conversion for Dodge's Challenger. Keeping with the vintage theme, HPP is now ready to show its next pony car conversion - a Camaro-based Trans-Am kit - at this year's SEMA show in Vegas.

As with all the other Firebird body kits out there (Lingenfelter's, ASC's, etc), HPP's version does its best to bring back the good-ol' days of the screaming chicken. The results, as with any "we're selling you memories" conversion, vary.

Regarding the proposition of selling this conversion (for anything other than the collectability factor), I don't see a point. Pontiac is D-E-A-D, it's not coming back, and that means anyone's "new" Trans-Am will forever be a Chevy wearing a costume. It's similar to having a Plymouth nameplate on a modern Chrysler or Dodge; the vintage naming works for the Daytona, but not for the Superbird.

Read more »

Found on eBay: 1981 Pontiac Firebird Formula Drop-top

Pontiac never made a 1981 Firebird Formula convertible (or any kind of '81 Firebird Convertible, for that matter), but that didn't stop a lot of people from going out and chopping the tops off of these post-oil-crisis Ponchos anyway.

Usually when cars that were never meant to be convertibles get their brains blown out, it turns into quite an unattractive mess.

While this version - originally done by Coach Works and featuring a manual top and boot - doesn't look too shabby with the top down, I'd have to see it with the top up to get a better idea of what we're dealing with.

Read more »

One more 2010 Camaro-Based Pontiac Trans Am Conversion

Not surprisingly, Pontiac's demise has spurred an interest in the creation of Trans Am replicas based on the new Chevrolet Camaro. We remind you that we've already seen a conceptual proposal for a modern-day Pontiac Trans Am from ASC Creative Services and real-life examples from Lingenfelter and Trans Am Depot.

The latest company to join the list of tuners interested in creating a Trans Am replica is a company called Gearhead Performance Group.

Along with the cosmetic upgrades that include new front and rear fascias complete with unique lights, 21- or 22-inch snowflake wheels, a large rear spoiler and gold interior accents (...), the tuner claims that it will offer an optional twin-turbo LS9 V8 with some 900 horsepower.

Source: Gearhead Performance , Via: Autoblog.com