1968 Pontiac GTO Wagon

Dent and rust repair, and the massaging of the Tempest's flanks to better than factory form followed. Scott continued to put his bodyman skills to good work at Walnut Park Autobody in Crestwood, Missouri, by applying DuPont 1144S primer and dry-blocksanding the first coat with 180-grit paper and then wet-blocking with 320- and 400-grit paper, respectively, on the next two coats. A single application of Chroma Premiere sealer was followed by four coats of DuPont ChromaBase in code "R" Solar Red and three coats of clear, with the latter wet-sanded with 1,500-grit paper before final polishing.

The chassis was coated in DuPont black enamel with a flattener to mimic the factory sheen, and the suspension was rebuilt front and rear. Performance upgrades include a 1.25-inch front stabilizer bar, a 0.875-inch rear bar, upper rear control arm braces, boxed lower control arms, and Polygraphite bushings all around. Shocks are stock replacement, and the braking system, featuring factory optional four-piston front discs, was refurbished as well.

Looking under the GTO hood, Scott decided that Pontiac should have built a '68 GTO wagon with a 428 engine instead of a 400. And why not--the wagon was heavier, right? To that end, he procured the engine from his resto/modded '68 GTO convertible for the task once he saw the engine he was planning to build would not be done in time for the GTOAA Nats.

Previously, the 428 block was bored 0.030 over and refitted with a 0.010/0.010 cut and polished stock crank, reworked stock rods, and 0.030-over replacement TRW pistons and rings. A set of No. 16 heads featuring 2.11/1.77 valves were rebuilt with new guides, and hardened valve seats were installed. Determining the action of those valves is a hydraulic Comp cam featuring 244/244 degrees duration at 0.050 and 0.501/0.501 lift (with 1.50:1 stamped-steel rockers) and a 110-degree lobe separation angle. To maintain a factory look, the cast-iron intake and Q-jet carb were retained. A subtle nod to performance is discovered when you notice that the exhaust crossover was cut off the intake for a cooler charge, and a later GM HEI ignition system disperses the spark with aid from an ACCEL Super coil. The compression ratio is approximately 10.75:1 and timing is set for 36 degrees total by 3,000 rpm.

Factory ram air manifolds usher combustion remains to a Pypes 2.5-inch mandrel-bent exhaust system and through Summit turbo mufflers.

TCI's 11-inch 2,000-stall converter transfers torque to a '69 Turbo 400 that was rebuilt by Transmissions To Go in Arnold, Missouri, and has a shift kit added. A 2.56:1 geared stock open rear is great for the open highway but not the hot ticket for the dragstrip.

Though it currently lacks the Safe-T-Track option, other added options will set this wagon apart from any Tempest wagon you'll likely find. Scott installed a factory A/C system in the non-A/C Tempest, firewall mods and all. He also added Rally gauges with clock, hood tach, factory AM/FM, His and Hers shifter , console, buckets, and wood wheel. Though it would seem to be a chore to locate and install all these options, that task paled in comparison to finding interior pieces. Some, like the door panels, had to be custom made by SMS Auto Fabrics in Oregon.

Being unique has its cost, but Scott wouldn't have it any other way. "Who else has the car Pontiac should have built--a GTO wagon? It combines the versatility and room of a wagon with the look of a GTO," Scott says. So all those bellybutton SUVs best move aside on the highway because Scott Maserang has built a retro version with more style and "sport" than all of them.