HPP Associate Editor Kevin...
HPP Associate Editor Kevin DiOssi tests the JWSE GTO's braking prowess from 60-0 mph. This is his second pass, as evidenced by the visible skidmarks already on the pavement.
The weather conditions were chilly by Florida standards. The National Weather Service readings immediately prior to testing showed a 56-degree F temperature, 38-percent relative humidity, and a density altitude of 192 feet below sea level for the 147-foot-altitude track.
Pulling into the burnout box, Smith treated the GTO's rubber to a good heating, and smoke billowed mercilessly from the rear of the car. "So far, so good," one of the bystanders said. "You can tell this car really has a GTO personality."
Launching conservatively to prevent the GTO's ample power from being used to its disadvantage, Smith eclipsed the sixty-foot in 2.14 seconds and tackled the traps in 12.65 seconds at 119.13 seconds. We were impressed by the mph but less so by the e.t. This new GTO was already quicker than a showroom-stock '69 Ram Air IV GTO, as expected, but we thought it would be a lot quicker. "I can't give it all the power it has," Smith said. "These street tires are really holding it back. It's easily a full-second faster given the trap speed. Regardless, it sure feels great-it's got to be the strongest Pontiac I've ever driven."
Afterwards, Jim Wangers Productions technical assistant Robert Johnson made the following observations on the GTO's (and the track's) metrics: "It had 36 psi in the front tires, 32 psi in the rears, and the air cleaner was on. In addition, the track temperature was 84 degrees," he said.
For the second sizzling sprint down the 1,320, the front tire pressures were raised to 40 psi. Smith eased across the sixty-foot in 2.18 seconds and the quarter-mile in 12.86 seconds at 119.18 mph.
Coming down the back straight...
Coming down the back straight in the Jim Wangers Signature Edition GTO, HPP Editorial Director Jim Campisano pushes it to the limit.
For our final drag test, Johnson removed the GTO's air cleaner and checked the engine's vitals. After giving the OK, Smith brought the GTO back to the burnout box for a fantastic, fury-filled finale. Performing more like a track star, the JWSE GTO's launch improved, and it covered the sixty-foot in 2.01 seconds with a 12.16-second quarter-mile at 120.41 mph.
Smith's observations were as follows: "The GTO has very good driveability, a fantastic [exhaust] sound, nice crisp throttle response, and power all the way through the band. It felt like a brand-new car, not a 41-year-old GTO. I expected an 'old-car' feel, but this GTO felt incredibly modern."
We asked what he thought could make the Jim Wangers Signature Edition GTO better at the dragstrip. "I'd like to see the option of a set of racing wheels/slicks or drag radials-something with more sidewall for the launches," he said.
Since our test drivers shared some of the same suggestions to make the Jim Wangers' Signature Edition GTO's brakes better, we asked Big 3's Anthony Stevenson for an explanation. Here's what he had to say.
Big 3's Response
"Building this project has really been a blast. Our team came together to create a masterpiece, but even a masterpiece has its critics. In testing, there have really only been two complaints: Why the manual brakes and where's the drag tires?"
"I'd like to address both of those complaints: In the spirit of building a show car, sometimes styling outshines function. When we chose the manual-brake setup, it was to keep the engine bay as clutter-free as possible. All production JWSE GTOs will include a power-braking system as optional equipment.
"As for the tires, our standard-equipment choice will remain a tire that is comfortable and capable on the street or on a road course. However, drag radials will be available at an additional cost.
"For all you diehard drag racers out there who can't help but wonder what one of these bad boys will do as a traditional drag car, stay tuned-our drag-dedicated car debuts in Summer 2010, boasting 756 hp and 665 lb-ft of torque!"