2004 Pontiac GTO - Don’t Judge

Timothy Hess comes from old-school muscle, but revels in the technological era with his ’04 GTO

From the November, 2011 issue of High Performance Pontiac

By Kevin DiOssi

Photography by Kevin DiOssi

Several years ago, this author heard a quote that really hit home, “There are only two ways to look at the new GTO—you either love them or you haven’t driven one.” Timothy Hess claims to be guilty as charged in this account, as his skepticism previously dissuaded him. That all changed on February 5, 2005, the day he drove his first new GTO. It also happened to be the day he drove home in one and his inner teenage racer was unleashed once again. “Don’t judge one until you drive one!”

Opening Statement

Having owned a ’75 400 Trans Am and a ’76 LeMans, as well as other musclecars, Timothy claims to be an old-school kind of guy. After a long and successful career as a U.S. Marine, he retired as a gunnery sergeant. Somehow he ended up driving an ’05 PT Cruiser GT, but he grew tired of it in less than a year. “I went into the dealership to look at other options,” says Tim, and the little red Goat caught his eye. His curiosity got the best of him, so he requested a testdrive to see what these new cars were made of.

The Torrid Red, automatic, 3.46-geared GTO enveloped Tim in plush leather and every creature comfort he desired. The inside was quiet, and everything was soft to the touch. Just below his right shoe sat the accelerator pedal, which was soon crushing the carpet as he hit the open road.

This car also had some options that made it different than other ’04s. “It had a few of the dealer-installed Sport Appearance Package options for a more aggressive look,” he explains. Tim was sold on the Pontiac even before he got back to the lot. The two men reached an easy agreement with his trade, and he got a great deal on the GTO for $25,000.

Shortly after, his son, Jarrod, from Tampa, got a chance to drive the new Goat. “I knew I had to have an LS1 after that car,” he concedes and soon purchased a red ’01 WS6 Trans Am, which was featured in the July ’11 issue of HPP. Together, father and son would build their cars while in different states and share information.

Direct Examination

Tim got hooked up with a shop near his Chillicothe, Missouri, home to inject some more muscle into the Pontiac. He began with a set of Kooks 1.875-inch headers spilling into a custom 3-inch H-pipe exhaust with Flowmaster Super 40 mufflers and dual rear exits, removing the cats and resonator at the same time. A set of aluminum 225cc heads with 62cc chambers and 2.05/1.60-inch valves were accompanied by a custom 230/236-degree-duration, 0.613/0.608-inch-lift, 112-degree-LSA camshaft and Crane 832 dual springs.

With the added power, more work needed to be done to support it. The 4L60E was upgraded with a shift kit and a Yank SS3600 torque converter. To assist with traction, drag bags were placed inside the rear springs and 275/40R17 Nitto NT555 drag radials were mounted to the factory wheels. Jarrod says, “The GTO put down 397 rwhp and 340 lb-ft of torque on the dyno.”

Cross Examination

“After my dad ran a string of low 13-second passes, I told him there was something wrong with the combination,” Jarrod says. “I suggested he drive the Pontiac to Tampa so that some guys I know could work on it.”

Tim packed up and paid a visit to the Sunshine State. “I wanted my GTO to go 11s on motor and then have nitrous to supplement the power when I wanted,” he recalls.