Our ProCharged GTO made a whopping 444.5 hp at the rear tires after being tuned with a new Racetronix fuel system on a Mustang chassis dyno ("Fueling the Fire," March '06). This kind of power is great, but after a few hard launches, the stock clutch was getting ready to say "uncle" in a big way.
Not wanting to risk having to limp the car home from the track or the dyno (it actually slipped a smidge on the dyno during one pull), we decided it was time to investigate what kind of clutch would hold up to the abuse of a 500-or-so rear-wheel horsepower, 3,900-pound Pontiac.
Our search ended at S.P.E.C. Inc. with the suggestion that a Stage 3 clutch with the company's aluminum outer, steel-center flywheel would be more than adequate for our boost-breathing Poncho. According to David Norton, vice presi-dent of S.P.E.C. Inc., "The flywheel body is made of tempered aerospace-quality aluminum with a high carbon steel friction plate. The fric-tion plate is end-user serviceable and has fasten-ers that are hand tightened to exactly the same torque all the way around to eliminate runout. S.P.E.C. holds a 0.001-inch machine tolerance on the product. This means the clutch has aperfect mating surface, maximizing drive-ability and clamp, and the flywheel has a perfect balance for less stress on engine internals. The pressure plate is our newest offering, featuring a 360-degree CNC pivot. This means our pres-sure plates have a more even drop on the disc, more consistent diaphragm height, more con-sistent and higher clamp load without severely stiff pedal requirements, and do not require aftermarket hydraulics."
The Stage 3 carries S.P.E.C. PN SC093 and a suggested retail price of $449, while the complementing aluminum outer steel friction surface flywheel has PN SC75A and a price of $399. When you order both pieces together, they come in a matched and balanced pair for a simple bolt-in installation.
Another issue we faced with our GTO is the stick-in-the-mud feeling the stock shifter provides. Ask any six-speed GTO owner with the stock shifter, and we're sure they'll tell you they have missed a gear once or twice due to the disconnected feeling of the remote design. The solution for our rubbery shifter came in the form of a GM Motorsports (GMM) RipShift shifter from Speed Inc. The RipShift carries part letters RIPSHIFT and a price of $299.99. While it may be a bit on the pricey side, the Australian-made shifter does have quite a lot to offer late-model GTO owners. The aftermarket shifter of choice for nearly every Australian enthusiast with a six speed Holden, the RipShift offers a tight, precise gear pattern with considerably shorter shifts, and it even retains the stock shift handle location. RipShift's sturdy machined-aluminum base with integrated heavy-duty centering springs make the 2-3 and 3-4 shift a breeze-simply push or pull! The RipShift also features a steel shift lever to increase strength.