As the story goes, Big 3 Performance (www.big3performance.com) approached Jim Wangers (geetotiger.com) about building a Tuner GTO to be his namesake, and the result thus far has been the Prototype No. 1 Jim Wangers Signature Edition (JWSE) GTO that HPP fully tested and fully enjoyed on the track in the last issue.
Prior to building turnkey cars for customers, Big 3 and Jim planned to build three prototypes. The first was the hardtop we tested; the second is a convertible; and the third is a dedicated racecar designed to run 10s in the quarter-mile. Both of the two street cars are to be displayed at the shows and provide a rolling marketing program for the endeavor, and the hardtop is currently being used as a test car as well. The race car will put on a show for the crowds at the strip.
To pull off an undertaking this involved and achieve positive results requires input from multiple specialists, so Big 3 rounded up the talent. The building of the 505-cube EFI engine was trusted to Butler Performance of Leoma, Tennessee (www.butlerperformance.com), and EFI tuning is courtesy of Travis Quillen-neither are strangers to the pages of HPP. Chassis design, interior, body component, exhaust fabrication, and the building of the three prototypes were assigned to the Roadster Shop in Mundelein, Illinois (www.roadstershop.com). Once the company completed the creations and test fittings of the custom body components, based on renderings from Ben Hermance of Hermance Design (www.hermancedesign.com), they were recreated in carbon fiber by an outside firm chosen by Big 3. Final bodywork, paint, and striping were done by Williams Auto Body Shop, and the interior stitching and installation were performed by A-1 Auto Upholstery, both in Green Bay. The custom wheels were built by HRE in Vista, California.
Jim Wangers proudly poses...
Jim Wangers proudly poses with his namesake, the Jim Wangers Signature Edition GTO. It has a look all its own with custom hoodscoops, lower valance, and spoiler. Note how the shape of the nose is mimicked in the valance. Let's learn how this special Pontiac came together.
Discussing the design direction, Jim Wangers says, "Since I believe that the '69 Judge is the quintessential GTO, with Big 3 Performance and Ben Hermance, I stressed the importance of updating and refining the embodiment of the Judge's original styling rather than outdating it. For example, I wanted the ducktail spoiler, which is so emblematic of our Pontiacs, as is the striping. The original pop art striping, outrageous for its time, now has a more contemporary look on the Signature Edition GTO-sophisticated for today's market. Its front spoiler and valance with the ducting and foglamps adds the flair of modern styling, but is nicely integrated into the original design, and the Billet Jim Wangers Signature Edition Rally II wheels are spectacular! Behind the wheel, you get an amazing over-the-hood view of those big, aggressive hoodscoops. Big 3 and Ben sensationally captured my desires to visually contemporize the car. I could not be happier with their interpretation of my thoughts!"
Ben Hermance added, "Our philosophy was keep the car clean, but add functional components that would contribute to a low, aggressive look in the front with the valance and spoiler. They had to be modern and blend well with the rest of the car. For the hood, we wanted wider scoops. We modernized the rear bumper by smoothing it and changing its shape, and by painting it body color. The gas cap mounted in the custom rear panel and the LED taillights complete the tail. Freshly designed emblems and stripes and new honeycomb grilles also helped to bring the GTO into the 21st century. We didn't want to upset the purist, but we wanted to bring the car forward. I designed the wheels with that same thought in mind."
Phil Gerber owns the Roadster...
Phil Gerber owns the Roadster Shop with his dad, Neal, and brother, Jeremy. The business builds world-class, award-winning street rods and musclecars, not to mention the chassis that is under this GTO. Regarding the rear of the body, Phil told HPP that his craftsmen fabricated the rear spoiler, bumper, and taillight panel, as well as the 3-inch stainless exhaust system. They made bezels for the Pypes tips to create the three-port look, and changed their angle to better fit the new rear bumper. The LED taillights and wild Pypes tips make quite a visual statement, while the M80 Pypes mufflers back it up with a guttural tone.
Big 3 owner Bob Cloud sums it up this way, "The body enhancements are a result of a group of smart, enthusiastic people getting together to come up with a bold design, while putting egos aside. Jim had great ideas and Big 3 and Ben Hermance did as well. It was a team effort with Jim leading us through it."
David Butler of Butler Performance said of the engine, "We were looking for modern driveability and durability, with the power and torque of a big-inch traditional Pontiac engine. We also wanted a powerplant that would perform well in a variety of street and race applications. The third thing we were after was a specific engine combo that we could duplicate for future JWSE customer cars, without varying from the horsepower we achieved in the prototype."
Now that you know the body design and engine goals, follow along as we learn about the chassis development and see how JWSE Prototype No. 1 came together.