[Goathead]

Originally Posted by ctgross

O.K., guess it'd have to be a southern owned irish mistie colored 65 that's missing it's fine look'n rally 1's

That's it, meet me in Oklahoma at Chilies, and bring Bobcat, we'll settle this...

[Judge273]

I think all the GTO's look good with a 400/4-speed going down the road.

The worst ones are the ones you can't drive or drive hard!

They look even better when they have the factory equipped roundport, and ram air engine.

Then I like the roundport ramair GTO's even more when they got factory stripes, wings, and The Judge badging.

But, that's just me....

[The Boss]

Round ports, Ram Air and wings suck!

B-man, love that car - don't do a thing to it!

[Judas]

One reviewer summed up the 04+ styling perfectly in just one word: "Anonymous". The car does not stand out in any way in a crowd and that is bad. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: the new GTO didnt have to look like a 66, 69, or 74, but it did have to look like something special.

Outside the modern cars, hands down is the 73 for me. Seeing the GTO badges on that bloated monster makes me feel ill. As shameful as throwing the GTO name onto the 74 "Nova" might have been, at least it *vaguely resembles the 68-72 style.

-J

[Mr_GTO]

Originally Posted by Judas

One reviewer summed up the 04+ styling perfectly in just one word: "Anonymous". The car does not stand out in any way in a crowd and that is bad. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: the new GTO didnt have to look like a 66, 69, or 74, but it did have to look like something special.

Outside the modern cars, hands down is the 73 for me. Seeing the GTO badges on that bloated monster makes me feel ill. As shameful as throwing the GTO name onto the 74 "Nova" might have been, at least it *vaguely resembles the 68-72 style.

-J

My '66 didn't....it was called Chevelle more times than I can count. It was called a Fairlane once too. At least it was never called a Charger.

'73 for me and the sales reflect that.

[73LeMans]

I think oil crises and switch to smaller cars had more to do with sales than the looks of the car.

[MikeNoun]

Like I said earlier, if Pontiac had just used their base 400 engine in the 1974 GTO, we'd view that car far differently today. But even with the 350, it was still a decent performer, actually better than some of the classic GTO's. There's just something about that "350" engine designation that drives some classic GTO owners crazy....

The 73/74 GTO's were still GTO's, and they should not be frowned upon or excluded by classic GTO owners. Not every GTO ever made was a tire scorching monster. While the 73/74 GTO's were not the quickest Goats ever made, they also weren't the slowest.

Looks are subjective, but I still prefer the 74 over the 73. And as I stated earlier, I think the 73 GTO was best looking of the GM A-body redesigns.

[Tripower455]

Originally Posted by Judas

One reviewer summed up the 04+ styling perfectly in just one word: "Anonymous". The car does not stand out in any way in a crowd and that is bad.

It works for me!


Before I got my '04, I drove a "distinctive" car, an '01 Formula. It drew a lot of attention...... none of it good, from cops, ricers and rustangs.......

I drove it for 4 years, and got pulled over 6 times. in those 6 times, ONCE, I was speeding (and didn't get a ticket, even though I deserved one). The rest of them were BS "probable cause" stops while I was not breaking any laws and just minding my own business. Some of the "reasons"? Tag light dim, window tint too dark (windows weren't tinted), passing (in a passing zone!), driving a Formula through Wauchula at 0230 on my way home from work etc. Just BS harassment. Driving a car like that around bored cops is like waving a red flag in front of a bull. They aren't sure why, but instinct tells them to pull you over, even if you aren't doing anything wrong.

Not to mention, every rustang and ricer on the road thought it was race day.

Before the Formula, I drove a '90 F250 for 12 years. Same roads, same speeds and got pulled over twice for speeding, no tickets.


I've been driving the '04 for over 5 years. I've been pulled over twice, both times for speeding. One ticket, and one warning.

No BS "probable cause" stops in the '04, ever. For a daily driver, I'll take vanilla, especially one with 350-400 hp and a 6 speed any day of the week.

So, in the course of 20+ years, I've been pulled over 10 times. 6 of those were in the same vehicle, for no reason, in the shortest time span. It was the most distinctive looking vehicle of the 3. I can only conclude that distinctive is bad when it comes to commuting cars.

I LOVE my anonymous '04 GTO........

[Goathead]

Originally Posted by MikeNoun

The 73/74 GTO's were still GTO's, and they should not be frowned upon or excluded by classic GTO owners.

I, personally, do not in any way shape or form frown on any GTO, period. The thread is purely about cosmetics and body design from the way I read it, and some year has to "loose" the popularity contest. Of course I love the lot of them, but I do think the "not so Appealing" one to me is the '73.

[Sirrotica]

Originally Posted by Tripower455

It works for me!


Before I got my '04, I drove a "distinctive" car, an '01 Formula. It drew a lot of attention...... none of it good, from cops, ricers and rustangs.......

I drove it for 4 years, and got pulled over 6 times. in those 6 times, ONCE, I was speeding (and didn't get a ticket, even though I deserved one). The rest of them were BS "probable cause" stops while I was not breaking any laws and just minding my own business. Some of the "reasons"? Tag light dim, window tint too dark (windows weren't tinted), passing (in a passing zone!), driving a Formula through Wauchula at 0230 on my way home from work etc. Just BS harassment. Driving a car like that around bored cops is like waving a red flag in front of a bull. They aren't sure why, but instinct tells them to pull you over, even if you aren't doing anything wrong.

Not to mention, every rustang and ricer on the road thought it was race day.

Before the Formula, I drove a '90 F250 for 12 years. Same roads, same speeds and got pulled over twice for speeding, no tickets.


I've been driving the '04 for over 5 years. I've been pulled over twice, both times for speeding. One ticket, and one warning.

No BS "probable cause" stops in the '04, ever. For a daily driver, I'll take vanilla, especially one with 350-400 hp and a 6 speed any day of the week.

So, in the course of 20+ years, I've been pulled over 10 times. 6 of those were in the same vehicle, for no reason, in the shortest time span. It was the most distinctive looking vehicle of the 3. I can only conclude that distinctive is bad when it comes to commuting cars.

I LOVE my anonymous '04 GTO........

But you do know it's not a real GTO no matter what Jim Wangers the "Godfather of the GTO" says. When he autographs an 04-06 he writes, "every bit a real GTO" on the car, but they still aren't real..............................LMAO

Today the new style cars that are designed to be aerodynamic of course a 40 year old design GTO stands out in their midst, but take an 04-06 GTO and drop it into a late 60s Pontiac showroom and everyone would be astounded on the way it looks compared to say a 69 GTO sitting beside it because it's a curiousity and not one other car looks like it.

I was 16 YO in 1969 and if Pontiac had a GTO that looked like the 04-06s did back then don't you think everyone and their brother would be going in there to get look at it?

Yes it looks like a lot of other cars on the road now, but in 69 4 other GM divisions shared that body and the 69 GTO wasn't a great deal different than a 442 was at a casual glance. I owned a 69 in 74 and it didn't draw any more attention than a 69 chevelle or a 442 did at that time. It all has to be put into perspective I think, just my 2 cents........

My vote also goes to the 73 and I owned one of those with a 455 in it.

BTW the "bar of soap" comment is really gettin old too. Can't the haters at least come up with something new.

[LEADSOLO]

If I must..The '04. Even though I owned one, before the '05.

The older Goats, I like them all....

We're having seller's remorse about the '70 though.........

[LEADSOLO]

Originally Posted by 71 T/A

The 71 and 72 GTOs with that droopy Endura bumper looks awful next to the perfectly done 68-70 GTOs.

I respectfully disagree...

[Wareagle]

I like all GTO's but I would say the 04 is one I would not buy --the 74 is pretty cool should have had at least a 400 but for a 350 Pontiac did fairly well -functional shaker hood etc. mine was Burgandy in color . There was a Black 4 spd 74 running around here - Nasty looking -traction bars -some good size tires in the rear etc. - pretty cool .
Heres a cool ad .

[1971GTO]

1974 and 2004. The others all have flair/style!

[Goathead]

When did the Aussie auto's get in here, I thought you meant real GTO's! I did not consider anything over the '74, and I'd still rather have someone mistake my goat for a Chevelle than confuse it with a Toyota.....

[ERIC AULL]

2004-2006

[Tripower455]

In this order:

73, 74, 71, 72, 04-06......not to say that they are ugly, just that the rest are awesome looking......

[77 Canamman]

Originally Posted by Goathead

I did not consider anything over the '74, and I'd still rather have someone mistake my goat for a Chevelle than confuse it with a Toyota.....

As disliked as the '73's are on this board, they are hard to confuse with the same year Chevelle. For the record, I like the '73 Cutlass and obviously the GTO, but not the other intermediates..

[Wareagle]

Went on the www.ultimategto.com site and there sure are a lot of nice 74's on there. Most guys dropped in 400-455's if they wanted some more power-one guy even had a 65 421 in his --cool .
If I get another make mine Black - SDPERFORMANCE 455 .

[Ken K]

What about the worst looking Firebird there are so many.