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In '72, if you wanted a GTO, but had to have the wind rushing through you hair, it took a bit of creativity when placing your order. Starting with the LeMans Sport Convertible, $41 would get you the Endura option which literally gave you the the full GTO nose, from vented fenders to those nasty looking hood scoops made fully functional with the Ram Air option here feeding a monster 455 cid High Output V8. Click off a few more options like the WW5 option package and your droptop Goat is complete. One unintended extra was a reduced insurance premium from those companies that merely determined their premiums by the make and model rather than the horsepower-to-weight formula that others employed. Between the government mandated fleet mileage, the EPA pollution regulations and the insurance companies capping performance by confiscatory premiums, the squeeze was on in '72. The 455HO was again detuned to 300bhp @4000rpm but still managed a respectable 415 lb-ft of torque @3200rpm which translated into mid 14s in the 1/4 mile.
Beyond the technical specs, this was one of Pontiac's sexiest looking beasts, and GMP has nailed this look in 1/18 scale. Shot in Revere Silver with black accents and black cloth covered top with optional boot it looks like the coin of the realm. Loaded with all the bells and whistles like the split side exhausts, dual sport mirrors and hood mounted tachometer, the real star is the honeycomb wheels which are a real treat from the ubiquitous Rally ll spoked wheels. The wheels are shod in 15" Goodyear Polyglass 60s. These are beautifully modeled in a soft pneumatic feeling synthetic that just flattens enough under the weight of the model to give a realistic look.
The cloth covered top fits into a solitary horizontal pin between the sun visors that locks the top perfectly when the vertical pins at the rear of the top are slipped into the locator holes. All the external trim and hardware are chromed, including the door and trunk locks. The Pontiac script on the deck is tampo'd and, although outlined in black to give a 3-D appearance,is a bit lost in a field of silver. The chrome bumper surrounding the tail light assemblies is first rate. Opening the trunk reveals a spartan interior black textured with light blue spatter. The spare and jack assembly are nicely done.
Save for the faux woodgrained dash insert, it's an all black interior with GMP's usal touches of fine texturing, scale carpeting and metal seatbelt hardware. Notably absent when you first open the door is the sill plates. On the plus side are operable visors, nice chrome trimmed pedals, scaled and properly textured T-bar shifter for the 4-speed trans, legible dials and gauges and chromed hardware including the ashtray covers and HVAC vents.
The hood opens and locks with a forward grasp of the hood.
The engine bay is another triumph for GMP. The 455HO is fully plumbed and wired the twin snorkel intakes line up with the ram air ductwork from the hood. The dual master cylinder sports the proper hydraulic lines. The AC compressor pulley engages a real rubber belt. The proper stickers are on the fan shroud. The only odd piece in the engine bay is a generic properly wired 12V battery that appears too small for this scale.
The undercarriage is first rate. The operating suspension is fully articulating including the shocks and are actuated by real metal coils. I guess when all is said and done, this is just a beautiful looking car. When I pop the door open on this model, I wish to heck I could jump in and drive off into the sunset. This is just one more jewel in the GMP lineup of dynamite Pontiacs. A 5 star masterpiece.
(05/10/2005)
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