1971 Pontiac GTO, PHS Documented, Original Sheet Metal, 400/TH400

1971 Pontiac GTO Description

1971 Pontiac GTO
This vehicle was built on 4/29/71, and later sold new at Bill Beck Pontiac in Charlotte, NC in 1971.Originally this vehicle was Laurentian green, however when restored the color was changed to black. The vinyl top has been replaced with a high quality, reproduction material.The sheet metal on this vehicle is original, and has had no panels replaced. A factory correct hood mounted tachometer has been added to the exterior of the vehicle (optional item for the GTO). There is one small paint imperfection in the passenger door, at the lower rear corner. The front bumper has the typical paint cracking common with this style of front bumper, as you can see in the photos. There is one small, unnoticeable scratch in the drivers side front fender, I've included a photo of this also. I have been asked when this vehicle was repainted, to which I do not know the answer. The vehicle was already restored when I purchased it a few years ago. If I were to guess based on the information and receipts I received with the vehicle, I suspect it was restored 10-15 years ago. The paint is in very good condition and has an excellent shine as seen in the photos. Last month, the vehicle received a wax and hydrophobic coating to give a smooth, clean, and glossy appearance.All chrome on this vehicle is in excellent condition. The outside mirror on the driver’s door has been replaced with an NOS part. The glass is believed to be the original glass as the windshield is equipped with the radio antenna. The grilles are original and in good condition. The odometer shows 46,005 miles currently and given the condition of the body, chassis, and interior I believe it to be original. The previous owner also stated the mileage was original when I purchased the car.
The underside of this vehicle is rust free, undercoated, and slightly dusty from use. The exhaust has been replaced shortly after I purchased the vehicle. I installed two chamber mufflers for a true muscle car sound, it is not obnoxious when driving at highway speeds.The vehicle was originally equipped with four wheel manual drum brakes, however I did upgrade the brake system to power front disc brakes using all new parts. I have all of the original parts which will go with the vehicle. An alignment was also done after the front brake upgrade was completed. This spring, I replaced the tires with BF Goodrich Radial T/A P235/60R15 front and P245/60R15 rear.

Trunk area is well preserved with original mat, spare tire, and jack. None of these items were with the vehicle when I was purchased it, I bought all high quality reproduction parts or NOS parts to complete the trunk appearance. The spare tire cover doesn't fit as well as I would like it to, I suspect though it is because of the tire diameter. The bumper jack is an original part in excellent condition and is stored underneath the spare tire, along with the jack handle.

The engine is a 400 cubic inch Pontiac engine, believed to be the numbers matching block. The engine has been rebuilt, and is painted the later model (1973-up) Pontiac blue. The paint is thick on the engine block, and where the numbers are stamped on the front of the block behind the lower radiator hose it is very difficult to see them. I also did not want to disturb the finish to confirm. The engine has a mild cam, and runs very, very well! Other original parts include the intake manifold, valve covers, and Rochester Quadrajet carburetor. The factory air cleaner is in place and the lid has a "Day 2" engine ID decal added by a previous owner. I have always used a high zinc content 10w40 motor oil when servicing the car. The engine compartment is very clean and detailed. The transmission is a TH400 automatic transmission, also believed to be the original numbers matching unit. It feels like it has a small converter stall and a shift kit, nothing crazy but nice firm shifts. The rear end is a 3:73 limited slip factory unit.

The interior is very nice, though not perfect. The original dash pad has some small cracking on the drivers side that is repairable, pictures are in the photos. When I first purchased the GTO, it had a 1980s era AM/FM/Cassette player installed in place of the original AM radio. When it was installed, the dash surround was trimmed out, but luckily the metal dash frame behind it was not molested. This spring, I installed a Retrosound radio in the vehicle. Instead of using the original radio antenna in the windshield, I used an amplified radio antenna that is hidden inside the glovebox. The radio also has an auxillary output jack that is hidden underneath dash, and can accomodate a phone/ipod/MP3 player. The original interior was also green, and changed to sandalwood (beige/tan) during the restoration. The seats, carpet, door panels, etc are all in very good condition and are original parts. The clock in the dash is inoperable. All dash lights work great, but again the clock lights do not as there is no printed circuit on the back of it. I replaced the headlamp switch this spring, along with the headlamp knob and rod. All window regulators work like new and are smooth rolling up and down. Both levers for the dash and floor vents work great and there is no issue with air flow. During the spring and fall when the heat was needed, it works great too as does the fan.

All exterior lights work with no issues. The windshield wipers also work, I did replace the wiper blades last year with Anco Vintage wiper blades to keep the correct appearance. I don't use them, as I had coated the windshield for wet visibility should I get caught in inclimate weather.

As stated earlier, I do have the original drum brake components from the vehicle. I have also collected other parts for the car, such as a new rear package tray, an excellent original dash surround (should myself or someone want to put an original radio back in the car), new gauge lenses, a 1971 GTO service manual, along with other vintage Pontiac collectibles.

This is a very nice looking vehicle that gets constant compliments. It drives beautiful, rides beautiful, and looks beautiful! It is my intention to show the car at the Pardeeville Car Show in Pardeeville, WI on August 31 unless reserve is met or the vehicle is sold by then. If you're looking for a trailer queen, this is not the car for you. If you're looking for a very nice car with minimal imperfections, or common imperfections like cracked paint on endura bumpers, this is the car for you. This 1971 Pontiac GTO is also for sale locally, I reserve the right to end this auction at any time. Third party inspections are quite welcome, and encouraged! More photos are available upon request.

A $500 NON-REFUNDABLE deposit is due via PayPal within 24 hours of auctions end, the balance due within seven days of auctions end and/or before the vehicle is delivered. Shipping is the responsibility of the winning bidder/buyer. If you have any questions, please feel free to send me a message. If you would like to speak in person, I would then share my phone number and we can talk.

Thank You for taking the time to look at my auction.