johnwitzke

Thank you....The GTO that was in Hi-Performance Cars magazine and Named Car of the Year will be my next build as it appears to be the correct SD-455 GTO. It was a Valencia Gold car with a bench seat and 4-speed. I build it along side the SD-455 Grand Am. Those will be whole other topic. This current GTO build will be a 400 4-speed car. I will change the CID call outs to 400 on the front fenders.

Getting closer to finish

I got the suspension sorted out since I am using wheels and wheel backing from Fireball Modelworks. I think I have the stance fairly close. A little more tweaking and I should be good

Once my Florentine Red 1973 GTO is completed, next will be a pair of 1973 Super Duty 455 Pontiacs, Grand Am and GTO. The Grand Am car is documented with a build invoice, meaning the engine was installed on the assembly line. The GTO on the other hand a build invoice doesn't exist or hasn't been found which leads us to believe the engine was installed in the Pontiac engineering garage. I have done a lot of research on the GTO going over photos, and the one and only magazine article. I am now convinced that the one and only Super Duty GTO was Valencia Gold with a white bench seat interior with a M20 4-speed transmission. The Grand Am was an automatic. I have collected all the parts to build the GTO including a set of Michigan manufacture license plates. These will be long drawn our builds that will take awhile, especially the Grand Am where decals will need to be created. So I will update as I move them along.

Some small details being added to the body including all decals and taillamp detail. Since it appears the 73 Super Duty GTO was not assembled on the assembly line like the 73 Super Duty Grand Am, it is unclear if a SD-455 decal was on the body. So I removed it and added a 455 CID decal. The photos I have of the possible car doesn't appear to have the SD 455 decal. This Super Duty GTO and the Super Duty Grand Am were the only two factory cars with the unique Ram Air set up. Unfortunately, both of these cars were dismantled and destroyed by Pontiac. On a side note, I will be building a second 73 GTO, that Hi-Performance cars magazine identified as the Super Duty car. The second car was Valencia Gold with white bench interior with a M20 4-speed manual transmission. So, there are two possible colors for SD 455 GTO. Was the car Florentine Red as mentioned by Joe Oldham memory, or was it Valencia Gold as the magazine calls it out. Either way, I am building both to make sure I have a replica of the 1 of none 73 Super Duty GTO. Oh, I did have the Michigan Manufacture license (13M 251) plate made. Additionally I have a 1973 Grans Am that I will build as the 1 and only SD 455 Grand Am. I am waiting on decals. The colors and options for the Grand Am is know as there is a build sheet for the car.

Interior update

Bumpers have been chromed. Brilliant chrome, produces a lot of reflection. Once they have set ups for a week or so, I will clear coat them.

Early stages of fabricating the very rare 1973 A body Ram Air air cleaner. The 1973 Pontiac engineering development mule SD-455 GTO would have had this set up

Now the story begins with the first SD-455 decal on the driver front fender. Also the bench seat with 4-speed shifter. Still a long way to go with this build. Need to be completed by Oct 1 for a model show

I used them on my 1973 GTO I have under construction. I cleaned scrubbed the tires with soap and water. I applied the decals and used decal setting solution and let them dry.

The 1973 GTO was available with a manual transmission only with the 400 engine, the 455 was automatic only. The SD 455 would have had both transmissions.

I changed direction on the build once I found out the SD-455 engineering test mule was Florentine Red with possibly a white interior. I am creating as close as possible what could have been that car. Information about that car is very sketchy at best.

Beginning work on the interior. This will be a 4-speed car with the shifter in front of the bench seat. I found an adhesive back suede material from Scale Motorsports that I used for the carpeting rather than embossing powder

This photo is possibly the SD GTO. This factory photo has only appeared in Jim Wangers book Glory Days. This was not the same GTO that was in Hi-Performance Cars Magazine article where they named it car of the year.

Started the BMF process.

Added the unique 1973 Ram Air under-hood ram air pan. I am in the process of fabricating the air cleaner lid as well

So I have been doing some additional research and have found out some interesting facts about the Hi-Performance Cars Magazine 1973 Car of the Year GTO. A good friend of mine that knew Joe Oldham confirmed that the 1973 Pontiac GTO with a SD-455 motor was in fact Florentine Red. It was also thought to have been a 4-speed car. The GTO was an engineering development test mule. This was a 1 of none car as the SD-455 motor was only available in the 1973-74 Firebird Trans Am and Formulas. Like the SD GTO, Pontiac also built one 1973 Grand Am with the SD-455 engine and was also an engineering development test mule. It was a white car with burgundy interior with an automatic transmission. Unfortunately the car doesn't exist anymore but the engine does. After the press review was completed and the journalist left, Joe was asked to stick around while Pontiac brought out the SD-455 GTO for him to view. Other than Joe Oldham, no other car journalist seen it, nor do any photos exist. While not 100% sure of the interior color, we do know it exterior was Florentine Red. So with that said, I have decided to make the 1 of none 1973 SD-455 GTO. I had another interior tub made along with a bench front seat. it will have a burgundy interior. I will put a correct style 4-speed shifter add the proper number of pedals and transmission.

Decals have arrived. GTO on the fenders and trunk lid will be white. the body stripe will be applied. There are various interior and under hood decals that I will use.

Polished Florentine Red. No clear coat. Trying to replicate a factor finish. Next will be the masking off the engine compartment, front wheel wells and interior roof and side panels for semi gloss black paint. Work continues on the interior detailing, it will be time for the cardinal red carpet. I will post a photo of the completed interior later.

Golden Olive is a great color and a good choice.

Interior color was changed to Black with red accent carpeting. This was a factory option. Paint used was MCW semi gloss black lacquer.

So here is an update. Final color coat on the car. I will let this set for a couple of weeks to allow it to gas out. Then it will be hand polished to replicate a factory finish. I used Scale Finishes 1973 Pontiac Florentine Red.

I have this picture and one other. However, my understanding is none of the orange cars have been accounted for.

Couple of photos od the body prep. These take quite a bit of clean up work. Have to very careful not to alter the body panel lines. Still a couple of of imperfections that need to be sorted out before paint. Sine I cannot validate not have seen one of the orange Can Am's I have decided to go with Cameo White with Buckskin interior.