New to the sport

Jeff Kuchel · 05-13-2025, 07:15 AM

Good morning everyone. I am planning on building a 2004 Pontiac GTO either for E/SA or F/SA. I have been away for the racing world for a while while I built my trucking company business up. The reason I want to build this car is because I have a really nice one and just wanted to do something different. I would appreciate any advice about building this combination. I know S/SS has a lot of secrets and work that goes into building these types of cars. I?m not into all the drama stuff that goes with this sport just the fun it brings! I have always loved S/SS racing all of my life and you definitely have to love the sound that a S/SS car has!

dragracerray · 05-13-2025, 07:16 AM

Welcome Jeff! Ray

nickh · 05-13-2025, 07:20 AM

You building the car yourself?

james schaechter · 05-13-2025, 08:06 AM

Welcome! That is a good combo. There are a few really nice ones out there racing.

GUMP · 05-13-2025, 08:37 AM

Great combination!

nickh · 05-13-2025, 08:47 AM

Jeff put your build into the class racer build section we would love to follow the build.

jmcarter · 05-13-2025, 09:31 AM

If I was going that route I?d definitely reach out to Lyn Smith for some basic first steps. Looking forward to seeing your progress.

Lyn Smith · 05-13-2025, 09:43 AM

Hey ol buddy . If you are going to the RT 66 Nationals this weekend look me up.

Jeff Kuchel · 05-16-2025, 02:36 PM

Thank you everyone for the support and suggestions. I?m going to try to do a lot of the build myself to try to save on money. Could this car run SS? I guess I haven?t seen a newer body style GTO in SS. I?m sorta loss when it comes to planning a build. Could this car run SS/GT with a Pontiac engine or how do people actually come up with a build? How do you know what is a great combination or not? I actually have two Pontiac GTO cars to pick from. The one is a 2004 and the other is a 2005. Is it better to build one for a class that has few cars in it? How does one know these things? I am pretty green when it comes to things like this. I just thought I would ask you all for some advice and answers.

Woodfin · 05-17-2025, 08:32 AM

You can build it as a super stock GT rear drive conversion. Doing that would allow a Pontiac engine. We need others to verify this, but I think a small-block Chevy would be legal in GT because it is a Pontiac "corporate" engine.

Something to consider is that building a GT rear-engine conversion is a massive project and not for an inexperienced builder.

Building a stocker would be much simpler and less expensive.

05-13-2025, 07:15 AM	#1
Jeff Kuchel Junior Member Join Date: May 2025 Location: Sterling, Illinois / Kaukauna, Wisconsin Posts: 3 Likes: 9 Liked 19 Times in 2 Posts	New to the sport Good morning everyone. I am planning on building a 2004 Pontiac GTO either for E/SA or F/SA. I have been away for the racing world for a while while I built my trucking company business up. The reason I want to build this car is because I have a really nice one and just wanted to do something different. I would appreciate any advice about building this combination. I know S/SS has a lot of secrets and work that goes into building these types of cars. I?m not into all the drama stuff that goes with this sport just the fun it brings! I have always loved S/SS racing all of my life and you definitely have to love the sound that a S/SS car has!

05-13-2025, 07:16 AM	#2
dragracerray Member Join Date: May 2017 Location: Webster, New York Posts: 217 Likes: 467 Liked 207 Times in 88 Posts	Re: New to the sport Welcome Jeff! Ray __________________ Ray Bassett I/SA 1687, SS/DA 1687 "SuperPro is both", unknown

05-13-2025, 07:20 AM	#3
nickh Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Houston,Texas Posts: 819 Likes: 3,494 Liked 640 Times in 192 Posts	Re: New to the sport You building the car yourself?

05-13-2025, 08:06 AM	#4
james schaechter VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Cumming GA Posts: 1,988 Likes: 1,279 Liked 1,428 Times in 296 Posts	Re: New to the sport Welcome! That is a good combo. There are a few really nice ones out there racing. __________________ James Schaechter 3163 STK

05-13-2025, 08:37 AM	#5
GUMP VIP Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Shelby, NC Posts: 1,817 Likes: 2,153 Liked 2,336 Times in 549 Posts	Re: New to the sport Great combination! __________________ Daren Poole-Adams NHRA Stock/SS 2007

05-13-2025, 08:47 AM	#6
nickh Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Houston,Texas Posts: 819 Likes: 3,494 Liked 640 Times in 192 Posts	Re: New to the sport Jeff put your build into the class racer build section we would love to follow the build.

05-13-2025, 09:31 AM	#7
jmcarter VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Richmond Hill GA (and Port Ludlow WA) Posts: 4,293 Likes: 2,364 Liked 3,165 Times in 969 Posts	Re: New to the sport If I was going that route I?d definitely reach out to Lyn Smith for some basic first steps. Looking forward to seeing your progress. __________________ Jim Carter 2340 Super Stock 2340 SST/2340 Stock Set another place at the table

05-13-2025, 09:43 AM	#8
Lyn Smith VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Pontiac,il. Posts: 1,197 Likes: 279 Liked 957 Times in 192 Posts	Re: New to the sport Hey ol buddy . If you are going to the RT 66 Nationals this weekend look me up.

05-16-2025, 02:36 PM	#9
Jeff Kuchel Junior Member Join Date: May 2025 Location: Sterling, Illinois / Kaukauna, Wisconsin Posts: 3 Likes: 9 Liked 19 Times in 2 Posts	Re: New to the sport Thank you everyone for the support and suggestions. I?m going to try to do a lot of the build myself to try to save on money. Could this car run SS? I guess I haven?t seen a newer body style GTO in SS. I?m sorta loss when it comes to planning a build. Could this car run SS/GT with a Pontiac engine or how do people actually come up with a build? How do you know what is a great combination or not? I actually have two Pontiac GTO cars to pick from. The one is a 2004 and the other is a 2005. Is it better to build one for a class that has few cars in it? How does one know these things? I am pretty green when it comes to things like this. I just thought I would ask you all for some advice and answers.

05-17-2025, 08:32 AM	#10
Woodfin Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Kilgore TX Posts: 531 Likes: 8 Liked 256 Times in 100 Posts	Re: New to the sport You can build it as a super stock GT rear drive conversion. Doing that would allow a Pontiac engine. We need others to verify this, but I think a small-block Chevy would be legal in GT because it is a Pontiac "corporate" engine. Something to consider is that building a GT rear-engine conversion is a massive project and not for an inexperienced builder. Building a stocker would be much simpler and less expensive.