With wide fenders and subtle aero elements, the classic GTO looks ready for the road course.

Old muscle cars may not be a regular sight at most track days, but occasionally one manages to slip in and turn a few heads in the process. This 1964 Pontiac GTO is just one of those cars, and the amazing overhaul it’s received in the past several years is a testimony to diligence and the potential for retrofitting. This car showcases some pretty impressive modern tech, but houses it in a classic body with few giveaways to the cornering performance it’s capable of.

After a major incident that left it without most of its original bodywork, Don Stellhorn set off to build the ultimate race-bred GTO. With access to a high-level machine shop, Don improvised new chassis components, boxed the GTO’s frame and redesigned all the suspension pickup points. This car was going to be built with as few compromises as possible.

Its 440 ci. motor has since been replaced with a smaller LS3 that outputs 612 horsepower.

With a rear suspension design based off a NASCAR Busch Series car, a three-link solid axle and 1-degree negative camber hubs, the 610 horsepower available is delivered effectively to the road. Though the front coilovers were purchased from Aldan Eagle, many of the related components were built by Don himself, including the front and rear control arms and the Watt’s link. In short, the reason this car corners with more grace and precision than a GTO ever should is because of Don’s intimate understanding of suspension design and the limitations of antiquated technology.

In addition, all of the body panels were devised by Don himself. With flared fenders, a striking front chin spoiler and rudimentary wing at the rear, the iconic Pontiac looks suited to hard braking and sliding through the corners. Those acrobatics wouldn’t be possible without the enormous 12.5″-wide wheels at all four corners and the Kumho Ecsta V710 tires. For those who doubt the capability of an antique hot rod on the road course, have a look at Don’s brainchild.

The rear wing, angled at sixty degrees, helps keep the rear end planted at speed.