“Tale of a 4-Door Supercar” – Nathan Tejada’s 643 Horsepower G8 GT

Nathan Trejeda's '08 G8 GT looks amazing parked in front of Red Rock. Images courtesy of Matt Adair and the owner.

Ever since Pontiac died almost three years ago, it seems that there are countless enthusiasts around the world trying to keep its spirit alive. Whether it is with a classic GTO, an LS1-powered Trans Am or something in between, Pontiac aficionados are a tough breed to break.

We dig the embroidery on the G8's upholstery.

If you still need further proof then look no further than Nathan Tejeda’s 2008 Pontiac G8 GT. Originally purchased as a quick daily driver with loads of potential and a usable backseat for a baby, it didn’t take long for Nathan to transform his “Made in Australia” machine into something truly unique.

In fact, Tejeda became so involved with his Pontiac that he eventually started his own company called Demon 8 Designs (D8D), which was named after his car. Working from his home location in Las Vegas, Nevada, D8D carries a whole roster of aftermarket parts and accessories for every variant of the G8.

Since Nathan’s business allowed him the opportunity to team up with different manufacturers for the build, it was only a matter of time before his G8 was transformed from relatively mundane, to completely insane.

Not only does this G8 sport an obvious cosmetic makeover in the form of a Holden Special Vehicles (HSV) 427 front bumper cover and wheels, it also packs a set of HSV GTS seats and an infotainment system and gauge skin of Nathan’s own design in the cockpit. As a field service engineer, Trejeda is quite knowledgeable in electronics and has designed the infotainment system installed in his car. He tells us he’s working on a system for 5th gen Camaro owners as well.

But don’t get it twisted; this isn’t some bolt-on show pony we’re talking about -as this Holdenesque Pontiac is currently producing a total of 643hp and 581 ft. lbs. of torque to the rear wheels with a speed-density tune. Sure, there are faster and more powerful cars out there, but for a homegrown daily driven family car, we have nothing but respect for Nathan’s ride.

In order for the G8 to achieve those numbers, the L76 had to go under the knife. Even though it retains its stock rotating assembly and block, the factory cylinder heads have been milled and stuffed with LS7 lifters, a Comp Cams bumpstick replaced the original unit, and a Magnacharger TVS 2300 supercharger featuring a cog rear pulley setup replaced the intake manifold.

Rounding out the engine modifications is an eight-rib RIP front pulley system attached to the cone of the blower courtesy of LeftCoast32, a three-angle valve job, and a Roto-Fab cold-air intake helps the Maggie inhale all the oxygen it needs.

Kooks long tube headers, high-flow converters and an x-pipe, along with a pair of Flowmaster mufflers are called upon to expel the spent exhaust fumes, and a Lonnie’s Performance dual fuel pump system feeds the mighty LS motor heaps of high-octane pump gas.

The attention to detail in Nathan's ride is meticulous, and he goes to great lengths to keep the 643rwhp monster clean.

Backing the stout LSX power plant is a fortified 6L80E built by Century Transmission while a 2800rpm stall speed Yank SS torque converter is stuffed inside of the bellhousing. Surprisingly, the GM-built IRS is still in place, and the Holden-issue highway 2.92 gears are housed inside the stock differential. The rest of the chassis consists of a BC Racing coil-over suspension kit and Spohn trailing arms.

Bringing all of that speed and mass to a halt is a set of Wortec front binders and rotors. For those of you who might not know, Wortec is a UK performance/tuning company that specializes in late-model GM Ls-equipped vehicles.

When we asked Nathan about what his future plans were with the G8, he was more than eager to share them. In the coming months, he plans on installing a set of rear Wortec brakes to complement the front, and a Bimode adjustable exhaust, which is also courtesy of the UK parts supplier. Furthermore, he plans on adding HSV GTS front fenders, a Maverick Man carbon fiber rear spoiler to round out the G8’s cosmetics. Of course, for the engine there will be an inevitable increase in the boost pressure for even more power. Nathan credits Leading Edge Performance for all of the work performed on the car, and from our point of view, they did marvelous job.

About the author

Rick Seitz

Being into cars at a very early age, Rick has always preferred GM performance cars, and today's LS series engines just sealed the deal. When he's not busy running errands around town in his CTS-V, you can find him in the garage wrenching on his WS6 Trans Am, or at the local cruise spots in his Grand National.
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