Pontiac really kicked off the muscle car era in style when it released the GTO. The second-generation GTOs that were produced from 1968-1972 were the high water mark for the vehicle and their looks have withstood the test of time. The team at Pro Touring Texas took a survivor-condition 1972 GTO and elevated it to a modern classic with a great mixture of parts.

“Faded Glory” is an interesting build. The car is literally a barn find that was brought back to life, put on the road, and eventually made its way to Hot Rod Power Tour. During the Power Tour, the wife of Pro Touring Texas owner Eric Pierce saw the car, but little did she know it would be in their shop at one point. After getting home from the Power Tour, Cynthia jumped on Facebook Marketplace and found the GTO for sale. Well, after some light arm twisting, Eric was on a plane, purchased the GTO, and got it home.

The long drive from St. Louis back to Texas was followed by a total disassembly of the GTO by Pro Touring Texas. Since the GTO was already in good shape, that made the build process much easier.

The GTO’s transmission tunnel was gently massaged so a TREMEC Magnum F-series T56 could be placed behind the engine. In the rear of the Pontiac, the chassis has been modified to make room for the min-tubs so the bigger tires will tuck under the car correctly. Pro Touring Texas ditched most of the OEM Pontiac suspension parts in favor of products from Speedtech Performance and Viking. A set of 14” rotors and big calipers from Baer Brakes bring the GTO to a stop.

If you’re going to modernize a classic GTO, it better have a healthy engine stuffed in between the front fenders. Pro Touring Texas opted to use a 408 cubic-inch LS-based engine and added a blower from ProCharger for good measure. This boosted combination churns out a stout 750 horsepower, more than enough to melt the tires while rolling down the road. A wiring harness and factory PCM from PSI Conversion control the engine.

Inside the GTO, Pro Touring Texas created a tasteful interior that uses both old and new parts. A new steering column from IDIDIT was used, along with new air conditioning from Vintage Air. The console was modified so the shifter for the six-speed transmission would look right at home.

You’ll want to check out this video from Pro Touring Texas as Eric gives us the full rundown of what was done to Faded Glory.