When you first see it, you think, "Now that right there is a really nice car"

It's a simple compliment, but one that means so much in the sea of over-customized offerings that we're usually privy to.

You then stop for a moment, let your eyes refocus, and in doing so, begin to take in the amount of detail and care that's gone into Pure Vision's latest creation: a 1971 Pontiac GTO convertible. It was thankfully pulled from a field where it was left for dead, and upon doing a bit of research, was found to be one of only 653 drop-top GTO's built for the '71 model year as well as being the last year for the convertible GTO ever.

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Pure Vision Design is located in Simi Valley, CA and has been producing beautifully reimagined muscle cars for more than twenty years. It's headed by Ring Master Steve Strope whose calm exterior fools you into thinking that there's not actually a full-blown circus happening inside his head. That's why, when a client asks Steve for ideas in regards to a build, he puts on his top hat and gets all giddy. A man of principle, he never builds the same car twice, and when asked to do so he simply states, "Somebody paid a lot of money for version 1.0 and I'm not going to insult them by making 2.0 for somebody else. I'll just design them their own car."

Not only does this guarantee exclusivity for the client, but it also ensures that every vehicle that comes out of Pure Vision must stand on its own merit.

If you're a fan of Steve's work, then you know that almost every car that comes out of Pure Vision's rollup door has a theme to it (see Martini Mustang or the Black Ops Fairlane). When it came to the GTO, however, the client had a request that was in no way theme based. He instead, wanted the build to be focused on daily usability- a moderate but not over-the-top blend of performance and comfort.

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"The customer wanted to take it out on date night and cruise around with his girlfriend, thus the goal was to get in it, turn the key. drive it, and enjoy it. So, the parts and pieces that were ordered for this car follow in line to that mindset," says Steve.

Okay, so what does that actually mean?

For starters it means turning the dial down from 11, to a more moderate 8. This in no way means that any less attention was given to the GTO, but instead, there was a re-focus of ideas that culminated into what is perhaps the best driving '71 GTO convertible in existence.

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Upon arrival to the shop, the GTO was bugged-bombed, stripped of its parts, and a new chassis was ordered from Schwartz Performance. The unit came complete with an AGR steering rack built to Schwartz's own specific valving, JRi shocks, and a torsional rigidity that's 200% stiffer than a stock A-Body frame. Pure Vision then reinforced it further to quell any additional body flex that may have occurred due to the GTO's convertible configuration. Out back, a full-floater 9-inch with a 3.50 or so rear gear helps with motivation. Stopping is accomplished via a Wilwood braking system that employs two-piece rotors with beefy 4-piston calipers up front and smaller 4-piston units in the rear. The chassis itself is a beautiful piece and serves as the perfect underpinning for a car of this caliber.

The body is standard '71 GTO, which in reality, was a facelift year for the car. Changes included a beautiful wire-mesh grille, dual-snorkel hood and a revised lower front fascia with round marker lights. There were other slight changes incorporated as well, but for you non-GTO buffs, those are the most prevalent. Dismantling any old car is an exercise in patience, and the GTO was no exception. During our conversations, Steve mentioned that preserving all the trim and interior pieces was extremely important due to the rarity of the car, and unlike many of his other builds, reusing those parts was integral, as he wanted to keep the integrity of the car intact.

Once apart, extreme care was paid to the exterior body panels in regards to getting them straight along with making sure that every seam and body line matched perfectly. At this time, the inner wheel tubs were increased by 1-inch on each side to accommodate a 305-series rear tire. This modification required caution, as ample room was still required to allow for the convertible top to retract into the rear cowl.

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Based on renderings done in conjunction with Eric Brockmeyer Design, Steve and the GTO's owner determined that the car was to be painted Celine Bronze, a color Steve first viewed while doing some in-person research at a local Aston Martin dealership. It was then sent to Mick Jenkins of Pomona, CA who made sure the final paint and body was flawless.

Thankfully, Steve also believes in the philosophy that bigger is not always better, and as such he was careful when choosing his wheel and tire package. HRE RS101 wheels with a clear powder coat and dark bronze centers were chosen in sizes 18x9-inch for the front and 19x11-inch in the rear. Tires come in the form of sticky Pirelli P-Zero's in sizes 255/40R-18, front and 305/35R-19, rear. Running a staggered stance gives the car just enough rake to look sinister, with the upper lips residing just inside the fender wells. Not only does this make for a spot-on stance, but there's an air of built-in aggression that works beautifully with the overall design.

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When you break it down, his train of thought makes perfect sense. What lives under the hood of this GTO is essentially what's powering a 2015 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe, and that my friends, is a very good thing.

Looking inside the car, the first thing you notice is that much like the exterior, the cabin of the GTO is not overly complicated. Instead it represents a beautiful combination of materials and forethought that brings the physicality of the interior up to the standard of a modern luxury coupe. The stock dash for instance was removed and recovered with beautiful chocolate brown leather with contrasting white stitching. Black-faced VHX gauges from Dakota Digital were then installed to cope with the new engine harness. And then, by keeping and refinishing the original knobs and bezels, Steve managed to keep the dash's overall feel authentic without being over the top.

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While the dash is beautifully crafted, it will be the treatment given to the seats and door panels that will set this build apart. With decades of experience, the team over at Gabe's procured some buttery soft leather to be used for the seating surfaces, along with a stylish mesh that I've yet to see utilized in another build. Walking up to this car, top down, is a feast for the eyes and the attention given here helps the GTO come together in a wonderfully cohesive package.

I looked over this car for the better part of eight hours, examining just about every part of it. However, it was when Steve asked me if I wanted to drive it that truly got me excited. Climb in, turn the key, and the GTO fires to life in the same fashion as any modern vehicle. There's no pumping of the pedal, no fumes, and absolutely no drama. The original Pontiac shifter feels perfect in the hand and dropping the car into gear is as simple as pressing down on the PMD button and sliding the stick back a few clicks.

For comparison, stock GM convertibles from the late 1960s and early 70's were awful. Yes, they provided an enjoyable driving experience, but good wow did they squeak, rattle and flex! With the GTO, there was none of that. Closing the door was met with a solid "THUNK" and once underway, there wasn't a hint of a squeak or rattle. In fact, driving the GTO at speed had me forgetting about how terrible these things were from the factory. This partly comes down to the door linings, additional sound deadening materials and obtaining great door latches and strikers, not to mention the ultra-rigid chassis. In the end though it comes down to a theme of quality that can be seen throughout the car. From the builder, to the body and interior shops, to the detailed inspection of every part used before they're installed, the attention to detail here is something others should use as a benchmark.

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Here was a classic convertible that let you have a conversation without raising your voice. It is composed and planted with the on-road confidence of a modern performance vehicle. There was brute force power when you wanted it, loads of brake when you needed it, and luxury that made you feel as if you were driving anything but a 1971 GTO. If there was a downside, it was only that the Goat drove so damn good that it made you forget you were piloting one of the coolest things on the road.

In the end, I'll say this - if you've got the means for your dream car, then talking to Steve Strope at Pure Vision Design wouldn't be a bad idea as this reimagined GTO is one of the few customs that exceeded every one of my expectations.

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