Jim Wangers
- Greg Raymond
- Oct 1, 2024
- 6 min read
Updated: May 15
"A Tribute to Jim Wangers' 1964 GTO 'Test Car' built for Car and Driver March 1964"
CHAPTER 20 Greg Raymond
In early 1994, not long after I graduated from San Diego State University, my father passed down the “family car” to me, his 1964 Pontiac GTO convertible, the very same one he ordered new in December 1963 just before graduating from West Point Military Academy. Throughout my childhood he watched me evolve into the car‑obsessed kid who rebuilt Mustangs in high school and college, and I think he recognized in me the passion and commitment needed to become the next caretaker of this piece of our family’s… and America’s, automotive history.
Within a year of taking ownership, I completed what could generously be called a “restoration,” funded by the budget of a brand‑new college graduate. Even with essentially no money, I managed to tear the car down, put it back together, and return it to the road after more than twenty years of sitting idle. My first car show came later that year, at John Hine Pontiac in San Diego. The event, hosted by the San Diego Chapter of POCI, introduced me to a community that would become one of the most meaningful parts of my life. I walked away with first place in the ’64–’67 GTO class and a new circle of friends who remain some of my closest companions more than thirty years later. I joined the San Diego Chapter of POCI immediately after.
That brief period truly changed the trajectory of my life. The local Pontiac community became woven into the fabric of my world, my family, my friendships, and my understanding of the Pontiac hobby as a whole. The POCI network didn’t just give me friends; it connected me to some of the most influential figures in the history of the GTO. Early on, I took on roles such as newsletter editor, webmaster, and even vice president. My work on the chapter newsletter earned several Golden Quill awards and eventually Newsletter of the Year from Pontiac Enthusiast magazine, recognition championed by none other than the godfather of the GTO himself, Jim Wangers.
Through that work I was introduced to legends: Jim Wangers, Art Fitzpatrick, Pete McCarthy, & Paul Zazarine. Being local to both Wangers and Fitzpatrick made it easy to offer my skills and support to the very people I had idolized for years. To be able to call them friends, and to work alongside them, was a gift I will never take for granted. Many others were instrumental during this time as well: Dave Anderson, whose influence on Jim’s long-term success cannot be overstated; Jim’s assistant; Gordon Wangers; Tenney Fairchild; Thom Sherman; and many more.
So, there I was, a twenty‑something kid surrounded by the people who created the chapter of automotive history we all revere as American automotive performance perfection.
Dave Anderson and I connected immediately, two people who seemed to need each other’s support. Thanks to Dave, Jim brought me in as a marketing and graphics professional, and over the next twenty years I worked on a dozen projects: Jim’s Cruisin’ Woodward DVD, the Pizzazz book with Fitzpatrick and Wangers, the filming of The Last Ride, and countless GTOAA, SDPOCI, and museum‑related events. At the time it felt like a job, but the truth is the experience became something far greater.
As a devoted student of Jim’s contributions to the GTO, I hung on every word he shared. I never tired of hearing his presentation no matter how many times I’d heard the stories, because his delivery commanded absolute attention and respect. My relationship with Art Fitzpatrick grew into something equally meaningful, but that’s a story for another book.
Jim, Dave, and I spent countless lunches together planning projects, hours in my recording studio, and many trips to Woodward Avenue and national Pontiac events. I wish I had realized then just how special those moments were. I took thousands of photos and filmed hundreds of hours of video, but I never documented the “behind‑the‑scenes” moments, the real heart of our partnership and friendship.
As Dave and I hammered through each project, I found myself blessed with experiences that deepened my commitment to preserving the legacy of Jim Wangers and the Pontiac GTO. This tribute car project, in particular, became a way to honor and document the history of the “Blue Car” the machine that defined not only the GTO but also Jim’s unmatched mastery of marketing and automotive storytelling. Hearing years of firsthand recollections, details still not widely known today, was extraordinary.
Beyond the projects and the deadlines, the mentorship I had with Jim slowly turned into something far deeper, a genuine friendship built on trust, shared history, and a mutual love for the car that started it all. And then, out of nowhere, he handed me one of the greatest gifts of my life.
Jim Wangers' 2004 Pontiac GTO
The rebirth of the Pontiac GTO in 2004 began with a simple idea inside GM: America needed a modern, V8‑powered, rear‑drive performance coupe again. When Bob Lutz arrived at GM as Vice Chairman of Product Development, he discovered the Australian‑built Holden Monaro, a clean, powerful, rear‑drive coupe with LS‑series V8 power. Lutz famously said “Why aren’t we selling this in America?” That moment lit the fuse.
"Pontiac management sought out Jim Wangers Early in the 2004 GTO Program. When Pontiac decided to release the GTO again in 2004, it’s not hard to guess that Wangers was one of the first people that they got on the phone for input, suggestions, and even candid criticism." - P.P.A.
Jim was not a passive observer; Pontiac leadership actively sought his guidance. His involvement was strategic, not symbolic, it was rooted in his unmatched understanding of GTO brand identity, Performance‑oriented marketing, The expectations of the enthusiast community and the historical DNA of the original GTO
GM vice chairman of product development Bob Lutz, the man whom we have come to respect and admire mainly for cutting through webs of red tape to get good things done quickly. Who better to introduce the 2004 GTO than the executive who has been bestowed nearly sole credit for its existence? Mr. Lutz was succinct in his comments: "The public's interest in the GTO has been everything we hoped it would be, and more," he said. "This car is a strong statement from both Pontiac and GM that we are determined to re-energize the car market with vehicles that command attention and excite the customer's senses." - Jeff Koch
As part of the arrangement, Jim ended up with one of the very first 2004 Pontiac GTOs built for the model’s long‑awaited return. His own red GTO wasn’t finished yet, so Pontiac used an available black car for the presentation ceremony. It didn’t matter, the moment was still powerful. Not long after, Jim took delivery of his actual car at his Oceanside warehouse, a fitting backdrop for a man whose life had been intertwined with the GTO from the very beginning.
In July of 2004, on my 36th birthday, Jim pulled me aside with that familiar mix of mischief and sincerity in his eyes. He told me he wanted me to be the next caretaker of his newly acquired 2004 Pontiac GTO. It wasn’t a sales pitch. It wasn’t a favor. It felt like a passing of the torch. A quiet acknowledgment that he saw something in me, something that mirrored the fire he carried for decades.
It didn’t take much convincing. A few dollars exchanged hands, but the truth is, what he gave me that day was priceless. I drove away in what I still consider one of the greatest late‑model muscle cars of its era, but more importantly, I drove away carrying a piece of Jim’s legacy.
At that point in my career, I was deeply rooted in the automotive aftermarket as the National Sales Manager for JBA Performance Exhaust. And like any true car guy handed a blank canvas, I couldn’t leave Jim’s GTO alone for long. Before I knew it, the car evolved into a full‑blown SEMA feature vehicle, Built with the help of industry partners like Vortech Engineering, Nitrous Express, B&M, Baer Brakes, SAF Wheels, Gravana Racing, Precision Power, and of course a full JBA Cat4Ward header and dual exhaust system.
Just as Jim had done in 1964, that GTO became a regular at the local dragstrips, turning heads and earning ink in magazines and advertising campaigns. It wasn’t just a car anymore. It was a bridge between eras, between the man who helped create the legend and the kid he trusted to carry it forward.
And every time I slid behind the wheel, I felt that weight. That honor. That responsibility. It still means more to me than I can ever fully explain.
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