2004 gto 120k miles. What next?

Hey everyone, I purchased a 2004 black gto a while back, has 120k miles now. its pretty clean and runs great. Only thing done so far is headers/exhaust, stage III monster clutch/flywheel kit. Im going to be going overseas while in the navy until spring 2018, but its being garaged/taken care of until then. I've had a few ideas of where i want to go next with the gto, but I would like to get some opinions of other ls owners, people that have been where im at now, or just more ideas as to what the next big step should be. Should i keep the ls1 and build with new internals? get an ls2 block and start fresh? or any other highly recommended mods. Thank you guys.

Depends on your goals.


Need to sit down and research it and ask like your doing.

By asking what your goals are I mean the following:

Do you want a Street, heavy track/mild track use, daily, show.

Each has their pros and cons and budgets.

You can combine some better than others.

There's a profound truth in this statement...... You can only pick 2>> fast, reliable, cheap.


The best route that I was told when I started modding was > suspension, transmission, rear, brakes and then the engine. That way when you do get the power you're not chasing all the weak points that will break from to much power.

I'm not saying I followed it totally but it is a very good path to follow if you're doing it on a budget. My bird sat on jack stands for 18 months and was down for almost 2.5 yrs before I was able to get it running right after blowing up my LS1.

With the LS1 you have you can make it a 383 stroker and get very good power out of.

I personally would stay away from the LS2 block, I'm strongly in favor of the LQ4/9 6.0 liter blocks. They are iron versions of the LS2 but you can build up/bore out much more than the LS2. You can also switch over to LS3 style heads and intake for more potential. The LQ blocks handle much more boost/nitrous over aluminum. Only negative is the weight penalty. They weigh about 60lbs more than an aluminum block. That's easy to overcome.

With the Goat your biggest weakness is the half-shafts. The more you go up in the power the more you'll need to upgrade them. If you make it a dedicated track then a solid axle rear would be another route to pursue.

For peace of mind, go with a one-piece aluminum driveshaft. I did and I'm still happy for almost 4 years. The factory shaft is garbage. I'm currently brainstorming on whether or not I want an LS3 or an LS7 in the future and possibly throw a maggie or procharger in mine.

Welcome to the site!

Provided your engine has been well maintained it has lots of life left in it. As you have already fortified the driveline a bit and can dump the waste gases more efficiently, why not consider a ProCharger?