A badly neglected Pontiac GTO with an unusually complicated history has found a new owner after selling for just $9,600 at a salvage auction. The car is believed to be one of the rarest modified modern GTOs ever built, although decades of damage, missing parts, rust, and mechanical abuse have left it in desperate need of attention.
The discovery was documented by the ScrapLifeLee YouTube channel, where the team introduced the car as a Revenge GTO carrying serial number two. According to the video, as many as 15 widebody kits may have been produced, though research suggests only around eight complete cars have been confirmed.
The project is especially intriguing because the car’s connection to Lingenfelter is not as straightforward as its reputation suggests. While many Revenge GTOs were built through a collaboration between Revenge Designs and Lingenfelter Performance Engineering, this particular example appears to have been produced after the companies separated.
Despite its battered condition, the buyer plans to preserve the rare bodywork while modernizing the drivetrain, suspension, brakes, and supporting systems. The goal is to rebuild the GTO in a way that reflects how a modern tuning company might approach the same concept today.
Rare Bodywork Makes Repairs Complicated
The Revenge GTO’s most distinctive feature is its widebody conversion, which gives the Australian-built Pontiac a much more aggressive shape. It includes enlarged fender flares, unique bumpers, side skirts, special mirrors, a center-exit exhaust, and several Revenge-specific trim pieces.
Unfortunately, replacement parts are effectively nonexistent because Revenge Designs disappeared years ago. The driver-side front flare is missing, one mirror has been replaced by a standard GTO part, and the front bumper is missing a fog-light bezel and other small components.
Some good news was waiting inside the trunk. The team found the passenger-side front flare, the damaged rear filler panel, and one of the aftermarket wheels that had apparently been removed after a tire failure.
The surviving flare can now be used as a mold or reference to recreate the missing piece. Preserving the original exterior design is a major priority because the unusual body kit is central to the car’s rarity and identity.
The Engine Was Far Worse Than Expected
Under the hood sits what appears to be the original 6.0-liter LS2 V8 fitted with a Harrop supercharger. The engine bay was covered in oil, and the dipstick immediately revealed metallic debris suspended in the lubricant.
The engine still ran, but it produced a heavy knocking sound that clearly pointed to severe internal damage. Once removed and disassembled, the scale of the failure became much easier to understand.
One cylinder wall was deeply scored, several pistons showed signs of contact and damage, and pieces of spark-plug porcelain appeared to have passed through a combustion chamber. Another piston had broken apart, while one connecting-rod bearing had deteriorated so badly that the crankshaft journal had been heavily ground down.
The amount of wear suggested the engine had continued operating for some time after the initial failure. Although the bare block may still be usable, the crankshaft, pistons, rods, bearings, and several other internal components were considered effectively destroyed.
A Manual Donor Car Solves Several Problems
The damaged Revenge GTO originally came with a four-speed automatic transmission, which the buyer had already decided to replace. Rather than spending roughly $5,000 piecing together a manual conversion, the team bought an entire manual GTO donor car for approximately $8,500.
That car supplied a Tremec T56 six-speed transmission, pedal assembly, wiring harness, clutch hydraulics, aluminum driveshaft, headers, and numerous smaller components. It also included another running LS2 fitted with an aftermarket camshaft and an MSD intake manifold.
The donor’s transmission and related hardware should make the conversion significantly easier. It also gives the team a usable replacement engine if rebuilding the original LS2 becomes too costly or time-consuming.
The Revenge GTO’s History Is Complicated
Research into the Revenge program revealed that not every car wearing the name was necessarily a Lingenfelter build. Earlier examples were reportedly developed in collaboration with Lingenfelter, while later cars may have been completed independently by Revenge Designs.
The situation became more confusing because serial numbers were apparently restarted after the companies separated. That means there may be two different Revenge GTOs identified as serial number two, including this damaged red example.
The car does retain at least one visible Lingenfelter component in its intake system, though its plaques do not carry the same John Lingenfelter branding seen on some earlier builds. Its true history may require further research and testimony from former owners or people involved with the original program.
Three Possible Engines Could Power The Rebuild
The team is now considering three directions for the finished car. The first would involve rebuilding the original LS2 with stronger components, ported heads, a camshaft, and a modern supercharger.
A second option is installing the healthier LS2 from the donor car. That route would be faster and could support roughly 650 to 700 horsepower with the right forced-induction setup, though relying on another stock bottom end carries some risk.
The wildest choice is a previously built 7.0-liter LSX iron-block engine from another project. That engine would give the Revenge GTO the durability and power needed for a much more serious modern interpretation, while also echoing the rumored seven-liter versions associated with the original Revenge program.
Whatever route is chosen, the $9,600 purchase price was only the beginning. Restoring this neglected rarity will require custom fabrication, extensive mechanical work, and plenty of patience, but it may also save one of the strangest and most mysterious Pontiac GTOs ever built.