The Pontiac GTO, particularly in its original mid-1960s iteration, is one of the most important American cars ever made. In 1964, Pontiac started a revolution by dropping the full-size 389-cubic-inch V8 into its mid-sized Pontiac Tempest, creating a vehicle that’s considered by many to be the first real American muscle car and one that started a new movement across the industry.
Today, an original, early-model GTO is an important part of muscle car history, and a car long desired by collectors. As we’re about to see, though, these Pontiacs can also make an incredible platform for modification. In the case of this particular 1965 GTO, dubbed “Billie,” the modifications go far beyond your average restomod muscle car or pro-touring project. Built by the talented team at Ringbrothers and debuted at the 2026 SEMA Show, this GTO has been completely reworked inside and out — but with a subtlety that doesn’t make it obvious.
The result is one of the most unique and impressive muscle car projects we’ve seen in a while, with a cool blend of original 1960s-era class and a whole feast of modern performance upgrades under the skin, including a 650-horsepower supercharged GM V8. Better yet, the whole project was done with an eye for the details that take the whole thing to an entirely new level.
Not your typical muscle car
One of the cool things about turning a car into a restomod or pro touring project is that a builder can apply the transformation to virtually any type of vehicle — and one factor that immediately sets this GTO apart from the crowd is that it’s a convertible rather than a hardtop. Typically, those chasing maximum performance will prefer the rigidity and lighter weight of a fixed-roof car, but the laid-back, drop-top factor gives Billie a unique personality. That’s just the start of it, though.
It may not be obvious at a glance, but there are very few original 1965 parts left on this car. The original Pontiac chassis, for example, was discarded and replaced with a modern Roadster Shop Fast Track Stage III setup, with hardware that includes Fox coilovers and some giant, six-piston Brembo brakes covered by staggered 19- and 20-inch HRE wheels and Michelin tires.
Things really get interesting with the bodywork. To most eyes, the car probably looks like a normal ’65 GTO with a dropped stance, but look closer, and you’ll find that the entire body was widened by five inches, with reshaped fenders, lengthened rocker panels, and carbon fiber doors. During the design and fabrication process, great care was taken to keep the original silhouette of the GTO intact, and we have to say “mission accomplished” on that front.
Next-level details
Under the hood of the Pontiac sits a 650-horsepower supercharged General Motors LT4 V8 from Wegner Motorsports, and rather than a manual gearbox, the Pontiac is shifted by a 10-speed automatic from Bowler Performance — a choice we think is perfectly suited to the GTO’s ready-to-cruise vibe. The interior, meanwhile, looks less like a track-inspired pro touring car, and more like a lovingly restored 1960s Pontiac, with tasteful two-tone upholstery and low-back bucket seats.
Overall, the changes to the Pontiac are at the same time both radical and extremely subtle. In fact, you’d probably need to see it parked side-by-side with a stock ’65 GTO to truly appreciate just how much transformation was done during the build, which took around 5,500 hours total. While some car builds of this level make it immediately clear that you’re looking at something heavily customized, this one doesn’t. That’s exactly what makes Billie so unique.
With a resume of projects that includes everything from a completely reimagined 1971 Aston Martin to a 1969 Dodge Charger packing a Hellcat V8, it’s getting hard for the Ringbrothers to outdo themselves, but this unique Pontiac build shows that the jaw-dropping projects from this shop in Wisconsin won’t be stopping any time soon.