# Barn Find.....



## BanGnGearS (Apr 21, 2008)

This is my first post on this forum. I've been looking for the past few months for a new project. I didn't have a main focus on what i really wanted. I was looking at nova's chevelle's GTO's all over the board. My neighbor called me the other day to tell me a family member wanted to get rid of an old car that was in their parents barn for the past 15years. Turns out to be a 69 lemans. I am going to look at it in person on thursday and if I can get it for what I want to spend take it home. I am going to try to get it home for $2000. I have some pics that the woman sent me. I'll keep you guys posted with the details and i'll take more shots when i actually see the car in person. From the pics it looks like a nice project car. I look forward to your help in the near future. Let me know what you guys think. Thanks

Ed Cody


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

Welcome to the forums.
That car looks like an awesome project! I`d *love* to find one like that around here.


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## GTO JUDGE (May 14, 2005)

Welcome to the Forum:

Nice find.... hope you get it!! Keep us updated!


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## 05GTO (Oct 6, 2004)

Welcome to the forum, that is a nice car and well worth $2K.


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## BanGnGearS (Apr 21, 2008)

Im going to look at it thursday after work. Any problem areas I should look for that these are prone to? I'll let you guys know how everything goes. Thanks


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## PDQ GTO (Jun 21, 2007)

Welcome aboard Ed... For 2k. that seems more than resonable... Wish she would have sent a Pic. of the motor, but it looks pretty darn good from the Pics. she did send...


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## BanGnGearS (Apr 21, 2008)

Yea I asked for some engine shots but she was having trouble getting the hood open. I guess from the damage on the front drivers side. I mainly just wanted to see if the car was in good enough condition visually for me to even be interested. I know that everything on the car is original numbers matching.


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## BanGnGearS (Apr 21, 2008)

Question: The 350 badging on the bottom of the front quarters. Technically this would mean that its equipped with the 400ci correct?


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

BanGnGearS said:


> Question: The 350 badging on the bottom of the front quarters. Technically this would mean that its equipped with the 400ci correct?


ermm....no, it would be a 350cid.


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## BanGnGearS (Apr 21, 2008)

Yea it is the 350. I just looked up the vin. It was a good thought tho.. LOL


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## BanGnGearS (Apr 21, 2008)

So I went to look at the car when I got out of work last night and I wound up buying it. It is in fair condition and everything is there. There is some rot, not much. I wound up taking it for $1500, so Im pretty excited. I'll take more pics of it when I get it home. Can anyone give me some links to some good sites for info on these cars. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks a lot


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## GTO JUDGE (May 14, 2005)

Congrats on your snare..!! arty:


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## brianberes (Aug 25, 2006)

Congrats on the cool purchase. The Pontiac 350 is still a great motor. In fact, High Performance Pontiac magazines last two issues just had a detailed tech articles on rebuilding a Poncho 350 to make as much horsepower as the 400 cid. Basically, the 350 is a destroked 400 with smaller valved heads, so you can do alot with it. Also, you were asking about Pontiac info sites the best ones are of course this website forum you're currently on and then there is performanceyears.com forum and then there is the ultimategto.com

Well congrats on the great find and have fun fixing her up. What are your plans? frame-off, frame-on or just the basics to get her going and to enjoy?

Brian


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## BanGnGearS (Apr 21, 2008)

Thank you... Im still undecided as to which way i am going to go with the build. I dont really want to tackle a full frame off resto right now. Im aiming for frame on. Im going to concentrate on the body first. My buddy has been doing body work for years with BMW so im going to take him up on his offer before he loses interest in the project. I really need to go over the car before I figure out my game plan. My one dilema is if I am going to restore it to original stock shape or if I want to build it the way i want it. That is my biggest decision


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

It looks like you've got an excellent car to begin with. A convertible, no less! You got a very good price on the car, and it looks to be all there. The 350 engine is not a bad engine at all. They produce a lot of torque and power stock, and can be made to produce a LOT more power with a little work. Keep us posted, and again, congrats!
Jeff


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## BanGnGearS (Apr 21, 2008)

My neighbor had a 1970 gto vert. I saw him the other morning and told him about my find. He was telling me about the 350 actually being a 400 block. Is this true????


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## VettenGoat (Jun 19, 2007)

Ed,
Thats the beauty of Pontiacs; all the blocks from 326 to 455 were the same casting (different bore and sometimes stroke) and share many common parts. The only big thing to watch for is when swapping heads. The older generation (389 421) used a different valve angle and head design in 1964. Anything past 67 could be swapped though. The CI displacement will be on the side of the block (you should see a 350). Based on your pictures, someone tried to turn that into a Goat once upon a time (we didn't call them clones in those days) and you may well find the stock 350 has been swapped for a 400 by a previous owner. Things to look for; Northeast cars are notorious for body cancer. Look in the trunk, under the mat and in the hidden areas behind the rear wheel wells (a long flexible magnet is great for this). Standard areas on the quarter panels and fenders behind each wheel will almost certainly need attention. The cars are probably long gone by now, but the Philly junkyards along Passyunk (?) Ave used to have a lot of Goat parts. I think you got a good deal and that put you ahead on the restoration dollar-line. Good luck//Mike


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## BanGnGearS (Apr 21, 2008)

I went down to get the car ready for transport and i checked under the hood a little more. The numbers i could pull off of it were 668004 with a YN underneath that ( thats what it looked like anyway). There was a lot of paint covering the numbers and i had nothing to take the layer off. My vin is 237679b17313d so im guessing it is not original???? I didn't attempt to get the numbers off the back of the block, I got these numbers from the from passenger side of the block right underneath the heads. Any thoughts if this engine is actually a 400??


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

I checked the engine codes for YN and 7 out of 8 are for 526-350 engines. The other was a lo-po 400. you need to get the number off the BACK right side of the block, to the right of the distributor hole, and get the number at the base of the sistributor for the date code. You can find all of this info online. If your engine has number 17 or 47 heads (number above center exhaust port), then it is most likely a 265 hp, 9.2 compression 350. Not a bad thing. Not with todays lousy gas. Have fun!
Jeff


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## midiman1962 (May 13, 2007)

nice snag!!!


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## BanGnGearS (Apr 21, 2008)

Ok, so i have some good news. I got the car running last week. My buddy owns a garage and let me use the lift for the week. Whoever put the car away soaked the cylinders with oil. The tank was not rotted out. The frame is in great shape. I replaced the points cap, wires, all that stuff. Started right up!!! I couldn't believe it. The only problems I had were one frozen caliper and I replace the driver side front and rear brake lines. At least now I can drive it from the garage i keep it at to the garage i do my work. Also is anyone running the magnaflow exhaust 2.5"?? any thoughts on the sound of it?? Thinking about buying it, the exhaust is rotted out


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