# Hi! New member, 67 GTO convertible restoration.



## Dano383 (Jun 12, 2012)

Hey folks!

I'm a long-time GTO admirer, but never owned one, and also new to this site.

I've been into Camaros and Chevelles forever and know them fairly well, but I have a lot to learn on GTOs and Pontiacs in general.

I'm looking at buying my good friend's '67 GTO convertible (Cameo Ivory, black top, black interior) that his health is kinda forcing him away from completing it.

He's had it for a few years now and has made terrific progress on it, but now I have the oppurtunity to buy it from him. It sure does seem like it still has the original engine, trans, and rear, but can't be 100% on it.

Did Pontiac have vin or partial vins stamped onto the engine somewhere and trans?

I went and looked at the car last night and it's all disassembled, and the engine is very crusty (caked on oil) however, I was able to make out these #'s on the pad on the passenger side on the front of the block...

068755 ( is this engine production sequence? - not vin, right?)
WS (should be 360hp 400 with manual trans, right?)

Until further cleaning I dont' see any other numbers on the block. I'll have to get the pics off the single Quadrajet and post some pics soon.

The Muncie 4spd. trans is equally crusty and I did find a number P7P29 stamped vertically on the RH side at the very rear of the main case. Again I'll have to further clean it to find what other #'s are there.


So did Pontiac stamp vins on engines and tranny's for 67 GTO's? If so where to look?

Thanks,
Dan


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

That was long about the time Pontiac started putting vin stamps on blocks. It may have started in model year 1968 --- if it's there, it'll be down low on that same pad on the front of the block, running along side the timing cover.

Another thing to check is the 4 character date stamp, which will be on the top rear of the block next to the distributor. This will be a cast (raised) code, one alpha followed by 3 numerics. The alpha is the month, next two digits are the day, last digit is the year. The foundry would start casting blocks for the next model year in around June or July, so depending on the month you might see either a 6 or a 7 as the last digit for model year 1967. WS would be correct for a 67 4-speed car, but since those 2 character codes were used in more than one model year (and sometimes meant different things) you've got to id the model year to be sure.

(And yeah, 068755 is the engine build sequence and doesn't relate to the vin, although the PHS doc package might have that info)

welcome!

Bear


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## Dano383 (Jun 12, 2012)

Thank you very much Bear! I'll go out to see it again tomorrow night after work taking plenty of degreaser and rags with me.

I did order up the packet from PHS on the car, and I'm excited to see it come!


Here's a few quick pics of the engine that I took last night, they aren't the best but you can clearly see the WS on the "pad".

I'll take more (of the entire car) tomorrow night.

Thanks guys!


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## jmt455 (Mar 26, 2012)

Welcome aboard, Dano!
That car (7027263) the correct for a 67 GTO with a manual transmission.
The date code is stamped on the main body of the carb, on the driver's side. I believe it will be a 3-digit number, indicating the "Julian" date on which the carb was produced.

Looks like it might be the original engine; you'll be able to tell when you get your PHS docs; the engine number should be on the shipping manifest.


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## Dano383 (Jun 12, 2012)

Well I finally got this GTO. According to my PHS packet, it's the real deal...#'s matching 360 horse 400, 4 speed convertible.

My buddy whom I bought it from used to run a small body shop, but is hanging it up due to health reasons. He did the dissassy and started doing some of the sheet metal work (which suprisingly the car is in pretty good shape in comparison to the usual projects found here in PA.) He's gonna let me keep the GTO in his shop so I can work on it over the winter months which is great. I'm simply out of room in my private 3 car garage, haha. I probably won't get around to working on it until around November or at least until I get to a good stopping point on my 69 Camaro.

Here's a few more pics.


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## Dano383 (Jun 12, 2012)

Here's a few more pics. Yeah, parts scattered everywhere.


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## Dano383 (Jun 12, 2012)

pics attached


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## Dano383 (Jun 12, 2012)

few more pics


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## Dano383 (Jun 12, 2012)

one more set for now


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## Dano383 (Jun 12, 2012)

*My 67 H.O. 4 Speed Contvertible Restoration*

Today is day one for my restoration project!


Finally started the process where the former owner left off. It was already disassembled and mounted on the rotisserie. I simply got the area around the car cleaned up and organized and then started scaping the underside of the floor boards to see were the metal will need fixed.

Pics...to follow once I get them off my camera onto the computer.


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## 05GTO (Oct 6, 2004)

Dan,

Welcome to the forum, I've pinned your project to the top of the forum for those who may be interested in following your progress. 

Good luck,


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## ppurfield001 (Jan 21, 2008)

A 360 HO with four-speed is a great powertrain. Good luck with the restoration!


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## Dano383 (Jun 12, 2012)

Thanks fellas!

Here are some pics from yesterday.


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## Dano383 (Jun 12, 2012)

Some more.


Scrape away!


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## jmt455 (Mar 26, 2012)

Looks great so far.
Surprisingly clean for a "northern" car.

Looks like a great project!


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## Dano383 (Jun 12, 2012)

There are some areas of rust, but it survived fairly well. Especially sitting outside and full of pine needles. Believe me I've fixed worse cars than this one.

I'll see if the previous ower (who I bought it from) has any pics of when he drug it out of the mud and brought it home.

Here are a few more pics of some of the areas up close...

It'll need lower 1/4's and trunk extensions from both rust and it being banged up some.

It'll need some trunk floor patches where the corner bracing is and were the spare tire bracket is. 

It'll also need some various patch work here and there on the floor, but the floors are solid overall.

The cowl on the driver's side were the windshield channel is will need some work, looks like the windshield started leaking at some point and got some water in that area, but really isn't that bad.


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## Dano383 (Jun 12, 2012)

some more pics...

The rear channel for the top is in good shape, and so are the rear floor boards. I'm gonna try to get the front floors and toe boards cleaned up tonight to see what they're like on the inside.


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## Dano383 (Jun 12, 2012)

The previous owner already drilled out the spot welds that hold the cowl side on the cowl so he could clean out and fix any rusted metal on that driver's side. Surprisingly it's all pretty darn good! It looks like the factory coating was just starting to give up though.

And only one hole (so far...lol) on the windshield frame. We'll see what she'll look like after I get it cleaned off.


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## Dano383 (Jun 12, 2012)

Hey guys,

Just a quick update...I'm been working on this car a little bit mostly every evening after my day job. I have the trunk extensions cut off and I've been repairing the trunk floor under the body brace. I have the new drop offs and 1/4 patches fitted on the one side and once I get my new body braces (hopefully the big-brown truck has stopped by today) I'll be able to do the final fit and tack everything together.

I've decided to replace (unfortunately) some of the floor sections in the front where your feet go. This is around the drain plugs. When I completed my wire wheeling on the inside, I found heavier pitting and uncovered a few more small holes. 

Since I don't mind the work, and I've done many pans before, I'd rather have new sheet metal in those thinner areas than a problem years down the road potentially forcing to replace them anyway after the car is done.

I'll get some pics off my camera in a few days or so to show you the progress.

Well, lunch break is almost over...later!

-Dan


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## ROGTO67 (Dec 11, 2012)

I picked up a 67 convertible # matching car this summer myself, was in storage since 89 I have my work cut out for me. I bought the Pontiac GTO 1964-1972 Restoration Guide by Paul Zazarine and Chuck Robert has a ton of information. Good luck


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## Dano383 (Jun 12, 2012)

Yeah you too ROGTO67.

With the Holidays, a few snow storms, some plumbing issues at my house that needed sorted out, and of course at least 10 hour workdays, I'm finally ready to get back into working on mine this week. Be patient, pics will follow.

Thanks!


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## ope28 (Feb 14, 2013)

*My 67 HO Automatic Convertible restoration*

Guess I will join you guys over here and watch your restoration projects. My 67 is not a frame off. I did pull the motor and tranny 10 years ago to rebuild them.....stopped working on it to go to graduate school......stopped working on it to renovate a couple of houses...added a kid in the process....and now I am back working on it.
This was a nice driver when I got it. Nice laquer regimental red paint job that showed well. Drove it to car shows for a couple of seasons but the engine bay was a disaster. Had big plans to put a 4 speed, a 428 and a tri power set up on the car. Then I ordered my PHS documentation and it turned out to be an HO car. Scapped the modification plans and decided it deserved to be restored. So here I am slowly trying to buy up everything I need to make it correct, all while the wife is jumping up and down wanting the car back on the road with the top down this spring.


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## Dano383 (Jun 12, 2012)

Wow. I'm finally back to working on this 67 GTO, at least more than I have been.

Since the last time I posted on here (and thank you for keeping this thread a sticky!)....
1. I've gotten married last spring.
2. Went on our first curise with Carnival on our honeymoon...loved it!
3. Bought my wife her favorite car. A 68 Camaro Convertible. So I've actually been working in it mostly trying to get it ready for paint this spring. It too is a project (since I can't afford to buy anything finished, haha). It's been a good project so far. Most of the sheetmetal work was done from the previous owner, but I did decide to replace the drivers 1/4 and wheel wheel. I've been stripping it, blasting, and primering and doing rough body work to it for now. Oh and I do have a great wife! She has been helping me with just about every step of the way. She loves to get her hands dirty and dig into it!

Now for the GTO...
1. I've gotten all the floor pans that needed replaced finished.
2. I had my local blaster come out to blast the body shell with his mobile unit. (before this winter set in so I could work on the rest of the sheetmetal over the winter.)
3. Right after that I DA'ed it down and epoxy primered everywhere.
4. Currently I'm still working on some trunk floor sheet metal and the rear trunk corner braces. 
5. I also have to finish up some cowl area sheetmetal and a spot on the driver's front rocker panel.
6. I have to replace/repair the tail-light panel yet.
7. I removed the bushings and balljoints from all the a-arms. Going to take them and the frame to the blaster once the snow stops and the roads dry-up a little.
8. Last week I tore the motor down and sent it to the machine shop. Boy do I hope it's in good shape and not junk for being the original and "rarer" HO motor.

So, aside from being side-tracked a little with my new wife and her car, I have been working a little on my 67 GTO project. I'm gonna try to post up some pics here this weekend, but to be perfectly honest, we are in dire need of a new computer. So it doesn't want to coorperate (at least quickly) with much of anything.

Later guys! And thanks!


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## Dano383 (Jun 12, 2012)

I know I've been away from this site for some time, but am I missing something? How do you post pics right into the thread reply? I can link it from Photobucket, but would like to have it show up right in the body of the text.

Whenever I click on the insert image icon it brings up a tiny window that I have to scroll in (can't expand) but says "invalid page specified."


http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo138/Dano383/67 GTO Convertible/photos034_zps69fbca36.jpg


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

Yeah, that's been broken "for awhile".

Here's how to do it "by hand"
(NOTE: you'll have to replace the braces { } in the following example by square brackets for it to work - I mean these characters [ ]) I can't use those in the example, otherwise it'll think I'm trying to include a photo myself instead of showing you how to do it.)

{img}http link to your photo{/img}

Bear


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## Dano383 (Jun 12, 2012)




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## carcollector (Feb 27, 2014)

*Dano nice car*



Dano383 said:


> I know I've been away from this site for some time, but am I missing something? How do you post pics right into the thread reply? I can link it from Photobucket, but would like to have it show up right in the body of the text.
> 
> Whenever I click on the insert image icon it brings up a tiny window that I have to scroll in (can't expand) but says "invalid page specified."
> 
> ...


are you going to post more pics of wheel wells have 67 convertible also want to make sure were doing them correctly we are are doing body off also.As you first gto we have ever done.Thank You stuart


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## SpeedSLC (May 24, 2015)

You have done a great job there!


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## goatsnvairs (Sep 12, 2014)

Dano383 said:


> Some more.
> 
> 
> Scrape away!


First off, great car. '67 convert with the 360hp 4 speed is a pretty desirable combination.

Second, take it from a guy who's scraped off a lot of underbody's, usually from underneath. Get yourself a drill and a stiff wire wheel. It does a great job and will make quick work of getting all the dirt and gunk off the floorpans. I've used it on the frame too. You go thru a few wire wheels but it comes out nice. Then you can prep with POR or whatever you want to use....

I just put the body back on the frame of my '67 so I'll be watching. Seeing other people's pics can be very helpful when you can't remember exactly how something goes together.

Congrats!


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## MrsJones68 (Apr 28, 2015)

Love seeing pictures as people go!! Im in the middle of a restoration as well...


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