# 68 pontiac find



## grizz88 (Aug 10, 2012)

I recently came across a 68 GTO that has been packed away for twenty five years (no lie). I have the opportunity to purchase it but I want to make sure that I would not be over paying for a vehicle that needs restored. GTO's are not my expertise and I thought that I would get some honest opinions on what a fair price would be for it. Any info or help on telling me what I have stumbled upon would help me greatly.

This car is a serious time capsule, however it does need redone (everything is 44 yrs old)

The good about the car: 
- It is a 242 car with numbers matching 400 engine and Muncie 4 speed trans (Hurst shifter)
- It is a western car with very minimum rust, the floor boards and frame are as solid as can be -- the only rust issue is two quarter sized spots on the front fender (absolutely no bondo/putty anywhere). 
- The car is straight (gaps are pretty good)
- There is paperwork showing where it was originally purchased and all maintenance records.
- The car is complete, everything is there and nothing is missing
- Options: it has hide away lights, A/C, power brakes, power steering, AM radio

The bad:
- As mentioned the 2 quarter sized rust spots on the front fender
- The paint is bad, the vinyl top has been pulled off (and not replaced)
- It needs headliner, some other interior work and all weather stripping replaced
- Although there are maintenance records for everything the engine is still 40 yrs old (as is the trans) so it runs very well but you can tell it hasn't had a tune in a long time
- Everything is old, dusty, and the engine compartment hasn't been opened in years (grease covering everything -- looks like an engine tomb)

So basically this is a completely original car but *EVERYTHING* either needs cleaned, replaced or fixed (needs a restoration).

I would really like to purchase it and start work on it, but as I said I'm not a Pontiac expert on what would be a decent price to pay for it in this condition.


----------



## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

how many miles? original survivors demand a premium, how much is the asking price? A car is only original once. A full out frame off resto will run well north of 30K unless you can do all or most work yourself. With a car like that i would

Flush and change all fluids
Get it running and tuned
clean it up as best you can to original specs
do all needed maintenance on brakes and suspension
do new vinyl top and touch up body and paint to original
DRIVE IT!!

Once you "restore it" it is no longer an original survivor.


----------



## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

:agree What the man done said. Is there any way you could post photos and/or video of it? 

Those rust spots on the fenders are common, and easily repaired. 

Could you also possibly get the various codes off the engine? Knowing what it is will help a great deal.
Date code (4 chars, top rear, near distributor)
Block casting number (passenger side rear, above trans, below cylinder bank)
Block code (passenger side front, 2 characters, just below deck surface)

Also cylinder heads
Date codes (same format as block)
Head codes (tops of center exhaust ports)

Here are some links for reference of where to look:
Pontiac Power
How to identify your Pontiac engine

Bear


----------



## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

I heartily agree with the two previous posts. Just because an engine and drivetrain is old and grimy doesn't mean it's worn out. Fluid changes, a clean up and some new gaskets can make a world of difference, and are cheap and cost effective. Manual transmissionsand rear ends don't suffer from sitting, usually. Twenty years ago, I bought a '65 GTO that had been sitting for 10 years....I bolted on a good carb and drove it home. Changed the oil and it became my daily driver for a year or two. These are well built, durable cars. Don't be in a hurry to tear it apart. Please post pics if you can, and we can ballpark a price range. Sounds like a very nicely optioned car!


----------



## pontiac (Mar 6, 2011)

those are not major issues if the car is as you describe.


----------



## Goatman68 (Aug 11, 2012)

What you DO want to watch out for if it is the original engine is the nylon timing gear- It's a common issue on these cars to have the cam gear "strip" and then the car won't start. It can happen when the engine is shut off; you go to start it again and it will not start because the timing is thrown way off. You don't want pieces of timing gear in the oil pan either. If you do buy this car, I'd change the timing chain and gears if it's never been done. THIS IS ONLY A CONCERN IF THE ORIGINAL TIMING CHAIN AND GEARS ARE STILL IN THE MOTOR. These cars are so old that by now I would think most of 'em have been replaced at some point. But just in case it is the original, untouched motor, my advice is valid.

Good luck in your search. '68 is my favorite year..!


----------



## MO Goat (Apr 7, 2011)

Sounds like a great find! Out of curiosity, what are they asking for it? Or even better, are they asking YOU what it's worth? Like the others, pix would help.

I'm going through a pretty major '68 restore right now and can give you some tips if you like, but it sounds like yours is in pretty good shape. FYI, it's amazing where rust can hide once you strip it down! :lol:


----------



## grizz88 (Aug 10, 2012)

Thanks for the input everyone!!

I know that the car is definately worth investing in I just really didn't know what the ballpark price range would be (the owner wants me to make an offer so I'm kind of on the spot here).

As for the 'dirty' comments I made about the car, I was just trying to desrcibe it the best I could. The paint is faded and cracked. As I said before it is a survivior but nearly *everything* is needing attention.

Another question --> this car has the Endura bumper which the paint is coming off, is this easily painted or does this require me to find someone that specializes in it?

Also, the engine fires right up and there is no noise in the tranny at all (because it was well maintained) and the cars runs great. Howevever, throttle response is delayed (carb maybe?).


----------



## Goatman68 (Aug 11, 2012)

grizz88 said:


> Also, the engine fires right up and there is no noise in the tranny at all (because it was well maintained) and the cars runs great. Howevever, throttle response is delayed (carb maybe?).



That can just be retarded timing or a sticky advance module... Tune it up. See how it runs after that.


----------



## 68greengoat (Sep 15, 2005)

The endura bumper is not easily paint. it needs to be prepped properly by someone who has hopefully done them before or at least has the knowledge on how to do it.... As mentioned, give it a tune up. Carb kit, plugs, points, cap and rotor, filters and oil to start. T-stat probably wouldn't hurt either, since it sat for a while, it could be looking a little grody.

I'll get on the, "post some pix" wagon........


----------



## grizz88 (Aug 10, 2012)

I will get pictures as soon as I can!! It's tough to describe this stuff.


----------



## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

Sounds like you've got a real find there. Don't worry about throttle response yet. Qjets are great carbs.
I'll take a different tack on refinishing the Endura. It's actually not that hard to do, especially if the bumper itself isn't cracked or has pieces missing out of it. The key is in getting the old finish completely off and then using the right materials to refinish it. For example, you most definitely do NOT want to use any sort of 2k primer/surfacer on it. That stuff isn't flexible enough and it's guaranteed to crack.
I had mine cleaned by blasting it with glass bead (by someone who knew what they were doing) and refinished it myself. It came out looking great.

Bear


----------



## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

Hard to give a price w/o seeing it....i would think a running/driving survivor as you described would garner 6-8 K its a hard call to come up with a low enough number that wont insult him right off. these days they are only worth what you can get someone to give you for them....buyers market for sure.


----------



## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

Lag on snap-acceleration is probably a dried out accelerator pump plunger. No big deal. The fact it runs is a huge plus. Post pics and we'll price it for you. "Needs everything" is too vague. It could need a paint job and new seat covers/carpet and be a driver, or it could have corroded dash, dash knobs, pitted wing window chrome, fogged over mirrors, bad glass, hacked up dash, and on and on. Huge difference in value....tired, honest old car, or complete roached out money pit. We can't tell from your posts.


----------

