# 67 GTO Convertible in Reno, Nevada



## Researcher (Jun 29, 2020)

Im making this thread as a way to track what Ive done and to learn from others on the best way to get it done. First a little backstory on myself.

My name is Nick and I am 33 and have been working on all kinds of cars since I was 21, so not that long. I was fortunate enough to work with a guy who became a good friend of mine whose dad was a mechanic. I worked on cars through college as a way to have fun, not waste my time, and make a little money. Graduated in 2011 with an Electrical Engineering degree and married in 2012 and now have three young kids (5,3,1).

For the most part I can handle most mechanical and electrical things but I don’t have any welding or body skills. Its on my list of things to learn. Ive done a 1980 Jeep CJ7, 1966 Mustang, 1969 Mustang, 1971 Datsun 510, 1995 Nissan 240sx, 1993 Mazda RX7, 1973 Dodge Charger and various others. Mostly I would get them running and driving but never had the money or the skills to do paint so I would sell and move on.

A GTO has always been on the wish list. About a month ago I got a message from a fellow classic car friend and it was a craigslist ad for a 1967 GTO convertible. It was listed as a running and driving car that needed new floor and a new interior. It was also listed with no price. I figured I’ll call and see what he’s asking just to see where the market is at. I called and as I imagined it was a lot. Then I figured Id go see it to see for myself a convertible GTO so I can put a condition with a price and use that experience later when I could buy one.

I happened to preplan before I went to look at it and even asked the wife if she wanted to buy it with me. I expected her to say no but to my surprise she said yes. So off I went after work to look at it, no real intention of buying it. An older guy was selling it and he is a big car collector but preferred to work on hot rods. He likes the engineering behind hod rods and the welding and modifying those projects typically have. The GTO he bought from a friend but is what he called an easy project for him. He had some friends of his who looked at it and told him they would think on it and let him know. The more I looked at it the more I thought it was in better shape then I thought. On top of that he had most of the sheet metal needed to fix it and lots of other parts needed for the project. Carpet kit, new grills, lights, trim, bumpers, etc. I left my deposit that day and picked it up a few days later.

Shocked to have a GTO.


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## Researcher (Jun 29, 2020)




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## Colorado67GTO (Sep 11, 2014)

Hello Nick. Welcome to the forum.

Although you are quite a bit younger than me, your story is similar to mine. I am in IT as a career, but have always been a shade tree mechanic, making a little side money in high school and college. Before my current project (67 hardtop), I really hadn’t done any serious restoration and only a little welding here and there. I had played with some body work on some things that really didn’t matter. Nothing I really valued.

On this project, I did significant rust repair, replacing 12 pieces including both rear quarters. There was some learning as I went, but it turned out to my liking. I recognized my limitations and left the body work and paint to the pros. 

Decide how far you want to take your car and dive in. You will do great. I quickly learned that this project was not about building monetary value or completing on a deadline, but just enjoying the hobby even if it takes a while to master the skills.


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## Researcher (Jun 29, 2020)

Before I bought the car I got the PHS docs to verify everything is as it should be. Even though the VIN checked out I wanted to be more thorough here than I normally am. The PHS docs were super cool and helpful. It helped verify how original the car is and how honest the seller was. In the end honest guy. Non original motor and it has a 4speed with a hurst shifter, that I hope is original, instead of an automatic. Im ok with this. I verified the other options it came with and off to my house it went.

Then the strip down and bag and tag. I feel like I went over board with pictures but something tells me I should’ve taken more. It will need patches on both rear quarters. Driver side whole pan and the passenger side had some pin holes but not too bad but I just decided to replace it all anyway. Needs new trunk and the taillight panel is dented and a little crunched so we’ll see how it looks when I get it stripped down, I do have the panel to replace it but if it can be saved Id rather save it.


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## Researcher (Jun 29, 2020)




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## Researcher (Jun 29, 2020)




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## Researcher (Jun 29, 2020)

New part corner


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## Reseacher (Jun 28, 2020)

Took me a few weeks but sold a 1973 Charger project to raise funds for the GTO. Also did some convertible top reading and research. My top seems to be in good shape but needs a new plastic window.






Squid's Fab Shop 1967 GTO Convertible Top Installation Part 1


1967 Pontiac GTO Convertible Top Frame rebuild




www.squidsfabshop.com










Step by Step Installation of a New Top on Our 1966 Pontiac Convertible


Step by Step Installation of a New Top on Our 1966 Pontiac Convertible | Detroit Muscle




www.powernationtv.com


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## Reseacher (Jun 28, 2020)




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## PontiacJim (Dec 29, 2012)

You have some work ahead of you, but what car that old doesn't? If you can do a lot of the work yourself, you are good. If you gotta pay, you'll need deep pockets. It's all part of the fun.


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## Researcher (Jun 29, 2020)

PontiacJim said:


> You have some work ahead of you, but what car that old doesn't? If you can do a lot of the work yourself, you are good. If you gotta pay, you'll need deep pockets. It's all part of the fun.


Lots of work. The most i’ve ever seen that needs to be done. First on the list is fix the rust spots. What do you think would be reasonable to get that done? I have all the parts, just need the labor. It isn’t something I know how to do. $5000? More???


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## PontiacJim (Dec 29, 2012)

Researcher said:


> Lots of work. The most i’ve ever seen that needs to be done. First on the list is fix the rust spots. What do you think would be reasonable to get that done? I have all the parts, just need the labor. It isn’t something I know how to do. $5000? More???


With todays rates, I would set an initial stash of cash between $8,000 - $10,000 to begin with. With the rot in the places shown, ie hood & cowling, that could just be the tip of the iceberg. When I see rot in those places, there is usually more. I would not fix just the rot spots, I would want to know exactly what is underneath. The rest of the cowling could be just as bad, just not busted through yet. Same goes with the fenders. I have seen where some will do a half-baked job and put a paint job on it only to have rot bust through and show up a year later and the money you spent was for nothing.

If you are just looking for a driver and don't care about getting all the rot/rust out, then the price comes down. Convertibles always suffer because they get worn out and the tops usually go and when the owner finds out how much it will cost to repair, out comes the duct tape, but it still leaks all over and rots out the floors, trunk, & quarters just like I am seeing.

Have you examined the frame to make sure it is solid? If I didn't know better it looks like the car had some time up "north" on salted winter roads which rots things in places you would not think.


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## Researcher (Jun 29, 2020)

The frame looks pretty good overall. No obvious issues. The auto to manual conversion isnt the way I would’ve done it but that can be fixed. I am planning on blasting and re painting the frame so we’ll see what it truely looks like then.

Thanks for the response.


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## Researcher (Jun 29, 2020)

Got the body off the frame time to start stripping it down and get parts on order. Its almost talking me as much time finding the right parts to get and from where that I spend actually taking the car apart.


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## Researcher (Jun 29, 2020)




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## Researcher (Jun 29, 2020)

Who likes the custom “hold the trunk up” I mean chassis stiffening for high horse power support?


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## gaiki0903 (Sep 8, 2020)

Nice project to start with. I look forward to seeing its progress. Good luck.


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## Researcher (Jun 29, 2020)




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## Researcher (Jun 29, 2020)

GTO frame is ready for sandblast and paint. I also got my list of parts together.

Front disc brake conversion 2in drop from right stuff. 
Rear disc brake rebuild (Ames)
Four corner suspension rebuild all stock (Ames)
Front end rebuild and steering kit (Ames)
Box up rear control arms (Ames)
Rear Sway Bar to match front (Ames)
Body bushings and hardware (Ames)
Coil spring isolators (Ames)
Trans mount and “crossmember ears” (Ames)
Chassis hardware kit (Ames)
1/4in gas return line and new sender (Ames)
All new gas and brake lines as well (Ames)
New proportioning valve for the front discs (Ames)

I looked around and Ames seemed to have the best prices and best quality stuff. Their hardware kit is amk and the brake lines and stuff come from right stuff. I will check Summit before I buy as one of their warehouses is just down the street.


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## PontiacJim (Dec 29, 2012)

Researcher said:


> GTO frame is ready for sandblast and paint. I also got my list of parts together.
> 
> Front disc brake conversion 2in drop from right stuff.
> Rear disc brake rebuild (Ames)
> ...


Moving forward, looks good. That's the way to do it then you know what you have and that it's done right.

I used the Eastwood Internal Frame Paint to get inside the frame areas that were boxed. I used about 3 cans on my '68 Lemans frame which has the open side rails. Your convertible are boxed, so it may take 4 cans, but I'd start with three. The stuff is runny and it was green in color - at least mine was. So you want to use this before painting the outside of the frame. Obviously you can paint over it as well if you do it after frame painting - which is what I did.









Eastwood Internal Frame Coating 14 oz Aerosol


Destroys rust hiding inside chassis so it won't rust through




www.eastwood.com





Was the 4-speed added? Add to your list "Rear Upper & Lower Control Arm Braces." The 4-speed cars had these factory installed. It ties the upper control arm to the lower control arm using the control arm bolts and adds stiffness to the frame and is a plus if you plan on exercising the HP with the 4-speed.

You can go repop and get a set that is like the original or aftermarket. I went with a set from UMI which are tubular, have a bend to clear the floor pan, adjuster nut to adjust length should there be anything out of alignment, and new bolts/nuts. The factory are fine and should be used as a minimum. The UMI pieces are more money, but much heftier.

Not knowing what HP/TQ level you are looking for if you rebuild the engine, but keep in mind the 10-bolt is good, but once you go over stock HP/TQ numbers and then add wider/sticky tires and/or a posi you can break them. I have wailed the heck out of them with stock engines and never had an issue, but single leggers and the old bias-ply tires so the tires would just light up and smoke rather than grab. Left nice burn-out marks on the pavement. LOL


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## Researcher (Jun 29, 2020)

PontiacJim said:


> Moving forward, looks good. That's the way to do it then you know what you have and that it's done right.
> 
> I used the Eastwood Internal Frame Paint to get inside the frame areas that were boxed. I used about 3 cans on my '68 Lemans frame which has the open side rails. Your convertible are boxed, so it may take 4 cans, but I'd start with three. The stuff is runny and it was green in color - at least mine was. So you want to use this before painting the outside of the frame. Obviously you can paint over it as well if you do it after frame painting - which is what I did.
> 
> ...


I’ll take a look at the braces, thanks for the heads up. Plan for the car is just a family cruiser. If it was a hardtop I might've gone more HP. It was an original automatic car, good observation there, and probably a good reason it didnt get wrapped around a tree or beat up even more. All the parts used to make the conversion seems to be original, its like someone had a four speed parts car and swapped it all over. I still need to clean up the rear end and see if I still have the original auto rear end.


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## Researcher (Jun 29, 2020)

Got the frame sandblasted and painted. My first batch of frame parts came in today and the disc brake setup should be here today. Overall the frame looks good, there were a few small spots that had to be fixed but no major rot issues, happy about that.

The project will have to wait a little. I have some mule deer hunting to do and the holidays coming up. It’ll be slower stuff these next two months I think. Just some basic reassembly, bushings to press out, control arms to sand blast and paint, stuff like that. Hoping to have the frame all back together by the end of the year but we’ll see.


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## Researcher (Jun 29, 2020)

Got the control arms and bushings all taken care of. Ive never done bushings before and I was pressed for time so I decided to take them to a shop to have them pressed out. I figured that would be the easiest and quickest way to get that part done, but it ended up being harder than I thought to find a shop to do it. I called a “hot rod” shop in town and he said it would take them like 2 hours to do it but that he usually took his to this other shop and they were done in like 20 minutes. So I go over to this other shop and its a driveline and gear shop. I take the control arms in and he says its tough to do those and its time and materials and he has to custom make shim and stuff and said I was better off buying new ones. I left there went to another “classic car shop” they told me they never had success pressing out the bushings on the rear lower control arms and that the oval bushings on the front could not be replaced. The whole time I’m thinking then why do they sell replacement bushings and I doubt they threw stuff out and replaced it when these cars were new. The guy was nice enough to refer me to a brake and alignment shop though. He said the guys that own the shop and work in it are a a bunch of old guys that grew up with these cars. Needless to say I went there and 30mins later the job was done without any stories or complaints.

Got the arms sandblasted, painted, and I pressed in the bushings myself with the help of a friend and his press I didnt know he had. Pretty easy to do once you had the right tool / shim configuration figured out on the press. I will say that the energy suspension bushings on the rear didnt fit out of the box. The sleeve diameter was a hair to big so I had to grind one end a little to get them to fit.

I also took the rear end apart and its getting sandblasted too. Once it gets back it’ll be painted along with new axle seals and bearings and a new pinion seal as well. I dont think they were leaking but might as well be new.

I noticed it was painted red which seems to be what they did back then. I’ll probably paint mine red as well just to have some color other than black back there.


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## PontiacJim (Dec 29, 2012)

The lines of crap people give you. LOL Hmmm. How did the factory ever press the bushings in in the first place? I know, they inserted the control arms into a special mold and poured liquid rubber in there to form the bushing. LOL You can see how some might get taken on a job like that and walk out with a real hefty bill. Glad you found the "old guys." LOL

Looks good and moving right along.


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## Researcher (Jun 29, 2020)

PontiacJim said:


> The lines of crap people give you. LOL Hmmm. How did the factory ever press the bushings in in the first place? I know, they inserted the control arms into a special mold and poured liquid rubber in there to form the bushing. LOL You can see how some might get taken on a job like that and walk out with a real hefty bill. Glad you found the "old guys." LOL
> 
> Looks good and moving right along.


I almost laughed when the guy said time and materials. I was like a shim and a piece of pipe is complicated??? Have you seen youtube??? People use like a giant hammer and beat it till it comes out. Others drill and burn them. If a ******* can do it in his backyard how can you the classic car shop not??

I always respect the old guys, there is so much they can teach you if you just shut up, watch, and listen.

I’m starting to think about color for the car now and cant decide.I want a GTO color and since the car isn’t original I’m leaning against the original burgundy. I want a color thats less common. I see a lot of blue, black, red, white, and burgundy 65-67 GTOs. I was think vedoro green but I dont know.


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## PontiacJim (Dec 29, 2012)

Researcher said:


> I almost laughed when the guy said time and materials. I was like a shim and a piece of pipe is complicated??? Have you seen youtube??? People use like a giant hammer and beat it till it comes out. Others drill and burn them. If a ******* can do it in his backyard how can you the classic car shop not??
> 
> I always respect the old guys, there is so much they can teach you if you just shut up, watch, and listen.
> 
> I’m starting to think about color for the car now and cant decide.I want a GTO color and since the car isn’t original I’m leaning against the original burgundy. I want a color thats less common. I see a lot of blue, black, red, white, and burgundy 65-67 GTOs. I was think vedoro green but I dont know.


LOL, I don't know how I ever did all the things I did not knowing about "special tools" and "exacting clearances." LOL

On the color, burgundy is nice, but I like to look at other cars on the net to get an idea of how each color looks. What I like is a color that pulls out body lines. Sometimes when you go a dark color, you can actually lose some of the body contour lines which make the car. I like black as most do, and thought I might go black on my '68 Lemans, but in black, you lose the lower body lines above the chrome rocker molding. The lines are better pulled out with a light color, which is what I am going to go with.

I am installing a white interior to contrast the exterior color. I am also leaning on going with an off-white painted top using the vinyl top chrome minus a vinyl top. Sometimes a color can be overpowering when the entire car is just the 1 color. Breaking it up with a vinyl top/painted roof can balance that out and enhance the overall car color. I like a white convertible top versus a black one, but they are hard to keep white. So in using the black top, I would want a color to coordinate with it and again, a dark color just doesn't offset the black top enough for me - but when it's down, which should be most of the time, then the interior color is what will make the exterior color pop.

Keep in mind that you could get a "special" color ordered through the Pontiac dealership. These were generally any GM color. I had a '67 convertible that was a "special" order Iris Mist - a 1965 color with black top and black interior. It was navy blue when I had it as the Iris Mist was probably not a good re-sale color as the navy blue was. So I would look at other photos to get an idea of color and shade and I think you will see what I mean about bringing out the body lines.


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## RMTZ67 (Mar 12, 2011)

Mine was originally burgundy but faded so I looked on the internet at others, and while that color is nice you might think of adding metallic or pearl to really bring it out. Mine had parchment interior so I kept that color and had my exterior painted in a off white w/ a mild gold pearl to somewhat match the parchment. Very happy with the color. And like PJim said the light color brings out just about everything.


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## Reseacher (Jun 28, 2020)

Well its been awhile and its been cold and I've been handling other things. Progress on the GTO continues. The frame is almost all back together and I've learned a lot. Mostly I've learned that I want a shop press. I got the disc brake conversion from the Right Stuff and I think I've assembled it and disassembled like five times. I got it all on and then realized that the hub diameter on the back was too big for the rotors so I had to take it all apart then get the hubs machined then put it all back together. Then I found out the wheel studs are to short now so all part again and new studs put in. Put it all back together and then one of the studs on the rear passenger side is off a little and the rotor wont fit over. I should've fit checked that. So I 'll have to take that one off again and redo it. I also have the exhaust repainted and have the motor stripped and gaskets scrapped ready for final wipe down and repaint as well. I still have some spots to touch up paint wise but overall pretty happy with how the frame turned out.

As a side note I also got to try out my new welder for the first time to get a stuck bolt off. Welded a nut on top and it came off. Body is almost ready for the new panels to go in. Progress has been slower there than expected but thats ok because I'm not ready to put the body back on anyways. Im hoping to have the frame done with the engine back in by early to mid April.


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## Reseacher (Jun 28, 2020)




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## Reseacher (Jun 28, 2020)




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## Reseacher (Jun 28, 2020)




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## Reseacher (Jun 28, 2020)




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## Reseacher (Jun 28, 2020)




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## Reseacher (Jun 28, 2020)




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## Reseacher (Jun 28, 2020)

I also sold some distractions


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## Reseacher (Jun 28, 2020)




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## Researcher (Jun 29, 2020)

Got the frame pretty much ready to go. Just waiting on the body guy to finish up.
Also FYI master hardware kits should be called almost master hardware kits. They dont have everything.


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## Researcher (Jun 29, 2020)




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## Researcher (Jun 29, 2020)




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## Reseacher (Jun 28, 2020)




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## Reseacher (Jun 28, 2020)

Finally a car again. Took longer that I would've liked on the sheet metal repair. I ended up doing the inner wheel wells as well.


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## Scott06 (May 6, 2020)

Reseacher said:


> View attachment 151682
> 
> 
> Finally a car again. Took longer that I would've liked on the sheet metal repair. I ended up doing the inner wheel wells as well.


The metal work always takes longer. When I did my 65 the metal work I thought would take a year took 3 ...


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## Researcher (Jun 29, 2020)




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## Researcher (Jun 29, 2020)




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## Researcher (Jun 29, 2020)




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## Researcher (Jun 29, 2020)




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## Researcher (Jun 29, 2020)

Wow. A bunch of grinding, body work, sanding over the last few months but finally some color on the car. I wish I was the one doing it as Ive gone kinda crazy without my project to work on.


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## Researcher (Jun 29, 2020)




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## Researcher (Jun 29, 2020)

While Ive been waiting for the GTO to be done. I cleaned the shop, epoxied the floor, and added AC/Heater. I also did some fly fishing and some deer scouting. I also found a stash of 1944 Nevada license plates on Craigslist for cheap and one ended up being 24-242. How awesome is that???? I also found a good deal on a 61 C10 to tide me over for the winter.


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