# Bought a 66 GTO cloan



## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

Hey, 
I just got back from trading for a 66 GTO cloan. Southern car, good frame and pan, decent paint, good 10' car. It has a 66 389 YE 325HP motor in it, bucket seats, 2 speed trans w/floor shifter and console. How do I tell if it came with the 389? Also, most Lemans came wtih the 326, how rare is this car? It's not a 242 vin car, 273. It also has the Pontiac vacuum gauge on the console, neat stuff. Needs some TLC, but is an alright driver grade car.


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

No Le Mans's came with a 389. Only the 6 cyl or the 326 V8. Enjoy the car!


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

Appreciate the comment, hmm, now I'm confused. 
What about the vacuum gauge on the console, many cars have them?
You couldn't dealer option a 389 in a Lemans, like the 2+2 cars?


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

The console vacuum guage is a correct option for your car, and not seen a lot. Good one! No dealer installed 389's unless it was a customer who blew up a 326 and paid for a 389 install...coulda happened. The way you got the 389 engine in the Lemans was to check off the "GTO" option,,,,it cost a whopping $300, but for that you got a 389, GTO suspension, cooling, etc. etc. I think that's how most people got a 389 in an A body back then! What probably happened to yours : it's the late '70's or early '80's, and Junior has inferited the faithful family Lemans. Doing burnouts in the high school parking lot, he craters the 326. Off to the junkyard, and $100 later, he has a genuine, running, boneyard 389 between his frame rails.


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## GTO JUDGE (May 14, 2005)

Ya gotta change the color of the motor if you want to sell the look.
Silver-Blue Metallic....Ditzler..13255


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

Tranny is painted the same color. Car needs a bunch of work, but I'm not scared. Wish it had AC and power brakes, give it time. 
I had a 66 Tempest and a 71 Lemans with GTO front clip and 3.55posi rear end back in the 80s in high school. I was the kid doing the burnouts in the high school parking lot, thanks to a 455 w/3.55 posi, and grenaded the motor racing, spun a bearing. Then joined the AF, went to England, and mom sold the car off for $200. That was 84, and my car didn't have a trunk or rear quarters-Wisconsin rust. I guess this 66 is pretty clean in retrospect.
I have the 70 Lemans Sport, now I'm getting the 66, so I am like a kid in a candy store.
It makes sense about the 389 not coming in Lemans, same thing as a SS396 Chevelle, if you want the 396, you have to get the SS. Now, I have to check the engine code to see what it is as there were YE motors for a few years.


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## topfuel67 (Dec 23, 2008)

There's a cool website called wallaceracing.com. There is tons of info on the engine codes in there. Some of the "Big Car" 389s came with better heads than the GTO 389s. They had the same compression, but larger exhaust valves. They came with smaller cams, which is why they're less hp (and the 2bbl).


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## Too Many Projects (Nov 15, 2008)

Nice looking toy to play with. Send for the PHS docs and you'll know exactly how it was originally built.


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

PHS docs would be good. I assume the owner had the Lemans in good shape and a wrecked 66 GTO or big car, and swapped all the parts over exept the trans. I got the original chrome valve covers and vented air cleaner, all need rechrome.
It has a weird electric actuator mounted in line with the accelerator pedal linkage, linkage could hit it at WOT, what is this switch? Now, with the Edelbrock carb on it, linkage doesn't get anywhere near it, but it's still wired.
It is a YE block and 092 heads, so should be 389/325HP. Carb had the wrong base plate gasket on it for a stock carter 4 barrel manifold, open square port instead of 4 hole gasket, so had massive vac leaks, bad idle when I got it. Rebuilt the carb, new gasket, runs/idles great!!! Ordered an HEI and wires for it, get rid of the points and vac can is shot. Get my full timing with the HEI. Oh, 70 and 66 Points dist F/S, make offer...


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

The switch at the gas peddel is for the kick-down switch on the tranny. I would adjust the linkage or the switch so it is detented when at WOT.
Nice ride, but like mentioned, you need to change the motor color.


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

Rukee said:


> The switch at the gas peddel is for the kick-down switch on the tranny. I would adjust the linkage or the switch so it is detented when at WOT.
> Nice ride, but like mentioned, you need to change the motor color.


that's the kick down for a powerglide? Oh, but it's an inch away from the linkage at WOT, I guess the Edelbrock is shorter throw or something. I'll adjust that out, thanks.
Car needs some work, and engine color is not at the top of the list, wipers and rear lights would be nice. Also, the gas smell in my garage is bad from the leaking fuel tank.. I put my rally II's on it, and I must say the 215 70's look small, lol. I need some fatty 14's for the back. It's a nice car, just needs some work to be a reliable driver, parts on order...


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## Too Many Projects (Nov 15, 2008)

jetstang said:


> that's the kick down for a powerglide?


No......an electric switch at the pedal is for a TH400. The Powerglides are a mechanical linkage from the carb.


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

Too Many Projects said:


> No......an electric switch at the pedal is for a TH400. The Powerglides are a mechanical linkage from the carb.


Why would a Lemans have a turbo 400 kickdown? Hmm, I think I've been given the shaft, I thought I bought a Lemans, but all it is is a rebadged GTO. I hate when people swap Vin plates. Now I have to find a GTO plate to set it right... I noticed the rivets for my VIN tag are rusty, I thought that was odd.
Maybe they didn't have a title for the GTO, but had a Lemans one and swapped tags, hey, I can dream...


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## Too Many Projects (Nov 15, 2008)

jetstang said:


> Why would a Lemans have a turbo 400 kickdown? Hmm, I think I've been given the shaft, I thought I bought a Lemans, but all it is is a rebadged GTO. I hate when people swap Vin plates. Now I have to find a GTO plate to set it right... I noticed the rivets for my VIN tag are rusty, I thought that was odd.
> Maybe they didn't have a title for the GTO, but had a Lemans one and swapped tags, hey, I can dream...


Or it was stolen in the past. What is the info on the data tag ? Factory stainless rivets don't rust....

Actually, a 66 wouldn't have had a TH400 either. They were introduced in 67. The switch was probably added in the past for a possible conversion that has since been removed ??


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

Too Many Projects said:


> Or it was stolen in the past. What is the info on the data tag ? Factory stainless rivets don't rust....
> 
> Actually, a 66 wouldn't have had a TH400 either. They were introduced in 67. The switch was probably added in the past for a possible conversion that has since been removed ??


Mine has the cowl tag delete option, holes where it used to be are present. I also threw in a pic of my supercharged big block, it didn't work, I needed a longer extension cord, but it could work...


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## Too Many Projects (Nov 15, 2008)

Yup, hardware store pop rivets and they can't use the excuse that it was removed for paint....:rofl:

Use a mirror and light to look on top of the left rear frame rail for the VIN stamp.


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

Left, as in drivers side, correct. Maybe I don't want to know, I thought this was a joke, but now, who knows. Car was in Alabama and Georgia it's whole life, and was bill of sale car forever, no title. The plot thickens.
Car was purchased at the Moultry Georgia swap meet in 2002...


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

It's a Lemans, lettering repaired in trunk on quarters, and fresh replacement rear GTO tail light panel. I couldn't find any numbers on top of the frame.


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## 66tempestGT (Nov 28, 2009)

that gas pedal switch is correct for the ST300 2 speed tranny that undoubtedly came behind the 326. you can look at the shape of the pan and tell the difference. among other things.


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