# New old 1967



## skurfan (Sep 19, 2012)

I am buying a '67 GTO that has been sitting in a garage for 6 years. The engine was rebuilt back then and it was pretty much parked. He just put a battery in it, a starter, rebuilt the carb and put a new ac compressor and hoses in it. I should get this car next week. How should I "break it in" or bring it back to life? Any things I should look for or take care of or should it be good to go?


----------



## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

Has the engine been run at all, even for a few minutes, since the rebuild?

I'd change the oil/filter first, then prime the oiling system. (Remove the distributor after carefully marking how it's oriented/pointed, take a beefy reversible drill with a long cut-off flat blade screw driver or other similar bit, spin the oil pump shaft counter clockwise for several minutes, re-install distributor). Might be a good idea also to go ahead and change the coolant. Inspect/feel all hoses, especially any sections of rubber fuel line, for any sign of brittleness or cracking and replace as needed. I'd also be tempted to drop the fuel tank and empty it, which would also be a good time to pull the sending unit and inspect the "sock", maybe take it up to a high pressure car wash with some degreaser and clean out the tank. Disconnect the fuel line at the carb and blow out with compressed air, replace any inline fuel filters. When you fire it for the first time, have a few helpers observing to watch for any leaks anywhere in the fuel system or cooling system.

Congrats! We need photos...

Bear


----------



## ALKYGTO (Mar 29, 2010)

I'd do as Bear says and also maybe pull all the plugs, squirt or fog oil or trans fluid in the cylinders and turn the engine over by hand using the balancer bolt, then put the plugs back in.

Last time I started my car up after long term storage a mouse nest blew out the right tail pipe :lol:.


----------



## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

> Last time I started my car up after long term storage a mouse nest blew out the right tail pipe :lol:.


Now there's a visual... :rofl: Did he happen to be wearing a tiny red cape? Real buff looking little dude? :lol:

Bear


----------



## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

Pretty much what Bear said. I don't think I'd bother with the fuel tank, but I'm lazier than he is....it sure wouldn't hurt. Main thing is to get oil in the cylinders,and rotate by hand to determine nothing is rusted/stuck and so you don't break anything. If all rotates fine, you can disconnect the coil wire and crank the engine until the oil light goes off. That's a quick and dirty way to prime the engine. Then, hook up the coil wire and light it up. HAVE A FIRE EXTINGUISHER NEARBY, please!!


----------



## skurfan (Sep 19, 2012)

I should clarify. This car was under a garage sale amount of stuff. He told me that he rebuilt the engine "a few years ago". I made him an offer as is and he declined it I agreed to pay his asking price if he provided it in good running order. The a/c compressor was out because it was seized so I ordered a new one which has been installed. He has put in a new battery and replaced lines and hoses. He put in a new starter also. He said it runs and sounds good and is about ready to go for my inspection but he needed to charge the a/c and replace the lines. He told me he has re-rebuilt the carb. I have not heard it run yet but believe it will be good. This guy is 74 and has two large garages, several finished cars in various conditions and a salvage yard. He has done this all his life and is a good guy. The window of opportunity to hand turn the engine is probably passed. When he gets it ready for my inspection I will be sure to look for leaks. Was wondering if I need to baby it for awhile or just let it rip. 400 motor auto transmission headers and magna flow exhaust. Thanks for the help and pics to come but don't expect much yet. He has another '65 in the garage buried but I can't get him to price it---yet


----------



## skurfan (Sep 19, 2012)

Ok...Bear was right...shoulda dropped the gas tank and blew out the lines. It quit running and the fuel filter was muck sludge. So was the new second one. Plus the transmission filter got clogged and she didn't want to go. It's up in the air now addressing those issues. It's pretty amazing how well it run and sounded and the power with those issues. Can't wait to get it back on the road.


----------



## skurfan (Sep 19, 2012)

After three months in the shop I finally got my car back. This mechanic is good but don't be in a hurry. I took the car in for a tuneup and it barely made it there. It started with dropping the gas tank and putting in a new one and blowing out the lines and changing filters. Then he showed me the bottom of my transmission pan and all the clutch material there so out came the transmission for a rebuild. Also rebuilt the torque converter. Almost good to go, but wait.....the radiator sprung some leaks and needed a re-core. Replaced the hoses and oh yeah, the water pump. It was finally ready to tune. New plugs, replaced the brittle wires, adjusted the carb and set the timing. Oh yeah, new brakes, bearings and wheel cylinders too. Oh yeah, I forgot about the new starter, which was a bitch to do. Now it runs great and passed inspection, the sticker that he peeled off from the last inspection was dated 1975!! I believe this car sat for 25-30 years in this guy's garage. The tires are pretty much out of round and shake a bit but I am gonna drive it for 500 miles and "break it in". Change oil and then smoke 'em off before I replace those. I need some body rust repair done but am going to enjoy this as is, original for awhile, and put the chrome back on which covers most of the issues. Here's my question if you are still reading and haven't dozed off. Is there a body trim clip set available? All I got was the trim in the trunk ans the trim clip holes in the car so I don't know which ones I need. Any help would be appreciated. We are running out of nice weather days here in Missouri so would like to get that trim on soon. Will also post some decent pics. The car is pretty much original still and I plan to keep it that way for awhile.


----------



## leeklm (Mar 11, 2012)

There are some good after market sources like AMES Performance and Year One. For the most part, you can build a new GTO from the ground-up with aftermarket parts. You might invest $500K to do it, but it can be done!

With my front clip off, I went though the catalog to purchase detail items like a core support center brace, a few bolt kits, cowl seals, paint, etc. In my head I was thinking $400 tops. Total came out to $800!!


----------



## skurfan (Sep 19, 2012)

I was able to get all my clips from Ames. Actually it was pretty reasonable too. Thank God my trim pieces are in good shape. Those are expensive. I prefer original when I can and don't mind a few scratches. Does anyone know if I will need a special tool to put the pieces on, or will they just snap onto the clips? Thanks Lee, for the tip.


----------



## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

Just read the thread. Congrats on the car. It's funny what people consider running and driving. Been there, done that, replaced everything.
I put my truck in the backyard to keep it safe. Came out, truck didn't start, charged it, next morning same thing. Popped the hood and a squirrel had moved in. Removed the acorn shells, poop and piles of leaves and saw that the little B word ate the yellow wire going to my HEI. Guess he didn't want his house to move.. And it was only out there a month or so, he was making a nest for winter.


----------



## skurfan (Sep 19, 2012)

Got lucky on the varmints. I don't see where any moved in. He's got six other nice cars in the same garage but won't price them. Sad to say, I will have to wait till his estate sale to get the '65 sitting under apple of crap. Carpet and pad will have to come out next residuals of a bad heater core which was also a b to replace.


----------



## skurfan (Sep 19, 2012)

Does anyone know if the hood tach on my '67 has a backlight? Wondered if anyone knew before I took it apart.


----------



## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

Yes, they are illuminated. Great news on the resurrection of your car. Keep us updated!


----------



## skurfan (Sep 19, 2012)

Okay so I have to share my interesting night that happened Friday. We went out to dinner I Drove the GTO. I had just got it street driveable this week and got plates for it tuesday. The bumpers are still off the car so the plates are on the dash. We were there for hours it was light when we got there and dark when we left. So I am driving home on a back street, speed limit 25 mph. Some a-hole was tailgating me and I took him down to about 20. This went on for a couple of miles til we got to a roundabout. I told my GF to hang on cuz I was getting pissed off and going to lose this guy. Got to the roundabout, roasted the tires and took off. The a-hole turned on his lights and his siren and pulled me over. I had no friggin idea he was State Patrol. After about 30 mins. Of driving advice and him checking out my car, I was ticketed for failure to display plates properly. Beats the heck out of C&I any day. Guess what I did all day Saturday?? Cleaned up my bumpers, de-rusted the parts that attach to them and put the bumpers on. I am trying to keep this car original as long as I can, so it was hard to put less than nice bumpers back on. Now plates are properly displayed. Tomorrow will be about putting the side mirror back on since he also gave me a "courtesy citation" for no side mirror. Next will be all the chrome as soon as I get all the clips. I am handful that I have the parts t least, even though they are in original condition. If you are till reding this and haven't dozed off...can anyone tell me what color the hood scoop trim piece is? Mine looks like it was grey on my cameo ivory car that doesn't seem right. Is it the color of the car, or chrome?


----------



## skurfan (Sep 19, 2012)

My apologies for the typos near the end of the last post. Damn auto finish on my iPad was making up its own words.


----------



## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

sounds like you got lucky with the law... Scoop would be exterior color, although i am toying with getting mine powder coated silver when i put the GTO hood on.


----------



## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

Scoop is exterior color, interior of the scoop is painted flat black. I did the same thing you did 33 years ago in my '66...On the way home from seeing 'The Hollywood Knights' at the drive in......did a huge hole shot at a light with a cop so close on my bumper that I couldn't see his headlights. I was 'racing' against a '65 GTO (I thought) in the right lane, but the guy saw the cop behind me, saw the drive-in speaker and 15 feet of wire hanging on the passenger side window, and saw 4 young punks partying it up and oblivious. So, he simply turned right on green while I dropped the hammer at 3500 rpm and nailed it. I got the Ticket From Hell, unlike you. At 52, I don't do that stuff anymore. It's dangerous, and gets damn expensive!!!! Great story BTW. If your bumpers are sort of rusty (too rusty to polish) rubbing compound will work pretty well, and then use chrome polish. It can make really shabby chrome presentable.


----------



## skurfan (Sep 19, 2012)

Thanks for the chrome tip, I will give it a try. It all went back on nicely but now it is a challenge to fill the gas tank, the filler is down a ways. Still don't have the remote left mirror on yet, not sure where to cut the hole on the panel so I am taking it to the trim shop next week.


----------

