# Thoughts on this car..



## Hot_Rod (Feb 10, 2011)

Pontiac : GTO | eBay

It's a '70 Lemans but done up like a Judge. Was wondering what you guys think of that car?


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

It's lacking the GTO front bumper/valance assembly. Expensive to "make right". Not my cup of tea, but the car looks clean. Don't know about the asking price.....I've seen real 1970 GTO's (not Judges) in comparable shape for the same amount or even less. I think it's about an 8 to 10 k car. That said, couldn't replicate this car today for the asking price, probably. Depends on what you want. JMHO..............


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## Hot_Rod (Feb 10, 2011)

Reason I ask or what I'm asking is what you think about someone making it out to be a GTO w/out changing the front end and all. 

Thought about using GTO badges and fixing mine up like a GTO, w/out going through the front end swap. Just wondered what people would think of that.. Everyone that asks me about my car calls it a GTO anyways, lol.


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

Too many bad clones out there, Lemans is cool in it's own right. I saw a couple 66/7s with the wrong taillights, not good. If you are going to cloan it, do it right, or leave it a Lemans. Like my car, that's why it's the Jury, not Judge, I'm not trying to fake anything, just being creative. My 66 is a cloan, but it has all the right parts, and was that way when I got it, so I'm leaving it a cloan. The cost get the Endura bumper is going to offset any more money you get out of the car. Back in the day, everyone just painted the chrome bumpers body cover to mimmick a GTO, didnt' look bad, and fakes people out from afar.


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## Hot_Rod (Feb 10, 2011)

Yeah you got a point. Guess I'll just do it GTO inspired with the hood and all but leave it a LeMans. I want a ram air hood for mine. 

Guess I'll call it a day after the hood and a repaint.


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

Good idea, check out "my garage" to see my 70. Like all say, if your not selling it, who are you building the car for? Stick the money in the motor and make it a GTO eater. Nobody knows the dif anymore, just make it sweet and you will get props wherever you go. :cheers


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## Hot_Rod (Feb 10, 2011)

jetstang said:


> Too many bad clones out there, Lemans is cool in it's own right. I saw a couple 66/7s with the wrong taillights, not good. If you are going to cloan it, do it right, or leave it a Lemans. *Like my car, that's why it's the Jury, not Judge, I'm not trying to fake anything, just being creative. *My 66 is a cloan, but it has all the right parts, and was that way when I got it, so I'm leaving it a cloan. The cost get the Endura bumper is going to offset any more money you get out of the car. Back in the day, everyone just painted the chrome bumpers body cover to mimmick a GTO, didnt' look bad, and fakes people out from afar.





jetstang said:


> Good idea, *check out "my garage" to see my 70.* Like all say, if your not selling it, who are you building the car for? Stick the money in the motor and make it a GTO eater. Nobody knows the dif anymore, just make it sweet and you will get props wherever you go. :cheers


Thats pretty cool. That how it looks now? :cool


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

Yep, all done, except AC. Glad ya like it. :cheers


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## Hot_Rod (Feb 10, 2011)

Cool.  

I cant decide if I wanna go Punisher with it or leave it the way it is sorta. I really liked the primer black with black rallys.










Obviously a 69 but this car is the reason I even got into GTO/Lemans/Tempests.. Loved that movie.


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

That's cool, but Hot Rod black is hard to keep up. If you get something on it and try to get it off and buff it, it shines. It gives my body guy fits. I would save the flat black for something with a bondo'd body.


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## Hot_Rod (Feb 10, 2011)

Not sure if its the pic but in the movie it was more of a primer black. 

I guess if you were to get something on it just sand it off and throw a coat over it. Primer is easy to fix from what I've done painting wise. *shrug*


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## Thumpin455 (Feb 17, 2010)

primer lets water through and it also doesnt wear very well. Ive had flat black cars for a while now, they look like hell in short order, thats why I started painting everything.

Your car looks great in purple, leave it as it is and enjoy it. Maybe build a bigger engine for it and have fun.


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

Thumpin455 said:


> primer lets water through and it also doesnt wear very well. Ive had flat black cars for a while now, they look like hell in short order, thats why I started painting everything.
> 
> Your car looks great in purple, leave it as it is and enjoy it. Maybe build a bigger engine for it and have fun.


Exactly. Primer sucks. I'm sure the car was Hot Rod black, and that is hard to keep up.


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## Hot_Rod (Feb 10, 2011)

It's going to need a paintjob soon for sure. Clear's peeling and theres rust bubbles/blotches in a few small places so it's gonna need some work in the future.

Thought about maybe repainting it the same color or close to it and do the rally's in black like the car pictured. Do away with the stripes and maybe do away with most of the badges. 

Instead of badge it a GTO just debadge it. I like the clean look like the GTO's have in '70.


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

If you are thinking about paint, you need to run a magnet around the car and circle all the areas that the magnet doesn't stick to. Non-stick areas are bondo, then you have to think about how much all that is going to cost to fix. Wish someone had given me the same advice before i traded for my 66, I saw 66 GTO and said WOOOO, now it's in pieces..
Car doesn't look bad, you can piece the bodywork together and keep your paint with patches for now.


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## Hot_Rod (Feb 10, 2011)

Only places so far I've found with bondo is near/around emblem holes like someone tried or was going to fill them but didnt. 

It's only been painted once from what I can tell also cause the original light blue is showing in places. Like it was a resto in progress but didnt go too in depth with painting it cause it looks like a DIY paintjob. Some runs and things like that in places barely noticable.

I'll have to try the magnet trick some though to be sure.


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

Sounds like it's a nice solid foundation. Nice ratrods are as nice as streetrods, they just paint everything to look old, but dont' think they are junky. Same as Hot Rod black cars, no nice car is just in Primer. When you are ready to do the body work, consider it in stages, leave it in paint as long as you can, even with bubbles. Or you will get all over it and end up with something like my car..
















The second pic is old, now it doesn't have windors, and all the rust is wide open. Looked good when I got it, 2 years later it's in pieces. I will work on it soon, was with the body man for last year.. Now it's a gutted shell, pass door off of it, no interior, no paint-bare metal.. All is good it's a project, just wasted a year working on it. Nice cruiser when I got it..


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## Hot_Rod (Feb 10, 2011)

Dang dude, that car looked like it was in better shape than mine..


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## Thumpin455 (Feb 17, 2010)

Hot_Rod said:


> Dang dude, that car looked like it was in better shape than mine..


Yeah I think I could have done a frame off on it in a year or so. All he really needs to do is get to it, and stay motivated. Much harder to do that than it sounds though. I find that not watching TV frees up a ton of time, but you still need the motivation. My motivation comes from knowing the snow is coming, and wanting to drive my cars so bad that I will go work when I really shouldnt.

I would just leave it alone for now and enjoy driving it. Starting a paint job or resto is a HUGE undertaking. My first paint job took 20 years to finish and the car still isnt running, honestly because I have done four other cars after that one was in paint. I am thinking of driving the 65 LeMans how it is, but with some brake upgrades, and engine/trans swap, and a new set of tires. That 65 has lots more rust than your car, but I would be proud to be seen cruising in it with a healthy 400 or 455 under the hood. 

I would be driving the wheels off your car if it were mine, jonesin to drive your car has got to be the worst feeling of automotive helplessness ever when its still months from being done.


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## Hot_Rod (Feb 10, 2011)

I probably couldnt afford a frame off restore to be honest. All I really wanna do is fix the rust blotches and a quickish repaint. Along with the GTO hood and be done other than the 400 swap. 

Only real bad rust spot is in the rear floorboard. Other than that the underbody is solid and wouldnt be too hard to do a quick patch.


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

Hot_Rod said:


> Dang dude, that car looked like it was in better shape than mine..


Yeah, it was a clone, with a 66 389 in it. He was asking $7K for it, traded a 91 5.0 mustang convertible and 86 Corvette with fresh paint for it.. Yep, po got the better deal, lol.. I thought I got a smokin' good deal til I got the grinder/magnet out. It will be nice in the end. Has a fresh 69 400 in it, new interior, new rear bumper. Have over $10K in it now with the new parts.. Just have to get it done, and body shop is waiting for it, so all is good..
Ready to get the car back home and do the welding and prep it for paint. It has had a safe inside storage for the last year, so all is good. Got a turbo 375 for it.
Thought I could store it outside when I bought it, ended up it had bad leaks under the windshield, thus flooding the car, that's why it got tore apart.


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## likethat (Oct 5, 2007)

Nice the 375's are a bit rare.


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## Hot_Rod (Feb 10, 2011)

jetstang said:


> Yeah, it was a clone, with a 66 389 in it. He was asking $7K for it, traded a 91 5.0 mustang convertible and 86 Corvette with fresh paint for it.. Yep, po got the better deal, lol.. I thought I got a smokin' good deal til I got the grinder/magnet out. It will be nice in the end. Has a fresh 69 400 in it, new interior, new rear bumper. Have over $10K in it now with the new parts.. Just have to get it done, and body shop is waiting for it, so all is good..
> Ready to get the car back home and do the welding and prep it for paint. It has had a safe inside storage for the last year, so all is good. Got a turbo 375 for it.
> Thought I could store it outside when I bought it, ended up it had bad leaks under the windshield, thus flooding the car, that's why it got tore apart.


Wow. Well at least I only traded a v6 96 firebird for mine so I'm good there, lol. 

Look forward to seeing it done. You got a nice collection it seems. :cheers


likethat said:


> Nice the 375's are a bit rare.


I'll say... I didnt know they existed! :lol:


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## likethat (Oct 5, 2007)

There is a 475TH also it is a bit heavier duty 400th with straight cut gears.


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## Hot_Rod (Feb 10, 2011)

Straight cut? like racing transmissions? The jerico for instance?


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