# 1966 gto so far....



## johnnylightning03 (Nov 27, 2007)

since the loss of my dad a year ago, his first new car, a 66 gto which was left behind for me is now in major surgery. here are a few pics of his tribute gto so far. i've learned that this is a long and sometimes frustrating endeavor. i've also realized that i am damm lucky that he didnt sell it in the 41 years he owned it. he brought me home in this very car after i was born and my parents went on their honeymoon in her. so out of respect, we placed a set of keys with him when we all said goodbye. he loved this car and the weekend dad passed him and i had agreed that next weekend we would start the goat. well, unfortunately we didn't but i did. i hope someway somehow he will drive her again, my own sort of motivation in getting her done. to anyone doing a restoration, enjoy it. for whatever reason you have to bring a car back to life just have fun. otherwise your missing the point. nothings impossible, the impossible just takes a littlle longer  thanks dad.
john


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## 05GTO (Oct 6, 2004)

John,

Nice project, dad would be proud!


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## 05GTO (Oct 6, 2004)

Here is a little encouragement, Top picture is my 66 project 9 months ago, the bottom picture is the 66 3 months ago;


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

My late wife talked me into buying our `65 over 15 years ago. Last year when I restored it, it was a wonderful thing, the whole time restoring I spent thinking about her and what a wonderful time we had in and with the car and how proud she would be if she could see it now. Cars and memories are such a blessed thing to have! :cheers
Good luck with your project, it's lookin like your doing an awesome job!


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## johnnylightning03 (Nov 27, 2007)

thanks guys. BEAUTIFUL cars too. i've been doing A LOT of reading here the past year, just not a lot of posting. this site is awesome with a lot of great knowledgeable people and great projects. i will post more pics as i go and will surely need more advice. i hope in the next year one more 66 will be back on the road and that i can give back what i've found at this site, help and great info. thanks and stay tuned.


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

Johnny, you're doing the right thing, and your dad would be proud. Keep up the good work, and know that we're all out here to help you all that we can.
Jeff


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## johnnylightning03 (Nov 27, 2007)

thank again everyone for your kind words and support. heres a few more pics of the trunk floor before and where were at now, and a few of the brakes, lines and cables. i finished the rear brakes yesterday. coming together a little at a time each day. with every piece that goes together, i just feel better. really having some fun and making some new memories. rukee is right, cars and projects like these are a blessing. i just hope mine will turn out as nice as all of yours so she can one day proudly join the "herd" too. seeing finished goats like these on here keeps my motivation up. thanks :cheers


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## ppurfield001 (Jan 21, 2008)

johnnylightning03 said:


> thank again everyone for your kind words and support. heres a few more pics of the trunk floor before and where were at now, and a few of the brakes, lines and cables. i finished the rear brakes yesterday. coming together a little at a time each day. with every piece that goes together, i just feel better. really having some fun and making some new memories. rukee is right, cars and projects like these are a blessing. i just hope mine will turn out as nice as all of yours so she can one day proudly join the "herd" too. seeing finished goats like these on here keeps my motivation up. thanks :cheers


Great story about your Dad. My Dad, who passed in the early 1990s, talked my Mom into letting me buy my first goat (a 1967 hardtop) in 1971. He knew it was cool and always liked to drive it when Mom wasn't looking. She always though it was "age inappropriate" for Dad. I think about my Dad when I drive my current goat. Good luck.
:cheers


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## ChromeCoach10 (Oct 26, 2008)

Dad is smiling somewhere, JL. It's gonna be a first class ride once again. Good luck.


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## johnnylightning03 (Nov 27, 2007)

thanks for the posts guys. when i first started this thread, i thought it might be a bit off topic for this forum being it is a technical/ restoration forum. wrong. it just goes to show why this is such a great site. my dad always said gto's were great cars. no matter what car i ever owned, he reminded me the gto had more power in the starter motor than my cars engine ever had. i would simply reply that gto meant garbage truck option or get tools out and if he wanted a race, i would remove all the spark plug wires to even things up. great memories. lol.


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## Familytradition (Jul 2, 2014)

*I'm in the same boat*

Johnny, I'm new to this forum but I also have started a project car for the same reason. My dad bought this 66 convertible back when I was in grade school. He lost his battle with cancer 5 years ago now, but I remember the great times we had growing up just riding to get ice cream. My wife and I drove it in our wedding so we couldn't let it get away. Mom was finally ready to part with it so I'm working on the project. I'm definitely as amateur car guy, learning as I go. For now I'm trying to just get it mechanically sound to take my kids on a ride like my dad did for me. You can see the before and after. Its getting there, but I too will need a major off the frame to get it back to perfect. This forum is great for answering those questions I can't find in a book. Its also great for motivating stories like yours. Good luck with your project


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

Familytradition, sorry about your dad. Great story, and great car. I would avoid doing a frame off restoration on it pretty much at all costs. Fix what needs fixing, and keep on driving it. A frame off erases the car's history and patina.....which in your case, was well earned. It looks great to me. Frame off cars can NOT be enjoyed like regular cars can. Too much worry about that 20k paint getting door dinged, or a kid sitting on the hood, etc. Also, I know several people who have been into GTO's as long as I have (over 35 years) who haven't driven their 'frame off' projects in over 25 years....because they're still in pieces in the back of the garage. I've been driving/enjoying my non-restored, repaired-as-needed GTO's that entire time. Something to think about, anyway. Welcome to the forum, and keep the pictures coming!
Jeff


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