# 66 GTO Cloan Restoration



## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

Thought I would show my work now that I am back working on the 66. I have to do the 66 so I can clear out the garage for my 70 Jury. So, here's a pic of the car when I got it. It was "running" with a 389, which was wore slap out and smoked bad on kicking it. So, it came out. Last night I assembled, painted and installed a fresh 69 400 290HP in it. I just did the tin work and timing cover gaskets.








Here's the after pic as it's been sitting since Jan 10.








Now, I pulled the motor and installed the 69 400. The motor is fresh, but I didn't pull the heads to see the pistons, but got a nice shot from in the pan, can anyone tell what the pistons are? The motor has a nodular crank in it.
















I made good progress and am getting the car ready to take to my body guy so he can weld a bunch of metal in it. I can do alot of the body work, but if he's going to do it for repayment for house rent who am I to say no. I did alot of the bodywork on it so far. He already fixed the fenders for me and they are ready for a scuff and paint. I have alot more pics in my photobucket link showing all the rust. The floor pan is good, but the rear panel and drip rails in the trunk were all fiberglass. The trunk pan is rusty. Front right rocker and left front quarter are both rusted out.


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

That piston looks brand new. 

Nice project! :cheers


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

Engine came out of a street rod truck, they pulled it for a SBC. Got the engine and turbo 400 trans site unseen for $500. It had an edelbrock carb, intake and valve covers that were rust from sitting in the elements, valley pan was caked rust. Pulled it down and found a new motor. Still has crosshatch in the cylinders. Cam looks new, don't know the specs, will find out on start up.. Was going to do a head swap to 6Xs, but it looks so fresh I'm leaving it alone. I was trying to figure out if they were dished pistons, but the mark I am seeing is the valve relief. But, the pistons look real short and there are grind marks on the pistons and rods from balancing. I got the intake media blasted and painted for $20 and it looks like new. Carb is sitting on the shelf and may be a throw away. I got the dizzy and wires, but am using a HEI.


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

Even if the engine and trans were cores, you paid a reasonable price. If the engine turns out to be anything like it appears, you got a heck of a deal. Go for it! What color was the '66 originally? Looks like it was Orange before the yellow....The second '66 I ever owned was competition orange with a blacked out tail panel and Ansen slot mags....It looked MEAN. Are you going to stick with yellow??


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

I don't have a cowl tag for it, so don't know the color. Heck, it's a Georgia car and they don't even need titles, just bill of sale. The vin tag has steel rivets, so I think it was a field car for a few years, front and rear window area rotted out. It was sold at the Moultry swap meet in 02, sticker is still on it. The car was bright orange, then bright yellow, then lighter yellow. I will probably go Red or Black with the car. Guy I got the car from lived on the Gulf so he was trying to stop the rust with the last yellow paint, didn't work.

Geeteeohguy, any pics of the orange car, and the motor is already in the car. I think I did great on the motor, I'm happy. I had the valley pan, oil pan and timing cover off and all looked real good. No slack in timing chain. Water pump inner seals where even soft. Only odd thing was water pump was filled with leak stopper, hopefully they were trying to fix the heater core.


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## Too Many Projects (Nov 15, 2008)

Yeah, I can tell what those pistons are from the pic...............they're ALUMINUM..........:rofl:

I'd stay with yellow......too many Black and re-sale Red cars now.


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

Too Many Projects said:


> Yeah, I can tell what those pistons are from the pic...............they're ALUMINUM..........:rofl:
> 
> I'd stay with yellow......too many Black and re-sale Red cars now.


Thanks on Aluminum, ha ha.. Machine shop guy said they're forged, and motor is balanced, so can't wait to fire it up. 
Yep, resale red all the way, or Black if the body work can handle it. I hate the yellow.
Today I found out that 66 PS and alt brackets don't work with a 69 balancer. I also found out that a 70 water pump is 1/2" longer than a 69 and does not work either. I don't know what years changed with accessory brackets, but I do know they are all different... 
Oh, and my new battery I took out in Jan is dead and isn't taking a charge, so progress is slow..


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

Got the engine running today, runs really good, no smoke or strange noises, good oil pressure. Got the flat bed here to haul the car to the body shop and it's pouring outside, so with all the work done, now I can't take the car. Anyway, heres' a couple pics of the motor, think it came out alright, still needs more sweat equity put into it, but looks good for now. I'll tidy some things up in a bit, just taking a break.


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

After only 7 months the 66 GTO cloan has a new motor in it and is FINALLY out of the garage!!! It's at the body shop now to get some metal put back into it. Motor I put in is a 69 10.5 to 1 400 with a fresh rebuild, nodular crank and forged pistons. So, now it's time to clean 7 months of goo off the floor and clear out all the shelves to make it look like a garage again!!. I have a rebuildable 66 389 325 hp and a 400 w/6Xs that needs a cam if ya know of anyone, plus other Pontiac stuff. Both motors never left the garage since pulled, and they both ran fine, 389 smoked-pistons, 400 2 rounded cam lobes-lifter tap.


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## 66tempestGT (Nov 28, 2009)

the yellow engine and tranny is crazy. when they committed to a color it was on!


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## Too Many Projects (Nov 15, 2008)

CRAIGSLIST !!!!

I actually like seeing color matched engines. It's different than all the rest.


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

When I first posted pics I got wore out for the yellow engine, so now it's gone, gotta think resale in a rebuild.. Yellow trans is still there except for the bellhousing, it will get pulled for a rebuild later, or swapped for a turbo 400. I think the motor looks good, the valve covers were rusted bad, so I wire brushed them and painted them, but I have Edelbrock elites for it when it is done.
That was really a quicky redo just to get it running to get it to the bodyman, but I did try to make it look nice, but it's not done, no pcv, vac advance, or any vac line. Runs great and burned rubber everywhere it went-but it was raining..


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

Well, might as well bring this thread back from the dead, instead of a new one. Aug 2, 2010, took the 66 to my bodyman buddy. Now, year later here is an updated status:
Just evicted the bodyman out of the GF's house, so now after a year of nothing, it's time to do the bodywork on my 66, damn.. But the bodyshop is ready to do paint, so I'll strip it, do some welding and let the pro's do the bondo work.. Oh, bodyman is in jail on a felony to add some flavor to the eviction, so I got to deal with the wife and 4 kids.. Lucky they didn't pay the water bill and moved out on their own, saved me being the jerk.. And no rent from him for 2 months, and quit his job at the body shop 1 month prior and didn't touch my car, so no sympathy.. Let him move in no deposit, 1st 2 months rent free for doing the bodywork on my 66, he had it a year, and it's half stripped, no bondo on it, and in a pile of dust.. 
So, taking the 70 back to the body shop to have a couple issues addressed, bringing the 66 home and getting back on it. Woo hoo. Not.. I think I'll be pissed at him everytime I work on it, what a waste of time, and that pay it forward crap is for the birds..:shutme


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## likethat (Oct 5, 2007)

Had a very very bad renter last year. The farm house almost didn't make it.

Had a car and parts car at a body guys house for 3 years. other then his brother in-law stripping my parts car clean. It all came back looking like it did when I sent the 2 over. Oh and my wallet took a beating also.

The best help is just past your watch.


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## BatmanGTO (Jun 18, 2011)

nice, didn't see you had a 66 too. how long does it typically take to get a car painted?


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

Batman,
Depends on the shop and the level you are painting it to. Usually at least a couple months up to years. Mine is at 1.5 years now, lol.. But should speed up hopefully now this is behind me. Yours, depends if you strip it, or just get the minor work fixed and reshot. For you, non frame off, scuff and shoot, month or so. If you want perfection, then it's gotta come apart. Mine had rust under the windshield and in the front rockers, so front clip had to come off. To make you feel better, I have over $10K in this car, and it's a cloan!! But I have a pile of new parts waiting to go on it, including a rechromed rear bumper like you need.


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## BatmanGTO (Jun 18, 2011)

I'm truly impressed at the stuff you guys on this site can do. And really appreciate the knowledge passed allong to guys like me (I've done plenty of tech support so I know how it can be to help someone with no idea what they are doing). I'd love to have the skills, tools, room, etc to have bought a car like yours and Instg8ters and fix it myself. I love following all these threads. I was a bit bummed to come to the end of the thread about the 65 (I read the entire thing) to see it wasn't finished yet, lol. I even looked at Instg8ter's entire photo steam. Really cool stuff.

About your bodyman, I thought my sister's ex was bad. I guess this guy has him beat, lol. But always good when you can exchange work as long as it gets done


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

Batman, Here's a link to my 70 Lemans build, my GF put this thread up to figure out how we were going to make the jury decals and stripes.
http://www.gtoforum.com/f50/what-font-used-judge-emblem-1970-a-27532/index3.html
Here's the photobucket for it:
70 Lemans pictures by jetstang - Photobucket
And to a few pics of my 90 454 SS truck:
http://s411.photobucket.com/albums/pp192/jetstang/my cars/90 454 SS/
And the 66 GTO cloan, more pics of when it was together:
66 GTO cloan pictures by jetstang - Photobucket
I know you love builds, so here ya go, plenty of picture lookin'..:cheers


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

I got the new motor for the 70, so need to get the 66 out of the garage. I had to do the bottom of the car, inner rockers and frame before i put the new body/frame bushings in. It was a big project, but in the last 2 weeks did it, not incredible, but done. Sanded down all the scale off the frame and pan, got new mounts in and painted/undercoated pan. Finished up some needed work and actually mounted a door and fender! Progress!! 
jetstang's Story by jetstang | Photobucket


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## Too Many Projects (Nov 15, 2008)

jetstang said:


> I got the new motor for the 70, so need to get the 66 out of the garage. I had to do the bottom of the car, inner rockers and frame before i put the new body/frame bushings in. It was a big project, but in the last 2 weeks did it, not incredible, but done. Sanded down all the scale off the frame and pan, got new mounts in and painted/undercoated pan. Finished up some needed work and actually mounted a door and fender! Progress!!
> jetstang's Story by jetstang | Photobucket


 You STILL not done with those cars...:lol:


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

Paint it Competition Orange when it's ready. Mitch, get back to work on the '67......


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## Too Many Projects (Nov 15, 2008)

geeteeohguy said:


> Mitch, get back to work on the '67......


I dragged it back in the shop in November but my new toy keeps stealing my time...


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

geeteeohguy said:


> Paint it Competition Orange when it's ready. Mitch, get back to work on the '67......


Ick. The car was orange at one time, then they painted it bright yellow twice. I have some blue pearl for it. But, my paint guy still wants to do the black and gold like the GTO tiger race car. I have the gold interior brand new in the box, I just hate gold.. I may do the gold door panels and seats, then black trim and carpet.
Mitch, the 70s been done, but I got an Edelbrock headed 455 for it, so that's going in in place of the 350. I've been slow leaking the 66 for sure. I'm sick of it so it needs to get done.


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## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

Ain't nothin' wrong with a BLACK GTO ....!!!:cheers


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

Eric Animal said:


> Ain't nothin' wrong with a BLACK GTO ....!!!:cheers


Yeah, but black prep costs ALOT more. My body isn't all that, it's been molested over the years.. We'll see how it goes.


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

13 months later, back on here, and got my body guy gently molesting every panel on the car and he is doing a killer job! Doors, roof, window openings and Passenger side quarter are done!! Now to install new trunk pan, and driver side quarter and bolt it back together, game on! I would post pics, but he put them all on facebook and don't know how to share the album, lol.. 
Maybe this will work.
https://www.facebook.com/penwolf/media_set?set=a.764591883569658.1073741833.100000565616103&type=1
Anyway, all is good and he is doing a great job moving metal around and fixing everything.
:cheers
I also had the car off the frame, redid the body bushings, cleaned and undercoated the entire underbody, not the best but done.


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## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

Welcome back Jet, sounds like he's making good progress, can't wait to see it...don't do facebook and it won't let me in.


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

Thanks 8ter, been a while. Been working a lot and crushing candy, lol.. All good, car was over my head, guy needed work and it is working out great, he is doing it in my garage. All my "new" less rusty body parts felt like "a bag of walnuts" per him, so he skim coated and hand sanded all the panels, it will be black ready, but I have a gallon of Chromabase Blue Pearl, so may do that or black and blue.


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

Another 8 months, body work and paint is done! Reassembling now. Ended up throwing the ra 4 headed 455 in it with dougs headers. Its coming allong nicelly now. Just wanted to get an update for you all. Talk soon.


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