# 65 GTO Purchase Feedback Please !



## HUSKER (Jun 10, 2010)

New Member Here!! I just purchased a 65 GTO Sport Coupe (Post) and not sure what I want to do with it. I have wanted a GTO every since my best friend purchased one in 1965 and loved it but never could afford one. Just last week I ended up buying this GTO for 6K from a farmer who had it in his barn. It is a V8, 4 Brl Carb, 4 Seed, A/C, and was a running car when it was parked less than three years ago. He purchased it from a person who was in the process of sanding it down and due to illness didn't finish it and just sold it as is because he needed money. The person I purchased it from had no real intrest in it and I ended up with it. He knows nothing about it other than he knows it used to run and drive and it was just parked in his barn. The care is complete. Dust, dirt and some surface rust where it was sanded and never primered. All lettering and trim is still on the car. Inside needs cleaned and holes in front headliner, looks like mouse holes. Seats are good and no rips or tears that I noticed but need cleaned up inside.Drivers floor pan has a small hole and some small rust holes on lower front and rear fenders about quarter size. All glass is good and doors are tight. Radio is missing. Tires & rims I will replace but ok for now. Under neath looks good and looks like undercoated. Engine is not locked up and looks complete with M/T Valve Covers. The car need body work & paint. Engine, drive train everything else will need checked out to find out what needs replaced or repaired. Should I do a full restore job on this car or just get it looking good for a driver. With 6K into it and not knowing the cost to due either option makes it difficult. Is it worth doing a full restore (Frame Off) and is it worth the investment? I will attach a few pictures I have as the car is still in the barn. Did I pay to much for the car? Your thoughts please! Thanks Gary


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## allpawl66 (May 9, 2008)

Run a PHS before you do anything to it , make sure it is a real GTO before you sink 30 grand into it .


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## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

Check it out REAL good for rust. Dents are not as bad to fix. If you are not overly concerned with NOS parts and exact "originality",it sounds like a decent buy. IF everything is there, and it sounds like it is! DON"T DELETE THE FACTORY AIR CONDITIONER ...a rare and cool option. See what you have, see what you will need, see if you can find the stuff, then dig in!:cheers Eric


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## take5 (Aug 9, 2009)

*Quick Authenticity Check For Your 1965 Gto*



HUSKER said:


> New Member Here!! I just purchased a 65 GTO Sport Coupe (Post) and not sure what I want to do with it. I have wanted a GTO every since my best friend purchased one in 1965 and loved it but never could afford one. Just last week I ended up buying this GTO for 6K from a farmer who had it in his barn. It is a V8, 4 Brl Carb, 4 Seed, A/C, and was a running car when it was parked less than three years ago. He purchased it from a person who was in the process of sanding it down and due to illness didn't finish it and just sold it as is because he needed money. The person I purchased it from had no real intrest in it and I ended up with it. He knows nothing about it other than he knows it used to run and drive and it was just parked in his barn. The care is complete. Dust, dirt and some surface rust where it was sanded and never primered. All lettering and trim is still on the car. Inside needs cleaned and holes in front headliner, looks like mouse holes. Seats are good and no rips or tears that I noticed but need cleaned up inside.Drivers floor pan has a small hole and some small rust holes on lower front and rear fenders about quarter size. All glass is good and doors are tight. Radio is missing. Tires & rims I will replace but ok for now. Under neath looks good and looks like undercoated. Engine is not locked up and looks complete with M/T Valve Covers. The car need body work & paint. Engine, drive train everything else will need checked out to find out what needs replaced or repaired. Should I do a full restore job on this car or just get it looking good for a driver. With 6K into it and not knowing the cost to due either option makes it difficult. Is it worth doing a full restore (Frame Off) and is it worth the investment? I will attach a few pictures I have as the car is still in the barn. Did I pay to much for the car? Your thoughts please! Thanks Gary


Hi Gary and congratulations on your being the owner of an American Classic Icon.
While you are waiting for the PHS documentation go ahead and take pictures of the following and post them on this forum.
VIN tag plate on body frame inside drivers side door near hinges and your data plate on firewall on the drivers side engine compartment.
This information will give you a "heads up" regarding your car.
:seeya:


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

Welcome to the forum. I have a gut feeling the car is real. I can tell!!!  What I would do is clean up the car without disassembling it (and turning it into a basket case) and get it running. You just "saved" this car! To keep your interest up, and enthusiasm, you need to DRIVE this thing. I would clean up the interior, get it running, and get the rust removed and dealt with and drive it. While in primer, and while being used as a driver, you can sort out any suspension/brake/driveline issues. After enjoying the car for a time, you can then decide whether to just paint it, or to tear it all apart and do a full restoration. Most of the full restoration attempts that I have seen started began with good intentions but ended up destroying the car. Time slipping by,kids are born, the job changes, etc. Before you know it, a garage full of parts that used to be a car is hauled off or lost. GET IT RUNNING AND DRIVE IT!!! You have a great car, a great year GTO, well optioned, and you stole it for 6k. Enjoy ii....don't destroy it!


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## HUSKER (Jun 10, 2010)

That is good advice and when I go back to see the car I will get more info off the tags. I can not get the car out until he moves a lot of junk and other cars.

Does anyone know what these rims are that is on the car. I think they were around in the 70's or 80's.


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## Thumpin455 (Feb 17, 2010)

You didnt do too bad, looks much better than the 65 I have. I am from near York but I dont live in Nebraska anymore. Still have a ton of stuff back at the farm though, where are you located?

I could have that one running and driving in a couple months! Doesnt look too bad despite the surface rust. The window channels might need some work, gotta pull the glass to find out for sure.


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

geeteeohguy said:


> Welcome to the forum. I have a gut feeling the car is real. I can tell!!!  What I would do is clean up the car without disassembling it (and turning it into a basket case) and get it running. You just "saved" this car! To keep your interest up, and enthusiasm, you need to DRIVE this thing. I would clean up the interior, get it running, and get the rust removed and dealt with and drive it. While in primer, and while being used as a driver, you can sort out any suspension/brake/driveline issues. After enjoying the car for a time, you can then decide whether to just paint it, or to tear it all apart and do a full restoration. Most of the full restoration attempts that I have seen started began with good intentions but ended up destroying the car. Time slipping by,kids are born, the job changes, etc. Before you know it, a garage full of parts that used to be a car is hauled off or lost. GET IT RUNNING AND DRIVE IT!!! You have a great car, a great year GTO, well optioned, and you stole it for 6k. Enjoy ii....don't destroy it!


:agree The best advice! 
Just clean it up and clear off the 20 years of gunk and see what you bought. If you find yourself over your head, you may make a couple bucks selling it to someone with the skills to put it back together, then buy an easier restoration. I don't know your skills or budget, just saying.
Rims look like the old hurricane rims with more spokes.


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## HUSKER (Jun 10, 2010)

Thumpin455 said:


> You didnt do too bad, looks much better than the 65 I have. I am from near York but I dont live in Nebraska anymore. Still have a ton of stuff back at the farm though, where are you located?
> 
> I could have that one running and driving in a couple months! Doesnt look too bad despite the surface rust. The window channels might need some work, gotta pull the glass to find out for sure.


Close to Lexington. Yea it has only a couple spots that need cut out, the rest is solid. Can't do much till I get it out of the barn and the guy has to move a lot of stuff and he is in no hurry as he is 7 days a week on the farm right now. Once I get it home I'll be able to see what it needs. I want to make it a driver and get it looking sharp. Do you have a extra Tri-Power intake by chance?


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## HUSKER (Jun 10, 2010)

jetstang said:


> :agree The best advice!
> Just clean it up and clear off the 20 years of gunk and see what you bought. If you find yourself over your head, you may make a couple bucks selling it to someone with the skills to put it back together, then buy an easier restoration. I don't know your skills or budget, just saying.
> Rims look like the old hurricane rims with more spokes.


:agree

Thanks for the reply and as far as skills...........well Backyard Tinkerer... I do pretty good working on the older cars but don't even touch anything that doesn't have a Carb. The 60's & 70's were my toys back then. Had some nice runners in my time. I'll have fun with this 65 GTO and it will get my full attention.:cheers


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

It's pretty cool that they stripped it to bare metal so you can see what you got, and it's not entirelly rusted, barn find. Now, just to find out whats under the remaining bondo. When I buy a damaged car, I tell the seller that I'm not buying the paint job as it's coming off the car. I prefer a car that shows up front what you are buying, and you got that. I bought a running 66 GTO cloan with a worn out 389, bunch of body rust and traded the equivalent of $7K, so you are good if it's real or not real. The heart drives the price of the early GTOs as much as logic.. AC car, plus all the other stuff, nice car and you should be good.


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## Thumpin455 (Feb 17, 2010)

If I had a tripower it would be going on the 65 in my shop.  You can get repop manifolds now, and the carbs are available too, I have been thinking about getting the manifold and modifying some carbs I have laying around, probably wont though. A Qjet or Holley is just too simple and easy, no messing around once its done.

I did some construction work near Gothenburg 20+ years ago, that was the last time I was out near Lex other than going to Kearney to race. Lived in Hastings for a while in the 90s, found a 72 455 HO GTO sitting in a guys back yard. No he wouldnt sell it either, it is just rusting there quietly. Lots of cars sitting in barns out there, but most people think they are worth lots more than they are. You did ok on yours, its much better than mine, but I did get mine pretty cheap.


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