# Sticky  Indoctrinated



## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

I joined the GTO forum 4 years ago and made a couple of inquiries about interiors but I'd been bitten by the GTO bug. Four years later and more $ than I care to admit I finished my ride this past June, and am fully indoctrinated in all things GTO. My goal was a fire-breathing monster that was the real deal but still had the grace and class of the 67. I think (at least I hope) I achieved that goal. I recently retired and my plan was to trailer the car to shows around the country with my wife. So much for that plan. So here's my car, 4 years after starting it.


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## PontiacJim (Dec 29, 2012)

Is that a supercharger install on a Pontiac 400? Give us the details on what was needed as I am sure others might want to know how to do that. I prefer a 6-71 sticking through the hood myself.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

PontiacJim said:


> Is that a supercharger install on a Pontiac 400? Give us the details on what was needed as I am sure others might want to know how to do that. I prefer a 6-71 sticking through the hood myself.


No. It's a Whipple on an LS3. I bought the motor brand new, had it torn down and rebuilt with a cam, springs, etc to match the supercharger and anticpated output. I put some of this in my profile but attached is a more complete listing of what's been done to the car


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

pmrt said:


> No. It's a Whipple on an LS3. I bought the motor brand new, had it torn down and rebuilt with a cam, springs, etc to match the supercharger and anticpated output. I put some of this in my profile but attached is a more complete listing of what's been done to the car


Sorry, that was a poor picture. I found a copy of that poster finished in pdf


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## RMTZ67 (Mar 12, 2011)

That's a beauty. How about some interior pics? I once wanted to find somebody with a sweet 67 black gto and a junked up running 67 and go to shows together as The Good, Bad and the Ugly lol. Yours is BAD!!!!.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

Very kind of you. I realized after showing the car my real enjoyment comes from others who like the car. Many just give it the once over but the REAL GTO lovers start to flip the pages in the build book, scrutinize the dyno curve then invariably they are on their backs looking under it. I actually have a mat for them to lay on. These were taken for the local GTO club car of the month feature. This is a full custom interior but I did not want to diverge from the original too much. Mild but supportive bolsters and understated GTO symbol stitched in the seatbacks. If you look closely you will see six buttons on the center console that mount at one's fingertips. 2 for cutout open/close, 2 for nitrous arm & purge, 2 for up/down manual electronic shift. 

The tranny is a 6L80 custom built with added clutches, HD clutch material, billet intermediate shaft and HD bearings, all to handle 1000 HP hole shots. Yes, I drive my car but I am not a fast driver. Hole shots are rare because frankly all it does is burn up tires. Still, I wanted the bragging rights. With the pipes open and top down I have had it to 140 for about 2 seconds before losing my nerve and it was still accelerating very hard. It is scary how fast traffic comes up on you at that speed differential. The Morrison frame and suspension absolutely is required. It makes lane changing a breeze (not to pun because at 140 a hurricane is quieter). Again, glad you like it. If the virus ever gets controlled maybe I'll be able to trailer it around the country like I planned. Who knows, some day you will see me at a show.

I have a you tube link of pick up date this past June after 8 months of Kindigit-level body and paint.

YouTube


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## GTOTIGR (May 3, 2020)

Beautiful GTO PMRT! 
Although I’m a diehard OEM original guy, to the point of being OCD, in my opinion your choices are very tasteful and complimentary to the original 67 design. Tail panel is a perfect example of that. 
Nice job!
Enjoy


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

GTOTIGER:
I struggled with that decision so you made my day. I have a lot of stories from the last 4 years. a close friend of mine with a stock 66 vette went out of his mind when he saw me take a 67 with 21k original miles (B minus stock restoration) and start to take it apart. "Keep this one original and buy another one to mod" he said. To which I replied: "yeah, just what my wife wants around here....two 67 GTO's. We're still friends but he never forgave me.  ps. many identify the 67 by the tail lights. They don't see the other subtleties from 65 & 6. I am moving from MA to NH next year and will need new plates. I was thinking about: "Guess". What do you think?


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

Close up of the brakes and wheels. Brake calipers were black. Sand blasted them and had powder coat mixed that matches the redlines, interior, pin stripe and Leather wrap on the top of the steering wheel.


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## GTOTIGR (May 3, 2020)

You’re a smart man, brought back a beautiful GTO that will be the envy of a broad range of Pontiac enthusiasts while keeping peace at home... And, you did it your way. After all you’re the one who committed the time and investment, so unless you plan to sell it you’re the one (and your lovely wife) who it must please.
As far as recognizing the year, to me the most distinct identifiers between the 66 & 67 are the grills and the tail lights/ panel. To me it’s all 67 - no “guessing” required...


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

Haha. There is also a difference in the bevel of the headlights as seen from the side. Another quick story: A new neighbor wanted to see my new boiler this past July as he's thinking of installing a new one. We go into the cellar through the garage. He sees the car and goes nuts. Takes a video and sends it to a friend from Dubai. The guy calls me a few days later and asks if I want to sell it. I say no, I just finished it in June. Cutting the story short he calls me back a week later and says he can get me 500K for it. Turns out this guy works for oil-money people in Dubai. He lives in the US to buy stuff for them and recommend things to them. Had to think hard about that but I turned it down. Everyone reading this knows this stuff does not come cheap. If I needed the money I wouldn't sink it into a GTO. So if I sold it sure, I'd have the half mil but an empty garage. I'd regret it forever. At 64 even if I went to Kindigit it would take 2 years to get another. I know them.....I asked. As my neighbor saw it. Garage cleaner than the family room.


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## 1969GPSJ (Feb 26, 2020)

I like your choice on the conv top material


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## PontiacJim (Dec 29, 2012)

pmrt said:


> No. It's a Whipple on an LS3. I bought the motor brand new, had it torn down and rebuilt with a cam, springs, etc to match the supercharger and anticpated output. I put some of this in my profile but attached is a more complete listing of what's been done to the car


Is the Whipple similar to the older Latham superchargers? That was what it kinda reminded me of when I saw it - belt driven rotors.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

Close up of the super charger. You can see the drive shaft that is covered in the engine bay picture. Belt driven. Twin turbine. I use the large pulley. It adds about 10 lbs of boost giving the engine just about 950 HP to the crank at 4500-5000 rpm (calculated back from a rear wheel hp of just under 750. I want to be clear: I'm no expert and have zero experience with superchargers. I'm telling you what the tuner told me. He also says if I use the small pulley that comes with the supercharger it will add about 150 hp or so at 4500-5000 rpm. One more thing I've noticed. The motor comes alive on a cool fall day. Dropping the ambient temperature by 20 degrees probably adds 25+ HP.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

1969GPSJ said:


> I like your choice on the conv top material


Thank you. It is Mercedes canvas. I opted for a glass window that needs to be unzipped and lowered before the top goes down. When I drive with the top up, which is rare, I leave the window down. It's great. I also opted for Mercedes rug material in the interior.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

Here is something else for those of you interested in restomods. The first picture is the Morrison frame before painting. It is essentially 2 massive frames welded together for stiffness. Notice the cross member in front of the rear end. It dips a bit but goes straight through where the driveshaft and exhaust pipes need to be. When we called Morrison they said: "yeah, we have some issues". The second picture is the fix. We jigged the frame so it would not move, cut out that straight section and welded in a 3-curve 3" steel pipe. As you can see in the second picture we were able to tuck the 3" pipes and the larger drive shaft into the triple curved cross member. Works great and looks cool.


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## Jetzster (Jan 18, 2020)

This has gotta be on a magazine cover somewhere 🤭🤗


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

I very much appreciate everyone's kind words, and now during cold weather I hope you are enjoying the pictures. Stay tuned. I do not have the experience and talent to do this myself so I would like to acknowledge the people and vendors who did the work. If you look at the poster I included earlier, they are there. I cannot recommend them more highly. I had only two bad experiences. 1) A tranny shop in Florida took me for 5K and shipped a piece of junk. The motor was bought brand new and also was not as advertised. Since I decided to super charge it in winter 2 of my 4 year build we needed to tear it down anyway. I think the guy that did the super charging has motor oil running through is veins. 

I can't help myself; I'm a real ham behind the wheel. I come a bit late to shows so there is a crowd. I idle in with the cutouts open. At idle the motor has a really nice cam rock. Those of you who have high hp cars know what that sounds like without mufflers. I'll throw it in neutral and blip the accelerator. The motor barks and snarls, then pops with back pressure as it returns to idle. I'll purge the nitrous through two lines (one running to each side of the hood nostrils) during a motor rev and shoot super cold nitrous 5 ft beyond the hood. The spectators go wild. I wish I had a video to share.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

Here is a story you may find interesting. I watched the car shows for years. I really liked Fantomworks so when I decided to do this I contacted Dan Short. I wasn't particularly interested in having the car built on tv, I just wanted quality work. We talked for an hour after which he asked a) how much I thought it would cost, and b) what I thought the car would be worth when done. I answered correctly so he said: "ok, send your car down". He was surprised to learn I didn't have one. After I hired him to find one I told him I wanted to go with him. At that point he asked me if I wanted to build it on TV. I agreed and started talking to the producers in between trips to Chicago, St. Louis and other cities. During these trips I met and had dinner with the stars of Garage Squad, their wives and several of their parts suppliers. I'm the guy in the yellow shirt. Joe (Garage Squad) is in front of me to the left. Dan Short to the right. Their wives are in the front row. The guy furthest to the left with glasses (Tom) had his car done on the show and became good friends with Dan. All friendly, warm people. It was a great time. 

In the end I built the car locally in MA. I'll tell you more about that later.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

This picture is two months after finishing the original build. I like the picture because it is dressed for a 4th of July parade but it is prior to the custom interior and new paint/body work. I know; it looks good, but for those of you with a discerning eye an up close examination of the body and paint would cause silent disappointment. Me too. I fell in love with the 67 GTO when I was 11. It took me 50 years to get one. I wanted to be delighted at everything. . 

In this picture the car has a standard, off the shelf, PUI interior. Notice the wheels. They are Billet Specialties and are identical to the wheels that are on the car now except they are natural color, brushed aluminum and coated. Wheels are a very personal. I looked at a lot of wheels and when I saw these it was love at first sight. I tried hard not to buy them because as usual I have expensive taste, but in the end I was very happy with them. When I put the car in for a total body/paint restoration last winter I bit the "billet" again (pun) and repurchased a new set identical to the first set except in gloss black. Billet Specialties told me: "you can tell everyone you have one-of-a-kind Billet Specialties wheels because we never made these before and never will again. Black was impossibly hard to make. We had to make them twice to yield 4 wheels". So now I have two sets with tires mounted to switch back and forth!


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

An off the shelf stainless exhaust was about 2K, I think. It would have been 2" or perhaps 2.5" diameter. It would not fit the Morrison frame so we would need to modify it. That seemed counterproductive so I had the builder hand-make a custom stainless 3" exhaust. It took 2 full weeks. When we started the car the builder laughed saying: "I've been building cars for 20 years and never had a car sound so good". That was a thrilling day indeed. I thought the finish line was close. It would take 3 more years to finish it.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

It is very satisfying to get such positive feedback from such an experienced audience. Thank you. I've looked at some of your GTO's as well. I would love to stuff a big warehouse with all of them starting with RMTZ's 67. Black is bad but white is right! 

I told you I opted to build the car locally. Here's why: While searching for my car I called a neighbor's brother whom I knew built custom cars for his own use. He reminded me he did not do this commercially, but all I wanted was advice. The next day he calls back and asks two questions: "how long did Fantomworks say it would take and how much do they charge"? I answered: One year, and $80/hr. He responds: "I'll charge you $100/hr but I'll have it done in 3 months as long as there is no body work. Done deal. 

Scott found this car the very next day on line. It was 2 miles from where I lived. Imagine that? Scott examined it for two hours and confirmed it very likely did only have 21K miles on it as advertised. I bought it and the next day we outlined the mod strategy that started with no less than 500 hp. That required the new frame, and we went from there. 
Here is a better picture of the center console. You can easily see the cutout, nitrous and shift buttons surrounded by a faux carbon fiber panel that matches the dash gage surround. This carbon fiber was done with hydro-graphics. It's a fantastic look. The economy gage was in the car when I got it. At about 10.5 mpg it's a bit laughable. This is the Mercedes carpet. The vents are a vintage a/c system we installed. The irony is I rarely use the a/c but the heat function is awesome, and as everyone knows the heat sucked in these cars.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)




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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

I'm going to change gears here (no pun intended) for those of you who would like to see more of the build details. As I said, I ultimately decided to build the car locally. This had two advantages: 1) I was involved. Scott, my builder, loved to give me sh*# by saying "it's your money, and you're paying by the hour but all you're doing is slowing me down". Truth be told I probably was slowing him down many times. But aside from the fun (and it was great fun) I learned every detail about how the car was put together, and 2) I got the car in 3 months just like he promised. Yes, 3 months to the week from when the Morrison frame was delivered we drove the car out for it's maiden voyage. It was the end of April, 2017, and that gave me a whole summer with my ride. Below: Frame delivery from Washington state.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

The front end is modeled after a corvette C5 (or was it C6?). I forget.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

4 link rear suspension. I seriously considered an IRS but then I thought: "why"? This is a cruiser. Besides, an IRS would destroy trunk space with a lot of custom cutting and fabrication to make it fit. We installed a Strange Engineering Ford 9" that ran like crap from day one. I put up with it for the first year but when we put it in for super charging I had it pulled, sent back to Strange who said after spinning it BY HAND: "yeah, its bad". So they sent me a new one and even paid for shipping to me. But they didn't pay the cost of pulling the first one, shipping it back or reinstalling the second one. Total cost of their rear end? Probably $3K or more. I didn't want to add it up. Lots of frustrations like that as you all know.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

There is a reason Dave Kindig uses Morrison frames on his builds. There is a reason Nascars use Morrison frames. They are massive. They are stiff. This is a heavy car, and when you lift it the gaps barely move. The welds are a thing of beauty.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

Mustang II geometry R&P.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

I opted for paint, not powder coat because I wasn't building a trailer queen. This car gets driven and I knew it would get scratched. I wanted to be able to touch it up easily. I think it was the right choice. Kindig power coats his frames.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

Front brakes installed. 6 piston front. 4 piston rear. 14" discs. They allowed me to pull the car down from 100 to a stop very fast and effortlessly, with zero brake fade. However I ultimately changed from the stock pads to ceramic because I couldn't drive a block without coating the front wheels with brake dust. Ceramic gives up probably 10% on brake stopping ability but they stay clean. A reasonable tradeoff.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

Here's a close up of the original Billet Specialties wheels (compare to the black version above). Was thinking of going to a show with black on one side and natural on the other side and mess with peoples heads!


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

Strange Engineering coilovers. A capable product but a bit stiff for my taste. I will ultimately change to an adjustable type. I would appreciate any recommendations people have on good quality, adjustable coilover for cars this size/weight.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

Following are several pictures of the car as purchased in September of 2016. Pls scroll.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

Hi Guys. First, to those of you who contacted me either on this thread or privately, thank you for the kind words and positive feedback. I enjoy telling people about my car (who doesn't, right?) but the same time I'd feel poorly if I bored you. I hope not. So with your approval I will continue.

A bit more history. The previous owner was a very wealthy businessman from Topsfield, MA (one town over). He owned it for ten years. I never spoke to him directly but his assistant told me he drove it exactly one mile a year. It never moved otherwise. When I asked why he was selling it she said: "Tim is into restoring military vehicles now. He wants someone else to enjoy it". As I said earlier I traveled half the country looking for something like this and it was less than 2 miles from me. The sale was transacted through a small, specialty car dealership. 

There's more history but suffice it to say the car was restored to what you see in the pictures above in the midwest in 2006. It was a decent restoration. It even had Pontiac's subcontractors inventory stickers on each piece. But as mentioned the body was a disappointment to anyone with a discerning eye.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

So how exactly does one build a car like this? First, pick up a motor. This was a brand new, custom built LS3. We added the headers and the bling. The 4L85 tranny purchased with it was a big mistake. The 6L80 in the car now was a serious improvement in drivability. 

Side note: after super charging the car was dyno'd (but with the 4 speed). The dyno guy said he thought he felt tranny slippage but it none the less logged in at just under 750 hp to the wheels. I will dyno it again next spring with the 6 speed that as mentioned was built with extra clutches and super grip clutch material to eliminate slip. I bet I get a few more ponies just with that. The rear end has 3.73 gears.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

Next, build up your custom chassis.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

Next, bring the patient and donor into the same operating room. (can you imagine them looking at each other?)  

Now, let me acknowledge the multitude of purists reading this that are shaking their heads, saying: "what a shame". I understand. But really, there are many copies of this car out there that are equal to or better than this car was in stock form. So take a deep breath and read on.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

Start the surgery. Scott is an animal. 12 hr days. 7 days a week. Nonstop. That's Scott.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

Stop the heart


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

Put in the new heart.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

Connect arteries and veins (that's a temporary driveshaft). We had one made.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

Get ready to sew up the chest (I'm running out of medical analogies)


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

Chest is closed (front clip is on). Interior color change is done.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

The first steering wheel I installed. Look familiar? $150 at Ames performance. Added rivets, stain and 3 coats of exterior poly. I really liked it but my two sons (in their 20's) gave it a big thumbs down. Fine! For ten X the price of the Ames wheel I had the custom dyed, double layer, leather wrapped one in the car now. But I admit, it looks cool with the custom interior and it feels awesome. 

About the dash:
The carbon fiber in this picture is a decal. It left a lot to be desired. The hydro graphics dash in car now required computerized, laser cut aluminum panels that fit the dash perfectly. The panel was then hydro-dipped. I had several copies of the panel made because after the cost of the first one, additional copies are cheap. Same with the console. 

The gages are Dakota Digital. They're nice but they were clearly designed by kids with great eyesight. Much of the information is in digital form and is difficult to see in the daytime. Forget it at night. I think Dakota recently came out with a gauge set that mimics the OEM look. I'm thinking about it.


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## jsgoatman (Mar 5, 2013)

pmrt said:


> The first steering wheel I installed. Look familiar? $150 at Ames performance. Added rivets, stain and 3 coats of exterior poly. I really liked it but my two sons (in their 20's) gave it a big thumbs down. Fine! For ten X the price of the Ames wheel I had the custom dyed, double layer, leather wrapped one in the car now. But I admit, it looks cool with the custom interior and it feels awesome.
> 
> About the dash:
> The carbon fiber in this picture is a decal. It left a lot to be desired. The hydro graphics dash in car now required computerized, laser cut aluminum panels that fit the dash perfectly. The panel was then hydro-dipped. I had several copies of the panel made because after the cost of the first one, additional copies are cheap. Same with the console.
> ...


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

This was the first day I had it hope from the initial resto-mod work accomplished by Scott in 3 months. Break in issues: tranny line rubbed and broke through. Brakes were not completely bled. A couple electrical gremlins trying to make an LS3 work with 60's era wiring, but when we supercharged the car and went to the electronic 6 speed the entire car needed to be rewired for additional fuses.


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## jsgoatman (Mar 5, 2013)

Sure is a beautiful Goat. Must be nice to have pockets that never empty!!!


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

Hi JS: Thank you for the compliment but that's not exactly true. Look at it this way; lots of guys have boats as hobbies and even small ones cost a ton more than cars. My wife is amazingly tolerant of the cost but she has commented on more than one occasion: "why couldn't you just take up golf"?


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## jsgoatman (Mar 5, 2013)

pmrt said:


> Hi JS: Thank you for the compliment but that's not exactly true. Look at it this way; lots of guys have boats as hobbies and even small ones cost a ton more than cars. My wife is amazingly tolerant of the cost but she has commented on more than one occasion: "why couldn't you just take up golf"?


lol....enjoy it! Life is short!!


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

That is exactly correct.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

Hi Guys. Above I mentioned my wife tolerating my hobby. And she does. She is not into muscle cars or old cars of any kind for that matter, although she does like 50's era pickups. One of those might be in our future. But I find myself in a bit of a bind now. I can't say a single, solitary word about ANYTHING she buys. Think about it. If she bought a full length mink coat (not that she would) could I possibly object? I'd have to say: "isn't that nice". Fortunately she's a low maintenance gal. I suppose I'm actually the high maintenance one in this union of 35 years.


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## PontiacJim (Dec 29, 2012)

*pmrt* - "Now, let me acknowledge the multitude of purists reading this that are shaking their heads, saying: "what a shame". I understand. But really, there are many copies of this car out there that are equal to or better than this car was in stock form. So take a deep breath and read on." 

*PJ*- I am one of those who say "what a shame," BUT, I would say this more if you had restored the car and stuck in an LS engine. However, your car is so far from an original restored car that I do like it. I can appreciate all of the fine points of the car and all of its changes - at big expense. You have personalized it how you envisioned it and the quality of the build is show and well thought out. Every stage of the build shows craftsmanship with an eye to detail.


Would I have rather seen an AI aluminum Pontiac block with aluminum heads and a supercharger? Yep. But I also get the ease of buying a crate LS engine that a newer generation understands far better than the "old school" and original components. I also think the level of the build will be welcomed by us "old school" types and a younger generation who are more familiar with the reputation of the LS engines, the electronics, and digital readouts.

As a generation of "old school" guys fades away like the flathead did, a new generation of car enthusiasts will repurpose our old muscle cars much like any hot rodder would and the stock drivetrains and bodies will undergo a transformation that will meet their visions of what a hot rod or muscle car means to them so they can drive and enjoy them. Nothing ever stays the same and change is inevitable.

To look at a 1940 Ford coupe, will always be to look at a 1940 Ford coupe. However, under the hood might be a small block or big block, Chevy, Ford, or Mopar, carbs or EFI, or whatever the owner chose to power the car with. Interiors, transmissions, rear ends, suspensions, brakes, etc. will all be suited to the builder or owner, BUT, it will always be seen as a 1940 Ford coupe. The same will apply to our GTO's. Under that outer skin could be anything, but the form and body lines will always be seen as a GTO.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

PJ: I am truly humbled by your comments. They mean more to me than words I can put on a page. You demonstrate not only the old school you love so much but a willingness to accept the new school, and recognize and embrace the change that will happen inevitably happen to these cars after us. Have you considered that someone will someday drop a battery pack and electric motor in one? 

I was writing on the topic below when your comments came in. I was talking with Tom (noted below) about a similar subject a few months ago saying: "Its a bit weird that our cars..... the machines we loved so much..... will survive us. Someone else will drive them some day. Will they appreciate the level of effort and money it took to get them to the state in which they bought them". I can only hope so, but frankly probably not. Said another way I'm ok if my wife wants to bury me in my GTO.  


Tonight I would like to talk about body, paint and trim. 

After all the heavy lifting was done and I'd polished the car countless times I became increasingly unhappy with the body and paint. Hell, the car is black! Everyone knows black shows everything. I learned every imperfection....another one each time I cleaned it. You know how that goes, right? 

One day I met a guy (Tom) at the Newburyport, MA annual car show who has THE most magnificent 67, black, convertible, red interior, this country has to offer the car industry. His rebuild strategy was stock, upgrading only the weaknesses in the original Oldsmobile design such as engine cooling. Anyway, his car is freakin' perfect and the body is no exception. Ehem.....he has 1100 hours of body work into it. By the time I spied his his ride I had seen enough to know a superior body & paint job when I saw one. 

We hit it off, and after a winter of struggling with my transmission Tom introduced me to the restoration shop that restored the body on his car. I spent months watching multiple cars go through that shop coming out looking glorious. When a black 57 Chevy that had broadsided a cement wall doing donuts came out looking like Kindigit built it I decided to pull the trigger.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

The problems with my car: A. it wasn't straight. The paint reflection showed a ton of waves. There was a small dent over the passenger side rear wheel. I had a bit of rust coming through on a lower door and behind the GTO emblem on the trunk. Not a single panel came close to fitting correctly which was typical of GM at the time. The gloss was cloudy in areas. It had its share of scratches both before I bought it and due to all the mechanical work. 

I wanted it as perfect as possible. That took 8 months and one week.


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## dadspackard31 (Dec 2, 2019)

PMRT,

Awesome story and the work that you have had done to this gorgeous looking GTO.
Thanks for sharing your adventures with us.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

Dadspackard: Thank you. I am glad you and others enjoy the story. Hope it makes good reading with a beer. Don't read it all at once though!


The car was brought into the shop on Sept 30 of last year. In a stock car there are 3 or 4 wires in the dash. This car has at least 3 computers in it now and the dash is PACKED with wires. It has 3 large fuse blocks. The body shop wanted to do a "frame off" but I refused. As good as they are there is no way they would unwire and then rewire that car correctly, and the troubleshooting would be my dime so above all else the body needed to stay on the frame, all electrical in tact. The interior came out but the dash was masked off. They wanted to shave the firewall which required removing the engine but I don't like that look. The motor stayed in the car. 

Like the scarecrow in Wizard of Oz the car was otherwise in pieces all over the shop in less than a week. Trust me. I didn't sleep well all winter.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

Everything was sanded down. Remember the rear quarter with the little dent? Turns out it had several pounds of mud. It was reskinned.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

at the time it was needed







the shop could not find a 67 quarter anywhere so they bought a 66 and welded on my old 67 tail.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

Of course all panel were subject to the white glove test and skimmed and sanding repeatedly. I won't bore you with what you've seen or done yourself countless times. I can't find pictures of the old doors but they were swiss cheese so we bought new, after market doors that probably fit a Karman Ghia better. They were immediately cut up, rewelded and hammered into submission. Another requirement I had: Perfect gaps. All of you know this joint at the A pillar is normally horrible.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

The custom tail lights were a big decision and big added cost. When Chris cut out the back panel I almost sh*%. 
Then he fabricated and installed as below. They body putty over the entire structure then cut it out from the back.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

Neither the hood or trunk fit correctly. The tops of the quarters actually had to be raised a bit to match the curve of the trunk. Many panel edges were simply cut off and re-welded on to make the gaps as perfect as possible. The body/frame bushings were checked and tightened properly.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

I had dynamatted the floor pan when the initial work was done but the body shop dynamatted the inner and outer skin of the doors. All the mechanics inside were padded or covered so nothing rattles. The doors sound and feel like a Lexus when they shut now.


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## nick rice (Nov 10, 2014)

You did such a wonderful job.. I applaud you, thats over the top on being tastefully done.. I'm more of an oem guy myself with my 66 Gto post and used to be a hard-core NCRS mid year Vette guy so I know how your friend is, (beyond hope)  Regardless, It's your car to enjoy and I'm sure you will. Congrats!!..

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

I'll not bore you with a lot more pictures. You know the drill. Primer, check for highs/lows and paint.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

Thanks Nick. Appreciate it.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)




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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

no more waves


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)




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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

One last picture of body work to demonstrate I did not tuck the bumpers. The reason was cost. About $4000..............per bumper. I know what you're thinking but really, it was just too much. Plus, good chromers.....and I mean GOOD ones.... have a 6 month backlog so I was probably looking at buying a second set of aftermarket bumpers to put on the car for the summer (remember, this was pre-virus) and then bringing it back in to have them installed in the fall. And what if I damaged one? Nope. Wasn't doing it. 

I feel there was no rhyme or reason to how Pontiac decided to paint the GTO insignias so I painted them to match the maroon elsewhere in the car. Then the day I was supposed to pick the car up my engine builder saw a picture and noticed the car was black, the wheels were black and the brake calipers were black. "bad news dude. Too much black," he says. SOB! He was right. So I had the calipers removed, sent to a local powder coater who mixed a powder to match the maroon. He had another guy make the custom Wilwood logos that are baked on in the process. The calipers were back on the car in less than 2 weeks. I never regretted the decision. 

Trivia: The front wheel rim passes about one thickness of a business card away from the caliper. It never touches.


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## Old Man Taylor (May 9, 2011)

Awesome car. That's a fantastic paint job.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

Thank you, Old man Taylor. Glad you enjoy the pictures.

Last subject: Trim. 
If you are into making your ride really stand out you want to pay attention because this is something on which I am an expert. I'll demonstrate why but first the story.

There are about 30 pieces of stainless on this trim level. Like most cars it was scratched, dented and pitted. From a distance it looked ok but up close frankly it looked awful. I did what I could with cleaners but the improvement was marginal. 

In January we sent it all out to a chromer in PA who polishes as well. $9300 to polish 28 pcs of stainless to the leveI wanted. I left the worst there and had about half returned, reasoning I would do my best on those myself. Then the virus hit. I didn't think about it because the body shop remained open. They were considered essential services by the state. It wasn't really a body shop. No one takes their daily driver to this place. Nevertheless they fell into the loophole and didn't have to close. 

As the time grew near to needing the trim I couldn't get them on the phone. They had closed. I was panicked. I tracked down the owner through public records. He didn't answer his phone so I called his neighbor. "Oh sure, I know him. I'll have him call you". And a day later, he did. I convinced him to open his shop and ship back all the trim. Call me Dick Tracy but a week later I had all the trim in my garage.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

I should clarify that $9300 did NOT include the bumpers! They were fine anyway. Probably aftermarket during the restoration 10 years earlier. The guys at the shop gave me some pointers on polishing stainless. Using some elbow grease, their buffing wheel and polishing sticks I tried their techniques but nothing I did worked as well as I wanted. However I did succeed in flinging chrome across the room a few times when it caught the wheel. 

Over the next couple of weeks I experimented and perfected a process. Here's how you do it but first here are a couple pictures that demonstrate this process works:

This was my first piece using my perfected process. After on the left. before on the right. I got pretty good at taking out dents as well. There is a dent in this one I almost completely eliminated after the picture. This piece took about 4 hours.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

This is a more dramatic picture because the piece is much larger. Before and after. This one piece took about 15 hours.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

This is the most dramatic picture. Prior to starting, aside from all the scratches there was a massive ding right in the center of (the picture). I hit it perfectly on the reverse side with a punch. One LIGHT tap. That's all it took. my son held the piece by the opposite end, perfectly flat on an anvil. In person you almost cannot tell it apart from a mirror. 








.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

Door rocker molding


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

Windshield trim. This took about 2-3 hours. Door rocker molding above about 5+ hours. They were really pitted.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

Wheel opening molding is incredibly hard to polish because it has compound curves. You have to press fairly hard in the last polishing process and there is no way to hold it or keep from bending it. Catch it with the wheel and you're screwed. Solution: I cut pieces of pvc blocks that fit the curves. Each one was a different height and bevel on the top. I screwed them to a piece of plywood then "snapped the molding on to it. It held solid and made polishing far easier. 3-4 hours per piece, I think. Much of this I started at 8pm and finished at 2 or 3 am.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

THE PROCESS:
You start at 400 grit wet sandpaper, BY HAND. You sand the whole piece until it is all uniform scratched that more sanding WILL NOT CHANGE. That tells you all the scratched are now at a specific size. DO NOT CHEAT. I'll show you later what happens when you cheat. 

START WITH 400. REPEAT WITH 600, 800, 1000, 1500, 2000 AND 3000. Don't be fooled by the disks below. I got them from the shop but I used them BY HAND. Keep the paper wet. Use water or glass cleaner. CHANGE THE PAPER OFTEN. Stainless dulls a piece in a few minutes. I spent a few hundred dollars on sand paper. So what!


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

At each grit you sand until further sanding doesn't change the surface finish. If you end up getting a piece of dirt in your paper and creating a scratch larger or deeper than that grit you are using, YOU NEED TO GO BACK TO A GRIT SIZE THAT WILL ELIMINATE THE SCRATCH, THEN MOVE ONE FINER GRIT LEVEL AT A TIME BACK TO WHERE YOU WERE. SO BE CAREFUL. CLEAN THE PIECE WELL BEFORE YOU START SO YOU DO NOT CONTAMINATE THE SANDING SURFACE.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

If you take your time at 2000 grit the piece will start to show a dull shine. It will shine even more at 3000 grit. After 3000 you will use McGuire's Ultimate Polish and a buffer. IT TAKES ABOUT 10 APPLICATIONS PER SECTION. YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT ABOUT 10, give or take a few. 

I tried a body shop buffer but found my hand orbital sander with a wool pad worked best. I also used my 3/8 drill with a similar pad. The drill worked best on thin pieces like the wheel opening molding. Keep the pads clean. Buy a few and rotate them, cleaning them in the sink in between. Everything turns black fast. Use microfibers to clean the black residue frequently. Then watch the magic.

The piece below is the windshield molding half done and a close up half done, and then finished. Note as well the curved surface I made to support it. You MUST support this piece 100% of its length or it will bend. The towel keeps it from slipping and absorbs excess water and polish.

By the time you are done with above the piece will reflect like a mirror.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

Here is a rocker 2/3 done. Look near the towel. It has a mirror finish. I cover the section that's finished so I don't inadvertently damage or dirty it. The left end has been partially sanded. I wore out that palm sander.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

Aside from getting both headlights smashed with a Louisville slugger by your girlfriend here's what happens when you cheat. In this picture I tried to start with 600 instead of 400 grit on a door rocker molding. I went through the the entire process. Hours of hand sanding but stopped after 2-3 applications of McGuire's because it was obvious it wasn't going to work. 

If you held this piece at arm's distance (and certainly if it was on the bottom of a door) you'd say it looks good. But the picture at the bottom is how it can look. It's far better than the finish on an OEM or aftermarket piece right out of the box.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

Top picture is the top of the door molding. You will improve causing you to go back and re-do earlier pieces. I even did the valve covers.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

I think it was worth it. Plus I got a guitar! 

That's about it, guys. Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed it. Let me know if you have any questions.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

postscript: 
Autosol: Forget it. Period. end of story. 

Mothers mag or metal polish: Good for aluminum wheels Doesn't do anything for stainless but it does take off the black polishing residue you create. So as a final cleaner it's fine and that's why you see it in the pictures.


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## flameout1 (Jul 26, 2010)

pmrt said:


> I joined the GTO forum 4 years ago and made a couple of inquiries about interiors but I'd been bitten by the GTO bug. Four years later and more $ than I care to admit I finished my ride this past June, and am fully indoctrinated in all things GTO. My goal was a fire-breathing monster that was the real deal but still had the grace and class of the 67. I think (at least I hope) I achieved that goal. I recently retired and my plan was to trailer the car to shows around the country with my wife. So much for that plan. So here's my car, 4 years after starting it.


hi my name is sal from long island ny
your car is beautiful i have the identical car only i have the pinstiping,iam writing you because i want to put new wheels on my car and iam worried about fitment i noticed you have a large wheel what is the size of them and if possible do you know the backspacing and any other meauserment i may need 
thankyou
sal


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

flameout1 said:


> hi my name is sal from long island ny
> your car is beautiful i have the identical car only i have the pinstiping,iam writing you because i want to put new wheels on my car and iam worried about fitment i noticed you have a large wheel what is the size of them and if possible do you know the backspacing and any other meauserment i may need
> thankyou
> sal


Hi Sal
First, send me a picture of my car's brother, please. My car actually is pinstriped. Look back through the body sections to the picture of the GTO on the side of the car on the back quarter and you can see the strip. It is very thin and understated. 

To answer your questions: 
I have 275 x 40 18's on the rear and 245's on the front. Trust me, 275 is absolutely the widest wheel you can fit in the rear. I have about 0.25" clearance between the tire and the inner wheel well and the same between the tire and the inside of the fender. 

We had complications on wheel clearance because the Morrison rear end was an inch wider on each side vs the OEM spec. We had to compensate by using a shallower wheel backspacing (5", same as the fronts), but I would have preferred a 6" dish in the back. If you have an OEM rear end then your wheel backspacing will be different and 6" may work. 

We also had to add quarter inch spacers on the hubs to dial in such a wide tire. Not a big deal and in the end it worked out, but the spacing is so close on the driver's side we actually had to hammer the wheel well towards the interior of the trunk in one spot just a bit because a tire would rub on hard, right hand cornering. 

We went with 18's as a matter of taste but as well, I was told 17's are a bit out of favor now and have increasingly limited choices. 19 and up seemed too outrageous. We didn't make any measurements for fit but we reasoned there was a strong likelihood we would need a super low sidewalls with 19's or larger. Plus, I did not want that kind of appearance or ride. In short, 18" was just right. It also allowed us to more easily adjust the ride height with the coilovers.

Wheel depth is tricky. We screwed up and neglected to measure for the calipers so watch it!, We ordered wheels with a backspacing that, when installed hit the massive calipers in front. Mine are the racing style calipers so they are very large. I don't see them on many other cars so most are smaller. We ended up adding half inch spacers to get past the front calipers. Again, not a huge deal but be sure to account for caliper size when specifying backspacing. To be clear, mine are 5" backspacing all around but again, needing spacers for the front for my calipers. 

When I ordered my second set of wheels I took the approach: "don't fix it if it ain't broken" and ordered the identical dimensions as the first time so I would not have to deal with adding or removing the spacers if I switched wheels. 

pictures please!


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## Jared (Apr 19, 2013)

Beautiful car my friend. While most may not go for the LS swap route, I like it if it's done right. Personally, I think to pull it off the rest of the car has to be flawless. Tasteful custom touches help it work as well. The job has to look like the modern engine wasn't a compromise or done because it was easy. Let's face it, it's not easy or cheep to do. There are a ton of hidden cost to an engine swap that folks forget about until it's too late. 

You definitely did it. Nice worK!


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

Hi Jared:
Thank you. I am happy it measures up. In my opinion DeLorean and his designers were geniuses. Unfettered by 5 mph bumpers, fuel mileage, crash safety and other standards this team managed to build passion on 4 wheels.
I did not want to destroy the passion which is easily done. For example, the restoration shop wanted to shave the door handles or install the Kindigit custom handles. No way! I think the OEM door handles are sexy. 

But indulging one's passion can be addictive. I'm in discussions about a supercharged LSX that puts NO LESS than 1000 ponies to the ground. It will be cost effective (relatively speaking) because everything from the LS3 swaps over. It's still TBD.

ps. here's the OEM chassis after the operation. I didn't know what to do with it so I hauled it to the junkyard.


Just kidding. Lasted half a day on CL. A Boston cop bought it to restore his own 67.





















.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

I am just finishing this carriage house. This picture was taken today, about 6 hours ago, only 1 minute after those lights came on for the first time. I built it for the GTO. The cement slab has radiant heat and it is air conditioned. I will install a movable lift but I do not plan any serious or dirty work in it. 

I will install a lift but don't plan any serious or dirty work in it. This is for cleaning (both the body and underneath), storing and just enjoying the GTO, and one or two other cars in the future. I will decorate it with pieces from the 50's and 60's, and a giant neon GTO sign I saw at SEMA last year.  

When the inside is mostly done and the GTO is in it I'll post a picture. That's in about 2 weeks. It won't be decorated but there are a couple of nice touches already.


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## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

PontiacJim said:


> Is that a supercharger install on a Pontiac 400? Give us the details on what was needed as I am sure others might want to know how to do that. I prefer a 6-71 sticking through the hood myself.


Pontiac Jim, How about an 87-1 on a Pontiac 505?


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## Old Man Taylor (May 9, 2011)

Nice looking engine. Obviously the octane requirement depends on your compression ratio. But I’m sure you knew that. My 505 needs over 100 octane with a 12.2 CR. I run VP 110.


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## PontiacJim (Dec 29, 2012)

Old Man Taylor said:


> Nice looking engine. Obviously the octane requirement depends on your compression ratio. But I’m sure you knew that. My 505 needs over 100 octane with a 12.2 CR. I run VP 110.


I couldn't afford to drive a car on the street if I needed VP110 - it would have to be a garage queen.


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## Old Man Taylor (May 9, 2011)

PontiacJim said:


> I couldn't afford to drive a car on the street if I needed VP110 - it would have to be a garage queen.


That's for my racecar. My streetcar runs on 91 Octane.


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## PontiacJim (Dec 29, 2012)

Old Man Taylor said:


> That's for my racecar. My streetcar runs on 91 Octane.


Ya, I realized that in your case, but there are still those who go for a high compression build and have to use race gas or an octane booster. I'd rather give up some compression and HP to run pump gas and enjoy driving it - and save a few bucks.


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## 64since65 (Dec 11, 2019)

pmrt, Thanks for posting all the detail about polishing your stainless. And mentioning how long it took is also valuable info - without that I'd have probably given up sooner and assumed I was doing something wrong. I've got 3 cars worth of exterior trim from '64 GTOs and plan to use the best pieces for my own. I'll probably sell the rest but surely won't take all that time to polish if first!


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

64since65 said:


> pmrt, Thanks for posting all the detail about polishing your stainless. And mentioning how long it took is also valuable info - without that I'd have probably given up sooner and assumed I was doing something wrong. I've got 3 cars worth of exterior trim from '64 GTOs and plan to use the best pieces for my own. I'll probably sell the rest but surely won't take all that time to polish if first!


Hi 64:
you are entirely welcome. And I'm glad it helped you gauge how much effort you need to invest to get stainless to look like a mirror. Trust me, some of my stainless like the pieces at the bottom of the rear quarters was pretty nasty. If I can do it anyone can do it. Best advice I can give is a) concentrate on the specific section of the piece in front of you. Don't look ahead because it can get overwhelming. b) be sure the piece is secured to the work surface. if it is moving around you will not be able to do a good job and/or you will damage it and/or cut yourself on a sharp edge. 

It takes more time to make blocking to stabilize the piece but in the end it is the fastest way to a superior, satisfying result. Flat pieces can be stabilized by merely placing them on a towel. Curved pieces are harder to stabilize but be sure to follow the curve or you will bend the piece out of shape. Good luck. Post your results.


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## dan woodland (Jul 24, 2013)

WOW!

Monster status = achieved
Beautiful = YES
Home fitting such a beautiful machine = DONE!

That beast must be a blast to drive!!!


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

dan woodland said:


> WOW!
> 
> Monster status = achieved
> Beautiful = YES
> ...


Hi Dan
I can say this with all sincerity. There is nothing better. The feeling I get sitting in this beautiful machine knowing there is close to 1000 hp under my right foot is thrilling. The sound of the motor is pure music to my ears. 

As mentioned my wife and I are building a house in NH. It has been a long, two year process but we are about three weeks from finishing it and moving in. We sold our old home six months ago so a close car-buddy friend of mine took my car into his temp controlled storage facility for me for a few months, but sadly he needed the space so I had to move the car to a self storage container in January where it sits now. I checked on it recently. I did the best I could preparing the space but strong winter winds blew sand dust through the loose fitting, roll up door and the car is thickly covered with it. I can't stand it.

In a few weeks I will move it here to its new, temp controlled and essentially antiseptic environment. I will VERY carefully foam the car to lift off what doesn't blow off during the move and then spend several days detailing it.

Kathy and I will be at the national POCI show at the Mohegan Sun in July. I signed up to get judged in the modified class. If any of you are there be sure to stop by and say hello.


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## RMTZ67 (Mar 12, 2011)

pmrt said:


> Hi Dan
> I can say this with all sincerity. There is nothing better. The feeling I get sitting in this beautiful machine knowing there is close to 1000 hp under my right foot is thrilling. The sound of the motor is pure music to my ears.
> 
> As mentioned my wife and I are building a house in NH. It has been a long, two year process but we are about three weeks from finishing it and moving in. We sold our old home six months ago so a close car-buddy friend of mine took my car into his temp controlled storage facility for me for a few months, but sadly he needed the space so I had to move the car to a self storage container in January where it sits now. I checked on it recently. I did the best I could preparing the space but strong winter winds blew sand dust through the loose fitting, roll up door and the car is thickly covered with it. I can't stand it.
> ...


Good to hear from you, good luck at the show, Like you'll need it lol.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

As a reminder to anyone who was following my blog, I will be at the POCI show in CT at the Mohegan Sun resort July 11 to 15. My ride is being judged in the modified class. If you are going to the show please stop by and say hello. 
Also, since my last post the car is now here at its new home as of about a month ago. Here is a picture taken yesterday, all cleaned up for the show.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)




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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

ok, I'm not sure why there are two copies of this picture but that aside, by way of an update the POCI national convention was held in July. While this award is literally silver-colored it is the Gold award in the modified class. Go figure. A few of us got them. I got 398 out of a possible 400 points. One point removed for a scratch on the chassis. Now there's a surprise. I drive this car on real roads. Not sure why the other point was deducted. Anyway, I took the liberty of having the award painted gold. It looks much better in my opinion. 

Also, I just had professional pictures taken. They came out amazing. The GTOAA features a car every month and mine will be in it in a few months. Not sure exactly when, yet. I'll provide the pictures to the editor for the magazine article.


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## RMTZ67 (Mar 12, 2011)

pmrt said:


> ok, I'm not sure why there are two copies of this picture but that aside, by way of an update the POCI national convention was held in July. While this award is literally silver-colored it is the Gold award in the modified class. Go figure. A few of us got them. I got 398 out of a possible 400 points. One point removed for a scratch on the chassis. Now there's a surprise. I drive this car on real roads. Not sure why the other point was deducted. Anyway, I took the liberty of having the award painted gold. It looks much better in my opinion.
> 
> Also, I just had professional pictures taken. They came out amazing. The GTOAA features a car every month and mine will be in it in a few months. Not sure exactly when, yet. I'll provide the pictures to the editor for the magazine article.


Ears must have been itching as I brought you up in a conversation a couple days ago. The conversation was about a convertible for sale. Anyways... welcome back and congrats.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

Hey. Long time. Thanks. Lemme see: I think I have your email address somewhere..........


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## RMTZ67 (Mar 12, 2011)

pmrt said:


> Hey. Long time. Thanks. Lemme see: I think I have your email address somewhere..........


Or pm me


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## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

hey PMRT, Superb build. Check out my 67 GTO here. I built it (with help) about 9 years ago. It was actually featured in CARCRAFT magazine. I would like to ask you for some info on tyhe 6L80e transmission. What did you NOT like about the 4L80e? I have a 4L80e in my GTO....I am currently (hahaha) building a 1973 Riviera and am considering using a 6L80e in it. The Riv will be naturally aspirated. No Blower 








Thank you for any info!!!! My GTO has 4000 street miles on it now....505 cu in IA2 block, 871 BDS supercharger.....runs on 93 octane gas....8lbs of boost.


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## pmrt (Oct 22, 2016)

Eric Animal said:


> hey PMRT, Superb build. Check out my 67 GTO here. I built it (with help) about 9 years ago. It was actually featured in CARCRAFT magazine. I would like to ask you for some info on tyhe 6L80e transmission. What did you NOT like about the 4L80e? I have a 4L80e in my GTO....I am currently (hahaha) building a 1973 Riviera and am considering using a 6L80e in it. The Riv will be naturally aspirated. No Blower
> View attachment 149944
> 
> Thank you for any info!!!! My GTO has 4000 street miles on it now....505 cu in IA2 block, 871 BDS supercharger.....runs on 93 octane gas....8lbs of boost.


okaaaay. I can easily see why you're called "animal" cuz that is one hellava beast. Gorgeous, too. Transmissions: My ride started to chew up the 4L80e. It would slip when punched. I would only punch it leaving shows, which is to say at least a couple times a week. It was purchased brand new. Also, I wanted to lower the revs a bit at highway speed. The 6L80 peeled off about 500 rev's at 70. With 3" pipes and the top down it was a welcome relief. Taking the advice of those who know more than me I ended up with a custom-built, 1000 hp-capable 6L80 (no "e" the model #) built by the best. Extra, heavy duty clutches and bearings, etc. The guy who built it said the microprocessor in the 6L80 would "learn" my driving habits and adjust to accommodate it, and he's right. I can feel it change shift speed and rpm range depending on how aggressive I am driving it. Its a bit hard to describe but its pretty neat. It also has manual shift capability.


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