# 68 lemans barnfind ( for lack of a better phrase)



## Notagoat (9 mo ago)

Finally got her home, tucked up in garage, and left for a vacation!!! Will be plenty of pics uploaded as she progresses!


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## Jared (Apr 19, 2013)

Very nice! You're kind of a glutton for punishment. An old Jag and an old Pontiac...


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## Notagoat (9 mo ago)

Yeah and jag is lt1 swapped, so must just love heartache! Lol


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## Notagoat (9 mo ago)

Got a few hours this afternoon to play, engine is the stock 350, 2 bbl, with 47 heads, transmission has been swapped out to th400, picking up a battery tomorrow to see what works, seller started car for me, so I know igniting and starter work, but that all I know and seller kept his battery! Lol


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## Notagoat (9 mo ago)

Ok, so all lights have power, they don’t all work though.  power top motor runs but nothing happens, closer obsoeevation and one of the pump lines to the right side ram is wrapped in tape, im
Guessing systems is empty!! Guess I need a to make a real list of what needs doing! I think a what doesn’t need attention would be a shorter list!
I removed the console to get at the floor under it and it is basically disintegrating in my hands, whatever the shell is made of is brittle and turning into a white dust! ( the console, not the floor) floor is solid except for drivers footwell and a small section under rear seat pan on drivers side too


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## PontiacJim (Dec 29, 2012)

Notagoat said:


> Got a few hours this afternoon to play, engine is the stock 350, 2 bbl, with 47 heads, transmission has been swapped out to th400, picking up a battery tomorrow to see what works, seller started car for me, so I know igniting and starter work, but that all I know and seller kept his battery! Lol


Same as my '68 Lemans engine when I bought it. Mine had the 3-speed on the floor.

The 350 can be a good engine to work with if you aren't looking to upgrade to a 400 or 455 or can't find a 400CI for a reasonable price. The TH-400 is a good trans, but a TH-350 would have also worked and it uses less HP to operate.


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## Notagoat (9 mo ago)

Plans for the engine are strip it down to see what it needs, then a plain rebuild, with a slightly better cam, a Pontiac 4 bbl manifold and a quadrajet , nothing over the top ( i have my lt1 jag for that lol)


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## PontiacJim (Dec 29, 2012)

Notagoat said:


> Plans for the engine are strip it down to see what it needs, then a plain rebuild, with a slightly better cam, a Pontiac 4 bbl manifold and a quadrajet , nothing over the top ( i have my lt1 jag for that lol)


Perfect. You can really wake up the 350 and make it a nice friendly & zippy, cruising engine. Much of your performance will be in the heads. The 47 heads are a good base. Then intake/exhaust/ignition. Stock exhaust manifolds can work well and save money, just go with duals and good flowing mufflers. I gasket port matched a set I used on my 400CI and then cleaned up some of the casting flash on the inside and smoothed them out a bit.


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## Notagoat (9 mo ago)

Good info! It already has dual exhaust, will
Likely add an h pipe and then leave rest of exhaust alone


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## Notagoat (9 mo ago)

Got to play a little more last night, took a sander to to it to see where the Metal stops and bondo starts, want to see if I can get away with patch panels or if I need to order whole rear quarters, looks like the rust is only at top of wheel arches and about 5 inches up behind wheel, but for some reason, just about entire quarter panel has a skim coat of bondo on it, which is on top of the original paint, may find a dent somewhere while I keep sanding, I’m thinking maybe some chemical stripper will speed things up a bit, I want to go ahead and order some panels.
Hei dizzy is supposed to come today, along with a new alternator, at least then it should start regularly ( take. Some
Finagling now ( points are old and It keeps losing spark) once It stays running I can move it about the garage, only have access to drivers side at moment as inhave to maintain a spot for the jag ( it doesn’t stay outside)


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## Notagoat (9 mo ago)

Sanding, sanding sanding sanding sanding…. Good googly moogly! So much paint and bondo, but not a lot of rust! Still gonna need patch panels but I’m pleased with what I have found. Bondo was for tons of small dents, it was in the parking lot wars!!!
























it’s gonna be one panel at a time!!! May take a break and put dizzy in, but dunnonyet, driver floor panel came, looks like I only need half of it, and about 4 inches in front of where it ends too, dunno if i will order the toe pan( or whatever it’s called or just use a fat piece from the back of the drivers pan that I don’t need, or am I better off using whole pan, it’s only the drivers front, but goes all the way under seat!


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## Notagoat (9 mo ago)

Drivers floor pan. I looked through the hole and can see the brake line was broken and is crimped so there are no back brakes! Will be replacing that line and redoing entire brake system with disk in front and keeping drum at rear, but that’s down the road a ways


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## PontiacJim (Dec 29, 2012)

Notagoat said:


> Drivers floor pan. I looked through the hole and can see the brake line was broken and is crimped so there are no back brakes! Will be replacing that line and redoing entire brake system with disk in front and keeping drum at rear, but that’s down the road a ways
> View attachment 153261


You may want to read through this restoration of a 1968 GTO. Very thorough and lots of photos. This will help you as a guide and show you how to work your panels.









Restoring my 1968 Convertible-Voodoo II


Decided to share some photos of the restoration process of my 1968 GTO in case anyone is interested. I name most all my vehicles...this one is called Voodoo II. This is a car that I bought in Tucson over 30 years ago. I responded to an add that said "Convertible GTO...needs engine work...




www.gtoforum.com


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## Notagoat (9 mo ago)

Already have it bookmarked been. Reading a bit at a time! Good stuff for sure!!


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## BLK69JUDGE (Jun 10, 2010)

Power your HEI correctly ..........
save your alternator or post up the stamped info on the top
someone may be able to use it on their rest o ??
Scott


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## Notagoat (9 mo ago)

Working in a two car garage where other car needs to be put away nightly is a royal pain!!! I’m done sanding the drivers side ( for now) and rust isn’t as bad as I thought, now I need a access to passenger side, went to turn at around, fired it up and put it in gear ( had something of a brake pedal, figured it was just the fronts as rear line is sheared) there’s a sudden pop noise and pedal fell to floor!!! Had to shove it back in park, and use van to push back into garage!!! Figured I might as well go ahead and at a minimum replace everything for back brakes ( as I’m doing a front disk conversion) and hopefully be able to Bleed front brakes with new master cylinder! Just bought the cheapest one rock auto had as it will be replaced by a new disc one and a power booster! Drivers side went smoothly enough, but passenger side…. Well, um errr it’s gonna need more work!! As seen in above picture!!!


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## 67ventwindow (Mar 3, 2020)

I feel your pain. I snapped a few with my tire iron.


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## Notagoat (9 mo ago)

Pics are out of order, but im
Moving right along, waiting on the rear lines to arrive


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## Notagoat (9 mo ago)

Wonder how low the car would sit if I took out those spring spacers!!!! It had air shocks at one point, port is still in trunk but shocks are long gone


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## motown (Jul 7, 2018)

Bringing back memories, my first car was a 68 LeMans tree fiddy. I had to rebuild a blown engine (my brother’s handiwork) to get it moving and I tossed in a TH400 too. I pounded the living heck out of that trans and it never died. 
did you end up using chemical stripper on most of your paint removal? Any suggestions on a procedure or specific brand?


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## 67ventwindow (Mar 3, 2020)

Notagoat said:


> Wonder how low the car would sit if I took out those spring spacers!!!! It had air shocks at one point, port is still in trunk but shocks are long gone


 I would say you would lose an inch or two. I am getting a good collection of devices like these. Air shocks, coil over shocks, spring spacers and shackles. Going to make a go cart for the kids. With some N50s on the back with set of old mag that are laying around. I home that old Briggs will turn those tires.


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## Notagoat (9 mo ago)

I tried aircraft paint stripper, probably would have been ok if I had scraped off after 5 mins or so, but I followed direct and left in for 45! Went hard again, did nothing but make more sanding!!!!


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## Notagoat (9 mo ago)

Well, tomorrow should be a good day for the Lemans, between Covid, and house issues I haven’t touched her since may! I am 100 percent recovered, house is in good shape, and wife going to work for a few hours , leaving me free to play in garage!
I have purchased patch panels, front disk brake and spindles, ball joints, bushings a door, and a deck lid.
Will post back tomorrow with whatever progress I make, wil only be working til about 4 as I’m taking the jag to a cruise in at 5, washed her today In preparation….


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## AZTempest (Jun 11, 2019)

Nice. Good to hear progress is happening and all is well. Always loved the 68 Lemans as it was my first car back in the day. Remember you can never have too many photos.


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## Notagoat (9 mo ago)

Didn’t get as much done as planned……. Got the deck lid sanded and installed, and door too, there was anywhere from 1/8-1/4 inch layer of filler on entire door covering up at least 50 drill holes from pulling a dent somewhere in its past . Jag is staying outside tonight and ac is on in garage ready for some actual mechanical work tomorrow


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## Notagoat (9 mo ago)

another day of not getting very far, anyone know an easy way to get the old bushing out of top control
Arms?? Bottom was easy enough on the press, but top is not playing nicely!!


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## Drewm (Jul 27, 2021)

Notagoat said:


> anyone know an easy way to get the old bushing out of top control
> Arms??


You need an upper control arm bushing removal tool. I bought one on Amazon for about 60 bucks. 









Amazon.com: 8MILELAKE Upper Control Arm Bushing Service Set Bushing Removal Tool : Automotive


Buy 8MILELAKE Upper Control Arm Bushing Service Set Bushing Removal Tool: Brake Tools - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases



www.amazon.com


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## Notagoat (9 mo ago)

After taking a break and regathering my composure, I was able to get it apart using the press, still have to get the sleeves off of the bar though, then I can put this side all
Back together with polyurethane bushings, then donut all again on the other side, maybe after all this I will have enough brakes to move car around!!!


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## Notagoat (9 mo ago)

Well I got the control arms all rebuild and installed and now a new issue…… my spring compressor setup goes on outside of spring, not made 
For this setup! So I have ordered a new internal kind, and will ( hopefully) have this side back together next weekend! Only to turn around ( and turn car around) to do other side!! Oh well, I get to buy yet another tool that will gather dust after this job ( got more than a few tools that have only been used once) hoping they will get used on this project!!!


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## dadspackard31 (Dec 2, 2019)

@NoGoat ,

Advance Auto or Auto Zone has loaner tools instead having to purchase it. When I did the fronts on mine that's what I did.


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## Notagoat (9 mo ago)

That would mean getting cleaned up, changing clothes and a 30 minute drive, then
Changing again, etc, was
Easier to order one from
Amazon, and cleanup and get in the pool!! 👍
(It was brutally hot in garage yesterday, and door has to be open as not enough light in there to work with door closed, lights are only over the work benches, previous homeowners setup)


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## Notagoat (9 mo ago)

To follow up on the lights for garage ( yes I know it’s a bit off topic, but thought this was awesome enough to mention) at the end of the day, I was sitting on sofa watching an old English tv show called a touch of frost, the character came home and switched lights on and nothing happened, my wife then piped up, “oh, that reminds me, can you get the case of led shop lights out of my
Car” apparently she bought them to install
In her offices at work, and these are more like the old four ft fluorescent fixtures and she needed the 4x2 kind for dropped ceilings!!!! Sat around until
It was too late to return them!! So I can install two above jags spot, then finish suspension with ac on, then move the Lemans on its dollies over to
Jag spot so I can install two more lights above where it sits!! Woohoo! Gotta love free stuff, especially when you are pondering buying the same
Thing!


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## O52 (Jan 27, 2019)

Costco has LED shop lights on sale from time to time as low as $15 if I recall. And they can be daisy chained.


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## Notagoat (9 mo ago)

Progress!!!!!!!

finally got one side done!!! Need to pick up
Some more cotter pins as I stole the top ball joint pin for the spindle nut, now to clean up and slide car over


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## Notagoat (9 mo ago)

Brakes are all done, and car runs and moves under its own power, been posting in other threads, but probably a good idea to keep this one current , so there will be a little repeat of other stuff if you have read other threads of mine, I pulled her out of garage, hosed her off and turned her around, , took me 2 qts of trans fluid to get her to move, wondered why it was low, took a few days to find the culprit, , everything was dry under car for 2-3 days, then I suddenly had a massive puddle of trans fluid, I now need a new filler seal! Not too worried about that right now and trying not to get back into the greasy dirty stuff for a bit ( or so I thought) removed the ac suitcase and heater box to go though every thing and replace what’s broken/missing, ( thank you Scott) and that black tar, caulk, goo, whatever the hell it is back between those two!! Omg, I got it everywhere!!!! It’s almost as bad as the silver antisieze paste!!!
So while waiting for parts to arrive I tinkered and installed the new gauges from Scott, along with my newly working clock ( just need a thorough cleaning and some liquid wax on a qtip) was quite happy with how it looked, that was until I showed the wife, ( her exact words) “ that’s looks like shit, all old and faded, find another”! Wow, hurt my feelings!! Lol but I took a closer look, and she wasn’t wrong, so I got one of those silver touch up paint pens and it’s a million times better!!, nothing else to report, other than I’m tired!! And a few pics, some repeats form other threads,,,


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## Notagoat (9 mo ago)

Got a little time to play finally, swapped out the old points type distributor for an hei one, and also swapped out the old 2 bbl intake and carb for a 4 bbl version, ( man that thing weighs a ton!) carb is for a 1970 olds 350c so should work out ok, just need to do the electric choke conversion!


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