# 67 GTO find



## 01freeman (Dec 28, 2015)

Hello,

Im new to this board. I recently found a 67 GTO. The car is a 4 speed car hardtop. Thinking about buying it. The car has sat in a shed for the last 20 years. apparently the previous had to much to drink and hit a light pole in the parking lot. The drivers door has a dent and the rocker is pushed in. The Drivers quarter has some indirect damage as well. I looked the car over and it is complete. however upon looking i discovered that the passenger quarter has been replaced as well but they cut off the quarter from another car. There is a weld seam on the sail panel that is visable from the interior of the car. There also is a weld seam under the filler panel behind the rear window. and a seam on the tail panel. After reading all this is the car still worth putting back together. The owner is asking $3500. The body is otherwise damage free and rust free, The frame is straight with no issues as well also clean title. Like to read your comments and advise. If I buy this I would like to find some quarters to fix these issues or a parts car that has decent quarters and a good passenger side quarter and inner braces on the sail panel.


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## 01freeman (Dec 28, 2015)

*options for rear quarters on a 67*

I am curious what is available for a 67 GTO quarter panels. I have a car that needs both quarters. the left side is damaged and the right side was replaced and was done poorly. What do you recommend or suggest. 

Thanks


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## Winged (Oct 26, 2015)

As a recent 67 purchaser myself, I can tell you that any part you're looking for is available. Whether it be used off of sites like frankspontiacparts.com or new reproduction parts. Just depends on your budget. Pretty easy to spend thousands of dollars, especially on a car that has been sitting for 20 years.


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## Pinion head (Jan 3, 2015)

Full repro 1/4s hit the Westcoast a few months ago. Ck with Ames, or for that matter any nearby Camaro/Chevelle supplier that orders in shipping containers of Dynacorn repop sheetmetal.


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## 01freeman (Dec 28, 2015)

More pictures


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## 01freeman (Dec 28, 2015)

Pictures of the passenger side quarter replacement that was done


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## 01freeman (Dec 28, 2015)

Here are some pictures of the car. And the pictures of the damage and the quarter panel job that was done on the right side


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## 05GTO (Oct 6, 2004)

Does the car come with the original numbers matching engine?


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## 01freeman (Dec 28, 2015)

The owner said the engine is not original. The original one was replaced after it was blown in the 70's


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## 05GTO (Oct 6, 2004)

Please don't take this the wrong way, but you will spend 2 to 3 times what the car is worth restoring it. If the engine was the original engine you could narrow that down to 1.5 - 2 times the value.

JMHO


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## 01freeman (Dec 28, 2015)

What is the car worth. Is it worth restoring it to a drive able condition.


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## Pinion head (Jan 3, 2015)

Hard to say what it's worth. Not enough info, any idea what original drivetrain was in it? How complete the parts are that go with it? factory bucket seats? Nice potmetal 4 speed console? Nice Rally guages? Is the rear bumper in good shape, and still with th car? original documentation is where PHS comes in, PHS will note how the car was originally built.

If its an original 400 HO or RA car, I'd load up the trailer and go get it right now! I have a ton of '67 parts and $3500 would be dirt cheap as a project, NOM or not, even for what has been done to it. Whoever stripped the paint off of it, then wiped bondo on a few spots, rolled it outside, to be TARPED, total !d!ot...ought to be shot!


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## 01freeman (Dec 28, 2015)

Yeah I agree. I dont know who in their right mind would sand it down to bare metal and leave it in the elements. Idiots. The car does have the front and rear bumper and they are in great shape. The data plate does show it is a 4 speed car and a GTO. I need to get the documentation from PHS. It does appear to have all the trim and parts in boxes and looks like original buckets. With the damage and the quarter replacement done on the right side. I just want to know if its worth $3500 or not. Is that too much for the cars current condition. If you found the car this way what would it sell for on todays market. Does anyone have any parts cars that have decent quarters and bracing for the right side that are not cut up.


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## 01freeman (Dec 28, 2015)

what is this car worth. Please advise. Is it worth putting back together. Need to hear some advise.


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## 05GTO (Oct 6, 2004)

IMHO, The car is worth $3500 if you are using it as a donor for a numbers matching car, If you are using someone else to do the restoration you could pay between $40K-$70K for a professional restoration. If you have the skills and do it yourself your cost could run between $20-$50K.

Did the previous owner save, bag and tag all fasteners, nuts and bolts when they disassembled the car. That alone would be a nightmare trying to locate the original hardware to rebuild the car.

There appears to be frontend and drivers side damage along with shoddy work that needs to be replaced or repaired. Is the frame straight? Does the motor run? Are all of the removed parts in the trunk? Do you have a source for the parts that are missing, damaged and are not reproduced? 

The car restored without the original engine may be worth between $20-$28K. 
If you're looking for a challenging project and don't care how much it cost, that car would be well worth the cost of $3500. My 66 is numbers matching and my intention was to take the car apart, blast all parts and restore to showroom condition. My budget was $20k, I doubled that and did 80% of the work myself, several times I was ready to throw in the towel and sell the parts to recover a little of my investment. This car you are looking at is in worst condition than my 66 and is not numbers matching.

You should question yourself, how much time do you have to restore the car, I spent 4-6 hours a day for 18 months, after blasting the car I also hired 2 experienced body experts to do the panel replacements and body repairs which took 10 weeks and then I hired an experienced painter to paint the car at my shop. I also spent an addition $5-$8k for welders, rotisserie, building my own paint booth, engine stand, specialty tools, paint and hardware.

Most people don't know what they are getting into when they take on a project like the car you are looking at, they start the project then soon realize they are in over their head and do the same as the guy that is trying to sell the car to you.

My suggestion to you would be to find a car that needs nothing and can be enjoyed as soon as you buy it.

Good luck,


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## lugnutx2 (Jul 3, 2011)

For comparison. Last year I bought a red 1966 tri power coupe, 4 speed, gauges, wood wheel and 3:55 posi for $6500. The original 389 was gone, but the TP was there. The car had little rust, but was a basket case since it had been disassembled in the mid 70's. I installed a nom and just about have the car road ready. With all new wheels, tires, lines, fuel tank etc.. I have about 15K in a running and driving GTO. Still needs paint and and interior work, so figure another 12-15K for that. I could have bought a nice car for what I'll have in this one, but I enjoy working on the old cars and am not in it for profit. Hope this helps. The one you're looking at will never get restored by the current owner, so I'd try and and buy it a little cheaper. The little odds and ends parts really add up and chrome work is painful on the wallet. Trust me I know. Hope this helps. Dave


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## Pinion head (Jan 3, 2015)

What factory color combo is it? Did you order PHS for it? Any pics of the empty engine compartment, esp the steering box area? Are you looking to buy this GTO and restore it yourself, take your time, and find needed parts at good pricing,, or are you looking for something to quickly build and sell?

Typically, what a '60-70's GTO will sell for locally as a project depends on the area of the country, the condition of the general economy in that area, how many projects are in the general area, and if there are several individuals in the area that are rabidly buying up projects. Having bought hundreds of partscars and Pontiac projects over the the last 30 years, it had to be a very special car that I needed specific parts off of, or I really wanted to build as a keeper for me to pay a substantially high asking price from a seller who really was clueless, just put a high asking price out there. In my general area, there are more '67's restored, and as ongoing restoration projects, than any other year of GTO. '68's come in second, in that respect. The damage to the rocker area wouldn't bother me as the car can be chained down at just about any good body shop and the rocker area can be professionally pulled. The car having a nice straight frame, means a lot. If its an early production '67, you will most likely have a rough time finding a type1 rocker molding. If its a good looking color combo car, I'd prob go for it. Investing $65 in PHS docs, though, is smart. Personally, if I wa expecting an original 4speed car, I would be hacked off if I spent 3-3500 on that '67 project and it came back a 400 2bbl car, that someone had cut a hole in the floor and screwed a shifter porch in, and added a pair of pedals. I'd bet someone will note that "it doesn't matter, 'restore' it how ever you like", but the consistent fact is a good color combo original trim tag, original early 4 speed GTO holds a lot of value to a huge percentage of prospective buyers. Life directions do change, and when cars do have to sell, it's often hard to get a good percentage of funds back on certain styles of "restored" cars.


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## Goat Roper (Oct 28, 2014)

lugnutx2 said:


> For comparison. Last year I bought a red 1966 tri power coupe, 4 speed, gauges, wood wheel and 3:55 posi for $6500. The original 389 was gone, but the TP was there. The car had little rust, but was a basket case since it had been disassembled in the mid 70's. I installed a nom and just about have the car road ready. With all new wheels, tires, lines, fuel tank etc.. I have about 15K in a running and driving GTO. Still needs paint and and interior work, so figure another 12-15K for that. I could have bought a nice car for what I'll have in this one, but I enjoy working on the old cars and am not in it for profit. Hope this helps. The one you're looking at will never get restored by the current owner, so I'd try and and buy it a little cheaper. The little odds and ends parts really add up and chrome work is painful on the wallet. Trust me I know. Hope this helps. Dave




I bought mine cosmetically restored, parts matching '67 and running but mechanically it hadn't been touched except for the WP and what was done was done wrong.
I have almost 70K into it now, engine is done and on the stand with Gardner exhaust, radiator and other parts in boxes and ready for assembly.
Whatever you think it will cost double it and add 20%.
The folks at Ames and Franks Pontiac Parts will be your newest best friends, make sure there is plenty of cash in your stupid money fund, you will need it all.


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## Pinion head (Jan 3, 2015)

lugnutx2 said:


> For comparison. Last year I bought a red 1966 tri power coupe, 4 speed, gauges, wood wheel and 3:55 posi for $6500. The original 389 was gone, but the TP was there. The car had little rust, but was a basket case since it had been disassembled in the mid 70's. I installed a nom and just about have the car road ready. With all new wheels, tires, lines, fuel tank etc.. I have about 15K in a running and driving GTO. Still needs paint and and interior work, so figure another 12-15K for that. I could have bought a nice car for what I'll have in this one, but I enjoy working on the old cars and am not in it for profit. Hope this helps. The one you're looking at will never get restored by the current owner, so I'd try and and buy it a little cheaper. The little odds and ends parts really add up and chrome work is painful on the wallet. Trust me I know. Hope this helps. Dave


Real deal, original tripower 4speed GTO projects are extremely few and far between. You did extremely well on the purchase of that particular '66!


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## PontiacJim (Dec 29, 2012)

The opinions so far aim at restoration and costs incurred. Why does everybody assume "restore" and not "other?" If you are going to restore, that car is just about on the verge of a parts car and like others have said, you better have a deep wallet IF you plan on a restoration and then, with all the frustration and expenses, you would definitely be better to buy turn-key and let someone else absorb all the financial losses and frustrations.

*HOWEVER*, that car would in my opinion be a perfect candidate for a car to hotrod or resto-mod, ie a non-original fun & fast car with minimal investment (as measured against restoration as no Pontiac build is "cheap") at a reasonable price that will most likely still yield a good return or minimize your investment loss should you sell - but you're not, right?

A flip front fiberglass one piece nose from VFN - $875.00. There is your nose. Add your headlights and marker lights - Done. If you gotta have chrome, they have some good paints nowadays that will give you the look, just check out the parts and complete drag car here: 64-67 GTO/Lemans Parts.

No hood, as an open engine with those tri-power air cleaners showing out means all business and you can really detail your components in chrome or contrasting paint. So you build an engine that has power enough to spin tires but won't break the bank - its been covered here many times.

If the frame is solid, pull/straighten the rocker panel and repair or replace as needed. The shop that pulls and straightens will advise. The floor may be buckled as well as other areas you don't see, but will be straightened when pulled by a good shop. Check your roof.

You don't need a resto on the interior. Two bucket seats, a roll bar, and carpet the remainder of the back floor and seat area. You can go modern high back buckets, aftermarket, or factory with new covers. New repro door panels or home made. Cheap.

Trans is our choice, 4-speed, 5-speed, automatic. Bucket seats, no console, 4-speed with the short Hurst stick means all business in my book.

The rest of the drivetrain/suspension/rear end/brakes etc. is all basic items you can either replace, upgrade, or use what you have to minimize the expense. You can lower the car, raise the car, or keep it stock. Go stock wheels and tires or go big fat-ass meats in the rear and the skinny's in the front or any other combo you see your car as having.

If you really want to budget, paint the car yourself. This may sound ugly, but a gallon of rustoleum and a quality Camel hair brush works - I've done it and the paint was drip free and glass smooth just like a shop at nothing near the cost. You can even wet sand and buff if you wanted. Heck, go matte black on the car. Cheap.

So, you have options that don't include a mega-dollar restoration. Check out YouTube and look at some the non-restored modified and personalize GTO's, Lemans, and Tempest cars for 1966/67 and get some idea. Buy some old Hot Rod magazines from the 1960's- 1970's to get a feel of what cars were looking like back then.

If you go restoration - pass on the car. If you go hot rod or resto-mod, then you have a better project to shoot for and accomplish with less investment. The more you can do yourself, the better to save money. If not, join a club, find others who can help you out, or just wing it and learn so you know how to work on the car when it breaks down anyway.

:thumbsup:


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## lugnutx2 (Jul 3, 2011)

Pinion head said:


> Real deal, original tripower 4speed GTO projects are extremely few and far between. You did extremely well on the purchase of that particular '66!


 Thanks for the support!! 
I sent off for the PHS AFTER the purchase and luckily it came back as a real TP car. It was taken apart by the original owner and then passed thru a couple of flippers. The guy I bought from had bought it in the eighties and was going to someday restore the car, but it was slowly going down. At the time, I thought I paid too much, but it's starting to take shape now. I'll take it as far as I can, then trade up to a 68 400 firebird. I've always wanted one, but never had the cash for the right car. Sorry, didn't mean to hijack the thread.


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