# Sticky  1966 GTO Frame, floors, inner & outer rockers replaced



## jeff613 (Jul 31, 2010)

Hello.
I would like to share my project that I have been working on for a few months now. 
I've owned my 66 GTO since 1981. It is an Ohio car and had rust rot in the common places along with the frame. 
My plan was to save all the restoration work for my retirement days. Well... I found a perfect like new frame online for a price I couldn't pass up so my project started a bit early. 
I replaced the trunk, mounts, gas tank, & repaired the inner wheel wells a few years ago and figured I could tackle the frame and body stuff also. 
To make a long story short, the project consisted of removing all rust rot and replace everything the new frame would come in contact with. New floor pans, inner & outer rocker panels, floor braces, body mount bushings etc...
I started in April and finished the frame & body in Sept. Removing the hood in the beginning was the only part I had help with, the rest I did by myself.
I quoted Butthead many many times throughout the process..."This sucks more than anything that has ever sucked before"!!
Thank you for hearing my story. 
Jeff
I will attempt to attach some pictures now. I'm not sure how many pictures I can save as attachments


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## jeff613 (Jul 31, 2010)

*1966 GTO cont...*

A few more pictures of the project.


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## tjs72goat (Jul 20, 2017)

Nice work. A lot of work, but very rewarding once done. I did a frame off resto on a 55 Chevy Sedan Delivery a few years ago I've owned for 40 years. I was cussing many times and glad to have finished it, with good results. 
Your heat barrier looks similar to what I used in the 55. What brand did you use? I'm now looking for the same for my 72 Lemans convertible resto I'm doing.


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## jeff613 (Jul 31, 2010)

Thank you!
Yes it sure was a lot of work! I'm sorry I don't remember the brand of insulator mat I used. I put the packaging in the trash a few weeks ago. If I happen to find out I'll let you know.


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## jeff613 (Jul 31, 2010)

The brand of heat barrier I used was "car insulation".. imagine that lol. 
I purchased 50 sq ft from eBay. It was enough for the entire floor and the trunk divider. It was recommended to me for its heat at weight properties.


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## Ducalion (Jan 5, 2018)

*Nice*

Looks great. I'm starting to put a 65 back together do you know if the outer rockers are the same and what the outside dimensions were?...lol I can't understand my own notes I took.?


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## jeff613 (Jul 31, 2010)

Hey thanks. Yes the outer rockers are the same for your 65 GTO. 64-67 are the same. The aftermarket panels are not stamped the same- the bends are not as sharp as the originals and are pretty much intended to use to replace the entire panel. If you just plan to use a section of the panel (like I did) you will have to use some crafty metal work to blend the bends. Nothing to difficult. Good luck


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## Cafr119 (Dec 9, 2017)

Looking sweet, nice work !!!


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## M1Lover (Nov 29, 2017)

REAL good job on your project Jeff. You're making great progress. 
I've got a '66 GTO that has the windshield, dash and back window rust common to so many of these cars from back east. I found a donor '66 LeMans here in Arizona and first thing, popped off the trim around the windshield and back window. Full of dirt, but dry as a bone. My challenge is to take the two bodies and make one good one. Going to break the big project down into several smaller ones. I'll start with getting the GTO body off of the frame. Local powder coating shop will sandblast and powder coat the frame for $500. Starting with that solid foundation should motivate me to get the body put on with new mounts and begin the body project.
Thanks for the inspiration and Butthead quote. Now, I'LL be repeating it over and over in my head! LOL.
Hunter


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## jeff613 (Jul 31, 2010)

Thank you Cafr119 & M1Lover.
Hey Hunter that's great that you have donor car and will be able to make a complete solid car from the two of them!
Once you get that frame back from powder coat you will be surprised how much that motivates you to get to work! 
Heck, I fell in love with my new frame! lol
I would smile each time I looked at it and think to myself how much nicer my Goat was going to be after all the work.
My old frame was a lot worse than I first thought. I was embarrassed that I had been driving on it all of these years.
I'm glad I finally got serious with the car and started the ton of work that it took. 
Good luck with your project, pace yourself and don't get overwhelmed! It will be well worth it when Your finished


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## stich (Feb 15, 2016)

M1Lover said:


> REAL good job on your project Jeff. You're making great progress.
> I've got a '66 GTO that has the windshield, dash and back window rust common to so many of these cars from back east. I found a donor '66 LeMans here in Arizona and first thing, popped off the trim around the windshield and back window. Full of dirt, but dry as a bone. My challenge is to take the two bodies and make one good one. Going to break the big project down into several smaller ones. I'll start with getting the GTO body off of the frame. Local powder coating shop will sandblast and powder coat the frame for $500. Starting with that solid foundation should motivate me to get the body put on with new mounts and begin the body project.
> Thanks for the inspiration and Butthead quote. Now, I'LL be repeating it over and over in my head! LOL.
> Hunter


 Hey Hunter, I've also replaced my frame and need some original, if possible, body parts for the rest of my project. mines a convertible but what I need is interchangable. Need full rockers, inner and outer, and the lower areas of the rear wheel wells (below the trunk floor line) on both sides if thats even possible. Please keep me in mind if you have left over body parts on your doner car


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## stich (Feb 15, 2016)

jeff613 said:


> Thank you Cafr119 & M1Lover.
> Hey Hunter that's great that you have donor car and will be able to make a complete solid car from the two of them!
> Once you get that frame back from powder coat you will be surprised how much that motivates you to get to work!
> Heck, I fell in love with my new frame! lol
> ...


Jeff I'd be real interested on any advice to replacing rockers. I'll need to do that also. I've got a new frame also and am working on all new suspension. plumbing, exhaust and new 455/ 4 spd. conversion on it right now. I do have access to a body rotisserie when I get to that part so that will make thing easier. Thanks for your input/advice.


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## Sixty7GTO (May 4, 2017)

Jeff,
Who's Floor pan sections did you use and are some manufactures rocker better detailed than others?


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## jeff613 (Jul 31, 2010)

Sixty7GTO

I believe the floor pans were Goodmark. A lot of the rocker panels are stamped without the sharp bends like original. I did find a few that say they are original style and they are priced fairly high. Do a search for original replacement rockers and you can find them.


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## jeff613 (Jul 31, 2010)

Stich

If you are just replacing the outer rocker panels it's not very difficult. You need to pop the spot welds at the floor pan and at the bottom lip and do a little cutting and grinding to remove the excess metal. Inner rockers are about the same procedure. I used a cut off tool and cut the panel just to where the upper and lower lips are for the spot welds and then popped the spot welds and removed the excess metal.
Hope that helps you out.


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