1968 GTO Resto-Mod

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

when my parents met in felton, california in 1977 this was the car my mother was driving.

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

i was born in 1979 in south lake tahoe.
the black goat was our daily driver.

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

one late night on the highway my mother narrowly avoided a direct head-on collision with a drunk driver who crossed centerline coming over the crest of a vertical curve in the grade.

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

the only thing salvaged from the wreck was the muncie 4 speed manual transmission and the hurst shifter seen in this photograph.

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

they found another goat not too long after that.
we drove it up the alcan highway when my father moved our family to alaska in 1982.

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

my father fired that car up every spring so we could rip around town in it during the summer.
we always talked about fixing it up, but dad never thought he would have the time or money.

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

my father died in 1998.
i was 19 years old.

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

the goat didn't get too much attention in the years after my father's death.

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

when i look at this photograph it's easy for me to understand why this project is so important to me now.

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

autobody

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

bodywork

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

left front fender

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

right front fender

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

panels

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

the hood

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

radiator support

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

endura bumper

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

wheels/tires, fuel tank, exhaust, rear bumper

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

doors

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

the hood

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

inner fenders, endura bumper, hood hinges

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

valence panel

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

frame

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

frame2

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

frame3

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

frame4

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

frame5

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

front suspension

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

transmission

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

transmission2

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

transmission3

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

rear axle

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

engine (1-4)

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

engine (5-8)

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

engine (9-12)

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

engine (13-16)

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

engine (17-20)

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

drivetrain

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

fuel tank

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

gauge cluster

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

front suspension

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

spindles

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

hardware

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

these photographs represent most of the work done up to this point.
right now i'm waiting on delivery of shock absorbers, sway bars, disc brake conversion kits and upper and lower control arms for the rear end.
also thinking about exhaust system, fuel and brake lines, transmission crossmember and wheel/tire package.
stoked to be a member of the community here as it seems like there are a lot of really talented people working on some great projects...
i've already learned so much from just looking over some of the other threads!
thanks!
danny

[jarhead]

Loved the backgroung history, and the present as well.
Joe

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

started playing with the A-arms the other day.
just trying to get an idea what exactly it's going to take to get this bolted together...

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

trying to make sure the original axle shafts are in reasonably good condition before planning to reinstall.
i have already replaced bearings and races, and applied primer coat, as you can see in the photograph.
both shafts are straight, splines look good, and there doesn't appear to be any outwardly visible signs of wear or damage.
what else should i be looking for?
are there any significant drawbacks to using the original axle shafts?
danny

[Roger Poirier]

Keep up the good work. Its all in the details which you seem to have a handle on. :D

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

thanks!
also been making more progress sealing up the fuel tank.
applied two coats of self-etching zinc primer, then two coats of epoxy primer under a paintable rubberized undercoating.
still thinking about final finish...
silver could look nice, but i feel like black might help the tank 'disappear' under there and at the same time be a more practical choice since the car will be a driver.
your thoughts???
are there any particular requirements to finishing the outside of a steel gas tank that i might be missing?
thanks!
danny

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

started bolting the steering linkage together.
these are new moog parts- centerlink, idler arm and inner/outer tie rod ends and sleeves along with the original steering arms.
danny

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

the original power steering gearbox appears to be in reasonably good condition.
it worked fine and did not leak when i shut the car down for disassembly, so i see no reason to break it open right now.
i'll remove the rag joint when i decide what to do about the steering column and shaft.

i have read about upgrading the internals for a faster ratio, but no one here in town does this work and i do not want to send it off in the mail.
for now i'll just go with the original equipment and keep it in mind for an upgrade later on down the line... once the car is back on the road.
what do you think?
is this a sensible approach given the circumstances?
thanks for your thoughts!
danny

[Windsor GTO]

Amazing work, the history of the car is great as well. Cant wait to see the finished project.

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

tie rods and steering arms are in place...

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

trimmed down the front gussets on the upper A-arm mounts to eliminate sharp contact while front suspension is drooping...

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

pulling the old lines out of cold storage... these are the really fun parts of building a car in alaska in the winter!
danny

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

brake and fuel lines are eligible for retirement... not planning to re-use any of it.
i'll probably just get some straight tube and a tubing bender and see what i can do with it.
danny

[Bowtieracing]

That car was really important to your parents. Thank you for sharing real life story. Keep up the good work!

[rallystyle]

good to see another person from Alaska building a gm A body. keep up the good work :thumbsup:

[Tuske427]

Great story and progress! You're lucky that your folks drove, IMO, the best looking GTO ever made. In 1979 my folk's family car was a Datsun F-10, ha ha!

RE: your questions....

1- Gas tank. x2 on the black. It'll help hide it...

2- steering. I'd look into either sending that out for rebuilding with a faster ratio- or replace it (new if the budget allows) or if used- then look for a later model box like out of a 90's caprice cop car, etc. There are some articles online that will tell you the specifics of what can be swapped. Car Craft also wrote something on this a couple of years back. With all the suspension upgrades you're doing it'll be worth it to have a faster steering ratio. You'll be happy you spent the time to do this when the car is apart.

http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles/ccrp_0901_gm_steering_box_upgrade/

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

the power steering pump and gearbox are both on their way to lee mfg. in california for the 12.7:1 upgrade.
it looks like the whole operation, including shipping, will cost about $1000.
thanks for the solid advice guys.
i really appreciate it.
danny

[waynieZ]

Great back ground on the car and your family. You'll have a sweet ride and awesome memories when you get to take it out. Your doing a great job.

[Vince@Meanstreets]

your gonna love the lee set up. great wok. keep it up!!

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

hellwig front and rear anti-sway bars

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

started looking at the rear end today... currie currectrac upper and lower control arms.

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

lower control arms and springs are in place...

[waynieZ]

Those will definitely help the handling. Nice parts.

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

hellwig adjustable rear anti-sway bar installed.
greased everything real well during assembly.
won't torque down the fastening hardware until the full weight of the car is sitting on the suspension.
danny

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

here is the original motor mounting equipment.
i had always planned to just replace these components with high-quality aftermarket parts, but they actually seem to be in pretty good shape.
these mounts only traveled about 120,000 miles before disassembly and as far as i know the motor was never really shaken up too much.
i bought a set of engine mounts from napa because they were in stock and only $8 each, but they looked like poor quality korean-made tin foil toys, so i returned them.
butler performance offers a pair of polyurethane/stainless steel interlocking engine mounts for about $150.
does it make sense to re-use the original mounting system, or should i upgrade to the butler product?
i would really appreciate any thoughts you have on this one guys...
thanks!
danny

[Roger Poirier]

40 + year old engine mounts, are you kidding. :rolleyes: Safety first. Try a set from Year One. Good factory replacements.

By the way I like your build thread. My first car was a 1968 GTO. I now have a 1969 GTO Judge resto-mod that I had since the age of 16. Now over 40 years.

Nice attention to detail. I spent two years detailing my parts. This is what takes the car to the next level. Keep up the good work.

[tones2SS]

That is looking great! Nice build.
Don't know how I missed this one. :knock:

[JKnight]

Roger!!! You're back!!

Roger's 69 "resto-mod" is unbelievably nice. Yours is coming along nicely as well!

[rallystyle]

check your upper arms. the end on the axle looks upside down. got to love the sc&c suspension setup

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

40 + year old engine mounts, are you kidding. :rolleyes: Safety first. Try a set from Year One. Good factory replacements.

By the way I like your build thread. My first car was a 1968 GTO. I now have a 1969 GTO Judge resto-mod that I had since the age of 16. Now over 40 years.

Nice attention to detail. I spent two years detailing my parts. This is what takes the car to the next level. Keep up the good work.

roger,
thanks so much for helping me out on this one!
the year one engine mounts have been ordered!

check your upper arms. the end on the axle looks upside down. got to love the sc&c suspension setup

rallystyle,
good catch!
thanks for your help.
i got those upper arms rotated around right-side-up yesterday.

i really appreciate your input with this project guys.
i've said it before and i'll say it again- i've never built a car before so i'm grateful for the oversight!
thanks!!!
danny

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

got the power steering pump and gearbox back from lee manufacturing this week.
i'm so glad i decided to do this now... the parts look good as new, the turnaround time was plenty quick, and when all was said and done it cost about $300 less than i had originally calculated!
danny

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

there were no rear control arm braces on this car when i disassembled it.
the product i have installed is manufactured by bmr fabrication.
danny

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

the brake kits were delivered this week!
this is baer's pro plus front brake system with 6 piston calipers and 14" rotors.
danny

[Roger Poirier]

Here some motivation for you. This my finished product. 1969 GTO Judge. Old school engine (428 engine with ram air IV heads. Add modern suspension, brakes and steering and you have one modern car.

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

oh yeah, and just in case you were wondering...
it's chassisworks vari-shock QS1 single adjustable shocks in front and rear.
danny

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

Here some motivation for you. This my finished product. 1969 GTO Judge. Old school engine (428 engine with ram air IV heads. Add modern suspension, brakes and steering and you have one modern car.

wow- stunning!!!
that is one gorgeous GTO!
thanks for the motivation!
danny

[BanditDave]

Here some motivation for you. This my finished product. 1969 GTO Judge. Old school engine (428 engine with ram air IV heads. Add modern suspension, brakes and steering and you have one modern car.

Awesome car, need more pics!

OP, great build! Trying to get my fathers '68 GTO restoration going in the pro-touring as well...keep up the great work!

[windycitychev]

sweet build

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

still working on getting the rotors and calipers installed...
thanks for your interest!
danny

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

the flanges on the rear axle shafts were almost 6.5" in diameter, but baer specs a max dimension of 5.9" for proper fit within the rotor.
the machinist turned them down with his lathe yesterday.
it looks to me like there is enough material behind the wheel studs for this to work alright, but i'm certainly not an expert.
does anyone have any input on this one?
thanks so much for your help.
danny

[Chassisworks]

This is going to be a sweet build!

oh yeah, and just in case you were wondering...
it's chassisworks vari-shock QS1 single adjustable shocks in front and rear.
danny

I was wondering. :)

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

here are a few photos of the rear brake install...
thanks for your interest!
danny

[Grubest63]

Subscribed, this build is looking awesome. Love to PT GTO's.

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

This is going to be a sweet build!

sweet build


OP, great build! Trying to get my fathers '68 GTO restoration going in the pro-touring as well...keep up the great work!

Subscribed, this build is looking awesome. Love to PT GTO's.

guys, thanks so much for your interest!
danny

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

this is flowkooler high flow waterpump #1622

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

pontiac blue

[tones2SS]

Great updates!

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

today i pulled the masking off

[Roger Poirier]

Looking good. Remember it's all in the details. Can't wait until you get to exterior paint.


Roger

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

here's a few photos of recent progress...

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

thanks roger!

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

check this out...

C => March
12 => March 12
8 => 1968

hahaha!
happy birthday!!!

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

installed headers yesterday.
this product is manufactured by doug thorley.
3 primaries, 3" collector, ceramic coated, 3/8" flange, good fit, etc...

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

here are a few photos of the install.
thanks for your interest!
danny

[66fury]

that motor looks like its missin a couple cylinders.nice detail on your build

[tones2SS]

Looks good Danny.
Keep the updates coming.

[waynieZ]

Looks good Danny.
Keep the updates coming.

I'm with Tony! Nice!

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

that motor looks like its missin a couple cylinders.nice detail on your build

Looks good Danny.
Keep the updates coming.

I'm with Tony! Nice!

guys, thanks so much for your interest in this project!
recently i've been trying to get the rest of the brake line plumbing knocked out...
it's 3/16" DOT rated nickel brake tubing i can shape easily with a simple bending tool or by hand.
please let me know if anything looks screwy.
thanks a lot!
danny

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

finished up plumbing the brake lines in the rear...

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

many of my friends have been asking about this project, so before i left the shop tonight i snapped this shot and sent it out...
thought i'd share it here as well.
danny

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

i have been thinking about this idea for a long time, but i'm starting to feel like i'm floating in uncharted territory.

these are all 6 groove serpentine pulleys.
i still need a plan for including an auto tensioner and/or idler pulley.
i still need a plan for spacing out all pulleys to alignment.
do any of you guys have experience with "do-it-yourself" serpentine conversion systems?
if so, i would be very thankful for your input.
also, where else might i look to find information about this kind of modification?

of course, i still have all the original v-belt pulleys so if this serpentine conversion idea doesn't work out i can just reinstall the original system.
please feel free to share your thoughts... thanks!
danny

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

all the accessory pulleys are now aligned.
i used an assortment of crude washers and sleeves to get them into place.
from here i can calculate dimensions and order one-piece aluminum spacers from aluminumspacers.com...
the water pump pulley lined up to the crank pulley with 3/16" of spacing behind it, the alternator needed about 11/32" of spacing and the power steering pump required about 15/32" of spacing.
hopefully, nothing got pushed too far forward.

now i need to determine where the belt tensioner pulley will have to go, and how i might have to shape a bracket to mount it.
i have found various resources online which cover the basics behind this kind of modification.
there seem to be various opinions about whether or not power gains are possible with a serpentine conversion, but to be straight up... i'm just hoping i'll never have to fiddle with the v-belts again.
please feel free to chime in with your comments at any time.
thanks for your interest!
danny

[rickpaw]

Great job on the belt set up.

The car is going to be sweet.

[Efi69Cam]

all the accessory pulleys are now aligned.
i used an assortment of crude washers and sleeves to get them into place.
from here i can calculate dimensions and order one-piece aluminum spacers from aluminumspacers.com...
the water pump pulley lined up to the crank pulley with 3/16" of spacing behind it, the alternator needed about 11/32" of spacing and the power steering pump required about 15/32" of spacing.
hopefully, nothing got pushed too far forward.

now i need to determine where the belt tensioner pulley will have to go, and how i might have to shape a bracket to mount it.
i have found various resources online which cover the basics behind this kind of modification.
there seem to be various opinions about whether or not power gains are possible with a serpentine conversion, but to be straight up... i'm just hoping i'll never have to fiddle with the v-belts again.
please feel free to chime in with your comments at any time.
thanks for your interest!
danny

Great idea on the belt conversion. The setup looks very similar to the accessory layout on a LS Corvette. The only issue I see with what you are doing is that the water pump pulley is often smooth so the belt can wrap around it on the driver side so you get more belt contact on the balancer. Can you get a Pontiac water pump set up for reverse rotation? You'd need that if you swap to the smooth WP pulley.

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

Great job on the belt set up.

The car is going to be sweet.

Great idea on the belt conversion. The setup looks very similar to the accessory layout on a LS Corvette. The only issue I see with what you are doing is that the water pump pulley is often smooth so the belt can wrap around it on the driver side so you get more belt contact on the balancer. Can you get a Pontiac water pump set up for reverse rotation? You'd need that if you swap to the smooth WP pulley.

thanks for sharing your comments guys!
i really appreciate your interest in this project!

the flowkooler high flow water pump #1622 was the best choice for matching up with the mounting pattern on my old school pontiac timing cover.
the impeller in this pump is described as being bi-directional.
however, the backing plate arrangement controls the direction of coolant flow through the housing and this was originally designed for a clockwise rotating pulley.
could problems with coolant flow be encountered by reversing the pulley rotation? i don't know...
my impression is that it would be best to maintain the original direction of rotation at the water pump.
yes, to make this serpentine conversion work i must find a way to get enough wrap on all the pullies.
any other thoughts out there?
thanks for your input!
danny

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

this is the muncie 4 speed transmission from my mother's black goat.
it was rebuilt by Young's Gear and Drivelines of Fairbanks.
the shifter is in south carolina right now being refurbished by Hurst.
this is really just mock up stage: i haven't yet installed the flywheel, clutch or pressure plate.
the hydraulic throw out bearing and clutch master cylinder upgrade kit from Mcleod Racing should be here this week.
always moving forward...
thanks for your interest!
danny

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

the doug thorley headers extend about 1.5" below the oil pan.
i do not intend to hug the ground too close with this car.
the lowering springs i installed in the front suspension came with a pair of SPC spacers for each side which can be placed under the spring seat to adjust the height of the front suspension.
they are not installed at this time, but they're on-hand if i need to bring the ride up a little bit in the front.
the alignment of the header collector outlets with the transmission crossmember looks promising.
thanks for checking in on my progress!
please feel free to share a comment if you have one!
thanks,
danny

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

it's time for another big step!

Mcleod:
hydraulic release bearing and clutch master cylinder upgrade kit

Butler:
MSD pro billet ignition kit

RobbMC:
1/2" fuel pickup and sending unit
pontiac mechanical fuel pump w/ 1/4" vapor return option
pontiac gen II mini starter

Hydratech:
hydraulic brake assist unit
cpp master cylinder

Ron Davis:
dual electric fan radiator
master grounding kit

Flowmaster:
2.5" american thunder exhaust
40 series mufflers

thanks so much for your interest in this project!
danny

[mild2wild]

it's time for another big step!

Mcleod:
hydraulic release bearing and clutch master cylinder upgrade kit

Butler:
MSD pro billet ignition kit

RobbMC:
1/2" fuel pickup and sending unit
pontiac mechanical fuel pump w/ 1/4" vapor return option
pontiac gen II mini starter

Hydratech:
hydraulic brake assist unit
cpp master cylinder

Ron Davis:
dual electric fan radiator
master grounding kit

Flowmaster:
2.5" american thunder exhaust
40 series mufflers

thanks so much for your interest in this project!
danny
Awesome project with great updates. Don't know what your engine build entailed, but if you running HP near 450+, I'd also look into running RobbMc's mechanical fuel pump as well. I use his products on all my Buick GS builds. Great products.

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

so glad to finally get my hands on these...
i'm almost finished assembling the rear suspension!

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

these look like good quality parts.
i'm not sure at this point that it will fit my application, but when i asked about the return policy i was told "if it doesn't fit just send it back."

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

this is the original driveshaft with fresh u-joints and a replacement slip yoke for the muncie.

47236

47237

thanks for checking in!
danny

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

Awesome project with great updates. Don't know what your engine build entailed, but if you running HP near 450+, I'd also look into running RobbMc's mechanical fuel pump as well. I use his products on all my Buick GS builds. Great products.

the engine rebuilding was done by Rick and Randy at Port & Sons Machine Shop, the most experienced and reputable engine builders in interior alaska.
after they had the motor apart they told me they had never seen a pontiac engine this old in such good shape.
other than boring the cylinders out 0.030" over, it was rebuilt to stock pontiac specifications.
the 1968 pontiac owner's manual shows that this motor as originally designed and manufactured would produce 265 hp.
some of the upgrades i have planned may help produce additional power, but to be straightforward, i don't really have any high powered plans for the car at this point.
however, in the interest of preserving the potential for future upgrades i did purchase the 550 hp rated mechanical fuel pump from RobbMC.
i can tell from just talking to those guys on the phone that i'm fortunate to be doing business with them.
thanks for sharing your thoughts!
danny

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

this looks like a very high quality unit with the added bonus that the solenoid is adjustable through 360 degrees on the housing, so i can put it wherever i want.
these guys also get big props for supplying a very good set of installation instructions.

47506

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

went back through the driveline and got it all put together for good, starting with the pilot bearing...

47507

this is mcleod's neutrally balanced steel flywheel.
the ring gear has 168 teeth.
it weighs about 30 pounds.
i ordered the mounting bolts to go along with it but they're 7/16" and my crank is machined for 1/2" fine threads.
thankfully, the holes in the flywheel were large enough to accept the 1/2" grade 8 bolts i bought at the hardware store.
i used a star washer under each bolt, applied a good amount of blue thread locker, and torqued them down to 85 ft/lbs using the conventional criss-cross pattern for a six-bolt flywheel.
after bolting it up i cleaned the friction surface thoroughly with dupont low temperature surface cleaner.

47508

this is mcleod's 'street pro' clutch and pressure plate kit.
my bellhousing measures 6.25" so this setup should work fine with the bolt on hydraulic throw out bearing.

47509 47510

in order to use this hydraulic throw out bearing with the muncie, the diameter of the slider nut on the input shaft needed to be reduced from 2.00" to 1.80"
it was pretty easy to do that with my table mounted grinding wheel.

47511 47512

got the driveshaft cleaned up with the pneumatic wire brush.
i really like the way this polished steel looks with a little clear coat on top of it.

47513

this flowmaster exhaust kit has been very easy to work with.
the mandrel bent stainless tubing appears to be very good quality and it all looks like it's going to fit my application pretty well.

47514 47515

it's really exciting to see this all coming together!

47516

thanks for having a look at my work!
danny

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

this is aluminum fuel line tubing.
i ordered the 1/4" line for the vapor return from speedway motors and the 1/2" line from jegs.
it's very easy to shape, but avoid excessive re-bending as this results in work-hardening of the material.

47520

robbmc 550 hp rated mechanical fuel pump installed.

47521

here's what the fuel line routing looks like on it's way to the rear end.
the cylinder clamped to the frame rail is a 100 micron fuel filter also from robbmc.

47522

thanks for your interest!
danny

[tones2SS]

Coming along nicely Danny!

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

Coming along nicely Danny!

thanks tony!

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

found these in town for cheap.
it's a square setup of used 18x8 momo gtr with 235/40 rubber.

47763

the plan is to use these only temporarily until i can get measurements at final ride height for the custom wheel/tire package.

47764

thanks a lot for your interest!
danny

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

47896

48723

[tones2SS]

Taking shape.
Keep up the good work.

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

8ZJgJWTN2Ak

[Ron in SoCal]

^ that is awesome! :cheers:

[fleetus macmullitz]

I like vids that get right to the point.

:D

[BanditDave]

Gotta be a great feeling!!!

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

^ that is awesome! :cheers:

I like vids that get right to the point.

:D

Gotta be a great feeling!!!

thanks guys!!!

yeah, i'm pretty stoked right now... almost can't believe how much progress has been made in the last three months.
the bodylifting party was a lot of fun, but hopefully that will be the last time it needs to be done for a very, very long time!

thanks again for your interest!
danny

48271

[tones2SS]

Very cool Danny. Awesome video.

[waynieZ]

That was cool!

[heyhiitsmevlad]

dig it, i love old ponchos

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

Very cool Danny. Awesome video.

That was cool!

dig it, i love old ponchos

guys, thanks a lot for checking out my project!

:thankyou:

danny

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

the further along with this project i get the more i realize how much my plans have changed since i first began the disassembly in 1999.
at that time i had absolutely no idea what i was getting myself in to and even less of an idea about how to carry on with it to ensure the dream would become a reality.
for example, i had never thought i would need an artistic rendering so i never really planned to have one created- until recently.
several weeks ago i came across a thread here entitled 'teenager doing renderings' and after seeing some of the examples posted there i began to think about having one done for my GTO.
after initiating contact with roman we quickly came to an agreement about how to proceed with the work and within only a couple days he had begun constructing the rendering.
from the very beginning roman seemed totally professional and was very easy and accommodating to work with.
throughout the project he quickly and thoroughly addressed all of my suggestions and remained clearly committed to developing the picture which previously had only ever been present in my mind's eye.
thanks, roman!
also, i am very grateful for the strong advice i received from the man who first suggested i have this done...
thank you, roger!

48747

[Roger Poirier]

I like the Pontiac rims. What size tires are using per your drawing. Front spoiler looks awesome.:dance: Hows it look in silver? What color white are you going with? Check out the 2014 white metallic Ford Fusion. It is absolutely stunning. Tinted glass?

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

I like the Pontiac rims. Front spoiler looks awesome.:dance: Hows it look in silver?

thanks!
those are circle racing's 18 inch rally II billet wheels.

yes, for a long time i entertained the idea of painting the GTO a color which might be considered a "blend" of the colors of the black goat and the white goat to create, in essence, a grey goat.
roman did produce an image of the car in ferrari silverstone grigio, so i could get an idea what that would look like, but in the end it didn't really seem appropriate.
after thinking about it long and hard it became clear to me that this GTO must be painted the original color.
my whole life i've known this GTO to be cameo ivory, and all the memories that remain with me now were created in that white goat.
ultimately, i feel that in this particular case it makes sense to stay true to it's original appearance.
also, i believe this is what my father would have preferred.
many of the conversations we had about this car when he was still alive continue to ring in my ears... and i intend to honor his dream as much as i possibly can while i proceed with the restoration.
danny

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

I like the Pontiac rims. What size tires are using per your drawing. Front spoiler looks awesome. :dance: Hows it look in silver? What color white are you going with? Check out the 2014 white metallic Ford Fusion. It is absolutely stunning. Tinted glass?

i hope to mount 25.9" tall 285/35 tires to 18x9.5 wheels in the rear. that tire's section width is about 11.5 inches (my measurement from the frame to the quarter lip is 315mm, which is 12.4 inches).
in the front the tires are 25.7" tall 245/40 on 18x8 with a 9.8" section width.

this GTO does not have air conditioning so i have been considering the option of tinting the glass as a possible way to help mitigate high interior temperatures.
i have much more research to do on this topic so i'm not certain at this point what will happen with the glass, but i figured the rendering could help give me an idea what some tint might look like.

thanks again!
i really appreciate your interest in this project!!!

:lateral:

danny

[Roger Poirier]

I'm sure you are getting ready for a paint job or are in paint jail already. Any new updates? Have you bought tires and rims yet? What white color did you end up with for painting the body?

Details and update appreciated. Thanks Roger :hello:

[Al Moreno]

Nice project, just went through the entire thread. Great story! Can't wait to see her done.

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

I'm sure you are getting ready for a paint job or are in paint jail already. Any new updates? Have you bought tires and rims yet? What white color did you end up with for painting the body?

Details and update appreciated. Thanks Roger :hello:

Nice project, just went through the entire thread. Great story! Can't wait to see her done.

thanks so much for checking in!
and thanks as well for your interest in this project!!!

as far as i can tell i'm still a ways out from paint.
am i missing something here?
i have seen that many other frame-off projects apply paint before mounting autobody back to the frame, but i was unable to do this... is it a mistake?
i can still unbolt and raise the autobody then remove the rolling chassis if necessary.
i don't plan to make final measurements for wheel/tire package until the full weight of the ride is sitting on the properly adjusted suspension system.
the idea is to settle for the momo setup with falken rubber until then.

i'm very excited about how far this car has come and i have been thinking a lot lately about how to continue the project.

one of the most important lessons i've had to learn throughout this entire process is something most of you gentlemen are probably already familiar with: restoring a car is one project and finding a way to pay for it is something completely different.
consequently, i have been very busy with work this season and have had precious little time to devote to the goat.

as far as recent progress is concerned, i do have a few pieces of good news to report...

i believe i've solved the tensioner pulley puzzle.
after countless hours of sorting through pulleys at parts stores and salvage yards, i finally found a general motors manufactured tensioner pulley that might work for the serpentine accessory drive.

51324

at 4.00" the dimension between the two mounting holes in the tensioner is exactly the same as the dimension between the threaded stud on the timing cover and the lower alternator mount!

also, after months of screening ebay and other online sources i finally found a spread bore, four barrel, rochester quadrajet carburetor for 1968 pontiac manual transmission application.

51325

huge credit to cliff ruggles and his team at cliff's high performance for their effort in remanufacturing and refinishing this quadrajet.
many sources claim no one has more skill and knowledge with the rochester quadrajet than cliff ruggles, so i am very fortunate i was able to coordinate with him on this project.

51326

702 => 1960's
8 => 1968
2 => quadrajet (4 bbl) federal standards
6 => pontiac
3 => manual transmission

thanks again for your interest in this project.
i will update with further developments as progress continues.
danny

:lateral:

[Roger Poirier]

The small details of the build is what makes the post worth while. That Rochester carb. coding is a nice touch. Conversation piece!

As far as I'am concerned you want to paint the body on the car and mask off accordingly. My painter did paint the doors, hood and trunk, along with the the front bumper separate once everything was fitted and blocked. However they did follow each other into the paint booth.

I give you great kudo's for your patience taking your time in the build. As far as money goes you just get the fever and keep moving forward.

Please keep us informed on the build... :thumbsup:

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

recently made some progress getting the serpentine accessory drive assembled.


51832 51833


the tensioner was pulled off a shelf at my local NAPA parts store.
getting everything to line up properly didn't happen without a little cutting and grinding.
the threaded stud at timing cover was shortened 0.75" then a 1.00" long coupling nut threaded onto it allowed thru-bolt for the lower mounting point of tensioner.


51830

upper mounting point of tensioner at upper power steering bracket thru-bolt.
at this location i had to push the tensioner back into the alternator bracket to line up with the other pulleys.

51827


51828


underside of lower alternator mount needed to be slotted to align mounting points.


51829


power steering bracket was shaved to fit tensioner housing.


51831


thanks for your interest!
danny

:lateral:

[captainofiron]

good work!

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

it seems like i can spiff-up the steering column with replacement bearings, bushings, etc. from inline tube and ames.
i'll just remove the column shift handle, clean it all up, replace worn or un-useable equipment as necessary, paint it and re-install.
and yes, as you can tell from the original paint on the steering column, the stock interior color of this vehicle was turquoise. someone painted black over it before my parents got the car.

51993

the blower motor box cleaned up pretty nice and i found a replacement blower motor in town.
the heater box which mounts to the inside of the firewall will need to be replaced because at some point my father modified it to install a larger heater core.

51990

i knew i was going to have to cut a hole in the floor at some point... and the other day i finally got down to figuring it out.
also, i got all the shifting rods and the speedo cable installed with no major headaches.
from here i plan to order a shifter porch, console mounting bracket kit and console kit from ames/inline tube/opgi/etc.

51991

thankfully the firewall was equipped for stock clutch linkage so i plan to mount the mcleod/wilwood clutch master cylinder at this location.

51992

i also recently began installation of the msd pro billet distributor and the rest of the ignition system.

52002

i placed an order last week for ron davis dual electric fan radiator, master grounding kit, wiring harnesses and some other bits and pieces.
i will update again as progress continues.

thanks for having a look at my work, and please- if anything looks or sounds screwy please feel free to comment.
i'm lucky to share this project with this community and i am always thankful for any input members here might have to offer.
thanks again!

danny

:lateral:

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

here are some photos of what i've been busy with lately.

starting to get a better idea of what it will take to get the clutch master cylinder in place.
with the arrangement shown in the photograph the rod lines up with the pivot on the pedal very well, but i needed to cut a hole in the firewall to make it work.

52129

got the pedals hanging for a look at what i need to do there.
of course the brake pedal is for automatic transmission application.
i would like to use a replacement from manual transmission application, so i'm looking around online for one.

52130

and lots of detailing...

52128

52133

52132

52131

also recently placed an order with ames for many things i know i need right now to move forward... except wiring harnesses.
i need to learn more about how i should set up the wiring.
many aftermarket wiring kits offer significant upgrades and there are so many options available.

happy holidays!
danny

:lateral:

[Juggernaut]

I don't post here much because I'm just a fanboy drooling over everyone's amazing cars.

But I wanted to wish you continued good luck and smooth sailing on your build, and thank you for the quality of your posts. Clear and well-lit photos accompanied by well-written posts really make your thread enjoyable to read.

Happy New Year as well!

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

The small details of the build is what makes the post worth while. That Rochester carb. coding is a nice touch. Conversation piece!

As far as I'am concerned you want to paint the body on the car and mask off accordingly. My painter did paint the doors, hood and trunk, along with the the front bumper separate once everything was fitted and blocked. However they did follow each other into the paint booth.

I give you great kudo's for your patience taking your time in the build. As far as money goes you just get the fever and keep moving forward.

Please keep us informed on the build... :thumbsup:

good work!

I don't post here much because I'm just a fanboy drooling over everyone's amazing cars.

But I wanted to wish you continued good luck and smooth sailing on your build, and thank you for the quality of your posts. Clear and well-lit photos accompanied by well-written posts really make your thread enjoyable to read.

Happy New Year as well!

wow guys, thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and offering such nice compliments!
i really feel grateful for the input offered from members of this community.
the tech advice and the motivating comments this thread receives have really helped me stay on top of this project- cheers!
i recently received a delivery of parts from ames so i'm hoping for a good bit of progress in the near future.

52398

:ups:

thanks for your interest!
danny

:lateral:

[Justin@EntropyRad]

Homegrown builds and everyone else's skills make me jealous:king:

[jarhead]

such a clean build, just awesome!

[tones2SS]

Looking good.
Keep the updates coming.

[WSSix]

Looking good, Danny. That serpentine setup is nice. Good luck moving forward!

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

Homegrown builds and everyone else's skills make me jealous:king:

such a clean build, just awesome!

Looking good.
Keep the updates coming.

Looking good, Danny. That serpentine setup is nice. Good luck moving forward!


:thankyou: :thankyou: :thankyou: :thankyou:


52518


52519


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52520


52521


52522

[waynieZ]

It looks good!

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

It looks good!

thanks wayne!

52554

various bits and pieces starting to come together... and still doing a lot of detailing on original parts which have been bagged up since disassembly.

last night i worked on running the spark plug wires up to the distributor.

52552


52553

still wondering where to put the ignition box.
it absolutely needs to be kept dry at all times...(that's a no brainer, eh?)
...and separated from the blaster coil as much as possible?
any suggestions here?
can it be safely mounted on the firewall above the heater box?

also been rethinking my plan to install hydratech hydroboost for the brakes.
i have read stories in some threads where people claim to be satisfied with manual brake set-up when properly adjusted.
it seems to be a matter of using a master cylinder with appropriate bore diameter and mounting the clevis on the brake pedal to achieve favorable pedal ratio.
baer is selling a very nice looking billet aluminum master cylinder which can be installed with optional bolt-on proportioning valve.
according to baer tech support it is adaptable to hydratech hydroboost but i would likely need a different diameter master cylinder bore if i wanted to switch it up later on down the line.
do any of you guys care to share your thoughts on this one... manual or hydroboost?
are there considerations to be taken into account that i'm not yet aware of?

and here is another issue i've been struggling to come to a decision on:
before my parents got the car the passenger side door was replaced with one from a 1969 car.
on the driver's side door i have a wing window and on the passenger side i do not.

52550 52551

also, the 1969 door has a different interior door panel.
i have been able to locate replacement 1968 doors but getting one to alaska may be quite expensive and it's difficult to verify the condition of the parts.
some guys want to sell a door for $850 but won't even email a photo!
i really want the car to look right but i'm not sure how much i should be willing to lay down for this type of thing...
also really, really need to resolve this one before going to paint, right?

any opinions are welcomed and appreciated.
thanks in advance for your input!
danny

:thumbsup:

[tones2SS]

She's coming along Danny.
Engine is looking good. Keep'em coming.

[jarhead]

Nice details!

Joe

[andrewb70]

Nice work Danny. Great project.

Andrew

[captainofiron]

Im no purist, but I love to see Pontiac iron between the fenders of a classic Pontiac!

[Roger Poirier]

Yes, a good spot to put the MSD box is above the heater box on the firewall. Some people also install them on the wheel well.

You should PM andrewB70 about the Hydro-booster. From my perspective I love it. Street driven - it really helps deal with the low RPM's vacuum issues.

Andrew is a knowledgeable person on all mechanical issues. He should be able to steer you in the right direction.

Keep up the good work. :hello: Who are you checking in on a for replacement door? I don't remember my sources off hand, but can look them up if needed.

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

52650


52651


52652


52653


She's coming along Danny.
Engine is looking good. Keep'em coming.

thank you!
i will definitely try to keep the updates rolling...

:gitrdun:

Nice details!

Joe

thanks!
one real good piece of advice i received for this project: "it's all in the details."

:thumbsup:

Nice work Danny. Great project.

Andrew

thank you andrew!
i appreciate the compliment.

:thankyou:


Im no purist, but I love to see Pontiac iron between the fenders of a classic Pontiac!

right on!
fenders coming soon!!!

:dance:


Yes, a good spot to put the MSD box is above the heater box on the firewall. Some people also install them on the wheel well.

You should PM andrewB70 about the Hydro-booster. From my perspective I love it. Street driven - it really helps deal with the low RPM's vacuum issues.

Andrew is a knowledgeable person on all mechanical issues. He should be able to steer you in the right direction.

Keep up the good work. :hello: Who are you checking in on a for replacement door? I don't remember my sources off hand, but can look them up if needed.

thank you roger!
the MSD box will probably go in the engine compartment above the heater box as you describe, or possibly on the inside of the firewall behind the glove compartment...
still thinking on it... and looking at a lot of pictures... and reading thread stories...

i am planning to order the hydratech hydroboost unit and the baer master cylinder monday morning.
i have more questions to get answered but based on what i've already been told it seems like that combo would stand a decent chance of working...
will also touch base with andrew to see what he thinks... thanks for the tips.

about the door, ahhh... i've talked to people at butler classics in wisconsin, frank's pontiac parts in california, and i've also searched dale's restoration parts and keep my eye on billions and trillions website too.

swapping the glass is also an idea, eh?
and i'm not particularly attached to the wing window in the 1968 door.
mainly, i just feel like both sides of the car should have the same glass.
here is the drawing of glass hardware for the 1968 door:

52649

roger, do you have the 'body by fisher' service manual for 1969 model year?
it would be so helpful to me if i had the picture of glass hardware for the 1969 door.
let me know please.
there must be a way for me to get the glass right without having to get a whole new door...

thanks so much for checking out my project guys!!!

:lateral:

danny

[Roger Poirier]

I purchased the booster from hydratechbraking.com. 615.449.8261

Very informed on correct master cylinder and what might work. I was able to use my original unit.

Contact for GTO parts.

Bethals Goat Farm, CA
Phone: 408.295.7611

GM Sport Salvage, CA
Phone: 408.432.8498

No luck on manual.

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

I purchased the booster from hydratechbraking.com. 615.449.8261

Very informed on correct master cylinder and what might work. I was able to use my original unit.

Contact for GTO parts.

Bethals Goat Farm, CA
Phone: 408.295.7611

GM Sport Salvage, CA
Phone: 408.432.8498

No luck on manual.

great!
thank you so much roger!!!
i'll make some phone calls this next week...
things are coming together- slowly but surely.
will update again here soon.
thanks!
danny

[Blackened]

GM Sports has moved from San Jose to Stockton and have a new number http://www.gmsports.com/

Also, not sure if it is important to you, since you're doing a pro-tour style restoration , but the correct color for a 68 GTO engine is the light metallic blue. You have, what appears to be GM blue from the late 70s

http://www.barrett-jackson.com/staging/carlist/items/Fullsize/Cars/117422/117422_Engine_Web.JPG

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

GM Sports has moved from San Jose to Stockton and have a new number

Also, not sure if it is important to you, since you're doing a pro-tour style restoration , but the correct color for a 68 GTO engine is the light metallic blue. You have, what appears to be GM blue from the late 70s


cheers!
welcome to lateral-g, and congratulations on making your first post here!

what is "correct?"

52675

when i was a young boy my father once asked me what my favorite color was.
i remember enthusiastically blurting out the word "green."
when i put the question back to him he responded, "pontiac blue."

thanks for sharing your thoughts...
all comments are welcomed and appreciated!

:lateral:

danny

[Justin@EntropyRad]

Want to see where it goes!

[Roger Poirier]

You can order the spray paint form Year One. Just tell them what year the car is. A lot of paint stores also carry the Pontiac blue spray paint.

[captainofiron]

cheers!
welcome to lateral-g, and congratulations on making your first post here!

what is "correct?"

when i was a young boy my father once asked me what my favorite color was.
i remember enthusiastically blurting out the word "green."
when i put the question back to him he responded, "pontiac blue."

thanks for sharing your thoughts...
all comments are welcomed and appreciated!

:lateral:

danny

There isnt just 2 pontiac blues like most people think

http://www.pontiacpower.org/enginecolor.htm

so in your case for a 1968 (what Blackened was pointing out) its my favorite version of pontiac blue , the light metallic blue

http://i.imgur.com/Unh9F.gif

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

There isnt just 2 pontiac blues like most people think

http://www.pontiacpower.org/enginecolor.htm

so in your case for a 1968 (what Blackened was pointing out) its my favorite version of pontiac blue , the light metallic blue


thanks for your input!
guys i really truly appreciate it- thank you for taking an interest in my project!!!

i find the chart very interesting.
in particular i like the disclaimer at the top...
"*These need to be researched more and are not guaranteed to be accurate."
but really, the chart is providing some very thought provoking information.
right now my engine paint looks similar to at least a couple shades shown there.
i wonder what it will look like after a few hundred heating/cooling
cycles... it'll probably turn green!!! ha!

the paint on the oilpan (pictured previously) isn't even much to go on i realize.
it might not even be the original oilpan!
i was just looking back through the phs documentation to see if i could find notes on engine color anywhere and i was surprised to find no mention of it.
did i miss something in there? where does a pontiac owner look to find engine paint documentation?
thanks again for putting out your thoughts and ideas here!
it's such a great site and i'm lucky to be able to share my project with this community!

:lateral:

danny

[Blackened]

If you really want to get down to the most detailed information regarding Pontiacs, I would recommend also joining the Performance Years forum. Like Lateral G, the guys there are also very helpful and would probably like to see your build as well. Though some of them can be sticklers for originality :catfight: as they tend to lean more toward the restoration side of the hobby, but all Pontiacs are welcome. There is a wealth of knowledge for GTOs and Trans Ams/Firebirds and the Pontiac motor on PY.

If you were to repaint the motor, I would stick with the same brand to avoid any conflict between formulas. Or at least test a piece if you don't intend to use if you use different brands. Several members seem to prefer the Plasti-Kote 227 for durability, according to a recent thread there.

I'm fairly certain you can order any of the major brands from your local auto supply or even Amazon.

[captainofiron]

I dont think engine paint color would be on the PHS, as EVERY engine was painted the same for chunks of years.

Im willing to bet the formulation varied so there was slight changes and they probably used in the factory what they had on hand so again slight changes within the years, BUT I think you would be pretty safe to go with what is shown on the website.

You arent doing a concourse resto

Just to add to what Blackened says (again lol) if you go on Performance Years, and ask questions about modifications that arent original or "blessed" by the Poncho community you will either get members in the topic flaming you OR you will get zero response.

Not everybody there is a purist but they are on there

What I generally do is post resto-mod pro-touring type questions here, and originality questions or Pontiac engine related stuff there

Good luck, from the pictures looks like you are doing a great job

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

52995


52996


52997


52998


52999


here are a few photos of some recent progress.
i ordered the hydratech hydroboost brake assist and the baer 1-1/8" bore master cylinder.
also ordered the american autowire classic update wiring kit, floor insulation, carpet, bucket seat padding and upholstery materials.
will try to update again soon... thanks for checking in.

danny

[tones2SS]

Coming along nicely Danny.
Good job!

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

Coming along nicely Danny.
Good job!

thanks a lot, tony... i really appreciate it!

here are some photos of of my effort to get the RDRP radiator fitted up.

53137


53138


53139


53140


53141


53142


tech support at RDRP has been very helpful and i'm confident that with their assistance i will be able to get this figured out.
probably need to drill some new holes and have a replacement upper mounting plate fabricated.
also, it's clear to me that i should verify the hood will close properly without interference from the top of the radiator.
at this point i'm not really sure how far i am from getting the hood in place.

thanks for taking the time to have a look at my project, and as always if anything you see here inspires you to comment- please feel free!
i'm always happy to receive input from the members of this community.

will update again here soon...

:lateral:

danny

[tones2SS]

Very nice looking welds on that radiator. :thumbsup:
Good luck going forward.

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

Very nice looking welds on that radiator. :thumbsup:
Good luck going forward.

thank you, tony!
yes, the welds are absolutely top notch.
no question about it- the radiator is a high quality unit.
also, it came with a set of very clear and detailed installation and maintenance instructions, fan wiring harnesses/relays, master grounding kit, and transmission fluid cooler in case the car is ever converted back to the automatic.


trying to make progress on several different fronts... piece by piece, one little step at a time.


53152


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53156


always moving forward!

:lateral:

danny

[jarhead]

Just so darn nice!

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

Just so darn nice!

thanks so much joe!

53243


53242


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53245


i'm very happy with the way the seats turned out.
the work was done by henry perez at alaska refinishing and upholstery with materials i purchased from ames.
henry tackles a lot of upholstery projects for other classic car owners here in fairbanks, alaska and his work comes very highly recommended.
eventually i'll probably see if he wants to build a new rear seat for the car as well.
thanks for checking in!

danny

[tones2SS]

The seats do look great!

[waynieZ]

Nice job on the seats. The car is looking great. Is that clutch pedal hung from a rod end?

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

The seats do look great!

cheers!

Nice job on the seats. The car is looking great. Is that clutch pedal hung from a rod end?

thanks for the compliments wayne!

here are a couple more photos of the clutch pedal.
sorry i don't have a better picture of the installed arrangement...


53247


the pivot stud with spacer mounts thru the pedal bracket.
the master cylinder rod bolts to the tab below the pivot stud.


53248


i hope this answers your questions wayne.
thanks a lot for having a look at my project!

:lateral:

danny

[waynieZ]

I'm lovin it!

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

I'm lovin it!

:thankyou:

progress has been coming pretty slow lately.
i spent a little time under the car last week and found a stainless steel fastener in the passenger side rear brake assembly with no anti seize on it.
there was only minor galling, but after stripping the allen head out of it i still had to remove the whole assembly down to the backing plate and drill out the fastener to accept an extractor.
then i decided that if i had to replace one of the stainless fasteners i might as well replace them all- so that's what i did.
no more stainless fasteners for this project.

after coordinating with rdrp for a mutually acceptable solution to the radiator installation they ultimately decided they want to build a new one.
those guys have been super helpful and very easy to communicate with.
also, i'm thankful they've offered to cover the cost of all additional shipping.
last weekend i boxed it up and prepared it to go back on the ups truck.

i'm hopeful the hydroboost unit and the baer master cylinder will be arriving sometime soon...


53576


53577


still moving forward!

:thumbsup:

danny

[fleetus macmullitz]

Great build/thread Danny. :thumbsup:

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

54297

54298

54299

54300

just about ready for another big push.
always moving forward.

thanks for checking in,
danny

:lateral:

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

Great build/thread Danny. :thumbsup:

cheers, skip! thank you very much for your comment.


...the pieces are coming together!!!
i'm very happy to report that i have finally found a replacement 1968 door for the goat!


54441


54442


54443


judging from the photographs which have been sent to me this door appears to be in reasonably good condition- and it comes with complete guts and glass.
ultimately it makes sense to me to retain the vent windows on account of the fact that it's one of the most readily identifiable distinguishing characteristics of the 1968 model.

thanks for checking in on my project.

danny

:lateral:

[WSSix]

nice find, Danny. I personally vent windows from a nostalgia stand point. Glad to see you're keeping them.

[Tuske427]

54297

54298

54299

54300

just about ready for another big push.
always moving forward.

thanks for checking in,
danny

:lateral:

You're going to love that Hydroboost system. I have it working on my car now and, wow, the brakes are really responsive with minimal pedal travel, and just the right amount of effort. Best responding brakes I think of any car I have ever driven.

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

Great build/thread Danny. :thumbsup:

nice find, Danny. I personally vent windows from a nostalgia stand point. Glad to see you're keeping them.

You're going to love that Hydroboost system. I have it working on my car now and, wow, the brakes are really responsive with minimal pedal travel, and just the right amount of effort. Best responding brakes I think of any car I have ever driven.

guys, thank you so much for your interest in my project!

56717

this project is still moving forward although it's been quite some time since my last update.
i'm hoping to crank the engine by christmas.
i will post again soon with more details.
happy holidays to all!
danny

:lateral:

[Roger Poirier]

I look forward to this post every time it shows up...

Any idea when you will be ready for paint? That one will tie you up time and money wise, however it will all be worth it in the end.

Steady as she goes, keep up the good work!

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

I look forward to this post every time it shows up...

Any idea when you will be ready for paint? That one will tie you up time and money wise, however it will all be worth it in the end.

Steady as she goes, keep up the good work!

roger! thanks for commenting!
...and i've been looking forward to bringing this thread up to date.

56799

at this point it's looking like blocking, fitting, etc. are all on the agenda immediately following start-up. paint is the next big piece of the puzzle.
i would like to have the paint job completed by the end of march to leave myself at least a couple months to get the car road ready before summer rolls around.

the last few days i've been putting the finishing touches on engine wiring and making other preparations to start the engine.
i ran the oil pump priming tool for about 15 minutes at around 500 rpm last night, disabled the ignition coil, and cranked it over for the first time.
the starter motor pinion gear engages nicely with the ring gear and i didn't hear any strange sounds.

4R7aKwx78MI&feature=youtu.be

on friday i'll prime the fuel line and fire it up...
best wishes to all for a happy holiday season!
danny

:lateral:

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

yesterday afternoon i ran the oil pump priming tool again for about 10 minutes, primed the fuel line, and started the engine.
writing this now, about 24 hours later, my heartbeat still hasn't completely stabilized.
when i turned the key the carb sputtered and burped for about 3 seconds before combustion took off.
i didn't even have my foot on the pedal but it ran up to about 4000 rpm in the following 3 seconds.
at that point i knew something was wrong so i turned the key off.
10 seconds into the operation the key was in the 'off' position but the engine was still running at around 4000 rpm.
i panicked.
the sound was powerful unlike anything i have ever heard in my entire life.
i switched the key back and forth a couple times with no effect, then i jumped out of the driver's seat and caught myself staring at the melting paint on the exhaust ports for about 2 seconds before disabling the ignition system.
when the engine finally stopped the shop was filled with smoke and i was on the verge of a full blown heart attack.

i do not know what happened.
i do know i have a lot to learn.

thanks for having a look at my thread.
danny

:lateral:

[fbrown540]

The key not turning the engine off actually happening fairly frequently back in the day when these cars were fairly new. The cause is generally a feedback loop that keeps powering the ignition. You can test for this by simply unplugging the wire to the alternator. If the engine stops with the key off and by unplugging the alternator wire, you have a feedback loop.

If you have a feedback loop, You could leave the alternator unplugged while you trouble shoot the high idle rpm.

Some causes are:

- lack of a resistor in the GEN light line.
- not properly converting the wiring when swapping from an external to internal regulator. This seemed to happen to many of my friends back in the early 70's.
- improper conversion from a points type distributor to a electronic one. Again this happened to many of my friends.

It been so long that I don't remember what was done to fix the problem, but the fix was very minor in all cases.

I don't know if this applies to your engine, but many GM engines of the 60's had a thin metal plate between the carb gasket and the manifold. Leave the metal plate out and the engine won't idle. I had seen many of my friends leave the metal plate out and couldn't get their engine to run very well.

Maybe someone with more recent experience will chime in.

[PBarkley]

Subscribing to this thread...and seeing your recent engine-related post has me on high alert for the same reason with my car, haha.

Glad to see another build staying Pontiac powered!

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

The key not turning the engine off actually happening fairly frequently back in the day when these cars were fairly new. The cause is generally a feedback loop that keeps powering the ignition. You can test for this by simply unplugging the wire to the alternator. If the engine stops with the key off and by unplugging the alternator wire, you have a feedback loop.

If you have a feedback loop, You could leave the alternator unplugged while you trouble shoot the high idle rpm.

Some causes are:

- lack of a resistor in the GEN light line.
- not properly converting the wiring when swapping from an external to internal regulator. This seemed to happen to many of my friends back in the early 70's.
- improper conversion from a points type distributor to a electronic one. Again this happened to many of my friends.

It been so long that I don't remember what was done to fix the problem, but the fix was very minor in all cases.

I don't know if this applies to your engine, but many GM engines of the 60's had a thin metal plate between the carb gasket and the manifold. Leave the metal plate out and the engine won't idle. I had seen many of my friends leave the metal plate out and couldn't get their engine to run very well.

Maybe someone with more recent experience will chime in.

Subscribing to this thread...and seeing your recent engine-related post has me on high alert for the same reason with my car, haha.

Glad to see another build staying Pontiac powered!

cheers guys- thanks for your input.
i really appreciate your comments!

cMQFtHxR3ug

the engine is running smooth tonight.
next time i should remember to verify correct throttle cable adjustment before start-up!
today i replaced the spark plugs and it started back up no problem.
still need to troubleshoot key not turning the ignition off.
also, there's a small coolant leak at the top of the water pump gasket and a small power steering fluid leak at the pump high pressure line out.

56858

despite a few interesting unexpected challenges recently i've been making some good progress.
i'm happy to know the machine will run.
thank you for having a look at my project!
danny

:lateral:

[waynieZ]

Good to hear it's running good now. With the other posts you'll have some where to start looking for your run on problem.

[PBarkley]

I'd have to go back and look at your ignition setup, but I'm in the process of familiarizing myself with the MSD 6AL box I'll be installing (eventually) on my car and it mentions engine run on, similar to your situation when using the MSD box with a GM HEI distributor. Basically describes that there is some sort of signal that must be bypassed, otherwise the MSD box continues providing spark. Kinda leading me to just do my engine break in without the 6AL and wire it in afterwards.

Never know, but it might be a good place to start your gremlin hunt.

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

Good to hear it's running good now. With the other posts you'll have some where to start looking for your run on problem.

thanks, wayne! it felt so good to see and hear that thing running smooth... for the first time in over 10 years!

I'd have to go back and look at your ignition setup, but I'm in the process of familiarizing myself with the MSD 6AL box I'll be installing (eventually) on my car and it mentions engine run on, similar to your situation when using the MSD box with a GM HEI distributor. Basically describes that there is some sort of signal that must be bypassed, otherwise the MSD box continues providing spark. Kinda leading me to just do my engine break in without the 6AL and wire it in afterwards.

Never know, but it might be a good place to start your gremlin hunt.

thanks, peter! i've installed msd's pro billet distributor for v8 pontiac application.

the last time i started the engine there was a real high pitched squealing sound for about 5 seconds then it stopped and everything sounded fine.
after i killed the iginition i crawled under the car and saw that the pinion gear had been stuck in the engaged position after the engine started and the ring gear completely shredded it- spun it right off the starter motor output shaft.

56882

i pulled the starter off, boxed it up, and sent it back to robbmc.
those guys are great... they said it's a pretty common problem and that they would be happy to fix it- no problem.
they also said it usually results from a problem with the wiring.
since then i've been doing a little snooping around in the dash wiring and i happened to find a ground wire that i failed to tie into the master ground kit at the firewall.
my hunch is that it provides ground to the ignition switch.
i wonder if this array of problems could have been caused by an improperly grounded ignition switch?
anyway, i'm going back through the wiring starting at the switch and having another close look at the wiring diagrams as well.
my hope is to have the wiring thoroughly inspected and to get any issues resolved by the time the starter gets back to me.

later today i'm meeting with straatsma to talk about the paint job.
he's going to look at the car and hopefully offer some advice regarding fitment/gaps/etc.

always moving forward!
thanks for your interest in my project, and thanks for having a look at this thread!
danny

:lateral:

[PBarkley]

Sounds like you're onto something! Good luck with the hunt!

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

well, it seems like it's about time for another update as quite a bit has happened since my last post here.

robbmc replaced the pinion gear and returned the starter motor to me and didn't even charge me a penny.
i can't say enough good things about those guys: great people, great products, and great service!
the run-on issue was in fact being caused by a feedback loop making it's way from the alternator back to the ignition circuit thru the exciter wire.
the guys at msd steered me toward a solution by informing me that the issue is covered in the instruction manual they provided with their ignition system... r.t.f.m. right?
i spliced a diode into the alternator exciter wire (per the msd instructions) and the problem is solved.
the ignition now starts and stops perfectly with no other apparent issues at this time.
unfortunately, while in the process of troubleshooting that problem the 'small' coolant leak i first saw after initial start-up turned into a 'large' coolant leak.
ultimately i had to remove the timing cover and spiff up the gaskets.

57484

of course i was less than thrilled with this situation especially since i had just finished putting the front clip together, but in the end the whole operation only took me about half a day of shop time.

in other news i've been learning a lot about what it's going to take to get the various moldings and trim pieces test fit and installed properly.
all the rusty metal in the front and rear glass channels was removed and replaced and none of the original trim studs remain so i ordered a bag of them from eastwood and i'll borrow a stud welder from straatsma to install them.
i also need to drill new holes for the rocker trim clips and wheel well molding screws before the car goes to paint.

also, i've still been doing a lot of detailing and painting of small parts, running wire for the front and rear lights, preparing the rear bumper for installation, troubleshooting various minor electrical bugs, and continuing to install insulation and vibration dampening.

57485

57486

thanks for checking in on my progress.
apologies for not posting more often. regardless, i am always moving forward... even if sometimes it's a case of 'one step forward then two steps back!'
i'm trying my best to stay on top of this project and to keep mindful of the fact that for me it's more about the journey than anything else.
i can see that every little step along the way is a special part of this experience (even if it is a step backward) and i've been trying to train myself to learn to appreciate it all.
and to be straight-up there's even a little part of me that doesn't want this project to ever end. it's been such a big part of my life recently and i frankly don't really want it to be over. i sometimes find myself just spaced out standing in front of the car marveling at what it has become...
haha, sorry to wax sentimental here guys. it's just all pretty huge for a guy like me. i've never really done anything like this and i never thought i could ever pull this off, especially after everyone i talked to about it told me not to try and do it!

57480

57481

57482

57483

thanks again for having a look at my project and thanks to lateral-g for hosting this thread.
i am very fortunate to be able to share this project with this community!
cheers guys!!!
danny

:lateral:

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

Sounds like you're onto something! Good luck with the hunt!

I'd have to go back and look at your ignition setup, but I'm in the process of familiarizing myself with the MSD 6AL box I'll be installing (eventually) on my car and it mentions engine run on, similar to your situation when using the MSD box with a GM HEI distributor. Basically describes that there is some sort of signal that must be bypassed, otherwise the MSD box continues providing spark. Kinda leading me to just do my engine break in without the 6AL and wire it in afterwards.

Never know, but it might be a good place to start your gremlin hunt.

:thankyou:
thank you very much for your insights as well!
you were right on.
lesson learned: start by reading the manual!
cheers,
danny

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

The key not turning the engine off actually happening fairly frequently back in the day when these cars were fairly new. The cause is generally a feedback loop that keeps powering the ignition. You can test for this by simply unplugging the wire to the alternator. If the engine stops with the key off and by unplugging the alternator wire, you have a feedback loop.

If you have a feedback loop, You could leave the alternator unplugged while you trouble shoot the high idle rpm.

Some causes are:

- lack of a resistor in the GEN light line.
- not properly converting the wiring when swapping from an external to internal regulator. This seemed to happen to many of my friends back in the early 70's.
- improper conversion from a points type distributor to a electronic one. Again this happened to many of my friends.

It been so long that I don't remember what was done to fix the problem, but the fix was very minor in all cases.

I don't know if this applies to your engine, but many GM engines of the 60's had a thin metal plate between the carb gasket and the manifold. Leave the metal plate out and the engine won't idle. I had seen many of my friends leave the metal plate out and couldn't get their engine to run very well.

Maybe someone with more recent experience will chime in.

yes indeed- it was a feedback loop!
you were right!!
thank you very much for your comments!!!
danny

[PBarkley]

:thankyou:
thank you very much for your insights as well!
you were right on.
lesson learned: start by reading the manual!
cheers,
danny

Haha I would've hit the same issue...luckily my best friend is an engineer and always reads the data before he reaches for the first tool, haha.

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

i feel like i've taken the dry fit about as far as i can.
i've obsessed over this long enough... i spent three days on the endura bumper alone and i still don't like where it's at!
decided not to re-install mouldings for rocker panel and wheel openings.
test fit of all other mouldings looks alright (i couldn't weld the trim rivets so i had to use the screw-in style).
all the glass is on hand including a new windshield and replacement glass for the passenger side door.
the original rear window glass is in surprisingly good shape so i'm going to clean it up and re-install it.
registered with dmv and insured the car through hagerty.
don't have any idea how much this car is worth but i set up a conservative policy.
drove the car for the first time last night.
but when i say 'drove' i mean that all i know is the car will move forward and backward under it's own power haha!
clutch feels good and the muncie shifts smooth at idle.
nice clear weather and dry roads today so delivered to straatsma's shop for paint.
he seemed happy with what he saw.
when i get it back i'll be ready to install headlights/blinkers, glass/weatherstripping, and seatbelts.


58289


58290


thanks for checking in!

:lateral:

danny

[Roger Poirier]

I'm happy, your happy. Now comes the money... :G-Dub:

[Timberline]

I love the story about your GTO your dad would be proud of what you are doing.
Looking forward to watching your build.

[pro66tour]

Danny,
I read through your thread a while back. Simply powerful brother! Thanks for taking the time to share it with us. May not comment often, but following your build and journey…

Best,
J

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

I'm happy, your happy. Now comes the money... :G-Dub:


:G-Dub: :G-Dub: :G-Dub: :G-Dub: :G-Dub: :G-Dub: :G-Dub: :G-Dub:


I love the story about your GTO your dad would be proud of what you are doing.
Looking forward to watching your build.


:thankyou:


Danny,
I read through your thread a while back. Simply powerful brother! Thanks for taking the time to share it with us. May not comment often, but following your build and journey…

Best,
J


:cheers:


58518


58519


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58521


58522



thanks for the encouraging comments, guys!
glad to hear some of you are still following along.

i am getting very excited about this phase of the project...
it seems like every step of the way i'm feeling like it's at a point i have always wanted it to be at but never thought it would get to.

i think i made a good choice in asking straatsma to do the bodywork and paint.
he really seems to care about the quality of the finished product and he's a super nice guy who has been great to work with.

thanks again for taking an interest in this project.
i will update again soon.

:lateral:

danny

[pro66tour]

Now that's exciting right there:excited: Looks awesome prep'd in the booth. I can relate to every step is an exciting one that I personally never thought I'd get to.

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

Now that's exciting right there:excited: Looks awesome prep'd in the booth. I can relate to every step is an exciting one that I personally never thought I'd get to.

thanks, joe! always moving forward... one unbelievable step at a time :thumbsup:


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58662

[pro66tour]

Danny…Congrats, the paint looks absolutely awesome!!! You can exhale a little now…:cheers:

[Tuske427]

The GTO is looking great, I'm glad to see it all coming together!

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

Danny…Congrats, the paint looks absolutely awesome!!! You can exhale a little now…:cheers:

The GTO is looking great, I'm glad to see it all coming together!

thanks a lot guys!

:thankyou: :thankyou: :thankyou: :thankyou: :thankyou: :thankyou:


58705


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58707


this weekend i put the guts and glass back in the doors.
i used nylon washers under all the fasteners... still haven't scratched the paint *knock on wood*
next weekend i'll get the windshield and rear window installed, and maybe if the weather is fair i'll get out on the road and season the brake rotors.
hope to be cruising by the summer solstice.
thanks for checking in!

:lateral:

danny

[pro66tour]

I keep going back and forth between, a dark charcoal gray (almost black), a screaming but classy red, or crisp white when the time comes for me to do metal work and paint the car. The GTO makes a very, very convincing case for white!
You've been a busy man Danny, you'll be touring in the GTO in no time soon!:relax:

[64mali]

Looking great! For the first time in my life I wish I left my car the factory white. I love all the little details you've done. Can't wait to see more

[Roger Poirier]

It's been almost two weeks since last post. I need updates. Even small one's.

That's what makes it so fun to read & view. I'm very proud of you, your story,
and history of the car. Your in the home stretch... :popcorn2:

Roger

[pro66tour]

It's been almost two weeks since last post. I need updates. Even small one's.

That's what makes it so fun to read & view. I'm very proud of you, your story,
and history of the car. Your in the home stretch... :popcorn2:

Roger

Amen brother!

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

It's been almost two weeks since last post. I need updates. Even small one's.

That's what makes it so fun to read & view. I'm very proud of you, your story,
and history of the car. Your in the home stretch... :popcorn2:

Roger

thank you, roger.
i really appreciate your sentiments, and i'm glad you've enjoyed following along with this thread.

Amen brother!

cheers, brother!

guys, thank you so much for your interest in this project!
it's construction season again here in alaska and as a result i have had very little time to spend with the car in the last few weeks.
straatsma still has the grilles but i went up to his place yesterday to pick up the hood scoops and the emblem because he was done with those.


58878


58879


i've still got my sights set on getting the windshield and the rear window installed but i need a day off from work to make it happen.
my original goal was to be road-ready by the summer solstice but it's starting to look like a rescheduling for fourth of july weekend might be more realistic.
i'll try to update again as soon as i can achieve some more progress.
thanks for staying tuned!

:lateral:

danny

[pro66tour]

You're at a great stage in your build Danny. You'll be banging gears in no time. Try to enjoy this last phase - it's sweet hanging the new candy on there! Always enjoy checking in...:cheers:

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

Looking great! For the first time in my life I wish I left my car the factory white. I love all the little details you've done. Can't wait to see more

yeah, i'm really happy with the color.
feels nice to think i made the right choice going original.
thanks for your comment!

You're at a great stage in your build Danny. You'll be banging gears in no time. Try to enjoy this last phase - it's sweet hanging the new candy on there! Always enjoy checking in...:cheers:

thank you, joe! i am really enjoying it.
at this point every little step is very exciting and i am looking forward to rowing through the gears on the long weekend for independence day (weather permitting).

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58895


got sunday off yesterday so i made my way back to town and enlisted some help from a friend to get the rest of the glass installed.
everything went smooth, and as far as i can tell the glass work is finished.
the original back glass cleaned up nicely and it looks really good now that it's safe and sound where it belongs.
i didn't get the mouldings in place yet so i'll have to do that next time i'm back in town with a day off.
always moving forward, and stoked for a test drive in the very near future!

:lateral:

danny

[2ndGenJunkie]

Looks great! Digging the white!

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

Looks great! Digging the white!

:thankyou:

59043


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59046


the weather has been poor lately so i haven't been too bummed about not getting out on the road yet.
i've had some time to get the grilles, headlights, and parking lights installed.
this thing is full of imperfections but i'm kind of trying to accept them and thinking about ways i might be able to fix some of them.
-hood to bumper gap is way too wide. i think i can move the hood slightly forward.
-passenger side parking lamp fit is terrible. might be able to bend the mounting tabs to improve it. not really sure.
-the passenger side taillight is super bright and the driver's side light very weak. not sure what's going on here.
-glass moulding install is going pretty rough. chipped the paint in upper corner of windshield channel on the first attempt (got some touch-up from straatsma). maybe i can protect it with masking tape? also, the glass is very low for the moulding in a couple corners. argh. take it out and try it again?
-headlights and grilles don't really line up very well together on the driver's side. i'll just have to play around with the brackets and fasteners i think.

i hope to drive it soon and enjoy it a little bit so this onslaught of little fails doesn't weigh me down so much.
thanks for checking in, guys.
i'll try to update again before too long.

:lateral:

danny

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

qRcp7gT992M

thanks for checking in!

:lateral:

danny

[BanditDave]

Love this car and always enjoy the updates...I hear ya on the fit and finish of the GTO. I too have a '68 and the gaps stink and the fit of the parking lamps is also really bad fo you are not alone!

In for more vids!!!!

Enjoy!!!
Dave

[Centerforce]

Despite the few things you listed this car looks amazing! We havent seen many white GTOs around.

[pro66tour]

Despite the few things you listed this car looks amazing! We havent seen many white GTOs around.

Said it before and I'll say it again….Love the white:yes:

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

Love this car and always enjoy the updates...I hear ya on the fit and finish of the GTO. I too have a '68 and the gaps stink and the fit of the parking lamps is also really bad fo you are not alone!

In for more vids!!!!

Enjoy!!!
Dave

thanks dave!
i imagine i'll be making slight adjustments to just about every part of this car for years to come.
the parking lamp fitment came together quite a bit better after a little bending of the mounting tabs.
glad to hear you enjoy the videos and thanks for commenting.

Despite the few things you listed this car looks amazing! We havent seen many white GTOs around.

thank you! i appreciate your comments!
definitely think i made the right decision to stick to the original color and go with the white.
cheers!

Said it before and I'll say it again….Love the white:yes:

right on joe! thanks for chiming in!

:thankyou:

this week i took the car over to tony at 'the front end shop' here in fairbanks, alaska for a complete chassis inspection and alignment- and he's all over it!
a muscle car guy from way back with several of his own cars, he takes special appointments after hours and does the work himself.
he even let me spend a little time in the shop with him so he could school me up and offer some tips and suggestions on how to adjust the suspension and maintain the chassis.
also, i nabbed a few photos and some video while i was in there.

cL0Ln9rcqtY

thanks for your interest in this project!
i'll try to update again soon after i get the car back...

:lateral:

danny

[groovyjay]

Pure porn!

[Roger Poirier]

Pure porn!

Agree. :lmao: Never get tired of reading these post. Roger.

[Ummgawa]

Love Goats and white cars in general. Awesome ride.

[Terryd]

Great job! What a cool backstory that goes with it.

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

Pure porn!

Agree. :lmao: Never get tired of reading these post. Roger.

Love Goats and white cars in general. Awesome ride.

Great job! What a cool backstory that goes with it.

thanks guys!

apologies for neglecting to update for so long...

the car is running fantastic.
i get it out for a spin on the weekends, or any time the weather is nice after work. sometimes i'll pick up my mom (shown in photograph) and sister and we'll drive out to hot licks for ice cream and reminisce about my father and the memories we have of being together with the car.
there's a local car club in town that i cruise with sometimes on wednesday evenings. i've already met a lot of cool people. at one of the events i met a fella who tried to buy the car from my mom right after my father passed away. he told me that ever since then he had always wondered what happened to that old goat!

there are some persistent problems that will require troubleshooting and tinkering, but despite that small handful of issues still hanging around i have over 1800 miles on it since the restoration.
often times while driving it now i reflect on all the different people who played a part in transforming that old rust bucket in to what it is today.
it is with sincere appreciation and heartfelt gratitude that i say thank you once again to each and every one of you that provided advice or otherwise inspired me along the way. nowhere else on the internet is there a community of car enthusiasts like the one here. i've said it before and i'll say it again: i could never have pulled it off without the support and guidance i received from the members of this network. Roger, i'll never forget our first conversation and how some of the pieces of wisdom you shared with me completely changed the way i had to think about approaching the project.
thanks also to the mods and all other support staff for keeping this site up and running.
i've probably only got another couple weeks to enjoy driving the car before putting it away for winter, but i'll try to update again soon- at the very least more often than once every two years.
thanks again for your interest in this project.

:lateral:

danny