65 GTO

[TheSilverBuick]

Re: 65 GTO

I thought that all GTO/442/SS cars had boxed frames? (and station wagons/el caminos but who cares about those ;))

Boxed lower control arms for the rear axle.

[70chevyC-10]

Re: 65 GTO

Very worthy cause Thumpin - very cool - git r done man, git r done.........
Isn't Walt going to NMU ? I can't remmber if it's this year or next though.

[jays67]

Re: 65 GTO

that is kool what your doing
I too look at it as build the best you can with what ya got my Pick up is /was about the same not as bad in alot of ways but rust never sleeps

and I totaly agree one step at a time I thought mine was going to take forever but I did one peice and am working forward and it is moveing along
keep it up more pics too

[Thumpin455]

Re: 65 GTO

Thanks guys, who is Walt? NMU is a good college, my better half got her degree there. It would be cool to have another gearhead around here. Most around these parts are into snowmobiles and sometimes 4x4s.

I started on the floors today, I'll post pics later tonight.

[DanStokes]

Re: 65 GTO

Jon Wennerberg who owns and operates <Landracing.com> and is an LSR motorcycle racer is a neighbor of yours. You can contact him thru the website. He's a real character and goes by the alias of "Seldom Seen Slim". He and his wife Nancy (who is a real sweetie) are sort of integral to the LSR scene. They live in (IIRC) Syria, MI.

Dan

[70chevyC-10]

Re: 65 GTO

Thanks guys, who is Walt? NMU is a good college, my better half got her degree there. It would be cool to have another gearhead around here. Most around these parts are into snowmobiles and sometimes 4x4s.

I started on the floors today, I'll post pics later tonight.

Sorry - his screen name is 116ciHemi - young fella but seems like a real nice guy, as is normal I've never met him in person.
Little tidbit - my mom was from the UP in Calumet/Laurium area. I still have some cousins up there.
take care - Phil/Omaha

[Thumpin455]

Re: 65 GTO

Seldom seen slim is an icon of sorts around here, I know of him from toying with RC stuff. When Walt gets up here all he has to do is drive to Munising from NMU and look left after the second lake view, he wont be able to miss this place. Phil its interesting you live in Omaha and have roots here, and I grew up near York and now live in the UP. When I come back to pick up my kids out in Hastings I'll have to look you guys up.

And now back to cutting and welding on floors... ;)

[70chevyC-10]

Re: 65 GTO

That explains the Nebraska plates on the Bluebird - stop any time.
Actually Walt is going to Tech next year I believe - sorry to lead you wrong - thought maybe you could shop monkey him up.

[Thumpin455]

Re: 65 GTO

Once the pit of despair is out of the shop, pretty much anyone with a rod is welcome.

Got some work done today, its about time too. Took almost a month just to get the parts. Once I get the floors done I will run it over the the neighbors and do some sand blasting, get the bottom clean and the rest of the rusty spots ready for some patches. I still need to build or buy a metal brake, it would make things so much easier.

I brushed some rust encapsulator on the braces so they should be good for a few more miles. Then I trimmed the pans and started welding. The difference between doing it on the rotisserie and on jack stands is HUGE. Its much easier on me, I can turn the whole car easily rather than stand up sit down crawl under the car, get back up etc. I will never ever do another ground up or frame off without one of these. I need to rework it a bit to make it easier to balance, but even the cobbled together stuff seems to work.

Here is the drivers side cut out, got most of the clean up done.




And after a bit of welding... not finished yet got hungry and cold so stopped for the night.

[Thumpin455]

Re: 65 GTO

Got the other side done yesterday, still have about two hours of welding to do. Starting on the trunk after I get that done. Next step is blasting the underside, the inside, and all the rusty areas, and grinding down those booger looking welds my cheap welder likes to do sometimes.

[Thumpin455]

Re: 65 GTO

They only had boxed rear arms when there was a rear sway bar, and the boxed frame was an option in 71-72. Most I have seen had frames like this one and no rear sway bar. The 70-72 GTO had a rear bar standard, my 70 actually handles halfway decent too.

[Page2171]

Re: 65 GTO

Your starting point looks better than my first car, a '71 LeMans 2dr hardtop. I bought that car for $150, sold it three years later for $700. Kind of a funny story with that. The guy who bought the car was looking for a good shell to use to restore his GTO (the only straight rust free body panels on my car were the roof and hood, the rest were rusty and/or dented ???). When finalizing the sale he told me what he made him the happiest about finding the car were that the floorpans were so solid, which he proved by stomping on the passenger side front floor. If he would have done that on the driver's side he would have put his foot right through the floor. : I hated to sell that car, but it was in pretty horrible shape and I couldn't afford to drive it to see my girlfriend (now my wife).

[98ciHemi]

Re: 65 GTO

Jon Wennerberg who owns and operates <Landracing.com> and is an LSR motorcycle racer is a neighbor of yours. You can contact him thru the website. He's a real character and goes by the alias of "Seldom Seen Slim". He and his wife Nancy (who is a real sweetie) are sort of integral to the LSR scene. They live in (IIRC) Syria, MI.

Dan

Dan, Slim is in Skandia. I will be going to MI tech in August. It's a bit of a drive but I would love to swing by some time. I don't know if an Escort is any better than a sled or a 4x4, but it's what I have. Actually, I will probably not have the Escort up there, or at least not until my sophmore year when I can grab some off campus housing and find a garage.

-Walt

[Thumpin455]

Re: 65 GTO

Yeah MT is a bit farther than NMU, and Skandia is right around the corner as the crow flies, but its a half hour drive to get there. An Escort will work, the S10/Ranger sized 4x4 trucks are good for winter, especially in the Keewanaw, they get LOTS of snow up there. Im about an hour and a half from Houghton, but if you need to do some work on the car you are welcome to come hang out and do it here. What major you taking up there anyway? I need to get in touch with a proff or two who is into green energy and ethanol, see if they want to take some of my projects to the next level.

[DanStokes]

Re: 65 GTO

He always just says "Marquette" so I tend not to remember the actual town. Hey, I was close - both start with "S".

Dan

Jon Wennerberg who owns and operates <Landracing.com> and is an LSR motorcycle racer is a neighbor of yours. You can contact him thru the website. He's a real character and goes by the alias of "Seldom Seen Slim". He and his wife Nancy (who is a real sweetie) are sort of integral to the LSR scene. They live in (IIRC) Syria, MI.

Dan

Dan, Slim is in Skandia. I will be going to MI tech in August. It's a bit of a drive but I would love to swing by some time. I don't know if an Escort is any better than a sled or a 4x4, but it's what I have. Actually, I will probably not have the Escort up there, or at least not until my sophmore year when I can grab some off campus housing and find a garage.

-Walt