65 GTO

[DanStokes]

Thanks for the before pic! A good reminder of what a long, strange trip it's been (and I'm not a huge Dead fan).

Dan

[Thumpin455]

Radiator showed up yesterday, so its in there now, got a few other things done too. Need to do some stuff instead of working on the car, but here is what the engine looks like at this point.





And the obligatory what it looked like when I got it..

[Thumpin455]

Radiators are expensive, I decided to go with a new one rather than the old one which looks sketchy. Also it has a 3/8 line coming out of the cooler and the trans fittings are 5/16, so it made more sense to order a radiator than it did to hope the old one works well enough. At least the alignment kit I am getting will work on other cars too, that is how I justified it. Now I can do my alignments here instead of paying someone to do it. Those two killed almost the entire budget for this month, and its only the 2nd.

The really annoying part is it wont be here until Monday, so I cant make the lines and get the engine running until then.

I am ready to do a different project, and it will be one that does not have to be nice, comfortable, or pretty.

[tardis454]

Im not amazing, amazing would be having it come out looking like Chip or Troy built it, and doing it in two months...

You don't have Chip/Troy's budget, you're on Todd's budget.
Don't sell yourself short dude, you did an awesome job!

[milner351]

Todd - you're humble - and that's a rare trait among guys with your level of talent.

You should be very proud of your accomplishments on this car - and on the others.

Well done indeed - and - you can call it "finished" as soon as it runs and drives - but we all know none of these cars we play with will ever be "done". The small stuff can really add up - and that's where a "concourse" restoration spirals out of control IMHO - if you need a bolt/screw/nut/clip - find one that fits and drive it!

[mike343sharpstick]

Ordered more parts today and it feels like its getting more expensive as it gets closer to being done.

I hate that, I've been dealing with that on finishing up just my motor! When I was finishing up my car I remember clearly spending hundreds on a few bags of screws, clips, and some rubber doo-dads.

[yellomalibu]

Ordered more parts today and it feels like its getting more expensive as it gets closer to being done.

I understand that one. The nickel and dime stuff starts really adding up! This is why my C10 isn't "finished". After paying for a cheap paint job and a new windshield, then buying window channel, window fuzzies, door weatherstripping, diamond plate bed rails, tailgate cap, side mirrors... I had to stop! The body moulding and fender insignia that everyone tells me I still need - well, that would have been a few hundred more dollars!

[Thumpin455]

Ordered more parts today and it feels like its getting more expensive as it gets closer to being done.

[Thumpin455]

I was looking at those two pics earlier today, and it dawned on me that everything in the bottom one except for the door, A pillars and trans tunnel is not in the top one. Its all different stuff, including half of the drivers side A pillar. Even the steering column is different.

Yeah, Chip and Troy wouldnt have done this one that is for certain. If my kids have a tombstone for me, it should say "Saved a 65 GTO" and nothing else. =P

[Huskinhano]

What a difference!

[mike343sharpstick]

Chip or Troy wouldn't have touched that car, that what makes this project so cool.

[Thumpin455]

Im not amazing, amazing would be having it come out looking like Chip or Troy built it, and doing it in two months. That would be amazing. I agree about saving them, and I think we should also be saving the LeMans and Tempests too. Anything old and hotrod-able should be rebuilt, not scrapped. Doesnt have to be a resto, it can be a driver, street/strip toy, or something interesting, just so long as we dont scrap the ones that can be redone. If there are guys who want to run it, they should be allowed to, not part them out and send the big pieces that dont unbolt to China.

I picked up some of the little stuff, odds and ends that go here and there and take up space or hold things together. Made a list yesterday because I knew I was headed in today, and little stuff adds up quick. So many pieces to a car, tons of little things and this is an old relatively simple car too.

[DanStokes]

Todd, you are AMAZING!!!! And thanks for saving one - a lesser man would have taken this apart and sold it for parts and probably made a tidy profit. There aren't that many early GTOs left on the planet so it counts to save one. Did I mention that it's looking GOOD!

Dan

[Thumpin455]

I still have to keep telling myself, "ITS NOT A SHOW CAR" because I keep wanting to fix the spots I dont like on it and repaint it, and rework a few places I really dont like how it turned out. Its a driver, and Dave doesnt want it too nice or he will be afraid to drive it.

The transmission is in, need to run the cooler lines and put the dipstick tube in it, make a modulator line for it, add some fluid then it is done. The driveshaft is already in there bolted up and ready to go. The ST300 shaft does fit a Th350 perfectly, thanks GM.

I have a list of small stuff I need to continue and get it running, going to pick that up tomorrow and hopefully fire it up this week. Still need to order some resto parts like a headliner, arm rest cushions, and GTO plates for the door panels to finish the interior. Might as well buy an alignment tool so I can set up the front ends here, for $200 total it only takes two or three cars to pay for itself, so that will be on the way from Summit. Ive done enough alignments I think I could do this one in my sleep.

Here is what the office looks like right now.

Haul it up here. I have a 74 Formula 350 already. THe last thing I need is another 2nd gen F body, unless its an HO or SD.

I'm not up for that long of a trip. I'll let you know when it's sitting in my backyard.