65 GTO

[Thumpin455]

Damn you google! Still, it doesnt convey the pure hatred we have for that little form.

[silver_bullet]

the dreaded term in our recruit training was ASMOED...usually meant 4-6 more weeks of boot due to medical or academic deficiencies...

[98ciHemi]

Well- even though we hated the form- we still had some fun with it. We had an informal flight competition to get as many 341s as possible while inside the porta-jons at Camp Shelby. Our flight cadre were in on it (actually, it was our CTA's idea) and would ignore the negative 341s we received since they were the ones who we reported them to.

One of the johns had a small hole in the door you could look out of and identify whatever cadre member was walking by, and then give the proper greeting of the day as they walked by. Most (male) cadre got a kick out of it and you'd get a "excellence" 341. One female CTA however, gave out FIVE 341s to a cadet at once for doing it- each one for some different offense. She would literally toss each one up in the air after filling it out. It looked like a very small snowstorm.

[Whelk]

the dreaded term in our recruit training was ASMOED...usually meant 4-6 more weeks of boot due to medical or academic deficiencies...

The only thing at Great Lakes I feared was being ASMOED. I was more than ready to leave on time.

[Thumpin455]

For us it was recycle, for some people if it happened they lost their slot for their job and ended up as cooks, cops, or cargo. I was already going in as cargo, but I didnt know my job had classes starting every couple weeks.

Well the rear end is ready to go back under the car now. Got the brakes rebuilt, the new lines run, everything clean and painted. Just need to scrounge a bolt/washer to hold the spring to one side and procure two more control arm bolts.

[Deaf Bob]

Lookin good..
How ya feeling after being sick all last summer? Better?

[Thumpin455]

I can breathe ok now, but I am severely out of shape. 6+ months of sitting really does you in. Getting back to where I was, but holy crap it doesnt take long for me to get winded now. Its probably a combination of the two things being way out of shape and still having lung issues.

Going on a parts run, need some 3/8 fuel hose, heater fuel, hose clamps, and some other assorted stuff. It would be nice to get this thing on the ground with all the stuff under it done, just needing interior and engine work. The weather is warming up now, has been mostly over 30 all week so its comfy working out there with a small heater going.

[Thumpin455]

Its getting there, the only big things left are fixing the window channels, which will be after its drivable, and rebuilding the transmission. The lines are all done, just need to install the interior, dress out the engine, install the exhaust, and hook up the wire for the fuel gauge. Im wanting to do the interior after I get the windows in right, so I dont have to clean it all up again with sanding, welding, and painting it. Kinda a catch 22 with the channels.

I should really figure out what gears I need for the speedo, I doubt they will be right since it has a 2.56 gear set in it. The rear is under there, but I needed new bolts for it so I ordered them yesterday. Once they get here I can tighten everything and install the shocks.





Oops missed some of the frame when I shot the black on it. Better get that done next time I am under it.



The cheap wheels I ran on the 70 for ten years have an offset that puts them into the lip on the quarter. Even without the 275 tire it would still be set too far out in the well. So it needs a different set of wheels.



So I ordered a set of these in 15x7 and it will probably get 225 or 235 tires depending on where the outer lip ends up in the rear.



A couple months ago I sprung for a decent exhaust system. I figured Dave would want it to sound good, last a while, and not leak all over the place. So its getting as 2.5" system with an X pipe and Summit mufflers I have had for a long time that were never installed. I want the trans in before I go installing the exhaust, its just easier to get things done without it under there.



Tomorrow the engine will get what it needs. I rebuilt an HEI that was used last in the 90s, so that will get stabbed in, the oil put in and primed with my home made primer, after I get the radiator and wires all run where they need to go. Right now I have a rebuilt Qjet (gas) that ran great on everything I put it on so it will get that first. If it doesnt like this engine I have a Holley or two for it. It should be able to smoke that rear tire as long as you stay in the throttle, its not a wimpy 400. This engine was a good performer in the 70, so it should be lots of fun in a lighter car.

This thing is keeping me up at night, waking me and not letting me go back to sleep and all around driving me nuts that I havent been able to do much for months. Its nice to have my motivation back, but some sleep once in a while would be nice.

[mlcraven]

Great to see you're gathering momentum again. Really like the wheel/tire size choice.

[Thumpin455]

Damn Summit, you fast. Ordered the wheels on Sunday, they got here today. Wasnt expecting them until tomorrow at the earliest. These are some nice steel wheels, tires will be in later this week at a local shop. I would have gotten them from Summit too, but I dont own a balancer so why not just get it all done at once? The control arm bolts for the rear are here, when the trans is done and going in I will install them. Need to dig a converter out of the stash for this thing, I think I have a 2200 around somewhere.



Pulled an alternator apart that I know works, cleaned it up in the bead blaster, shot some clear on the body and Pontiac blue on the pulley and fan. Came out nice. Might upgrade it at some point to a higher amp unit, if I do then I might just polish it up a bit. I think the blue is a nice touch without being gaudy. It kinda blends in.



Engine bay is looking better, shot some black on it after cleaning it a bit. Will run the wires after I get the alternator and distributor in. If I didnt want it all purdy, it would be running right now.



Painted up the pulleys and alternator bracket, turns out the upper pulley was wrong so I had to find the right one. Then the alt bracket had something on it after the bead blaster that fisheyed the paint, so had to do it again.

[Scott Liggett]

Looks good. I am not into a bunch of billet, and aftermarket chrome brackets and pulleys never line up right. Hell, $2000 March front drive kits dont line up either. And, too much chrome looks like you stole the motor from a low rider. I stayed with just chrome air cleaner and valve covers, then clean and paint pulleys and brackets like you have done looks the best.

Looking forward to seeing a video of this running.

[Al Von]

I'm with Scott. I am not into billet or chrome. Just come up with a theme, clean and paint it!

Thumpin, this build has inspired me to build one of my dream rides. I recently found a '71 Fury III sedan on CL. I am waiting for the owner to pull the motor & trans to keep for his other project. You saved this Pontiac from certain destruction, so I going to save this Fury. It was a TN car, so the underside is fantastic, but the roof is almost rusted off under the tar paper! At least THIS car I can do rust repair standing UP!

Thank you!

[Thumpin455]

Thanks guys. Im not a fan of billet and chrome either, this one has chrome valve covers because they were on the 70 when I got it, otherwise it would have stock painted covers. Stock stuff works and best of all it just needs bead blasted and painted to be worthy of going on the car. I dont build show cars, I build drivers, and shiny shit doesnt have much use on a driver.

The Fury sounds cool, had a bud with one of those that had a 383/727/3.23 suregrip in it. Lots of fun with that green behemoth. I think it was a 68 or 69, but still a fun ride. Looking forward to your build thread, and dont fear rust provided you have a welder and a place to do the work. As long as you arent painting it black or dark blue, it doesnt have to be perfect.

Well the tires came in this morning, so I took the wheels in and found out two of them were bent. Brand freaking new Wheel Vintiques from Summit. You would think that new wheels wouldnt be bent and need a bunch of weight to balance. Call me irritable about that. So they marked them so I could put them on the rear and not have an issue with the steering wheel shaking like mad. The tires are a bit taller than the fronts I had on it before, but that is ok. They should fill the wells a bit more this way.



We are having a few friends over tomorrow, so today was spent running around getting ready for that and getting the house ready. I am too bushed to stick the wheels on right now. Cant wait to get the center caps for them, maybe trim rings too. Should look pretty kick ass this way.

[Scott Liggett]

When I see the tire tech adding a lot of weight to a tire to balance, I have them stop and break the bead of the wheel and rotate the tire 180* on the wheel, then rebalance. Usually, this will reduce the amount of weight needed to balance.

[Thumpin455]

They tried that too, made it worse. Kinda cheap tires.