[performerrpm]

the progress you have made with that car is remarkable.......even with your delay you mentioned your further along than most hobbiest would be after 2 years on it........hats off to you


on the other hand i wish i didnt have all boys, now i wish i had a daughter to marry off in hopes of the in law feeling froggy and building me a car

[Thumpin455_GTO]

Now it is back on the frame! Now I can get started on the quarter, the cowl, and getting it all in primer. I used two engine hoists to get it off the rotisserie, rather scary having all my work hanging there like that.

[performerrpm]

looking good!!! when i had mine off the frame i used A frame and chain hoist with a spreader bar and a strap, was suppose have help show up which never happend so finaly i hoisted it up and rolled the frame under it myself.......scary indeed trying to keep it balanced

[Thumpin455_GTO]

Had a rough month, getting back to work on this tomorrow. More pics soon.

[Thumpin455_GTO]

I got some work done on the Goat today, after I finished the trailer axles I sanded down the quarter I got from the rusty Tempest. The GTO has all sorts of issues with that quarter, and I have a new skin too, but it didnt include the top and sail panel. Well now I have that, and if I cant fix the wheel lip well enough, I can use the skin on it.

It is rusty on the bottom, but I have the rear patch already and the inside is in good shape. It will get some POR 15 in the hidden spots before it gets welded up, and it should never rust again, right? Anyway, work is progressing again.



Also check it out! PONTIAC ROW! My front yard is pretty damn cool, at least I think so.

[performerrpm]

id say pontiac row is lookin good, especialy that formula

[Old Blue 66]

Looks good Dave. Glad to see your back on the car again.

[Thumpin455_GTO]

Im Todd, Dave is my ex's father.

[Old Blue 66]

Originally Posted by Thumpin455_GTO

Im Todd, Dave is my ex's father.

I knew that. I was just testing.....

[Thumpin455_GTO]

I havent updated it here in a while, but I have gotten a bit done on it. I decided to shoot the 70 quick while I hit this one with epoxy primer. Since it is almost ready for the primer, I started sanding the 70. There is still metal work to be done on this one, but it is only a couple days from being ready to cover again.

After cutting up the Tempest I have almost got all the patches from it welded on. The roof was pinholed above the window channel, so I sectioned the roof and welded in the piece from the parts car.




Then fixed the A pillar instead of trying to make a piece for it. I managed to cut off the Tempest piece without tearing it up too much.



Fixed the rust holes in the radiator support and brushed on POR15 before I prime and cover it in chassis black.



Found a 1 inch deep gouge in the drivers door, apparently they got lazy and just filled it in rather than bumping it out. It is even in an easy to reach spot. It should come out ok, might have to make a cut in it to avoid the stretching and hardening.



The quarter panel from the post car seems to fit pretty well after all the extra stuff has been cut away. It took about three days of trimming and some work to align the trunk lid, but it is two minutes from being ready to weld to the car.




That is how far I have gotten with all the extra stuff going on around here. I am taking my kids back home this week, so next week it will be back at it welding like a madman. I want to get this thing in color coat and ready to reassemble before the cold weather hits. I wont have the cash to get it done since I have to buy firewood, but I can get it running and drivable since I have almost all the parts I need to just do that. The interior and some other parts will cost me more than I can spare until November or December, who knows maybe I can get the firewood cheap and the snow will come late and Dave can drive it yet this year.

[Old Blue 66]

I love this thread. Keep the updates coming.

[Thumpin455_GTO]

I will when I get back to it. Right now I am dealing with a 98 Gran Prix trans swap. I am going to be welding on this one and the 70 at the same time. The next few weeks should see some serious work done, after that I gotta get firewood, lots and lots of it.

[27jalopy]

HOLY COW... You are making the impossible work! And that is just awesome!

People think I am rich when they see my collection of old cars in various states of disrepair (quit laughing, guys!). But I am not... I simply made a goal years ago that I would restore a '64 Lemans, to show myself that it could be done on a young man's wages. I dove in head first, and have never looked back. My first welds, my first improper use of primer, my attempts at panel beating... this literal "school of hard knocks".
I like the credibility that comes from such a passion, even though I am a little bit on the OCD junk-car-hoarding bandwagon!

[Thumpin455_GTO]

Yeah I am a long way from rich, but I could be once I get everything looking nice and running good. Then I would have to sell them, and if I do that then I wont have them anymore..

I realized I hadnt taken any pics of the 65 recently, and I have done some work to it. I bolted up the fenders, mainly to get them out of the way. I still need to fix the rust and a few dents on them, but all in all I think I will be able to really get moving on this one when the 70 is finished. I moved it to the bigger shed where we store boats all winter so I had room to work on the 70 and the Gran Prix. Her eis how it looks right now..





IT LOOKS LIKE A CAR AGAIN!!!!!!

[Thumpin455_GTO]

The 70 is painted and drivable now, so this one is back in the shop and I have been sanding some flash rust off the panels. Its about to take off again, and now I dont have any distractions.

Thanks for all the kind words in this thread, you guys are awesome.

[Old Blue 66]

Post pics when you can. GReat work!

[Old Blue 66]

Anything ever happen with this car??

[Thumpin455_GTO]

Wow you dug this thread up from way back... and I just happened to look on PY. Sorry I havent been updating the thread here. I have gotten more done on it, also built a 455 for my 70 GTO. I have been ordering parts for the 65, only need the engine harness and the entire wiring system will be here. The sheetmetal work is coming along too, here are the pics.

The Parts Place sent me these, very nice quality and not too bad on price.


Did some sandblasting back in April and found some rust on the drivers side fender, pinholes the entire length.



So it was cut out and patches welded in.




Turned out pretty good after grinding them down.




After looking at the lower rear part of the fenders I decided it would be easier and better looking to get patches instead of forming new metal. Both fenders got them, I did the passenger side fender last night and I dont have any pics of it yet, but its ground down and ready for filler. Here is the drivers side patch in place.



I started on the grille surround, fixed the dents and rust it had, then covered in with POR15. Wire wheeled the inner fender wells, then did the POR thing to them as well.



On the rear of the car I have the new quarter fitted but not welded. Needs just a little trimming and alignment before I get after it with the welder. The filler between the rear glass and the trunk doesnt fit quite right, so that needs some attention as well. Somehow the center of it was pushed down making the rest of it not fit worth a damn. This will take some work and a bit of thinking, but at least it should be fixable.




I painted the 70 last year, it came out ok for as cheap as I did it. I still need to put the mirror back on, get some turn signal housings/lenses, and install the valences, then pick up a rear bumper for it, but it looks much better in the yard. It will get driven this summer, hopefully with the new 13:1 455 running E85 and a 700R4 trans behind it. That is the other project that has been taking up my time. Here is what it looks like now.



This is the new 455.

[davidgto]

Todd,
This is Dave in SC. I just saw your site on here. Amazing resto you are doing and for a great cause. You are a talented young man and a big heart to boot, building this car for someone else.

I looked for the PHS on this car, and I think it was discarded since I did not know how to contact you. One thing I do remember, is the VIN number on your car. If my memory is correct, there are a bunch of zero's and the last two digits are 65.

To me, this car is special if for no other reason, the 65th car in 1965. It needed to be restored rather than parted out. Looks like from the work you are doing in the resto, you were the man to revive it.

Keep posting your progress. I think you and your efforts will go down in PONTIAC history. You have my vote.

[440sixpack]

I'm always impressed how you rust belt guys can save a car I'd run from screaming like my teeth were on fire. I felt abused having to put some patches in the lower rear quarters.

Keep it up it looks like you're winning.