65 GTO Gasser Build
 

I thought I'd share some pictures of my 65 Gasser project with you guys. I realize some of you will think I ruined a GTO but let me assure you I set out in the beginning looking for one in bad shape. And I found it! I dragged it out of the woods in upstate NY near Albany. I found it on an Ebay auction. It was being offered as a parts car with a 65 GTO clone. I wrote the owner and told him I'd be interested in it if the buyer of the clone didn't want it. Sure enough he didn't and I made him an offer.

My goal for this car is to put a 455 race engine in it, a high stall converter, a 9" I picked up and a straight front axle out of a 54 GMC pick-up truck. The engine will be set back about 12" into the firewall. Full roll cage, radiused rear wheel wells, long ass ladder bars, probably will need wheelie bars too. I hope to run in the 10's.

I'll start with a few from when I picked it up last winter and then some of the pix
I took of the work I'm doing on it.

more pix
 

I stored the car at Jim Dorans house for a year (thanks Jim). Some of the pics were taken there.

some more...

some pics of the progress
 

at my friends body shop...

I cut the front frame section off and had a fab shop weld on some new rails and a drilled out cross member. The boxing and bracing kit I bought from a guy in PA.

here's the front axle just prior to chroming it... and the rear wheels and one of the moon style fuel tanks I made up that I'll use up front as a radiator overflow tank. (i have a matching set of slots for the front)

The body is scheduled to be media blasted on the 12th of Feb. After that I'll tackle the body, front suspension and the roll cage.

Lookin' good Phil! You're really cranking on it now.
Free beer for the whole weekend if you can have it done for VMP in May!!!!!:beerchug:

I wish, but there's no way I can get it done for May Jeremy. The Fall - maybe. Thanks for the offer, considering how much I can drink! LOL!

Phil,

That is looking sweet, can't wait to see it finished.

Mark

Thanks Mark.

Here's a picture showing the new rear tail panel welded in. I also test fitted the fiberglass trunk before welding the panel in. I bought a fiberglass hood and rear bumper as well. There will not be a front bumper. Also some better pictures of the new front frame rails and the frame boxing/bracing kit.

Looks to be coming together nicely.:cool2:

I remember as a kid building most of my 1/25 scale model cars in that style. I did a lot of engine setbacks, radiused rear wheelwells and straight front axles.

Gonna be an awesome race car, manual or auto trans?:confused:

Auto this time around. I have a manual shift, reverse pattern T-400 and a 4800 stall converter. I got tired of breaking my red car (stick). It didn't like 5000 rpm dumps with slicks. ;)

Lookin good Phil. You weren't a ****tin that thing was rough. Seeing the pictures makes that crystal clear. You and Jim need to get those cars done for Norwalk. I'll be Jeremy will still buy the beer for that(even though he won't be there) since he's now sponsoring Jim's car :-).

Lookin good Phil. You weren't a kidding that thing was rough. Seeing the pictures makes that crystal clear. You and Jim need to get those cars done for Norwalk. I'll be Jeremy will still buy the beer for that(even though he won't be there) since he's now sponsoring Jim's car :-).

Looks like your "get'in it Done" there Phil! making good progress! I've been getting stuff together for my 66 Tempest drag Project too. Motor (550 HP 455 motor, intake to oil pan) Coan turbo 400, drag seats, fuel cell, shocks, springs, and a bunch of other stuff. finally got the title problem(long story) straighten out on the car. so i hope to get started on it this spring/summer! think i've even picked out a name for it too! it's will have an "old school" nostalgia look to it.

Phil - You're having entirely too much fun. Way to go!

That fab shop sure did some nice welding making the front boxed frame from 2x3 angle iron. I can testify that Phil has been working quite hard on the car down in his bodyshop hide-a-way. Not the best working conditions, yet haven't heard him complain. Phil, we need a pic of the whole tent setup.

Now the real question is would I ride shotgun on a 125MPH pass or during a 6ft wheelstand ??:hail:

Thanks for the positive feedback guys! I lost my job back on Dec 15th so I decided to make the best of it by getting some stuff done on this car. I start a new job tomorrow so things are going to slow down now. It'll probably turn into a Saturday job, plus an occasional sick day. ;)

b-man - I used to build models like that too. I go to a friends Hobby Shop every now and then and the guys there do some awesome work. They ask when I'm going to build a model and I tell them I'm into full scale modeling now! LOL!

Hooter - You think Jeremy will sponsor my car too? LOL!

Marty - Sounds like you're really getting motivated on yours! I was going to put a name on the side of the car but Mongo thought it might be tacky if it isn't alky/blown. I kinda agree. I still might do something along the lines of you and Jim though. Plus I can advertise my tanks on the car.

Jim - only 125? LOL Just wait till I straighten things out before you jump in!

Sure, Phil! Actually Benson Builders is doing real well and I'm going to buy an 18 wheel car hauler to haul all 3 of our cars around the country!;) OK, maybe not- but I can spring for the beer. Not only that but I think I'm going to be able to make Norwalk this year!:D :beerchug: