[FatfreeGTO]

So I have been working on my 66 GTO and wanted to share it with everyone. I have finally gotten to a point where I can post up some progress pictures. This is my 2nd 66 GTO had one 14 years ago as my first car and that was a project too. Guess I just couldn't stay away from the old goats

For tonight I am just going to link to my facebook page that has pictures up until I can get them loaded on here. Hope you guys enjoy.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?ai...7&l=f2e5281126

Before anyone says it yes I know the rear springs are installed upside down, I just figured that out tonight because I knew something was off. I was planning on having to take them out again anyways.

My plans for the car are just a simple cruiser that handles better than stock. I will not be doing any Auto-X, or drag racing. I want to have it running again in 2 months max so I can enjoy it for the summer.

New wheels and tires.

All new suspension, steering, and disc brake components.

Can't afford to do the body work at this time so it will have to go back on the way it is. I hope in a few years I can have it done. I really like the Marina Turquoise color that the car was ordered in and will go with that color in the future.

By the way my name is William, but I go by Bill, BJ, Willy whatever and I live in Wisconsin. I look forward to getting to know everyone here.

[kate`s67gto]

Very nice car looks to be in very nice condition. I like the Marina Turquoise color if my car was that color i would have painted it again. Good luck and enjoy your nice 66.

[mzbk2l]

Nice work, Bill! Welcome, and thanks for the pictures.

[6 Grrrs]

Welcome & good luck.

What part of Wisconsin? My sister lives in Cedarburg (NW of Milwaukee).

[Mr_GTO]

Sweet. Same color as my car.

[nodwyer]

Great pics and a nice project good luck with it.

[GT182]

Nice 66 Bill. Tell me, does it have shoulder belts in it from the factory? Sounds dumb asking, but I've not seen another 66 with factory shoulder belts since then. Your's is the same color as my very first 66 GTO I bought back in 1970, tho mine was Turquois inside and had factory installed shoulder belts.

And welcome to PY.

[FatfreeGTO]

Thanks for all the kind words everyone! I'm glad to be here, lurking around I have already found lots of good info.

Scott, the body really isn't in that great of shape there is quite a bit of rot unfortunately in all the usual places (quarters, trunk, floor pans, and the windshield molding channel is pretty rough too)

Tod, I'm actually in Cedarburg as well what a small world! Do you ever come around the area for a visit?

Gary, Mine has a black interior that is in surprisingly good shape but I do not have the shoulder belts. As a side note there is a guy selling some Turquoise front buckets on Craigslist around here with factory headrests from a 66 he says. I have never seen that before.

[Satyr1966]

Looks like you're doing a nice job on the frame & suspension. Good luck with the rest of the project.

[performerrpm]

the headrests you mention if reasonable priced is a good addition, rare as hens teeth too

[goatmanmitch]

Lookin' good! Keep up the momentum.

[Old Blue 66]

Originally Posted by FatfreeGTO

Thanks for all the kind words everyone! I'm glad to be here, lurking around I have already found lots of good info.

Scott, the body really isn't in that great of shape there is quite a bit of rot unfortunately in all the usual places (quarters, trunk, floor pans, and the windshield molding channel is pretty rough too)

Tod, I'm actually in Cedarburg as well what a small world! Do you ever come around the area for a visit?

Gary, Mine has a black interior that is in surprisingly good shape but I do not have the shoulder belts. As a side note there is a guy selling some Turquoise front buckets on Craigslist around here with factory headrests from a 66 he says. I have never seen that before.

Thats way north of Milwaukee. Good luck on the car!!

[6 Grrrs]

Originally Posted by FatfreeGTO

Tod, I'm actually in Cedarburg as well what a small world! Do you ever come around the area for a visit?

I haven't been there for almost 4 years. I need to plan a trip up there soon. My sister lives right off of Wawatosa Rd on Montgomery Ave (almost to rte 60). Really close to the Pontiac/GMC dealer (not sure if it is still there or not). She used to live in Grafton. She also used to be a traffic/news reporter for the local news (name was Stacy Hoffmann back then - later got married). That is why she moved up there in the first place. She got a job doing radio traffic & then graduated to being a TV news reporter. Now she works in a PR type job.

Originally Posted by Old Blue 66

Thats way north of Milwaukee. Good luck on the car!!

Only about 20-25 miles NW of Milwaukee. I'm 35 miles SW of Pittsburgh, yet we still call it Pittsburgh around here.

Way north to me would be in Fond du Lac or Sheboygan

[GT182]

Originally Posted by FatfreeGTO

Gary, Mine has a black interior that is in surprisingly good shape but I do not have the shoulder belts. As a side note there is a guy selling some Turquoise front buckets on Craigslist around here with factory headrests from a 66 he says. I have never seen that before.

Thanks on the shoulder belt info.... got it written down. I've got a set I'm putting in my GTO to remind me of my first 66 that had them. Need to be redyed black tho as they are faded.

As for the headrests on the 66 seats. I believe that was an option but done by a dealer, or someone else did it later on. There's nothing in my Options/Accessory book showing headrests for 66. Tho I too have seen them on 66 bucket seats, that had the reclining right side. Maybe Keith Seymore can add some input about 66 bucket seat headrests from the factory.

[6 Grrrs]

I believe it was a fairly rare option. I have seen a few cars equipped with the pass recline & headrests. Usually LeMans' and not GTO's.

[GT182]

I've never seen a 66 with it Tod, except for a photo. So you're a few ahead of me.

There's a few 66 GTOs and LeMans around here but none I've seen have that option, nor do any have shoulder belts. I guess mine will be the first here for that tho they didn't originally come with the car. You could say it's a tribute to my 1st 66 GTO I had in 1970, and didn't wear when I totaled the car. But back then no one wore seatbelts.

[FatfreeGTO]

Originally Posted by 6 Grrrs

I haven't been there for almost 4 years. I need to plan a trip up there soon. My sister lives right off of Wawatosa Rd on Montgomery Ave (almost to rte 60). Really close to the Pontiac/GMC dealer (not sure if it is still there or not). She used to live in Grafton. She also used to be a traffic/news reporter for the local news (name was Stacy Hoffmann back then - later got married). That is why she moved up there in the first place. She got a job doing radio traffic & then graduated to being a TV news reporter. Now she works in a PR type job.



Only about 20-25 miles NW of Milwaukee. I'm 35 miles SW of Pittsburgh, yet we still call it Pittsburgh around here.

Way north to me would be in Fond du Lac or Sheboygan

I know right where Montgomery ave is what a small world. Sorry I don't know your sister though, but if you ever come out this way we could go get a beer and talk GTOs And I agree Fon du lac is way north, I'm only 25 min north of Downtown Milwaukee.


Did a little bit more work last night got all my ball joints in, so now the front control arms are all ready to get put on this weekend. Hopefully it will be a complete roller in a day or two. Just curious what everyone thinks about putting the parking brake back in the car. My disc brake conversion came with a parking brake but I really don't think I need it because the car is an automatic, and I don't want to clutter up the underside with something I will never use. Should I install it anyways?

Here is a link to those bucket seats with the headrests $650 is the price and too expensive in my opinion. http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/pts/1656856296.html

[Old Goat 67]

Originally Posted by FatfreeGTO

Just curious what everyone thinks about putting the parking brake back in the car. My disc brake conversion came with a parking brake but I really don't think I need it because the car is an automatic, and I don't want to clutter up the underside with something I will never use. Should I install it anyways?

You guys call it a parking brake.

We were taught that it was an EMERGENCY brake.

Food for thought.

[performerrpm]

when one of my hangers on my 66 broke and caused the cable to get snatched up by the driveshaft going down the highway-scary for a second- i pulled over and cut what was left off and said heck i dont use it anyway, seemed that was the start of wheel cylinders going bad every other week for 2 months and always at the worst time, intersections busy off ramps with no breaks.....id say install the parking or emergency break

[GT182]

Just a little food for thought...... I'm not sure but some state's DMV inspections will fail you without the emergency brake, and it not properly working.

I do know NY is one of them.