[GTOWoody]

Hello Everyone,

I'm new to the forums, just purchased a 71 GTO that will be a full restoration. The guy I bought from was moving so it had to go. I have a lot of original parts and I was hoping to have a matching numbers car. My hopes were dashed quickly. I found the block code of YH which is a '74 block. It's not a big deal. I'm still excited to get started. However, it seems like every time I look at the car, it has more oddities. I was taking pictures of all the hoses, before I started to pull them (make sure I get them all back together). I noticed that the exhaust on the driver side has the baffle in the exhaust manifold, like a RAM AIR car. Is that correct?

My guess at this point, until I get the history is that someone blew the engine and pieced together something. In the end, I'll just completely restore and not fell bad beefing up the engine instead of restoring stock.

[Pontiacmuscle]

Sounds like a really interesting project. Welcome to PY and please post up some pics when you can. You'll get all the help you can stand here!

[A.W.Dille]

Welcome, it's nice to have another 71 on the board. Please post pics if and when you can.

[OVERULD]

Welcome to the forum! It is indeed nice to have another 71 in the group. Great folks here with lots of knowledge. What color is your car?

BJ

[67drake]

Welcome. Yes,we need pics!
What color? Auto ot manual tranny?
#'s matching and original make it worth more,but NOT any more fun!

[GTOWoody]

Here are some pics, the original color according to the data plate is Copper Canyon. It is also the paint coming out from under the chips and the underside of the trunk.

Car details - I am missing the Rally II's, the air cleaner. I will need to replace the driver floor pan and right rear floor pan. The trunk and hood skins have surface rust, but the frame is rusted through in spots of both. I don't know if I will be able to salvage or not yet. The rear patch panels will need to be replaced. The interior is what you would expect for 20 years of sitting.

All in all the car is in good shape for the age, the frame is dirty with surface rust, I can't find any weak spots. The 400 block, transmission, and rear end seem to be in good shape, but plan to rebuild all three. The body has lots of surface rust, but not finding any weak spots in that either. All of the original chrome is there, they painted it black but it is there. When the car was repainted, they sanded over the chrome, so that will need to be rechromed. The grill is in good shape, only a few minor bends that can be moved back with out any notice.

As you can tell, I'm still very excited. I am waiting on the PHS so I can figure out all the options and verify what is stock on the car and what is not. Since the block is incorrect, my current plan is to restore the car stock except the power train. I am leaning towards hot rodding it out a little more then stock.

Thanks for all the support already.

[GTOWoody]

Oh, forgot the dent in the right front fender, seems very fixable.

[A.W.Dille]

Even though pics don't show everything it doesn't look too bad, definitely worth saving. Canyon Copper is a very nice color and looks to be very nicely. Air, P/B and P/S. It's obvious the engine has been changed, well at least the intake and carb so looks like you have a good block to start with as far as a nice street engine or possibly more. Again nice to see another 71 getting saved.

[The Boss]

Great project Woody, good luck with it.

[2002Z4CSS]

Welcome. Is that a 2 barrel carb?

[johnta1]

Welcome, Woody.


You need to check for the block casting code on your engine.
YH was also 455 in other years.

Here is a link:
Engine Search

You never know, might be better than what you thought you had.

[GTO JOHN]

Congrats on the purchase Woody. I bought a 71 GTO project a few years ago.

Seller told me it was a Green 455 3-spd car but when I got the PHS back it was really a Black 400 M-21 4-spd posi car.

[72EnduraWagon]

Welcome aboard and good luck with the project,you will find much help and knowledge from the board members here,they have helped my project alot!

[rustedgoat]

Welcome to the forums.
Search function on this website will provide tons of info and photos for you.
Edit your profile to show your location you may have some members local to you.

On the standard log manifolds question.
Where the manifold bolts to the head , one side does have the divider in it, the other side does not. I do think some years their were motors that have no dividers in either manifold.

[carmak]

I hope this helps with your project. Below are some pictures of my canyon copper 71 with siena interior.

Carmak
Riverside, Iowa

[GTOWoody]

Thanks All,

Jonta1, I did some more research and found the 400 on the block, plus the code at the rear RH side of the block 481988 is for a '74. It would have been a really nice surprise to find out I had a 455.

Carmax, the car looks great (at least in the pictures). I will have to print them out and hang them in the garage for motivation. Guess I need to stop day dreaming and get back to work.

[F ROCK]

check next to the distributer hole for the date.it will be large and say 75, or whatever year. i briefly checked wallace racing site and found no yh code in 74. 1975 yh was a 400. other years; 70, 72, yh code was 455. the y in yh tells you it was attached to an auto trans. check the code over the two center exhaust ports; it will say 6x or something, large numbers; then we'll know what kind of power it has.
check out www.wallaceracing.com all of your engine codes can be decoded there.

[Steve Barcak]

I also have a Canyon Copper '71 GTO with Sienna interior. Very pretty color combo. I've had mine since 1981. It is an original 455HO round port engine and extremely over loaded with options. Car was not sold new or delivered to a dealer. according to build sheet, it was delivered to Az proving groungs in Mesa, Az. I've had record of it since 1977. It's been off of the road since 1987. Must have been a Pontiac engineer or executives car whne new.

Enjoy your '71 while building it. I do not understand why you choose the title of this thread?

What state are you in?
Did you find your build sheet?

Steve

Hosting- 12th annual Pontiac Heaven March 26-28, 2010 Phoenix
make plans to attend

[GTOWoody]

I'd love to see pics of your '71. I named post because the block is wrong and it has me worried that more of the power train could be wrong, plus it was painted a different color, so it may have been pieced together all ready. It look good when I'm done, just not a matching numbers car.

[OVERULD]

I second Woody's request Steve - post some pictures of that CC/Sienna 71. I had never seen CC in person until I saw the one that Forrest Fulton is currently restoring and wow, that is indeed a beautiful color. Then I saw Tim Allen's Castillian Bronze/Sienna 71 Judge at the GTOAA Co-vention and man that is a gorgeous combo as well! (Especially with those Pinky stripes)

BJ