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    Results 1 to 20 of 48
    1. #1
      Join Date
      Mar 2015
      Location
      Seattle, WA
      Posts
      34
      Country Flag: United States

      1967 Pontiac LeMans

      I've lurked for awhile, drooling over high buck and low buck builds all while gathering ideas for my own project. I'm sharing this to help document the process for myself while also hoping others chime in with suggestions, criticisms, and words of encouragement.



      My goal is to end up with a driver. I do track days with my other car, so I really want this thing to end up more then comfortable on the track and autocross course. I have had this car for far too long. It's time to just jump in and get something done. This is going to be a drawn out budget build.

      The car is a 1967 Pontiac LeMans hardtop. It's a 326 with 3 on the floor, red over black. I inherited the car from a family member who bought it back in 71, so I am the 3rd owner.

      My goals are to clean up the body, throw much more running gear under it, run the stock 326/3spd for awhile, then put in a LS and 6 speed when funds allow. I'm currently looking at UMI's setup but am still doing research.

      The car has had a cheap paint job done. The original was trashed from the Mount St. Helen's eruption. Luckily there is little body filler, and short of a couple patch panels and the trunk pan, the body is in relatively good shape. I'm in the process of stripping it down so I can shoot the car in SPI expoxy primer. I've ordered a new trunk pan kit and GTO hood from AMD.


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    2. #2
      Join Date
      Apr 2001
      Location
      The City of Fountains
      Posts
      15,971
      Country Flag: United States
      Looks like a very solid start!

      Andrew
      1970 GTO Version 3.0
      1967 Cougar build
      GM High-Tech Performance feature
      My YouTube Channel Please Subscribe!
      Instagram @projectgattago
      Dr. EFI
      I deliver what EFI promises.
      Remote Holley EFI tuning.
      Please get in touch if I can be of service.

      "You were the gun, your voice was the trigger, your bravery was the barrel, your eyes were the bullets." ~ Her

    3. #3
      Join Date
      Apr 2004
      Location
      Cedar Rapids, IA
      Posts
      999
      THats got some awesome patina to it.
      Some times I'm fast sometimes I'm half-fast

    4. #4
      Join Date
      Jul 2013
      Location
      Gilbert, AZ
      Posts
      934
      Country Flag: United States
      Clean ride, looking forward to the build!
      Josh Campbell- Pushing the limits of my HOA since 2011
      71 Firebird- 455, Ridetech front suspension. https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/...04#post1124504
      67 Camaro RS/SS clone, Speedtech front suspension, coilovers, soon to get LT1/T56.
      82 Z28- cheapie beater, soon to get a 406.
      66 Mustang coupe- 393, T-5, sold. https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/...-Coupe-GT393-C

    5. #5
      Join Date
      Aug 2011
      Location
      Burleson, TX
      Posts
      130
      Country Flag: United States
      My project has taken forever with times of great progress as well as no progress. I will be keeping up to see how you are doing on the build. Love your Avatar!

      Ken

    6. #6
      Join Date
      Mar 2015
      Location
      Seattle, WA
      Posts
      34
      Country Flag: United States
      Thanks for the kind words guys!

      I received my new trunk pan, so I'll document that when it goes in.

      For now, my gto hood showed up! I think this really sets off the front end. I'm excited to get this thing all one color.

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    7. #7
      Join Date
      Aug 2007
      Location
      Central Wisconsin
      Posts
      40
      Country Flag: United States
      looks like a good solid car to start with. Gone to be fun to watch it come together.
      Tim Mc
      71 Cutlass
      66 Tempest
      65 cutlass
      15 BMW GSA

    8. #8
      Join Date
      Mar 2015
      Location
      Seattle, WA
      Posts
      34
      Country Flag: United States
      Craigslist kills me.

      I bought a thing that I was not expecting to do for awhile.

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    9. #9
      Join Date
      Apr 2001
      Location
      The City of Fountains
      Posts
      15,971
      Country Flag: United States
      Looks like an iron block gen 3 engine...what displacement?

      Andrew
      1970 GTO Version 3.0
      1967 Cougar build
      GM High-Tech Performance feature
      My YouTube Channel Please Subscribe!
      Instagram @projectgattago
      Dr. EFI
      I deliver what EFI promises.
      Remote Holley EFI tuning.
      Please get in touch if I can be of service.

      "You were the gun, your voice was the trigger, your bravery was the barrel, your eyes were the bullets." ~ Her

    10. #10
      Join Date
      Mar 2009
      Location
      Houston, TX
      Posts
      1,193
      Country Flag: United States
      Looks like either 4.8 or 5.3.
      Tu Ho
      Firebird V2-LS swap

    11. #11
      Join Date
      Mar 2015
      Location
      Seattle, WA
      Posts
      34
      Country Flag: United States
      It's the 295hp version of the 5.3 LM7 with 706 heads. It's a runner and I got it for less than $100. I'll clean it up and give it a good look over. But I figured for the price why not take a gamble.

    12. #12
      Join Date
      Aug 2018
      Location
      Saginaw Mi
      Posts
      94
      Country Flag: United States
      Quote Originally Posted by Joshdub View Post
      It's the 295hp version of the 5.3 LM7 with 706 heads. It's a runner and I got it for less than $100. I'll clean it up and give it a good look over. But I figured for the price why not take a gamble.
      HAHA cant beat that price! 243 Heads and cam you will make over 400hp how it sits. Im a huge fan of these LeMans, I remember seeing one racing on youtube a while back and my jaw hit the floor. They just look so good lowered and in track form. Cant wait to see it come along.

    13. #13
      Join Date
      Mar 2015
      Location
      Seattle, WA
      Posts
      34
      Country Flag: United States
      Still getting the body stripped down. Pull the front and rear windshields, rear bumper, taillights, door cards, and am working on the dash. I still need to figure out how to pull the side windows.

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      I need to replace the trunk seal channel. Does anyone have any recommendations on where to get this?

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    14. #14
      Join Date
      Apr 2016
      Posts
      68
      I just redid a 66 gto for a friend. I had to hand fab the channel all the way around on his, I was never able to source any replacements...

    15. #15
      Join Date
      Aug 2007
      Location
      Central Wisconsin
      Posts
      40
      Country Flag: United States
      I had same issue on my 66 tempest and ended up replacing the tail panel to fix since there was other damage to it and just easier to replace complete panel.
      Tim Mc
      71 Cutlass
      66 Tempest
      65 cutlass
      15 BMW GSA

    16. #16
      Join Date
      Mar 2015
      Location
      Seattle, WA
      Posts
      34
      Country Flag: United States
      Not too much to update. Received some poly body mounts and hardware. Hoping to get these in and then work on panel gaps.

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      I've been stripping the interior by hand, getting ready to coat it. Getting the car media blasted would probably be the preferred method. If anyone has any reasonable recommendations in the Seattle area I'd appreciate it. So far everyone wants around $1600 to just blast the exterior.

      So I've been giving some consideration to my suspension setup. I have been looking at the UMI stage 2 setup and using my stock spindles. I believe The 1/2'' taller ball joints allow me to run my stock spindles while improving the camber geometry. The kit also comes with UMI's shocks and 2" lowering springs instead of coilovers. I think this kit would cover everything I could need to address (aside from possible bump steer components?). Let me know any opinions.

      Semi related, I am considering going with a jeep steering box with power steering.

      For the rear end I am considering keeping my stock 10 bolt but upgrading it with C clip eliminators, a truetrac, and stronger axles. I won't be launching the car, it wont see drag radials, and I doubt I'll be putting out over 400hp.

      Which brings me to the transmission. My T56/Tr6060 hunt hasn't been fruitful. I haven't given up, but I could refresh my T10 and come back to a 6 speed at a later date. I think running my T10 and 10 bolt would be easier for now while planning to upgrade to a T56 and something like a 9 inch later.

      Braking still needs to be addressed. I have looked into Kore3 brackets to use something like C6 calipers, but I need to do more research to see what I would actually meed for my usage. I do know that I will be upgrading to power disc brakes one way or another.

      For the LM7 swap I was looking at the Dirty Dingo sliders. I like that they are adjustable which seems like it would help with transmission, accessory, and tie rod fitment. However I don't know if this is better dealt with oil pans or accessory drives. I am also looking at the Holly oil pan for the same tierod clearance issues.

      Any input is appreciated. This probably isn't the ideal path, but am trying to balance ending up with something fun to hit a local non-competitive auto-x or lapping day while also being realistic budget wise and trying to take advantage of what I already have.

    17. #17
      Join Date
      Sep 2006
      Location
      TEXAS
      Posts
      153
      Country Flag: United States
      Great project. Looking forward to the progress pics and updates. A quality undercoating and interior floor coating post blasting/prep will be worth their weight in gold long term. Not always the most fun thing to do but you won’t want to strip the car down completely later to do something you can do easily today. If you plan on keeping the car long term this is a must. SEM Products has some great coatings and paints for various aspects of your build. You can find them on Amazon and they work great. Good luck and keep us updated with pics.
      Burn em’ while we have em’. Fossil fuels and rubber tires till the end!

    18. #18
      Join Date
      Mar 2015
      Location
      Seattle, WA
      Posts
      34
      Country Flag: United States
      Thanks. I've been debating between quietcoat and lizard skin for the interior. I haven't made up my mind yet. Undercoating wise I've used Wurth in the past with good results but I'll look into SEM.

    19. #19
      Join Date
      Mar 2015
      Location
      Seattle, WA
      Posts
      34
      Country Flag: United States
      Getting closer. I need to figure out how to remove the instrument panel while also being extra gentle. 50 year old plastic isn't the friendliest thing to work with. I do like the look of the stock gauges. I'd like to find a tach in the same style to throw in there.




      Also removed the cowl to inspect underneith and remove the wiper linkage. Aside from a ton of crud, everything seems to be in pretty good shape



      Started to dig into what I'd need to run this T10 on the LM7. I knew I had a chevy bellhousing from a 70 chevelle. The dowels and about 5 bolts line up, but the rest is a no go. No biggie, this was just laying around,





      Here is the T10




    20. #20
      Join Date
      Mar 2015
      Location
      Seattle, WA
      Posts
      34
      Country Flag: United States
      I forgot I had this so I figured I'd share.


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