69 GTO Build

[derdingle]

Not sure who makes it. That picture is directly from Just Dashes site, so my guess is them.

[ekmxryda]

derdingle
Its great that your Dad and brother are part of the project, and very cool that your Dad raced NHRA funny cars! You definitely need to start a build thread and post up some old pics of him racing.
My Dad was also a huge inspiration and raced SCCA in the 60s and 70s
Love the plans for your car and the 461 stroker was my other option before I was pulled in by the LS side.
Sounds like you have a bunch done already on the body restoration.

You were just down the road when you lived in Wellesley, stop in if you get back to the area.

Before you get started on painting your frame I would recommend the frame boxing kit from ABC Performance while it is nice and clean after sandblasting.

http://www.abcperformance.net/store/...roducts_id=592

[andrewb70]

Not sure who makes it. That picture is directly from Just Dashes site, so my guess is them.

https://classicdash.com/product/1970...ac-gto-lemans/

[derdingle]

derdingle
Its great that your Dad and brother are part of the project, and very cool that your Dad raced NHRA funny cars! You definitely need to start a build thread and post up some old pics of him racing.
My Dad was also a huge inspiration and raced SCCA in the 60s and 70s
Love the plans for your car and the 461 stroker was my other option before I was pulled in by the LS side.
Sounds like you have a bunch done already on the body restoration.

You were just down the road when you lived in Wellesley, stop in if you get back to the area.

Before you get started on painting your frame I would recommend the frame boxing kit from ABC Performance while it is nice and clean after sandblasting.

http://www.abcperformance.net/store/...roducts_id=592

Thanks for the link, I really like the dimpled version of the kit. Funny how Ames sells their transmission cross-member cheaper than they do directly, including shipping from further away. Going to give them a call on Monday and see if they will let me use my commercial FedEx account to save some money. It's large pieces of metal needless to say, but still...

[derdingle]

Shout out to Tony at ABC Performance who saved me $50 on the crossmember and dimpled box kit!
Thanks for the help Eric.

[ekmxryda]

Shout out to Tony at ABC Performance who saved me $50 on the crossmember and dimpled box kit!
Thanks for the help Eric.

Glad you decided to give Tony a call.
After you finish building the engine with all that extra power I am sure you will be happy that you boxed the frame!

[derdingle]

Out of curiosity, does anyone have the backstory on the different inner/outer headlight retaining rings for a 69 with hideaway lights? Ames/YearOne/OPGI/Dynacorn/GoodMark, it's like no one makes proper reproductions with the tabs in the correct spot for this unicorn of a headlight setup.

[the450r]

Out of curiosity, does anyone have the backstory on the different inner/outer headlight retaining rings for a 69 with hideaway lights? Ames/YearOne/OPGI/Dynacorn/GoodMark, it's like no one makes proper reproductions with the tabs in the correct spot for this unicorn of a headlight setup.

As far as I know no one makes them. Hideaways are 90 degrees off. The hideaway bumper I bought had 3 correct buckets and one missing. So I modified the a non hideaway bucket with two small cuts with a saw blade and bent in the 3 notches. So it looks in simular to the factory. Once the headlight is installed you can't see the extra notches.

[derdingle]

I did the same thing actually, then by chance I found a guy selling the correct set on eBay and picked them up for $40 for buckets and rings. Was kinda surprised it was so cheap.

[ekmxryda]

I will look through my spares to see if I can find any headlight rings for ya.

A few pics to update the progress, sorry it has been a while.
Welded in hardware behind bumper brackets for tow hooks, running the slightly modified Camaro front spoiler and wanted a quick way to get towed without going under the valance panel.



Had to modify the bracket to get the nose in the right spot on RS Chassis with my lowered body mounts, nose fit still needs work.



Will post more pics, let me reduce the size of the them.
Lots more to update,
As usual working too much, and my 27 year old daughter is in labor right now so I will be a Grandpa soon!

[ekmxryda]

Had planned on building my own custom spoiler for decades! But with this one so cheap I figure that when I bump into a curb or run over something big I can just get another one.

https://www.ecklers.com/camaro-spoil...xoCXTsQAvD_BwE

Heat gun in the center to open up the 69 Camaro spoiler to match GTO valance better and a few riv-nuts to mount it. Still going to add reinforcement bars behind it.
The valance is one of the three things on the exterior that are original to the car, kinda cool that it survived. F and R bumpers are the other two!



2002 Chevy Silverado crew cab carpet worked well, split down the middle. Will be covering the middle with console.



Ring Brothers has the best stuff, love these mirrors.



Interior work is so time consuming. So many hours prepping old parts and getting them ready to go back where they came from 38 years ago.
Tracking down screws, looking through shop manuals, shopping online for weeks, all of these hours are the ones that not many think about when looking at a car.







Headliner went in ok, was looking at one piece headliners at TMI but the shipping was more than their headliner.
https://www.tmiproducts.com/products...chevelle-coupe



Getting ready for the glass, scheduled the windshield for next week.
Will be making the trip to the registry soon as well, I am sure they will be surprised when I tell them I have owned the car for 38 years and never payed sales tax.
Wish me well!

[Vimes]

Congratulations, and welcome to the Grandpa club.

[B95]

Beautiful build man. Love the GTO, I have plans to do one of these next.

Congrats and keep posting updates. It looks mean as hell.

[ekmxryda]

Hey guys thanks,

My glass dudes laid down a 5/8" bead of Polyurethane adhesive bead in the metal channel, and painted the outer 3/4" perimeter with the black primer.



I tinted the back glass on the inside, left the outer edges to be painted with the primer.



Happy with how the factory glass fit the openings I worked on years ago.

[ekmxryda]

Slow to update the build sorry. Fall in New England is the best time of year for riding motocross, now that it is getting colder I will be back on the GTO.
Some shots of the almost finished dash.
Looking forward to laying out the console and door panels, will be making those this winter.

[ekmxryda]

Have a set of Forgeline GA3R wheels on order cant wait to see them.
Did a quick Photoshop on colors I went with, but inner rings will be gloss black as well.
Compressed suspension and then checked clearances with tire fitment tool.

[andrewb70]

Those are some serious tires!

[ekmxryda]

Those are some serious tires!

Hey Andrew, yeah should be nice and sticky!

275/35ZR-18 Toyo Proxes R888R
345/30R-19 Toyo Proxes R888R

[andrewb70]

That's going to be amazing!

[the dan]

does it do burnouts yet