more credit where credit is due!
 

yes indeed- it was a feedback loop!
you were right!!
thank you very much for your comments!!!
danny

Haha I would've hit the same issue...luckily my best friend is an engineer and always reads the data before he reaches for the first tool, haha.

update
 

i feel like i've taken the dry fit about as far as i can.
i've obsessed over this long enough... i spent three days on the endura bumper alone and i still don't like where it's at!
decided not to re-install mouldings for rocker panel and wheel openings.
test fit of all other mouldings looks alright (i couldn't weld the trim rivets so i had to use the screw-in style).
all the glass is on hand including a new windshield and replacement glass for the passenger side door.
the original rear window glass is in surprisingly good shape so i'm going to clean it up and re-install it.
registered with dmv and insured the car through hagerty.
don't have any idea how much this car is worth but i set up a conservative policy.
drove the car for the first time last night.
but when i say 'drove' i mean that all i know is the car will move forward and backward under it's own power haha!
clutch feels good and the muncie shifts smooth at idle.
nice clear weather and dry roads today so delivered to straatsma's shop for paint.
he seemed happy with what he saw.
when i get it back i'll be ready to install headlights/blinkers, glass/weatherstripping, and seatbelts.


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thanks for checking in!

:lateral:

danny

I'm happy, your happy. Now comes the money... :G-Dub:

I love the story about your GTO your dad would be proud of what you are doing.
Looking forward to watching your build.

Danny,
I read through your thread a while back. Simply powerful brother! Thanks for taking the time to share it with us. May not comment often, but following your build and journey…

Best,
J

update
 

:G-Dub: :G-Dub: :G-Dub: :G-Dub: :G-Dub: :G-Dub: :G-Dub: :G-Dub:



:thankyou:



:cheers:


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thanks for the encouraging comments, guys!
glad to hear some of you are still following along.

i am getting very excited about this phase of the project...
it seems like every step of the way i'm feeling like it's at a point i have always wanted it to be at but never thought it would get to.

i think i made a good choice in asking straatsma to do the bodywork and paint.
he really seems to care about the quality of the finished product and he's a super nice guy who has been great to work with.

thanks again for taking an interest in this project.
i will update again soon.

:lateral:

danny

Now that's exciting right there:excited: Looks awesome prep'd in the booth. I can relate to every step is an exciting one that I personally never thought I'd get to.

update
 

thanks, joe! always moving forward... one unbelievable step at a time :thumbsup:


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Danny…Congrats, the paint looks absolutely awesome!!! You can exhale a little now…:cheers:

The GTO is looking great, I'm glad to see it all coming together!

update
 

thanks a lot guys!

:thankyou: :thankyou: :thankyou: :thankyou: :thankyou: :thankyou:


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this weekend i put the guts and glass back in the doors.
i used nylon washers under all the fasteners... still haven't scratched the paint *knock on wood*
next weekend i'll get the windshield and rear window installed, and maybe if the weather is fair i'll get out on the road and season the brake rotors.
hope to be cruising by the summer solstice.
thanks for checking in!

:lateral:

danny

I keep going back and forth between, a dark charcoal gray (almost black), a screaming but classy red, or crisp white when the time comes for me to do metal work and paint the car. The GTO makes a very, very convincing case for white!
You've been a busy man Danny, you'll be touring in the GTO in no time soon!:relax:

Looking great! For the first time in my life I wish I left my car the factory white. I love all the little details you've done. Can't wait to see more

It's been almost two weeks since last post. I need updates. Even small one's.

That's what makes it so fun to read & view. I'm very proud of you, your story,
and history of the car. Your in the home stretch... :popcorn2:

Roger

Amen brother!

update
 

thank you, roger.
i really appreciate your sentiments, and i'm glad you've enjoyed following along with this thread.

cheers, brother!

guys, thank you so much for your interest in this project!
it's construction season again here in alaska and as a result i have had very little time to spend with the car in the last few weeks.
straatsma still has the grilles but i went up to his place yesterday to pick up the hood scoops and the emblem because he was done with those.


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i've still got my sights set on getting the windshield and the rear window installed but i need a day off from work to make it happen.
my original goal was to be road-ready by the summer solstice but it's starting to look like a rescheduling for fourth of july weekend might be more realistic.
i'll try to update again as soon as i can achieve some more progress.
thanks for staying tuned!

:lateral:

danny

Sweeeeeeeet!
 

You're at a great stage in your build Danny. You'll be banging gears in no time. Try to enjoy this last phase - it's sweet hanging the new candy on there! Always enjoy checking in...:cheers:

update
 

yeah, i'm really happy with the color.
feels nice to think i made the right choice going original.
thanks for your comment!

thank you, joe! i am really enjoying it.
at this point every little step is very exciting and i am looking forward to rowing through the gears on the long weekend for independence day (weather permitting).

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got sunday off yesterday so i made my way back to town and enlisted some help from a friend to get the rest of the glass installed.
everything went smooth, and as far as i can tell the glass work is finished.
the original back glass cleaned up nicely and it looks really good now that it's safe and sound where it belongs.
i didn't get the mouldings in place yet so i'll have to do that next time i'm back in town with a day off.
always moving forward, and stoked for a test drive in the very near future!

:lateral:

danny

Looks great! Digging the white!

update
 

:thankyou:

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the weather has been poor lately so i haven't been too bummed about not getting out on the road yet.
i've had some time to get the grilles, headlights, and parking lights installed.
this thing is full of imperfections but i'm kind of trying to accept them and thinking about ways i might be able to fix some of them.
-hood to bumper gap is way too wide. i think i can move the hood slightly forward.
-passenger side parking lamp fit is terrible. might be able to bend the mounting tabs to improve it. not really sure.
-the passenger side taillight is super bright and the driver's side light very weak. not sure what's going on here.
-glass moulding install is going pretty rough. chipped the paint in upper corner of windshield channel on the first attempt (got some touch-up from straatsma). maybe i can protect it with masking tape? also, the glass is very low for the moulding in a couple corners. argh. take it out and try it again?
-headlights and grilles don't really line up very well together on the driver's side. i'll just have to play around with the brackets and fasteners i think.

i hope to drive it soon and enjoy it a little bit so this onslaught of little fails doesn't weigh me down so much.
thanks for checking in, guys.
i'll try to update again before too long.

:lateral:

danny

update
 

thanks for checking in!

:lateral:

danny

Love this car and always enjoy the updates...I hear ya on the fit and finish of the GTO. I too have a '68 and the gaps stink and the fit of the parking lamps is also really bad fo you are not alone!

In for more vids!!!!

Enjoy!!!
Dave

Despite the few things you listed this car looks amazing! We havent seen many white GTOs around.

Said it before and I'll say it again….Love the white:yes:

update
 

thanks dave!
i imagine i'll be making slight adjustments to just about every part of this car for years to come.
the parking lamp fitment came together quite a bit better after a little bending of the mounting tabs.
glad to hear you enjoy the videos and thanks for commenting.

thank you! i appreciate your comments!
definitely think i made the right decision to stick to the original color and go with the white.
cheers!

right on joe! thanks for chiming in!

:thankyou:

this week i took the car over to tony at 'the front end shop' here in fairbanks, alaska for a complete chassis inspection and alignment- and he's all over it!
a muscle car guy from way back with several of his own cars, he takes special appointments after hours and does the work himself.
he even let me spend a little time in the shop with him so he could school me up and offer some tips and suggestions on how to adjust the suspension and maintain the chassis.
also, i nabbed a few photos and some video while i was in there.



thanks for your interest in this project!
i'll try to update again soon after i get the car back...

:lateral:

danny

Pure porn!

!
 

Agree. :lmao: Never get tired of reading these post. Roger.

Love Goats and white cars in general. Awesome ride.

Great job! What a cool backstory that goes with it.

thanks guys!

apologies for neglecting to update for so long...

the car is running fantastic.
i get it out for a spin on the weekends, or any time the weather is nice after work. sometimes i'll pick up my mom (shown in photograph) and sister and we'll drive out to hot licks for ice cream and reminisce about my father and the memories we have of being together with the car.
there's a local car club in town that i cruise with sometimes on wednesday evenings. i've already met a lot of cool people. at one of the events i met a fella who tried to buy the car from my mom right after my father passed away. he told me that ever since then he had always wondered what happened to that old goat!

there are some persistent problems that will require troubleshooting and tinkering, but despite that small handful of issues still hanging around i have over 1800 miles on it since the restoration.
often times while driving it now i reflect on all the different people who played a part in transforming that old rust bucket in to what it is today.
it is with sincere appreciation and heartfelt gratitude that i say thank you once again to each and every one of you that provided advice or otherwise inspired me along the way. nowhere else on the internet is there a community of car enthusiasts like the one here. i've said it before and i'll say it again: i could never have pulled it off without the support and guidance i received from the members of this network. Roger, i'll never forget our first conversation and how some of the pieces of wisdom you shared with me completely changed the way i had to think about approaching the project.
thanks also to the mods and all other support staff for keeping this site up and running.
i've probably only got another couple weeks to enjoy driving the car before putting it away for winter, but i'll try to update again soon- at the very least more often than once every two years.
thanks again for your interest in this project.

:lateral:

danny