67 GTO - Budget pro-touring/track car
 

I have been lurking for quite a while, and i finally feel like i am making enough headway to start a thread.

I got this car at 15 after the first "father/son" gto project was just too much to take on anymore. I never went through PHS to verify the options but looked to be white originally, a 400 with a 2bbl carb :question:, front bench seat, power rear antenna, and a vinyl top. The old 400 made it about a year when water started showing up in the oil, which was fine because it was the perfect excuse for a 455! In 2006 i moved away to college to start Auto Body collision repair school and brought the car with me. I decided to have a friend take some nice pictures of the car for me, and got quite a few good ones! Well, the last shot of the day i thought it would be a good idea to have a picture of a burnout. Great right?! Well, my idea following that was complete ignorance. I wanted to continue the burnout past the photographer and have her take a picture of me going away from her. So to do that i felt it necessary to hold the pedal down as long as possible. The car started tossing back and forth slightly and once i felt it couldnt go any farther i hit the brakes. The old drums on all 4 corners worked enough to upset the balance of the car even more, but didnt help enough to slow her down. The guardrail, and the tree sure helped though.

Now, 2 years prior to this my mom and dad got divorced. When this happened, my father had already stopped talking to me, and when i talked to him about it he said some very hurtful things to me, and about the car. After that I became depressed for a few years, debated on sending it to the crusher, selling it, etc. Finally i decided that was enough, that he was wrong, that i have the will power and drive to fix her and shove it in his face! The name of the project has been decided. Project VENDETTA! :woot: :lateral:

Here is a little photoshop work i have done to a previous Nelson Super Cars rendering. Everything is just an idea, and I will get a better rendering done when i have a better idea of what i want. But some ideas are tucked bumpers, Do away with as much chrome as possible!, 70-72 chevelle SS cowl, one off sideskirts for side exit exhaust, and stretched quarter panels and front fenders. the front splitter is to resemble one from a new challenger
http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/k...orender1-1.jpg

When i brought it to college with me.
http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/k...GTO/gto005.jpg

One of my favorite pics from the photoshoot day.
http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/k.../GTO/gto31.jpg

The infamous "burnout pic" If you read the story above. you know what picture follows this
http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/k...TO/gto27-1.jpg

Her resting spot.
http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/k.../GTO/gto28.jpg

Inspecting the damage
http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/k...GTO/gto015.jpg

Through inspection i realized the frame was bent, BADLY. The firewall was wrinkled, The toe board was wrinkled, and the steering column was collapsed. Fast forward a couple years, and a couple of rental houses later, i finally pulled the engine, sold it and bought a new frame, and a boxing kit from a guy online.
After that it sat for another 2 years rotting away. Eventually i got a job at a body shop where the boss happened to be VERY into old muscle cars. Even though he doesn't understand why i wouldn't want to make it look like it rolled off the showroom floor in 1967, he towed it to the shop for me so i could fix it. :hail:

Picked up a 1966 LeMans for a donor car for the front end mainly.
http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/k...27982754_o.jpg

On the frame machine
http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/k...79811328_o.jpg

Set-up to pull the cowl over and forward
http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/k...20830397_o.jpg

Getting everything straightened
http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/k...18147279_o.jpg

The new corner section
http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/k...35414928_o.jpg

At this point the "Damage" is mainly fixed. Its all restoration and modification at this point!

:woot:

Ridetech single adjustable coil-overs mocked up. I really didnt like the factory bracing at all, and since there was no need for a spring bucket. I decided to get rid of it
http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/k...ps3982bff0.jpg

Took some universal Ridetech mounts and moved the mounting point up
http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/k...ps6ec10bc0.jpg

Mounts tacked in. I didnt change any geometry at all on the mounting point. just what they mount to.
http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/k...ps17acaa64.jpg

Support bar tacked in
http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/k...psbf43195e.jpg

I had debated about doing this, but finally grew a pair and went for it!
http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/k...ps3128b54f.jpg

1/8" plate fit up
http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/k...ps54262e1d.jpg

After cutting the factory spring bucket out, this chows the nothing that is in the frame, which i finished boxing in
http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/k...psf029c3f8.jpg

Basically all done, have a little bit more to do, but not picture worthy
http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/k...ps5c196cce.jpg

Also boxed in the rear lower control arm mount
http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/k...psa25c8f7b.jpg

Thats basically where i'm at now! I am currently waiting on an HPI customs frame bracing kit to be made and then i can get it off to powder coating.

I am considering ordering the ridetech front control arms, spindles, and coil-overs since they are having a holiday sale but I'm trying to make sure ill have sufficient funds to purchase the frame bracing kit. We will see what happens. :thumbsup:

Nice project. Should be a nice ride when your done.

Nice project.Look's like your doing about the same as I am.:thumbsup:

Thanks! hints why i asked about your body mounts the other day. :D

I too noticed that we are doing kind of the same thing. yours is just nicer, and has a sweet front suspension! Also weird we are both Scott's that live in KS :willy:

Thank's, just a bunch of home made stuff.

Very cool! 67 is my fav year GTO. Keep up the good work and don't get discouraged!

-Joe

I did a similar treatment with the rear of my Chevelle. This crossmember has been recessed into the frame on both sides, via a holesaw. Did all my crossmembers this way. Nice GTO!

http://i1278.photobucket.com/albums/...ps3500f7fa.jpg

Very cool, I like the braces you have on the bar as well. I'll have to see if I have the room for that.

Your name is Scott as well. This is becoming creepy :rofl:

Looks good Scott! Good luck moving forward with the project.

Thanks bud! how have you been doin? any hopes of moving back home yet?


Well, this started off as wanting to plug a hole up on the frame i didnt like. I thought to myself, "what would be cool is a logo in this piece!" So long story short i came up with this. If I actually did it right and it comes to fruition or not is another story but i inquired about water jet services just a bit ago. so we will see. The bad thing is, if everything goes smoothly, then ill probably go crazy making new things for the car :willy:

http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/k...ps1d0cb075.jpg

This website would have been nice to know about 2 weeks ago. oh well i guess :mad:

http://abcperformance.net/mini%20tub%20kit.html

water jet cutting or even laser cutting can easily make that part a reality. The problem will be cost as typically the companies expect to make a lot of one part. You may want to inquire with someone who has a plasma cutter and can either do it by hand or in a smaller quantity.

No luck on moving home yet. Still just plugging away out here.

Looks good Scott! Subscribed.

Oh that looks cool!!! Hmmmm giving me some ideas! :thumbsup:

Thanks guys! The positive comments really do mean a lot!

That program is free to download if anyone is interested. It's called DraftSight. I had to look up tutorials on YouTube to figure it out. The downloadable starting guide is zero help btw.

I wish I could be posting updates but I'm having trouble getting stuff from HPI customs still. Too many holidays!

Oh I was an AutoCad drafter for almost 10 years. I'm really good on it.

But funny enough I installed the latest SolidWorks this morning. I know how to use it, just not as good. I'm thinking up some cool custom stuff I could have machined for my car...

Well big update here!

where to even start.... the "V" pieces i did i had cut, and they came out pretty good!
https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.n...83124142_n.jpg

Picked up a bare LS2 block, crank, and a set of 70k mile stock pistons and rods, ported 241 heads that i am getting checked out for flow numbers and chamber CC's, came with Ferra valves and stronger valves springs. I ran the numbers on the spring pressure but cant remember them at this point. Picked up a 90mm F.A.S.T. manifold, LS2 corvette engine harness, and just grabbed a used centerforce clutch and flywheel yesterday.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.n..._9379062_n.jpg

Stock 243's on the left, the ported 241's i bought on the right
https://sphotos-b-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/h...21319451_n.jpg

Now the biggest update....I have had a 99 Trans Am for a year now and i have had a ton of fun with it but i have also wasted a lot of money on it. But I got to take it on a road course and had a blast! I had some big issues with the car and had to steal the input shaft out of the transmission i have for the GTO. So now i need one of those, YAY
https://sphotos-b-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/h...29031541_n.jpg

Since i dont make a lot of money at work, i have been doing side work for customers, painting mostly and some carbon fiber wrapping work. Instead of doing side jobs and having a car payment on something that eats parts and gas, the Trans Am got sold and i bought a cheap civic.

Now the big part, Taking out a $10,000 loan and getting the car done :confused59: :willy:

Everything i'm going to get and do for this car now i'm going to try to get used, on sale, or something not as nice as i would prefer. So if your on the end of my bargaining and price haggling, ill apologize now :lol: It's going to be less of a perfect show car now and more of a track car that i can drive anytime i want.

SO, heres the idea:

• Stock LS2 bottom end

• Ported 241's

• 90mm F.A.S.T.

• cam undecided

• LS2 corvette harness

• Stock T56

• Wilwod 6 piston fronts, 4 piston rears and 12.88" rotors

• Wilwod pedal setup

• Ridetech single adjustable coil-overs

• Full Ridetech suspension

• stock 10 bolt that has 3.55 gears already

• Delete all the chrome off the car

• LIGHTEN IT UP, since i have been messing with carbon fiber stuff a lot lately I'm going to try to do fenders, hood, bumpers, trunk and might try the doors even. But that will be a while down the road i'm sure

• Flush mount the glass

• oh and a FULL CAGE! :hapdance:

got the car home with the new front clip the other day and started tearing it apart the last couple days. going to hopefully get it media blasted soon but that costs around $1000:confused59:

https://sphotos-a-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/h...96229416_n.jpg

Got the car stripped down and the garage cleaned. Ready to start calling blasters monday morning.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.n...97716843_n.jpg

vinyl tops are crap!
https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.n...16902177_n.jpg

Front pans and trunk pan are toast. so is the tail light panel but i've got plans for that anyway.

Dam vinyl roofs. Moving along nicely.

Good start on this one.

Look up a company called Stripco. They rent mobile soda blasting equipment that might be resonable if you have the space and time to do it yourself. Would be even better if you had another car or so to do at the same time and split the cost.

yea i made two calls today and both were $1200:waveflag:

that stripco company is in texas only. cant find a lead on any mobile blasting yet. not sure what ill do yet. going to look into doing it myself i guess

no "real" update but picked up some used Wilwoods from the for sale section. Superlight 6 front and 4 for the rear with 12.88" rotors. kit is actually an upgrade for C5/C6.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.n...92933697_n.jpg

rotors finally got here. they 13's...but i keeps em clean

https://sphotos-b-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/h...52437066_n.jpg

22 gal. Fuel safe cell on the way, and called on roll cage tubing today. The sand blaster will be here tomorrow :G-Dub:

No love for race cars i guess. anyways, got blasted and into epoxy today. SOOOO weird to think i drove this to school for 5 years with all this bondo holding it together

https://sphotos-a-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/h...56382068_n.jpg

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=3&theater

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No turning back now :-). Looking good.

Looking good!

Now your cooking! I can see sheet metal in your future.
Huge step Scott. How long did the blasting process take? What media did they use?

thanks! yea i have a ton of metal work but im a body man so its just work, oh and that silly green paper stuff.

they showed up at 9am and wern't done till around 3-4. they used sand on most of it, just barely dusted the crud off the roof, it was thin. Then soda blasted the hood....which i wouldn't recommend. They clean-up process is odd and now they have to come re-blast it. flash rusted everything :shakehead:

Got a new to me 22 gallon Fuel safe cell and QA1 rear upper control arms today.

https://sphotos-a-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/h...74638561_n.jpg

https://sphotos-b-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/h...50062426_n.jpg

Looking good!

Pulled all the springs and shocks out of the car so i can mock up some wheels over my lunch break tomorrow. i had these TWO laying around if anyone wants them. they actually fit perfect. 18x8.5 with a 30mm offset. i could be 5mm off either direction. its the middle ground that they dont sell anymore.

https://sphotos-a-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/h...15582437_n.jpg

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here is the reason for messing with the suspension last night. FORGELINE :excited:

looks to be 11.5 rear and 10.5 front. Ill have a little work to do to make them work. Sorry for the terrible pics

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That is a great looking wheel
 

Those are very racy and look right at home there.

Keeping with the stock 10 bolt, has 3.55 Richmond gears. using the stock boxed lower arms with poly bushing that i did a long time ago, will save me some money over buying new ones for now

https://sphotos-b-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/h...26006016_n.jpg

You're making great progress, Scott. The Forgelines are a nice choice :thumbsup: