1968 GTO Resto-Mod

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

it's time for another big step!

Mcleod:
hydraulic release bearing and clutch master cylinder upgrade kit

Butler:
MSD pro billet ignition kit

RobbMC:
1/2" fuel pickup and sending unit
pontiac mechanical fuel pump w/ 1/4" vapor return option
pontiac gen II mini starter

Hydratech:
hydraulic brake assist unit
cpp master cylinder

Ron Davis:
dual electric fan radiator
master grounding kit

Flowmaster:
2.5" american thunder exhaust
40 series mufflers

thanks so much for your interest in this project!
danny

[mild2wild]

Originally Posted by 1968 GTO Resto-Mod

it's time for another big step!

Mcleod:
hydraulic release bearing and clutch master cylinder upgrade kit

Butler:
MSD pro billet ignition kit

RobbMC:
1/2" fuel pickup and sending unit
pontiac mechanical fuel pump w/ 1/4" vapor return option
pontiac gen II mini starter

Hydratech:
hydraulic brake assist unit
cpp master cylinder

Ron Davis:
dual electric fan radiator
master grounding kit

Flowmaster:
2.5" american thunder exhaust
40 series mufflers

thanks so much for your interest in this project!
danny

Awesome project with great updates. Don't know what your engine build entailed, but if you running HP near 450+, I'd also look into running RobbMc's mechanical fuel pump as well. I use his products on all my Buick GS builds. Great products.

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

so glad to finally get my hands on these...
i'm almost finished assembling the rear suspension!

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

these look like good quality parts.
i'm not sure at this point that it will fit my application, but when i asked about the return policy i was told "if it doesn't fit just send it back."

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

this is the original driveshaft with fresh u-joints and a replacement slip yoke for the muncie.





thanks for checking in!
danny

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

Originally Posted by mild2wild

Awesome project with great updates. Don't know what your engine build entailed, but if you running HP near 450+, I'd also look into running RobbMc's mechanical fuel pump as well. I use his products on all my Buick GS builds. Great products.

the engine rebuilding was done by Rick and Randy at Port & Sons Machine Shop, the most experienced and reputable engine builders in interior alaska.
after they had the motor apart they told me they had never seen a pontiac engine this old in such good shape.
other than boring the cylinders out 0.030" over, it was rebuilt to stock pontiac specifications.
the 1968 pontiac owner's manual shows that this motor as originally designed and manufactured would produce 265 hp.
some of the upgrades i have planned may help produce additional power, but to be straightforward, i don't really have any high powered plans for the car at this point.
however, in the interest of preserving the potential for future upgrades i did purchase the 550 hp rated mechanical fuel pump from RobbMC.
i can tell from just talking to those guys on the phone that i'm fortunate to be doing business with them.
thanks for sharing your thoughts!
danny

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

this looks like a very high quality unit with the added bonus that the solenoid is adjustable through 360 degrees on the housing, so i can put it wherever i want.
these guys also get big props for supplying a very good set of installation instructions.

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

went back through the driveline and got it all put together for good, starting with the pilot bearing...



this is mcleod's neutrally balanced steel flywheel.
the ring gear has 168 teeth.
it weighs about 30 pounds.
i ordered the mounting bolts to go along with it but they're 7/16" and my crank is machined for 1/2" fine threads.
thankfully, the holes in the flywheel were large enough to accept the 1/2" grade 8 bolts i bought at the hardware store.
i used a star washer under each bolt, applied a good amount of blue thread locker, and torqued them down to 85 ft/lbs using the conventional criss-cross pattern for a six-bolt flywheel.
after bolting it up i cleaned the friction surface thoroughly with dupont low temperature surface cleaner.



this is mcleod's 'street pro' clutch and pressure plate kit.
my bellhousing measures 6.25" so this setup should work fine with the bolt on hydraulic throw out bearing.



in order to use this hydraulic throw out bearing with the muncie, the diameter of the slider nut on the input shaft needed to be reduced from 2.00" to 1.80"
it was pretty easy to do that with my table mounted grinding wheel.



got the driveshaft cleaned up with the pneumatic wire brush.
i really like the way this polished steel looks with a little clear coat on top of it.



this flowmaster exhaust kit has been very easy to work with.
the mandrel bent stainless tubing appears to be very good quality and it all looks like it's going to fit my application pretty well.



it's really exciting to see this all coming together!



thanks for having a look at my work!
danny

[1968 GTO Resto-Mod]

this is aluminum fuel line tubing.
i ordered the 1/4" line for the vapor return from speedway motors and the 1/2" line from jegs.
it's very easy to shape, but avoid excessive re-bending as this results in work-hardening of the material.



robbmc 550 hp rated mechanical fuel pump installed.



here's what the fuel line routing looks like on it's way to the rear end.
the cylinder clamped to the frame rail is a 100 micron fuel filter also from robbmc.



thanks for your interest!
danny

[tones2SS]

Coming along nicely Danny!