Nice! Let me know if you post a video, I'd love to see it. We've got to keep these cars alive. Every year, it seems like I see fewer and fewer classic cars on the road.
Hi Owen. Great job both of you. That's a lot of work and the car looks great. Do you still have the original clips to hold the window reveals? Mine are long gone. You're right about the 6.5 litre badges. I've had new ones in the draw for 20 years! I'm in the middle of swapping back the original motor so it may be easier all round to take the wings off. Will they come out without disturbing the Endura bumper or do I need to take the whole front end off as that seems a bit of a faf. Is your factory aircon working? Mine was gone when I got the it in 87 so I've finally ordered the delete cover from Ames (if they ever get around to shipping it, it's been a month since they took the order and the money!). Anyway we only need aircon once a year in North Wales so I've not missed it!
Thanks Keith! How's the weather in Wales? Cold and rainy? It's been cold and rainy here. The clips for the stainless reveals on the front and rear glass? Yup, the original clips are still there. I don't recommend removing your fenders, I sure won't do it again. We had to remove the hood, the Endura, and the lower front valance panel, just to get the fenders off. Seems like a lot of work, just to get those badges on. You can buy insert clips for those badges, and then simply press your 6.5 emblems into those inserts. That's how all the door decoration and rear quarter "Thunderbird" script is held onto my daughter's '63 TBird. There are a few issues I see with this idea on the GTO however, the 6.5 badges are heavy compared to the TBird stuff so nuts are probably best, they won't seat as flush without the correct nuts holding them, and I'm not positive but I think you'd have to drill the holes in the fender just a hair larger to allow for the thickness of the insert. The up side is that you'd be able to pry off your fender emblems anytime you wanted to, and then just press them back in again. Those inserts are called barrel clips, and I'm not sure what size you'd need. Here's an assortment of sizes for about 10 quid on ebay: www.ebay.com/itm/132878546972 It looks like the lid of the box tells you what stud size it's for, and what size hole you'd need to drill in your panel. The hole only has to be a 1/16" larger than the stud, and just 1/32" larger for some of those inserts....so maybe it's worth a shot, as the cheapest and easiest means of getting those badges installed. If it doesn't work out, you could remove the fenders, but honestly, when I had to get to the heater blower motor and remove it, a few years ago, I jacked up the front of the car, removed the passenger side wheel, and cut a big access hole in the inner fender. I feel bad for cutting a '68 GTO like that, but it's Pontiac's fault for hiding the blower motor from me. My other cars have blower motors that you can easily get to. After replacing the blower motor, I made a patch panel to cover the access hole, and I used aluminum rivets to secure the patch panel to the inner fender. Then I sprayed it with undercoating....then it got a nice coat of dirt and mud, like any other inner wheel well, and I don't feel bad anymore, because it's not like anyone can see it. That said, sure seems to me that cutting a hand-sized hole in each inner fender to access those 6.5 badge nuts, would be easier than removing the fenders, it's a much more direct approach. All my factory A/C is there, except for the underhood stuff, that was missing when I bought the car in 2017. I don't mind, even in South Carolina in July, you can drive that car without A/C, four windows down, and the wing windows opened and pointed at you, and it's not bad at all. Is that panel on backorder? Usually Ames ships quickly, when I order from them.
@@owenrobertson Hi Owen, 39f in my workshop today. On the positive side my Ames order arrived! A number of parts say The Parts Place on them. Tried undoing the inner fender but that doesn't give any better access to the heater bolt in the corner so the fender may be coming off anyway. I'll put a video up when I get in there. Cheers
@@keithhoughton4308, cool! Let me know when your video is up. I've never messed with the heater box / A/C box on the GTO. Is it two separate boxes? Or just one big box? My '70 Mach 1 had A/C, and it was one big box for both the heater core and the A/C evaporator. It was not easy replacing the heater core on that car. I haven't had to replace the heater core on the GTO, but I imagine it's no picnic. All I've done on the GTO is replace the blower motor, and I ran straight manifold vacuum to the valve that opens the vent to defrost the windshield. So when the engine is running, that vent is always open. And when you turn on the blower motor, all the air is always directed to the windshield, which eventually warms the whole car, but more importantly, it defogs the windshield on rainy days, which we have a lot of in South Carolina. So no working A/C on the GTO, and the only functional control we have is the lever for hot or not.....and the blower motor switch. It works though.
$800 at Maaco, single stage urethane. They had it done in two weeks. I've tried spraying color, but I'm not good at it. I painted my daughter's '63 TBird red, and it's not great: ruclips.net/video/BeO9nFfL1_0/видео.html My new plan is to do the body work and block sanding on all my cars, and then let Maaco spray them in their booth. So far so good. I think it's a good plan. They're just drivers, not show cars, so it's fine. The guy that paints at the Columbia, SC Maaco, he lays it on really nice. My body work isn't very impressive, but neither is my bank account.....I'm just trying to enjoy the hobby with what I've got.
Way to go Dan! Nice job. You have certainly grown up. Good luck, Sailor.
He said thank you!
All as I can say is amazing job 👌
Thanks!
Keep up the good work.
Will do. Thanks!
Looks good guys
Thanks!
Very nice work and great video- thanks for sharing the link!
Thanks!
Real nice I have a 68 gto she's been slowly pieced together by me for 3 years almost road ready it was a rolling shell when I got it
Nice! Let me know if you post a video, I'd love to see it. We've got to keep these cars alive. Every year, it seems like I see fewer and fewer classic cars on the road.
Yea real beautiful car man you guys did a fine job 👏
Thanks!
There is a satisfying moment dealing with old muscle cars.
Yup, it's a good hobby.
Wow awesome I have a 69 GTO that I am restoring IN the same color
Nice!
Hi Owen. Great job both of you. That's a lot of work and the car looks great. Do you still have the original clips to hold the window reveals? Mine are long gone. You're right about the 6.5 litre badges. I've had new ones in the draw for 20 years! I'm in the middle of swapping back the original motor so it may be easier all round to take the wings off. Will they come out without disturbing the Endura bumper or do I need to take the whole front end off as that seems a bit of a faf. Is your factory aircon working? Mine was gone when I got the it in 87 so I've finally ordered the delete cover from Ames (if they ever get around to shipping it, it's been a month since they took the order and the money!). Anyway we only need aircon once a year in North Wales so I've not missed it!
Thanks Keith! How's the weather in Wales? Cold and rainy? It's been cold and rainy here. The clips for the stainless reveals on the front and rear glass? Yup, the original clips are still there. I don't recommend removing your fenders, I sure won't do it again. We had to remove the hood, the Endura, and the lower front valance panel, just to get the fenders off. Seems like a lot of work, just to get those badges on. You can buy insert clips for those badges, and then simply press your 6.5 emblems into those inserts. That's how all the door decoration and rear quarter "Thunderbird" script is held onto my daughter's '63 TBird. There are a few issues I see with this idea on the GTO however, the 6.5 badges are heavy compared to the TBird stuff so nuts are probably best, they won't seat as flush without the correct nuts holding them, and I'm not positive but I think you'd have to drill the holes in the fender just a hair larger to allow for the thickness of the insert. The up side is that you'd be able to pry off your fender emblems anytime you wanted to, and then just press them back in again. Those inserts are called barrel clips, and I'm not sure what size you'd need. Here's an assortment of sizes for about 10 quid on ebay:
www.ebay.com/itm/132878546972
It looks like the lid of the box tells you what stud size it's for, and what size hole you'd need to drill in your panel. The hole only has to be a 1/16" larger than the stud, and just 1/32" larger for some of those inserts....so maybe it's worth a shot, as the cheapest and easiest means of getting those badges installed. If it doesn't work out, you could remove the fenders, but honestly, when I had to get to the heater blower motor and remove it, a few years ago, I jacked up the front of the car, removed the passenger side wheel, and cut a big access hole in the inner fender. I feel bad for cutting a '68 GTO like that, but it's Pontiac's fault for hiding the blower motor from me. My other cars have blower motors that you can easily get to. After replacing the blower motor, I made a patch panel to cover the access hole, and I used aluminum rivets to secure the patch panel to the inner fender. Then I sprayed it with undercoating....then it got a nice coat of dirt and mud, like any other inner wheel well, and I don't feel bad anymore, because it's not like anyone can see it. That said, sure seems to me that cutting a hand-sized hole in each inner fender to access those 6.5 badge nuts, would be easier than removing the fenders, it's a much more direct approach. All my factory A/C is there, except for the underhood stuff, that was missing when I bought the car in 2017. I don't mind, even in South Carolina in July, you can drive that car without A/C, four windows down, and the wing windows opened and pointed at you, and it's not bad at all. Is that panel on backorder? Usually Ames ships quickly, when I order from them.
@@owenrobertson Hi Owen, 39f in my workshop today. On the positive side my Ames order arrived! A number of parts say The Parts Place on them. Tried undoing the inner fender but that doesn't give any better access to the heater bolt in the corner so the fender may be coming off anyway. I'll put a video up when I get in there. Cheers
@@keithhoughton4308, cool! Let me know when your video is up. I've never messed with the heater box / A/C box on the GTO. Is it two separate boxes? Or just one big box? My '70 Mach 1 had A/C, and it was one big box for both the heater core and the A/C evaporator. It was not easy replacing the heater core on that car. I haven't had to replace the heater core on the GTO, but I imagine it's no picnic. All I've done on the GTO is replace the blower motor, and I ran straight manifold vacuum to the valve that opens the vent to defrost the windshield. So when the engine is running, that vent is always open. And when you turn on the blower motor, all the air is always directed to the windshield, which eventually warms the whole car, but more importantly, it defogs the windshield on rainy days, which we have a lot of in South Carolina. So no working A/C on the GTO, and the only functional control we have is the lever for hot or not.....and the blower motor switch. It works though.
I wonder how much did it cost you guys
$800 at Maaco, single stage urethane. They had it done in two weeks. I've tried spraying color, but I'm not good at it. I painted my daughter's '63 TBird red, and it's not great: ruclips.net/video/BeO9nFfL1_0/видео.html
My new plan is to do the body work and block sanding on all my cars, and then let Maaco spray them in their booth. So far so good. I think it's a good plan. They're just drivers, not show cars, so it's fine. The guy that paints at the Columbia, SC Maaco, he lays it on really nice. My body work isn't very impressive, but neither is my bank account.....I'm just trying to enjoy the hobby with what I've got.