[Rockhead400]

In 1981 a had a date with my steady girl and as usual no wheels. Fortunately my friend, Pedro, (his nickname) had a lot of cars at his house. I would borrow a different one each time I was in a spot. This time I got a 66 four door Lemans. It was very clean with faded silver paint. They called it the grey ghost. I would usually clean up the cars before using them and I put some armor all on the bench seat and every right turn she would slide over to me. It was fun and we had a great makeout in the big Lemans. Then in 1989 I had a girl friend whose sister had a 66 Lemans beater. Red with some big dents, rusty bumpers and 250K mile interior. I offered her $1000 which she didnt take. It was not worth that much at the time. All through my driving years I dreamed of having a V-8 cruiser with long fenders and hood. I thought about a charger/roadrunner, but we dont speak Chrysler in my family. I thought about an impala or chevelle. No, what I wanted was that Lemans 2 door. In my searches in 1998, I discovered the GTO was the performance version and even its own model as of '66. Wow this was cool. The look, the name, the full frame, the big long fenders and hood, the posi, the big block. I was hooked and this became a GTO. I could not afford a numbers match car and wanted one that was already somewhat restored. I found a 66 in pieces and buckets for 4500 and passed on it. Then I found a 67 post coupe with new viper blue metallic paint, tri-power 400, 4 sp, black interior, and no rust that I could locate. I scooped it for $9000. The very first day I was chirping 2nd all over the place and missed a gear and heard a reverse grind that was bad. It drove home fine, but when I revved in the driveway the whole thing flew apart. Crap! I may have just blown the engine. I restarted the car, good, it was only a transmission. No problem, my cousin works for GM fixing transmissions. 750 in parts, whoops! Well, upon pulling the tranny I noticed a rear main seal leak that we just couldnt reach. The engine had to be pulled. We still couldnt replace the seal without pulling the crank. Uh Oh, all the bearings in this supposedly newly rebuilt engine were toast. Now we need an entire rebuild. The engine sat at a builder for 1 year before the guy decided he just didnt want to rebuild a pontiac tripower. Information that would have been useful a year earlier when I first called him. I yanked it and shipped it to New Jersey for a 450hp rebuild from Proformance Unlimited. Cool, they did it in 2 weeks for $4625, including shipping and sent it back to me in Louisiana. While the engine was out I replaced the steering box, painted the compartment gloss black and under the hood, got a shifer rebuild, a radiator job, etc. It all went back together after 2 years of sitting. It turned out to be everything I had imagined in a street rod over the last 20 years. I open the garage door from the house and pinch myself to make sure its really there. Finally, the ultimate muscle car, and its all mine. I plan to race it, show it and drive it everywhere. In about a couple years I am going to have all body panels aligned and apply a $7000 show paint job. It wont cost me 7000, because my brother paints cars very well, but it will be a lot of work and time. Materials will probably be 1500 alone. $500 of interior parts, and some missing trim and it will be perfect. It will never be a numbers match concours car, but it is beautiful and its mine. Yeah, its a money pit, but so what!!! It beats buying furniture.

Pontiac's that haul ass with Pontiac engines!

[Rockhead400]

In 1981 a had a date with my steady girl and as usual no wheels. Fortunately my friend, Pedro, (his nickname) had a lot of cars at his house. I would borrow a different one each time I was in a spot. This time I got a 66 four door Lemans. It was very clean with faded silver paint. They called it the grey ghost. I would usually clean up the cars before using them and I put some armor all on the bench seat and every right turn she would slide over to me. It was fun and we had a great makeout in the big Lemans. Then in 1989 I had a girl friend whose sister had a 66 Lemans beater. Red with some big dents, rusty bumpers and 250K mile interior. I offered her $1000 which she didnt take. It was not worth that much at the time. All through my driving years I dreamed of having a V-8 cruiser with long fenders and hood. I thought about a charger/roadrunner, but we dont speak Chrysler in my family. I thought about an impala or chevelle. No, what I wanted was that Lemans 2 door. In my searches in 1998, I discovered the GTO was the performance version and even its own model as of '66. Wow this was cool. The look, the name, the full frame, the big long fenders and hood, the posi, the big block. I was hooked and this became a GTO. I could not afford a numbers match car and wanted one that was already somewhat restored. I found a 66 in pieces and buckets for 4500 and passed on it. Then I found a 67 post coupe with new viper blue metallic paint, tri-power 400, 4 sp, black interior, and no rust that I could locate. I scooped it for $9000. The very first day I was chirping 2nd all over the place and missed a gear and heard a reverse grind that was bad. It drove home fine, but when I revved in the driveway the whole thing flew apart. Crap! I may have just blown the engine. I restarted the car, good, it was only a transmission. No problem, my cousin works for GM fixing transmissions. 750 in parts, whoops! Well, upon pulling the tranny I noticed a rear main seal leak that we just couldnt reach. The engine had to be pulled. We still couldnt replace the seal without pulling the crank. Uh Oh, all the bearings in this supposedly newly rebuilt engine were toast. Now we need an entire rebuild. The engine sat at a builder for 1 year before the guy decided he just didnt want to rebuild a pontiac tripower. Information that would have been useful a year earlier when I first called him. I yanked it and shipped it to New Jersey for a 450hp rebuild from Proformance Unlimited. Cool, they did it in 2 weeks for $4625, including shipping and sent it back to me in Louisiana. While the engine was out I replaced the steering box, painted the compartment gloss black and under the hood, got a shifer rebuild, a radiator job, etc. It all went back together after 2 years of sitting. It turned out to be everything I had imagined in a street rod over the last 20 years. I open the garage door from the house and pinch myself to make sure its really there. Finally, the ultimate muscle car, and its all mine. I plan to race it, show it and drive it everywhere. In about a couple years I am going to have all body panels aligned and apply a $7000 show paint job. It wont cost me 7000, because my brother paints cars very well, but it will be a lot of work and time. Materials will probably be 1500 alone. $500 of interior parts, and some missing trim and it will be perfect. It will never be a numbers match concours car, but it is beautiful and its mine. Yeah, its a money pit, but so what!!! It beats buying furniture.

Pontiac's that haul ass with Pontiac engines!

[JoDurhamRA1972Goat455]

What no pics of the beast? sounds like a nice ride.

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[QUOTE]QUOTE]

[Rockhead400]

I will definitely post some pics right after I attach my rocker panel stainless. Its kinda embarrasing that I haven't done it yet. I have resto pics which have the old crappy wheels but I dont have a scanner to post em. I would rather post some with the new wheels and tires and Rocker trim. I guess I should order those fastener thingys. Peace.

Pontiac's that haul ass with Pontiac engines!