1964 GTO restoration

[Dave Harris]

Here's a look at the restoration being done on my 1964 GTO. This is PHS documented as an original factory 4 speed manual with Tri-Power (three 2 barrel carbs) original 389 numbers matching motor. This first year GTO is widely considered to be the first true muscle car. Car is pretty bare bones with no power steering, no power brakes, no A/C. Just the top power option in the lightest weight post coupe rigid body style. I'm keeping it original looking as possible, and always used original style restored parts when replacements were made (except tires and wheels for a little variety). Stuff like adding a new repo tachometer, exhaust system/splitters, various trim pieces are available for this car. Although a restoration was done on this car in the 80s, my goal is to mainly remove rust, bring the car back to it's original factory color (silvermist gray), and recondition ALL the trim and bright work and re-chrome bumpers. I'm also taking this opportunity to replace all the windows, refinish the stock wheels, engine bay and restore some of the interior as needed.
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As my existing paint is getting stripped off, you can see the car has a substantial amount of plastic repairs from last restoration.
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We cut out the bad areas and patched. Both sides in the panel area (behind quarter glass) also required patches.
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It looks like the hood was patched with brass and what appears to be rivets, this is what was causing some of the cracking in the front area. We cut and patched with new steel as this '64 hood is not reproduced.
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GTO in next stage of primer here and the interior is out. We're putting in new reproduction carpeting.
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My trunk used to have spatter paint always rubbing off. I decided to have the trunk floor painted the same as body color, just like the factory did originally. During the removal of the spatter, we found that it was replaced with 3 piece replacement sections. That's why the plastic is under the spatter. Didn't need replacement. Attached are photos of inner quarters with spatter removed, we have found quarters were also replaced.
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Here's the GTO primer/wet sanding as we prepare for refinishing. The paint application is 3-4 coats of color and 3 coats of high solid clear. Both epoxy & urethane primers were used.

[Dave Harris]

Here's a few photos of some of the areas being done in rally mat black such as radiator core support, fender skirts, firewall, etc.
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[Dave Harris]

Trunk now in exterior color just like original. Trunk lid underside. Some under the hood components now in the rally mat black.
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[Roger Zimmermann]

Dave, your GTO will better than the day it left the factory!
Thank you for the pictures.

[Nick DeSpirito]

Coincidentally, I am working on a cake in the shape of a '65 GTO Convertible for a customer. It's for his father's 70th birthday which is being held tonight. I am trying to get it as true to form as possible. Remember, I am working with cake here and my measurements are totally by eye working from pictures provided to me by the customer. I will post a picture of it when it is completed. I need to paint the chrome and work on the wheels and get it to the restaurant by 5PM. YIKES!

[Dave Harris]

Roger thanks for the comment.

Nick, what would be cool is if that cake was the famous Tiger Gold colored '65 Hurst "GeeTO Tiger."

[Nick DeSpirito]

Here's the pictures of the '65 GTO cake.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5285/5233782135_379018b764_m.jpg
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5290/5234374994_08e3ef09f8_m.jpg
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5165/5234374984_fa6a385636_m.jpg
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1426/5233782103_79e054f7a3_m.jpg

[Roger Zimmermann]

Funny! Was the cake good too?

[Nick DeSpirito]

Of course. The fondant icing I use is made in Switzerland. :D The brand name is Carma Masa Ticino. Expensive, but the best. The inside was cannoli cream and sliced strawberries.

[Roger Zimmermann]

The fondant icing I use is made in Switzerland. :D
Many things coming from Switzerland are good but expensive!
Sorry Shelly: we are out of topic. We'll do it never again.

[Shelly Harris]

Many things coming from Switzerland are good but expensive!
Sorry Shelly: we are out of topic. We'll do it never again.

In this Community Lounge area anything goes except religion and politics.

[Dave Harris]

Attached are some basecoat photos...
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and then some shots with clear...
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[2MarkIIs]

Dave, looks awesome. What kind of paint are you using? I'm a PPG fan myself and i use that mostly on my personal stuff and also any other work i am doing. I do like BASF as well too. From the pics the car looks great, its always a relief when that first coat of clear goes on and all that time spent doing body work/prep pays off. As long as all goes well lol. keep up the pics!

[Dave Harris]

Thanks. The paint application is 3-4 coats of color and 3 coats of high solid clear. Both epoxy & urethane primers were used. Dupont and Spies Hecker Mixing and Matching was used to cross reference the paint number for my mix to get the correct factory GM Pontiac color (code D Silvermist Gray) from 1964.

[2MarkIIs]

Awesome, i have used dupont only once and it was only basecoat. Color had a very nice finish. Defintly keep us updated with pics.

[Sean Rollins]

Hey Dave. I need your address to send you the bill for a new keyboard. I guess mine wasn't drool proof!!! That's going to be one sweet goat.:D

[Dave Harris]

Here's a few shots of front frame/suspension area, firewall & radiator supt area. Car has about 3 weeks to go as they continue with sanding, buffing and the trim/brightwork/bumpers will be done in another few weeks. Original steel wheels are getting blasted then powder coated in a factory correct 60% gloss.
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[Dave Harris]

Not much to show here. But here's the hood underside in rally mat black. Also showing we installed factory correct radiator/heater hoses and pinch and tower clamps. A few people at shows last summer used to say I don't have the right hoses and clamps, so here they are...
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[Dave Harris]

Some of the reassembly in progress...
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[Dave Harris]

and a couple more shots..
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[Nick DeSpirito]

Looking good Dave.

[Dave Harris]

Here's a shot of the "deluxe wheel discs" that was originally ordered on this car per my Pontiac build sheet. I recently got these from hubcaps.com out of California and was amazed how nice they are. They are reconditioned originals. I bet they didn't look better new. Anyway, I was shocked. These will go on the original steel wheels that are being painted 60% gloss black powdercoat.
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Below is a shot of the so called "dogdish" hubcaps that was also available on this car. I was using these before and they always stayed on just fine. I hope the full wheel discs above stay on OK as well. Which may lead to another discussion on how to keep full wheel hubcaps from falling off.
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[Dave Harris]

Here's a little more assembly-some weatherstrip of doors, trunk, window trim shots. POR 15 was applied under floor insulation for protection..

[Dave Harris]

Here's re-chromed front and rear bumpers, window trim, T-3 headlamps.

[Dave Harris]

Here's the grill installed after it was straightened and polished, then re-painted black like original. Also the tail panel pieces were reconditioned and painted red between the chrome ribs like the factory. I even gave them the GM code for the DuPont mix to get the Marimba Red color right. The taillight lenses are new reproductions.

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[Dave Harris]

A few shots of the new carpet being put in. Also here's a reproduction of the original battery I bought. This is exactly what it looked like originally. They are custom made here:

http://www.antiqueautobattery.com/index.html

[Dave Harris]

The bumpers are back and look great. Here's some shots I took of my car on the lift today. They cleaned up the underside and with undercoating & POR-15 on the frame and other areas. Car should be done very soon. First shot you see here is before the painting...freshly painted shots follow.

[Don Keller]

Dave,

It looks like you do VERY good work. The first muscle car I rode in was a '65 GTO and it was a screamer. I know the turbo V-6's of today have plenty of horsepower, but I don't often see burned tire on the pavement. You're going to have a great car there. I just noticed your other cars. Which would be faster in a quarter mile...the Shelby or the GTO? I say,"would be", because I'm not suggesting that you try it.

Don Keller
C56R3838
Jackson, TN

[Dave Harris]

Although I'm having the work done for me by a restoration shop, I have been guiding in the process by providing parts and correct color codes, etc for my car. After the job is all done I'll mention the shop's name. So far it's been a great experience.

On the quarter mile, according to the famous Car And Driver issue from March 1964, the Tempest GTO did the quarter at 115 mph in 13.1 seconds. (Although Jim Wangers would later admit to secretly putting a 421 motor in place of the 389 for this legendary test run-something he kept to himself for years).

As for the '08 Shelby, Motor Trend said it made the quarter in 12.6 seconds at 114.2 mph.

[Dave Harris]

The original steel wheels were blasted then powder coated. Here's a few shots of them mounted with new bias ply red line US Royal tires I got from Coker. They are EXACTLY like original built in original molds. Also here's the "deluxe wheel" discs going on them.

[Roger Zimmermann]

I'm glad you stay with the original wheels/wheelcovers. Too many would install "racing" wheels!

[Chuck Lutz]

Dave, the car's looking great! Just about ready for spring, huh?

[Sean Rollins]

Just wondering, are you doing the "warm up, I want to drive this" dance? Car looks fantastic.

[Dave Harris]

Thanks for the comments.

Here's a good shot of the tire/wheel with correct wheel disc.

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Yes these bias ply tires ride quality not as good as radials. But still pretty good as I drove the car today. Many higher end shows will not judge (or detract points) if you don't have bias plies.

The car is getting cleaned up some more and we're waiting on a new wiper transmission arm. Only takes a half hour or so to install they say so no big deal. That's about it. I'll likely have the car home sometime next week.

[Dave Harris]

Well the car is done. Drove it home today. Excellent weather for the ride. It was a very good experience. The shop I used is called "Bump and Grind" in Homer Glen, IL. The job took about 4 months to complete. I believe they did a quality job. What follows are some pictures I took when picking it up.

[Don Keller]

Looks like new, Dave. Congratulations!

Don Keller
C56R3838
Jackson, TN

[Rick Payton]

Very nice!!! Congrats

[Sean Rollins]

That looks incredible. I hope you really enjoy it.

[Dan]

Magnificient!
I hope you have a run of perfect weather to be able to enjoy your accomplishment. :)

[Doc]

Car looks great, congratulations. Enjoy it.

Does the trunk get carpet, rubber mat, or some kind of fiber board liner?

[Roger Zimmermann]

Very nice car!
Do you help your father when he as trouble with his car(s) or are you not living near each other?

[Dave Harris]

Car looks great, congratulations. Enjoy it.

Does the trunk get carpet, rubber mat, or some kind of fiber board liner?

Yes it's this. I have spare cover too but it's not pictured.

[Dave Harris]

For purpose of safety, I just had a dual master cylinder conversion done to the GTO. Here's some shots of the new unit.

It all worked out. However, this is a warning to anyone considering a brake purchase from The Right Stuff. Turns out the kit I bought from "Right Stuff" wasn't quite "right". The master they sent me was all wrong. I'm sending it back. Meanwhile the shop found me another dual master (would normally go on a 67 GTO) which was used to accept the retaining push rod. The "pre-bent" stainless lines were fine to use, but needed MUCH modification. As did the proportioning valve bracket for the installation. All turned out OK thanks to my shop that really knows Pontiacs. There's no way the ordinary person could do this.