The Pontiac GTO !

[armyadarkness]

GTO guys are kinda out there:

1968 PONTIAC GTO for sale by owner - Springfield, MO - craigslist

1968 GTO COUPE, CLEAN TITLE, MOTOR DOES NOT RUN IT HAS BEEN OUT IN THE WEATHER FOR YEARS IT IS PROBABLY JUNK, WHAT YOU SEE IN THE PICTURES IS ALL THERE IS, $3,800.00 CASH... TRADES CONSIDERED, CALLS...

springfield.craigslist.org

I will say that when it comes to GTO's, they can definitely fetch a lot more than their Chevelle counterparts... but not in this case.

The last Pontiac V8 was built in 1979, and since all Pontiac engines were physically the same size, you can often find cars like this with a 421, 428, or 455 in them, and so the engine alone could easily be worth $10k. Some Pontiac heads could also be worth that, by themselves.

Pontiac stuff was a lot rarer than Chevy. A Qudrajet off a Ram Air engine could easily be worth $5000 by itself

 

[armyadarkness]

you should meet a mopar guy. prices make no sense anymore. i cant tell if that's what things cost or they got some good medications.

If that car has good doors, quarters, roof, and frame, it could be worth that money... but, it would only be worth that to a very focused group.

 

[ponchonlefty]

If that car has good doors, quarters, roof, and frame, it could be worth that money... but, it would only be worth that to a very focused group.

this was my first thought, but im way out of touch on these things.

 

[Jared]

My guess is the $3800 is for the vin tag that starts in 242. That vin will be on another car in a classic car dealership soon.

 

[ponchonlefty]

My guess is the $3800 is for the vin tag that starts in 242. That vin will be on another car in a classic car dealership soon.

maybe. i would rather it be left to be what it came with. nothing wrong with adding emblems but leave the numbers alone.

 

[Jim C]

My guess is the $3800 is for the vin tag that starts in 242. That vin will be on another car in a classic car dealership soon.

You might be right but I find it hard to believe that the tag is worth that much.
These are reproduced for some vehicles to the point where you can select the VIN number and options; create your own tag.

 

[armyadarkness]

You might be right but I find it hard to believe that the tag is worth that much.
These are reproduced for some vehicles to the point where you can select the VIN number and options; create your own tag.

I'm sure Ive talked about it before, but this is another reason why Pontiacs hold their value. They cant be "faked" like Vettes, Camaro's, Nova's, Chevelles.

Chevy kept no sales records for options, so every Chevy is $1000 away from being a "Super-Sport"... Yet half of them came stripped with a straight-six.

Pontiac, OTOH, kept a list of all sales data, including options, and they changed the vin numbers for the GTO... so a GTO trim tag could easily add $40,000 to a Tempest that came with a bench seat, no carpet, 3-on-the-tree, and a straight 6.

You might be able to get a fake trim tag, but the Pontiac Historical Society documents, which list the selling dealership and all options, would show it to be fake.

 

[armyadarkness]

Jim, Here are the PHS documents for my car. They're so accurate, that you cant even pretend your car came with a posi or shoulder belts... and even the engine serial number is on them... so no motor swaps either.

 

[ponchonlefty]

can you believe the 40 yr old maybe older tire went flat? must be the crack in the side wall. man quality sure went to hell. i think i will duct tape it and air it again.

 

[ponchonlefty]

looking around on the internet i found an interesting fact. a 455 olds piston is 4.125 dia. compression height is 1.735. this is very close to a 400 pontiac piston. you could use this olds piston and have zero deck height. its even dished 14.5 cc. this would make pump gas friendly compression. 9.63. now the price is not much different but it is an option. and also got to looking at head flow numbers on 455 olds heads. if the numbers are correct they can flow almost as good as the edelbrock d ports i have and theyre stock. i have a 455 olds already. nice engine to have it seems.

 

[ponchonlefty]

i got a wild hare and checked the ports on the edelbrock heads. i measured the ports and studied the shape. well today i checked the 16 gto heads ports, i can confirm they have been ported and match the edelbrocks size and shape. im thinking the edelbrock heads were patterned from ported cast iron heads. if this is so and the 16 heads flow numbers like the eddies. i should have 420-430 hp. that should roll 13s i think pretty easily. maybe low to high 12s. im very happy. mostly because i don't have to port the heads. hey jared,wanna race? im kidding. the cobalt will probably smoke me.

 

[ponchonlefty]

well as i can not accept factory heads flowing as much as 3500.00 heads i had to investigate further. i got out more precise measuring tools. my fingers are not calibrated by starrett. it appears the iron heads get smaller toward the valve.
the eddies are 2 inches the iron are 1.660. looks like the porting only goes 1.75 to 2 inches deep. the outer ports are close within .040 thousandths wide at the push rod pinch. i say the iron heads are just smoothed and gasket matched. this makes more sense. i have some heads to practice on one day to see if its possible to raise the port ceiling and flatten the floor some. i don't think it has enough thickness to do this to get the same dimensions as the eddie heads. i may be wrong how porting works. still the iron heads have been ported. i just don't know the flow. a guess would be 220 cfm from a chart i got. the best test is the track.

 

[Jim C]

the best test is the track

or a flow bench

 

[ponchonlefty]

the best test is the track

or a flow bench

agreed. im just glad its one less thing to do. still got to check the springs and valve job. the heads were rebuilt but i will check them anyway.

 

[ponchonlefty]

got the carb back on went to start the engine, no fire. swapped cap and coil got fire. no fuel, the pump is bad.
gotta get one then hopefully nothing else happens. it did fire up with a drink of gas so replace the pump and all should be ready to go. its been 4-5 yrs since last run. time flies by fast.

a little back story on the car, its a 74 formula 400 i got it when i was 17. its been thru hell and i drove it like a demon.
not mine anymore but it will always be mine. i know every bolt and nut on it. we had a love hate relationship. some people give their cars a name, this one is the bitch. it smelled money and still does.

this car is like if you wanna play you got to pay. i miss driving it.

 

[ponchonlefty]

lets race. what is your time changing a fuel pump? lets see how slow i have gotten. i got the fuel pump today and installed, looks like rain tomorrow so might be a day or so before the final run. the old pump is definitely bad.

it wheezes like a lifetime smoker. no vacuum at all. it was a nos ac pump but has sit for yrs and may have been made before ethanol. its probably a blessing it failed. the oil smelled of gas,thought maybe because i flooded it the last time i started it in the past. now im sure it was the pump going bad.

i noticed the tires were now 20 yrs old. i bought them in 04 and put about 600 miles on them and parked it. shame but
time moves on faster than you think. im trying to get it ready before thanksgiving to fire it up for some that have not heard it run before. and to see my brother smile. vrooma zoom zoom.

 

[armyadarkness]

@Jetzster How have you been?!

 

[ponchonlefty]

it is alive. still living up to its name though. it managed to pop a small pin size hole in the water neck.
the bitch is back. still runs very well. has a tone deep that rattles the windows. say what you want but edelbrock carbs are nice. finally hooked the electric choke and starts like a new car. just took 25yrs to hook it up.

 

[Pilgrim]

Well, you can't rush these things.....

 

[ponchonlefty]

Well, you can't rush these things.....

back then i just didn't have time i guess. it was a little temperamental but drove fine without it.
i believe hearing that car run made me a little younger.