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The GR-RRR! license plate has been painted Reef Turquoise to match the car. CLICK->
Reef Turquoise 1965 GTO hardtop, engine view. This car has Edelbrock valve covers and a few other custom touches. CLICK->
Rich Guido from Alberta Canada owns this awesome black 1965 GTO hardtop. This was our Picture Of The Week for 10/9/05. Rich adds, "I started restoration in Oct 2004 and finished July 2005. I didn't sleep too much those ten months!" CLICK->
Black 1965 GTO hardtop, left front view. CLICK->
Black 1965 GTO hardtop, right front view CLICK->
Black 1965 GTO hardtop, interior view. This one has a red interior and a floor shifted manual transmission without the center console. CLICK->
Black 1965 GTO hardtop, interior view from the passenger side. CLICK->
Here's a shot of Rich's black 1965 GTO hardtop before the restoration. Some people would look at a car like this and dismiss it as a hopeless basket case. Not Rich. CLICK->
Here's another pre-restoration photo. The hood is folded over, but the front bumper looks okay. It must have been hit high in the front. CLICK->
Rich did a frame-off restoration on his 1965 GTO hardtop. Here he has the body off the frame and on a rotisserie. I call this the "point of no return". That's because at this stage of disassembly, the car might not ever return to the road! It takes a dedicated owner to actually follow through with the restoration process. At this point there are a lot of obstacles to trip over. There's parts you didn't know you needed, there's parts that need refinished (not just painted), there's a big investment in labor ahead. How many hours of work are needed at this stage? A ton. Not to mention the money it will take to finish a car at this stage. Rich had a lot of hours invested before he ever got to the "Picture Of The Week" stage! CLICK->
Some of the underside panels have been replaced. Those are prone to frequent rustout. When purchasing a driver, it is important to check the condition of the floors carefully. When purchasing a car for a total restoration, it's less important considering that many many parts will be replaced anyway before it hits the street. CLICK->
The frame is coming along too. He's got it painted and the suspension components installed. Rich put disc brakes on the front. In the background, you can see the body has been painted on the underside. CLICK->
The engine and transmission are installed. This GTO will have a manual transmission, headers, and a Tri-Power. Mmm! Fat new tires. CLICK->
The body is put back on the frame. The hood looks new. The grilles and front end metal appear to be from a LeMans. Once in a while a LeMans parts car has to "give it up" so another GTO can be resurrected. CLICK->
Lew Arrington's 1965 GTO "Brutus" Drag Car. It has a Tempest front grille. Mike Lacy sent it in. He tells us, "While doing research on building a clone of this car, I found these pictures taken at what appears to be the old Irwindale Raceway. The drag chute is still out. Either Jungle Jim or Lew just got out of the car." See the open headers just behind the front wheels. The GTO ran the quarter mile in the 8 second range. It was later driven by Don Trillo who totaled it. PICTURE SET CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE ...
Here's a comment from a recent visitor...
Says Shad (MARLEYKLATT.@email.msn.com) - "I bought a 1969 Judge. It is a fun car and I enjoy making small improvements and driving it around town. To me, this car is not what many people think of as a "car", it is a legend, it represents youth, life, and what being an American is all about. My dad relives his past every time he rides in the car, only faster. I enjoy your website and the pictures that are included."
