James 66 GTO Project - This is a real GTO however the power plant is not original.  Originally a Burgundy car with a black vinyl top and black interior.  The motor is a 1966 - 421 out of a 1966 2+2.  The car originally had a 4 speed but she is equipped with a TCI TH400 Super Street Fighter now.  As you will see the previous owner had only one thing in mind, drag racing.   My current vision is a Royal Bobcat Clone street/strip car, returned to original color and interior all of which is scheduled to be complete by the time my two year old graduates high school.  My immediate plan however is to get the motor and transmission rebuilt ASAP to begin enjoying the car and then I will lay out the final game plan.  The paint and body is sufficient from 15 feet away so paint and body will be the last items to be done.  I can live with the ghost flames for a few years.  One thing is for sure the hideous interior will be the first to get restored once the vehicle is back on the street at least the door panels and seats. 

The motor and tranny are out and apart and there were no major disappointing surprises along the way.  Here are some photos of the car, block and crank.  Enjoy the pictures and don't plan on seeing any updates any time soon.  The Furiosi's are expecting another Baby boy in December so the purse strings are tight.  My son Cody (2) has already laid claim to this Goat so daddy will begin working on momma in a few years for another car for Cody's brother "Colin" once this gem is on the street!

SEPTEMBER 7, 2007 - PROJECT UPDATE

Well the motor was completed by the Butlers and was picked up a little over a month ago.  As most of you know things never go as planned and neither did my engine build.  I dropped the motor off to the Butlers only to have them rebuild the short block and go through the heads but as you will see I got a little carried away with my "option list" and the credit card.  While the motor was at the Butlers we disassembled the front clip and replaced all the front suspension components and powder coated as many parts as we could.  As I mentioned in my initial write up I was tight on money and only wanted to do the bare minimum to get the car on the street but I have since learned that these cars nickel and dime you to death.  It seemed that every bolt we loosened it made no sense to go on any further until that component or piece was replaced or repaired.  So where am I now, the pictures below will tell the story.  I am however truly at the end of my financial limit and need to get this project completed and take some time off to begin to enjoy the sweat and money we have invested to date.  We have replaced the front suspension, installed new brake lines and fuel lines, all new wiring harnesses, went through transmission, new trans cooler, new fuel tank, all new hoses and misc. lines, went through the brakes, and added a March Serpentine pulley system.  The only thing left is to complete the painstaking job of reassembly and getting the wiring hooked up correctly and then I will make a list of minimum components required to make this baby street legal.  Once I get things paid off I'll pick some other projects and tackle them one at a time.  There isn't enough time to type in all that we have gone through and learned nevertheless at least you have an update and I am living up to my end of the deal as your webmaster. 

SEPTEMBER 29, 2007 - PROJECT UPDATE

Text write up will follow at a later date but here are some pictures in the meantime. The car was started for the first time this weekend but we have some electrical anomalies we need to get figured out and then its on to some fine cleaning and paint touch-up work. 

NOVEMBER 17, 2007 - PROJECT UPDATE

Well there is still so much left that I want to do but I cant talk my boss into giving me a raise.  There are still a few kinks I am trying to work out but the project is definitely winding down for a while and I would say its substantially complete.  I have new shocks front and rear and air bags left to install then I need to work out a power steering leak, small tranny leak and complete the break in process on the motor and then hopefully it will be off to the track. Once these projects are complete I am hopeful I will be at a point I can start to enjoy the car and take some time off if nothing else breaks or needs fixing along the way. 

The Goat made its maiden voyage across town about 20 miles each way to Page Field today for an Aviation Event and classic car display.  The ride there was great, the weather was cool and no one was on the road so I was able to cruise above the stall speed on the converter without generating excessive transmission heat. The journey back home was also without incident but the seasonal traffic is picking up and I caught every light and the traffic wasn't moving.  The majority of the trip was under the stall speed of the converter so the trans temp was definitely creeping up the entire trip but it never got out of hand.  If this were September the trip may have had adifferent ending though.  I definitely need to change the rear end gear and torque converter to make the car a little more enjoyable in traffic and cruising. 

I will post some pictures of the car in a few days. On the way home from church today Cody (my 3 year old) said he wanted to go for a little ride.  Here is a little video clip of his second trip in the GTO since the rebuild.  The hole ride my son eggs me on - saying things like cool dad, go faster, cool dad lets do a burn out, awesome lets do it again - what a great kid.  Enjoy!

CODYS SUNDAY TRIP.wmv