I'm looking at a GTO tomorrow - NEED HELP

Gear_Jammer · #1 05-28-2010, 05:33 PM

I am going to be looking at a '69 GTO tomorrow and I need to get some help/suggestions on what to look for, where I can find the numbers on the block, exactly where the data plate is and anything else you may think of. It's an automatic with a hood tach and allegedly has a dealer installed AC. It's a hardtop and is supposed to be an all original solid driver car. It has 103K miles on it. The one thing I forgot to ask the guy is whether he has any documentation for the car. It's a dealer in a small town so my guess is that he'll have very little, if any, documentation. Obviously if it turns out to be something I'm really interested in I will have PHS do a report for me. I've already got the VIN and it checks out to be a real 242 GTO.

This will be the first GTO I've had a chance to look at, so any help/suggestions you can give would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

**firstgenaddict** · #2 05-28-2010, 11:37 PM

GET the VIN and call Pontiac Historical (Jim Mattison) and get the PHS docs faxed to you... If I am not mistaken it costs about 75-100 to get it within 24 hours or so. It will have the billing punch card which gives the history for the VIN with all the factory installed options listed.

**Survivor 69/Z28** · #3 05-29-2010, 03:31 AM

Gear Jammer is a very good friend of mine and we are both going to look at the car first thing in the morning. I am familiar with the Chevy's but not at all with Pontiacs. Are the casting #’s on a Pontiac motors basically in the same locations?
How about the rally wheels? Are these date coded like the Chevy's? I have the #’s for the quadrajet. If the carb has been changed are these hard to locate compared to others?
Anything you guys can think of that we need to go over on this car please let us know.
Maybe there are some certain parts on a 69 goat that are hard to find. Well, we want to make sure that this car has it so that we can make a decision soon.

Thanks for the help!!

**firstgenaddict** · #4 05-29-2010, 04:48 AM

Carbs are somewhat difficult depending... RAIV's etc are pricey.
Coded in same places for wheels rears cowl tags etc.
Engine Vin is low on the pass side beside timing cover, trans same as chev.
Alpha code stamped on pass front face of block.

Get over to the Performance Years Website and sign up for the message boards, if you have a poncho it is the place to get the lowdown, there are MANY VERY WELL INFORMED guys overthere and they are extremely helpful.

**firstgenaddict** · #5 05-29-2010, 04:52 AM

OEM RAM AIR parts are expensive if the car is so equipped and missing them, rears are pricey for dated saf-t-trac with good ratios.
NOS sheetmetal is THROUGH THE ROOF!

StealthBird · #6 05-29-2010, 07:12 AM

Lots of info to review, but just be forewarned, the odds of it being a Ram Air car are slim, about 1 in 8. Most all of the Ram Air and Ram Air IV GTO's were Judges. It's most likely a base 350 hp model. There's a slim possibility it could be a 2-barrel economy version too.

Posi was not standard on GTO's, so check the diff.

Engine code is a 2 character code on the front passenger side next to the water pump.
400 engine was WT (stick) or YS (auto)
Ram Air was WS (stick) or YZ (auto)
Ram Air IV was WW (stick) or XP (auto)

Block date is back next to the distributor.

Head casting is on the center two exhaust ports.
Auto trans - 16 or 62
Man trans - 48 or 62
Ram Air - 48
Ram Air IV (round port)- 722 on end exhaust ports

PHS is the ONLY way to be sure on options. Sounds like you found a GTO, but be careful of rebodies.

All the 1969's had the Endura bumper (some 68's were built with chrome noses). Hideaways headlights were optional.

The hood is reproduced, originals are always worth more.

The intake manifold was steel (RAIV was two-piece aluminum).

Quadrajet (auto trans) was 7029268
Ram Air (auto trans) was 7028270
Ram Air IV (auto) was 7029273

The Q-jets pull quite of bit of money if they are complete.

Hope this helps a little, and good luck! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/smile.gif[/img]

**Survivor 69/Z28** · #7 05-29-2010, 01:51 PM

This great info! Thank you very much for the help!
Well, we are leaving now to go look. I am sure we will post some pictures later on.

**HEMIBEE** · #8 05-29-2010, 04:08 PM

the VIN on the engine is going to be on the RH (pass)side of the block in the front. next to the timing cover. Rich

markinnaples · #9 05-30-2010, 02:19 AM

How was it?

Pics?

ohhawk · #10 05-30-2010, 04:01 AM

Gear Jammer -

In response to your post in the cars wanted section a couple weeks ago I sent you a private message on a very nice '68 GTO I'm familar with (not mine) that is for sale. The message is about 2 weeks old and I don't think you have picked it up on this site.

Just FYI