What would you do if your project expectations exceeded your skill set? Most people would dial back the project, but not John and Peggy Sieffert of Troy, Michigan. They took another path and enlisted a shop so talented that it was able to realize the couple's dream for their '67 GTOs-and then some. The results are worthy of a Champagne toast and Concours gold.
How It Began
John and Peggy own a commendable stable of various-brand classic muscle machines, but, of these fine pavement pounders, this '67 GTO and a matching convertible stand out above the rest as two great examples of attention to detail.
Look, Ma, no wires. The theme...
Look, Ma, no wires. The theme of this build up was to make the GTO look like a Concours restoration with the added cache of cleaning up areas normally found on a stock car that detract from the overall appearance, like underhood wiring and AC hoses and lines. To that end, Run Rite Classics hand-built a smooth firewall, smoothed the inner fenders and the core support, and hid all of the aforementioned items so the 0.030-over 400 could shine more brightly. Note the trick BG linkage on the induction system and Run Rite's custom throttle bracket.
First, let's rewind to their purchase of a '64 GTO, which led them to the '67s.
In early 2007, John and Peggy attended the Mecum Auction in Kissimmee, Florida. While perusing the car field, a fine-looking '64 GTO caught their eyes. "We both noticed this car on the first day of the auction and kept revisiting it," he explains. "During that time, we had a good chance to inspect it very closely and meet the sellers who restored it, Chuck and Debbie Woolery, the owners and operators of Run Rite Classics in Houghton Lake, Michigan."
John and Peggy were impressed with the '64 and they ultimately placed the highest bid. They were also well on their way to developing a strong friendship with Chuck and Debbie.
The Barry Grant Six-Shooter...
The Barry Grant Six-Shooter Tri-Power system features three Demon two-barrel carbs, flowing 250 cfm each, mounted to an intake with larger ports than a factory unit, and it's made from lighter aluminum. The intake on Peggy's '67 was painted to match the Pontiac block and could easily fool onlookers into believing it to be a genuine factory part. Once the Pontiac fires up, you can clearly hear the indications of a hotter camshaft and aggressive exhaust system.
When John and Peggy began to show it off at shows, they didn't expect just how much attention it would draw. "We received numerous awards and favorable comments with the '64," says John. "Because of this car, we have become more aware of the GTO and the Pontiac brand, and we're now true Pontiac loyalists!" With the conversion complete, they were seeking another GTO to add to their fleet.
Finding The Car
Having been fans of the early Goats, John was itching to do a '67 this time. They decided to top off their collection with a pair of '67 GTOs-a convertible and a hardtop, his and hers. Instead of buying a completed car, however, they would have Chuck and Debbie restore and modify both cars to their liking. "At this point, Chuck and I went looking for the two project cars," says John.
Though offered as a regular...
Though offered as a regular production exterior color back in '67, the Champagne hue is seldom seen on GTOs. That's one of the reasons why it was chosen for this one; contrasting it with a Red interior was the other.
They found Peggy's hardtop near Phoenix in September 2007 and discovered it was originally a rust-free Nevada car. A restoration had been started but was never completed, so it was listed as ready for paint. "The chrome and trim were removed and the body was in prime," John recalls. Once purchased, the GTO was torn down, with the chassis going out for media-blasting, and the body heading to Run Rite to begin the initial bodywork.
When it finally arrived at the shop, it wasn't as ready for paint as they had anticipated-at least, not to Run Rite Classic's standards. The company's bodyman, Chris Fenton, began to correct the previous bodywork. He replaced the front floorpans and trunk floor, while Les Hawkins, the in-house fabricator, made a smooth firewall and replacement panels for the bottoms of the fenders and quarter-panels.
Once Chris was finished with the rough work, Jim Tanney, the in-house finish coachbuilder, went over the Pontiac with a fine-tooth comb and made sure every gap was within 4 mm.