Resto Recon

It's amazing how many Pontiacs end up on classic car lots, auctions, and eBay demanding high prices. What's more amazing his how often they get that price.

A whole new class of cars has hit the market in the last few years with advent of online classifieds and auctions, and an increase in vintage musclecar interest. Some in the hobby call them "puppy-mill cars." This moniker refers to the way shops spit them out as if they were puppies in a litter. A puppy-mill car is one that is simply dolled up for a high resale with every possible corner cut to ensure profit.

They are attended to aesthetically to look perfect on Web sites and in photos. The bodies are always fairly straight with fresh paint. Usually piles of Bondo take the place of replacement sheetmetal, the paint is the cheapest type and the color may or may not be a Pontiac offering but it's close. Stainless and chrome are decent but aren't show stoppers.

Under the hood, everything is painted. It may not be correct but it looks clean. Any replacement items needed for proper operation of accessories will come from the least expensive auto parts store, not from a restoration house.

The interior will be "restored" with whatever is handy. Seats may be recovered with substandard materials and items that need replacing may come from a parts car and be simply painted to match. In some instances, door panels and seat patterns my not even be correct for the year of the Pontiac.

Most often, the engine and drivetrain internals get the least attention because the prospective buyer can't see inside them. If the engine is rebuilt it will be with the cheapest parts and least machining possible--only enough work to ward off taps, knocks, and smoke. Aside from that most anything goes. And the work will be left to an auto parts store or an engine remanufacture establishment not a noted engine builder.

As for the remainder of the drivetrain, the trans and rear will be untouched unless a major driveability or leakage problem that would be readily apparent to a prospective buyer is discovered. The suspension and brakes will get just enough attention to be operational but no special care or parts better than the corner auto parts store.

These Pontiacs haunt the used car lots and online classifieds and auctions just waiting to be scooped up by very special buyers. This buyer acts on pure emotion; he is generally new to the hobby but remembers these Pontiacs growing up and how he always wanted one. He now has plenty of money and having heard of GTOs selling for $45,000 and more from friends and by seeing major auctions on TV, he knows that restored models cost plenty. He probably drives a $35,000-$45,000 SUV daily so a toy for $25,000 is not a major hurdle. It's cheaper than his driver is and a lot less than those vintage Pontiacs on TV.

His impression of the vehicle that he is going to buy is that it's fully restored and is like new because to the untrained eye it appears to be just that--and besides, it says it right there in the ad. There is no thought as to whether or not it's a frame-off restoration or how much of the original parts were retained or how many NOS or repro parts were used or even if any "correct" parts were used. Little thought is expended on the quality of the labor as well.

Then there is the time factor, especially with auctions. The thought process goes something like this, "If I don't bid now, I may lose out on a great deal. The Pontiac looks perfectly restored, I can see that in the pictures." In his mind, there's no time to check with PHS, if he is even familiar with the service, or go to shows to learn what is correct and what is really worth $25,000 because he may miss out on the "deal." So he buys it.

Upon arrival our new member to the hobby is probably very happy with his purchase because it looks good. The neighbors are duly impressed and it's the talk of the cruise spot. Then he runs into someone at an event or a cruise who knows what is correct and what is not. Within a few minutes the bubble is burst and the Pontiac honeymoon is over. Our intrepid owner then goes to a restoration shop to fix the things that the fellow hobbyist or show judge pointed out. Then the can of worms opens as more and more incorrect parts and suspect workmanship is found when the Pontiac is torn down for examination. A happy ending is when the problems are corrected the owner is satisfied, and he didn't need a mortgage to do it. Other stories get worse as more bad things are discovered.

Contrary to the above, the owner of this '66 GTO went in with his eyes open and knew that some work had to be done. Though in the end it can certainly be argued that he paid more than he should have at $25,000 but for a further investment of $5,000 the result is a clean GTO with a Tri-Power and a 4-speed (which now has been PHS-verified). It will do well in local events and may place in national ones.

In Part I we will examine the engine compartment to illustrate a few examples of Pontiacs that are "restored to sell." We will point out what is obviously wrong and correct much but not all of it, as the owner's budget could only go so far. So bear in mind that there are some items that you may notice in the photos that we do not discuss since this is not a restoration guide that espouses every correct finish and inspection mark. Rather it's a basic tech story that points out certain aspects of this GTO that were incorrect aesthetically and mechanical aspects that needed immediate attention for proper operation. This, to better help you make an intelligent decision when buying yours. It's not fair to compare this GTO to a national points car because that would take much more investment but it will at least be a solid weekend warrior once done.

If you glean anything from these articles it's, "Buyer beware!" Before you buy your dream Pontiac, educate yourself. They may look great from 20 feet away but have a knowledgeable person come along to examine it. The investment to "fix" a Pontiac for which you already paid too much will be much greater than recognizing the problems before you buy. And using that knowledge to your advantage to force the price down or pass on the Pontiac entirely and look for a better candidate will put you cash and aggravation ahead.

Next time we will take a long look at the body and interior. Remember we were on a budget and the GTO will not get everything it needs to be a gold-standard Goat. But the overall results will be very pleasing so watch as our puppy-mill car with a few dollars becomes a beautiful '66 GTO worthy of any show or cruise.