1967 Pontiac GTO Project - School Days - Update

Since the last update, students at Dauphin County Technical School in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, have made great headway in their restoration work on the '67 Pontiac GTO project car. They've done so much to the Goat that they decided to show it off at the Carlisle (Pennsylvania) Fairgrounds during the 27th annual Spring Carlisle (April 23-27).

The visit of the GTO and four of the six students who are working on it delighted many classic car enthusiasts. Show patrons appreciated the project car, which was displayed near the stage, being completely restored by the students and sponsored by Carlisle Events and Ames Performance.

There was a steady stream of conversation regarding the Pontiac, and many collectors discussed it with the students, some reminiscing about their own similar cars, others hoping to be able to purchase the GTO when it's completed. Many of those who stopped to look said they'd been reading about the project in HIGH PERFORMANCE PONTIAC magazine.

Students Andrew Sprucebank, Scott Dodge, Kelsey Thomas, and Tom Cleary, all sophomores, were able to attend Spring Carlisle to show off their work, along with shop teacher, Joe Macchioni. Nick Fachler, sophomore, and Jeremy Weyant, a junior, were unable to attend the event, but have done their share of work on the '67. The students usually work on the project between 2 and 3 hours each school day.

Once they are finished with it, the musclecar should be quite valuable. As you know, if you have been following its progress, the '67 Pontiac GTO packs a 400 H.O. engine with a four-speed transmission and high-performance options, making it a real collector car.

Some of the recent work completed includes installing the rear taillight panel and front fenders, as well as the dash. The channels around the windows have been reworked and the glass is ready to go in. "Basically the GTO's about all roughed out," says Macchioni. "We just have to finish it up. We've got about another month and a half [before the Carlisle All-GM Nationals]. For the GM Nationals, the engine compartment will be done so the motor can be set in it."

The one part of the car that the students are not working on themselves is the engine. Denny Knaub's UCF Machine Shop in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, has completed the rebuilding of the GTO's original 360-horse engine to stock specs inside and has detailed it on the outside. Now the engine is just waiting to be placed back into its home.

After this school year, the same six students will return to the auto shop in the fall, then as juniors and a senior, to finish the restoration. "Hopefully by the end of this school year, all the sheetmetal work will be done, and it'll just be a matter of finishing with the filler and getting it ready for paint" Macchioni said.

Some of the most challenging work that the students have yet to do will be welding around the rear window area and installing the package tray. However, other difficult items during the restoration have gone more smoothly than expected. "They thought the bottom of the windshield channel would be hard, and that went right in for them," Macchioni said. "So they were pleased with the way that went together."

Although the students have been working on the GTO since October 2002, they're still excited about it. "I'm not tired of [the project] yet," said Cleary. "I still enjoy it." Macchioni said that "every day the kids are learning something new. They ask good questions. No one is complaining about working on the Pontiac yet. All of them are still eager to work on it."