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1966 Pontiac GTO This 1966 Pontiac GTO is going through a major transformation at the V8TV shop. We're installing a full AirRide Technologies Street Challenge syspension system, a new GM L92 6.2 liter engine and a GM automatic with a Gear Vendor overdrive and Twist Machine paddle shifter. Originally, this project was to have a GM 6L80E six-speed transmission, but as you can see in the videos, a Bowler 4L65E was a better choice. The body has already had some work performed, which we're going to end up un-doing to fix, but when it's finished, it's going to be a killer pro-touring GTO with power and style to spare.
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 The car is becoming more complete. Here we can see how Scott Guehne ran the Magnaflow exhaust through the rear bumper where the reverse lights are originally. We've also installed the Wilwood front and rear brake kits we obtained from Currie Enterprises and the Group Buy Superstore. The shifter is the stock GM GTO unit modified with a shift gate and cable from Shiftworks which allows it to mate to the GM 4L65E 4-speed automatic built by Bowler Performance and controlled with a TCI Transmission Control Unit and their T-COM2 software. The TCU is installed inside the glove box and connects to the Mast Motorsports ECM with a 2-wire twisted pair CAN network, and then to the trans with a couple basic connections. The Mast engine harness and ECM are intsalled here, and we've done the mock-up of the Mast CAN gauges in the GTO's dash.
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 The chassis was getting closer to re-mating with the body, and we installed the Magnaflow exhaust system from the rear of the car going forward, as we were still wating to receive the headers. Once the body was out of the paint booth, it was mated to the chassis on the lift and the new body bushings were installed and tightened. The Air Ride Air Pod compressor, tank, and controller assembly was installed on rubber feet in the trunk ledge area. Next came the fuel system, which consists of a filter / regulator unit from Street & Performance , along with some cool compression fittings allowing us to attach -6 AN fittings to the factory fuel rail on the engine. The fuel tank is a trick restoration-correct piece from MuscleRodz.com , but it comes with a new high-pressure fuel pump for electronic fuel injection pre-installed. The remaining shots are some random snap shots of the Currie rear axle installed and the 2007 Pontiac GTO seats. These were take-outs from a wrecked car, and the V8TV crew made custom mounts to bolt them to the floor and retain all the power features.
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 The L92 fit nicely in the chassis along with the Bowler Performance 4L65E transmission. Here's the chassis with suspension, engine, transmission, and Currie rear axle in place. Next we turn to the body where we had the underside media blasted to reveal the floor and trunk floor holes... we're going to epxoy the bottomside for the Power Tour and pop the body off the frame to complete the floors and quarter panels after the Power Tour. A new smaller alternator from a 4.8 liter Chevrolet truck provides more hood clearance than the 6.2 liter version. After some light bodywork and PPG K36 Prima epoxy surfacer, we shot some color on the body. PPG Deltron basecoat in Charcoal Metallic and Garnet Red were sprayed to create the cool 2-tone scheme, designed to shrink the large proportions of the GTO. Finally, some shots of the Wilwood brake kit and fittings and brake line from YearOne.
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 We're running a Currie 9+ rear axle assembly consisting of a Currie housing and center section, Detroit Tru-Trac differential, 3.89:1 gears, Currie axles, and Wilwood brakes. The Currie piece is really nice because it contains all new parts, with no used rebuilt junkyard stuff inside. Currie builds "crate" rear ends which have the proper mounts installed for correct geometry and ease of installation. By the time you find a junkard piece, have it rebuilt with upgraded axles, differential, and the gears you want; then modify / narrow the housing to fit your car, you're better off getting a new unit from Currie from the beginning. Also shown here is our repair of the rusty GTO's cowl boxes, and the mock-up of the Steeroids rack and pinon steering system.
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 In this gallery, we get a closer look at all the Air Ride Technologies Street Challenge suspension parts ranging from the Strong Arms through the Air Pod. The controller is the Air Ride LevelPro system which will automatically change the ride height to three different preset positions through the use of the ride height sensors, also shown. The suspension is rounded out with the Shock Wave air spring / shock combination units and the MuscleBar sway bars and PosiLink end links. There are also some random shots of the L92 Engine and various sensors and connections on the engine. Next up are some shots of the boxed chassis after a bath in Eastwood's Ceramic Chassis Black paint.
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 The new driveline arrives! Here's the initial fitting of the GTO's new L92 V8, which started its life powering a 2007GMC Yukon Denali. Here you can see the Street & Performance engine mounts and oil pan used to fit the engine in the GTO's bay. We modifief a pair of small-block Chevy frame stands to hold the engine. Also shown is the originally planned transmission... the GM6L80E electronic six-speed automatic. Soon after our test fits shown here, we elected to use the 4L65E 4-speed automatic from Bowler Performance Transmissions and a controller from TCI instead. Not only would the 4-speed fit better, but it was also tunable to our application. At the time these pics were taken, the controller on the 6L80 had not yet been cracked.
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 The beginnings at the V8TV shop. The plan was to get the driveline in place and make this car a driver with the new engine, transmission, rear axle, and suspension system for the Hot Rod Power Tour. We'd attack the "holy" body later. In these shots, you can see the kind of bodywork the car needed. We've also pulled the original, numbers-matching 389 Pontiac engine and 2-speed Poweglide transmission. We kept those with the car in case it gets restored back to original someday.
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 This is the first gallery covering the complete transformation of the 1966 GTO in photos... from the day we recieved it until the day it left our shop 6 months later. We're still posting all the build videos, but we thought some photos would be cool, so here's 525 of them! This is the first in a series of galleries we're posting showing all the photos. Please wait for all the thumbnail images to load in... then you can click a thumbnail and click through the photos like a slide show.
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 Once we got the chassis built, we took some time to detail up the L92 6.2 liter V8 going in the car. Here's what we did, along with a closer look at the Variable Valve Timing system.
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 Installing the rear Air Ride Technologies Street Challenge rear suspension system and Currie 9+ rear axle housing on the 1966 GTO.
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 This time, we're intsalling the Air Ride Technologies front Muscle Bar sway bar and Posi Link end links.
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 We were looking for cool way to finish off the Magnaflow exhaust kit we got from YearOne on the GTO, and noticed that the factory reverse lights would make a nice exit point to run the pipes through the bumper. Scott Guhene made it happen, and it looks slick.
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 This car is going to be driven ALOT, so it had to be comfortable... check out how Nick Doerr adapted some 2005 GTO seats to the '66 and how they remained fully operational.
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 We're skipping ahead a little to post real-time coverage of the GTO build... right now, we're getting the car ready for its first drive on the 2008 Hot Rod Power Tour, and we've got 18 days to make this car a driver! We'll be posting all the detailed install videos of each component we used on the car when they're completed, but we thought a quick nightly update would be cool to share the daily progress up to the first drive. This go-around, the car will be a complete driver with a "temporary" paint scheme, as we don't have time to completely replace the quarters and trunk floor, but we'll hit that stuff after the Tour. However, the chassis and driveline should be nearly completed for the shakedown on the road!
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 This GTO is going to be driven hard, so the suspension system needs to be up for the task of not only handling well, but it also needs to have a smooth ride. To accomplish this double-duty trick, we chose to install an Air Ride Technologies Street Challenge System. We saw this system in action on a '66 Chevelle on an autocross track and couldn't believe the performance... flat cornering, predictible handling, and a smooth ride all in one. The Street Challenge System containes everything you need to transform your car's ride and handling, complete with upper and lower Strong Arm control arms front and rear, tall spindles, Shock Wave air spring / double adjustable shock combination units, Muscle Bar sway bars, Posi Link endlinks, AirPod self-contained compressor / controller / air tank, Level Pro ride height sensors and control unit, keyfob remotes, air lines, and more. This time, we're installing the front suspension componants.
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 After spending time reinforcing the GTO's chassis, we shot it with a new paint system from Eastwood. The base started off with their high-build 2-part catalyzed Epoxy Primer, and then we topcoated it with their new Ceramic Chassis Black in the satin finish. We used a 3-gun DeVilbiss Startingline HVLP spray gun set to lay down the chemicals, and the look is outstanding. The Ceramic Chassis Black also has a very high chemical and chip resistance, so the look should last for a long time!
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 Part of our 1966 GTO's plan includes a killer suspension system and a beefed-up chassis to support it, so we disassembled the stock stuff, popped the body off the frame, and went to town. First, the GTO's skeleton was media blasted clean of all rust, scale, and old paint. Next, we fabbed up some supports and TIG welded in some plate steel to box up the originally open frame rails for strength. Then we began to test fit the Air Ride Technologies Street Challenge suspension system... more on this later, but it's the key to making this old Goat handle like a new 'Vette!
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 Just when you think you've got a simple solution, here comes another curve ball. We noticed that we had tight hood clearance on the GTO's L92 V8, mostly because of the truck-style high-mount alternator. We thought we could throw on a set of factory Camaro style brackets to lower the alternator, and slam the hood. Not so fast. The L92 is a Variable Valve Timing engine, which means it has an additional 3/4 inch of meat on the front of the timing cover. This area hides the cam phaser, the hardware that rotates the camshaft to provide the cool VVT action. It also means that low-mount aftermarket or F body brackets won't fit. After some research, we found that the guys at Mast Motorsports had the L92 figured out and suggested we use Camaro brackets and make some spacers... check out the fix.
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 We were excited to receive the new GM 4L65E 4-speed automatic transmission from Bowler Performance Transmissions and test fit it under the GTO. It looks to be a MUCH better fit than the 6L80E. And, when combined with the GearsVendors overdrive unit and a Twist Machine Shrifter paddle shifter, this thing is always going to be in its happy RPM range.
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 We spent many hours and days contemplating how to make the giant 6L80E 6-speed automatic transmission fit under the '66 GTO, but it looks like the surgery required will push this car well beyond its deadline and budget. While it is a cool transmission, the 6L80E is simply enourmous, and in order to make it fit under the car, we'd have to cut the entire floor out and fab a whole new tunnel, raise the enigine, and try to make it clear the hood. We simply don't have the time. So, after a chat with Mark Bowler of Bowler Performance Transmissions, the choice was made to switch to a GM 4L65E, a 4-speed automatic trans that is a much easier fit to the car.
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 Tonight, we bolted the Street & Performance engine plates and oil pan to the L92 V8 and 6L80E six-speed automatic combination. We were pleasantly surprised to see that it almost fits the car without modification, but we will need to do some more test fitting to be sure.
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