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She's ALIVE!!! and home. After threatening for months to pick my old goat up, it finally happened yesterday afternoon. Still some things to do like adding my Ram Air kit, changing out cracked steering wheel, replacing dash bezels and gauge covers, etc. The gigantic floatiness of this behemoth was not unexpected, especially in light of how tight the XKR and the Pantera are, but at some point I'm still going to have to address it because it's just not enjoyable. But I knew that going in, and this is more of a cruiser, the fulfillment of a dream since high school 50 years ago, and my ability to stare at its beautiful shape is unhndered by its driving characteristics. Getting ready to leave the shop More excitement and sensuality on this hood than any car has the right to possess. Hidden headlights finally work properly. Getting taken home (No registration yet) The old man (me) taking the first proud stroll around the neighborhood.
Thanks, we tried to get as close to the original lacquer Verdoro Green as we could with modern paint and clearcoat. I always loved the color. Drivng it around the block last night, proved that it will never replace the XKR as my daily driver, so big and floaty, but staring at her is a thrill all by itself. That hood with the scoops, the hood tach, the curves...is the sexiest thing I've ever seen on a car. Well, I better go out and stare at her in the sunshine.
so big and floaty, but staring at her is a thrill all by itself.
There are LOTS of steering and suspension upgrades for these old A-Body cars, from mild to wild. You could spend a fortune if desired but they respond quite well to fairly simple improvements....without going hog wild. You may find that some high grade performance shocks, uprated front and rear anti-roll bars, and quick ratio steering give all the improvement your looking for. Enough, at least, to take away the big-n-floaty feeling.
Back in the mid-70s, when we used to race on Mulholland Drive, the guy to beat was a fellow with (are your ready?) a 1965 Pontiac LeMans with a 326 and two-speed automatic. He had the suspension all dialed-in with re-located control arms, trick tires and wheels, and all sorts of mods. He was king of the hill for a some time but all glory is fleeting and his reign eventually ended. I can't remember, offhand, who replaced him. A guy with a Corvette, I think.
Thanks, Doug.
When I started this dream years ago by purchasing a nice driver '68, I always realized that it would never be a svelte handler like my XKR or my Pantera. That didn't matter to me. Just the look of this car has been an inspiration to me for 50 years. For a little while I'm just going to enjoy the luxo-cruiser aspect and then I'll look into some of the upgrades. Mostly I just want to look at her in the driveway. You know how Jags like the XKR and F-type have a view from the rear quarter that shows off Jaguar haunches and is considered the most flattering view, the front quarter view looking down on what I consider the sexiest long deck hood with the scoops, the buldges, the hood tachometer, the center hump all leading to the Endura bumper and the hidden headlights makes for the most sensual front end in cardom. I just love it. I always loved the original Verdoro Green, and though we replaced the original lacquer paint with modern paint and clearcoat, I tried to make it as close as possible. It maybe a touch lighter but I still love it.
Thank you so much. She drives like the Titanic, my XKR has spoiled me rotten for how a car should feel. But I don't care, just looking at that hood makes me drool like a baby.
Golfnutjtl,
When the 1968 GTO debuted, I thought it was the most beautiful car I had ever seen. And the fact that the front bumper was not just a planted on chrome block and was instead a beautiful, functional design element was just a revelation. I still think that front end and hood with the scoops (I added ram air) and the hood mounted tach make up the sexiest front end in automotive history.
wfooshee,
When I was having the car put back together, we decided to add disc brakes all around which necessitated going from the 14" Rallye wheels to a larger wheel. When I started looking around, I knew I wanted something that still looked like something from the '60s, and when I saw these, I thought the gold would highlight the Verdoro Green very well. They were a very, very inexpensive ebay vendor find, but everyone who sees them comments on how good they look, and I like them as well. 53 years after its introduction, I still think the '68 Goat is one of the most beautiful American cars ever made.
Thanks, Doug.
When I started this dream years ago by purchasing a nice driver '68, I always realized that it would never be a svelte handler like my XKR or my Pantera. That didn't matter to me. Just the look of this car has been an inspiration to me for 50 years. For a little while I'm just going to enjoy the luxo-cruiser aspect and then I'll look into some of the upgrades. Mostly I just want to look at her in the driveway. You know how Jags like the XKR and F-type have a view from the rear quarter that shows off Jaguar haunches and is considered the most flattering view, the front quarter view looking down on what I consider the sexiest long deck hood with the scoops, the buldges, the hood tachometer, the center hump all leading to the Endura bumper and the hidden headlights makes for the most sensual front end in cardom. I just love it. I always loved the original Verdoro Green, and though we replaced the original lacquer paint with modern paint and clearcoat, I tried to make it as close as possible. It maybe a touch lighter but I still love it.
