[Ello Asty]

My uncle passed and his dream car was always the '66 GTO. I inherited his and I've maintained it, showed it, stored it for a few years now but not being one to have time and get enjoyment from this car like him, I think it is time for me to prepare it for sale and think about my own dream car.

Anyways, I noticed that the VIN in the door and on the firewall are not matching. Why might this have been done? Maybe to make it a sports coupe instead of hard top? My uncle bought it as the more rare sports coupe and the b pillar does not disappear when rolling down the windows so I assume it is safe to market it as such?

What, in general, do you/did you look at when purchasing your GTO? What was more desirable?

This one is a tri-power 4-spd and has air though I don't know if it is factory or not. Anyway to tell? Does it make a big difference?

It has the original dash and stereo but someone added a CD changer in the trunk which I haven't figured out how to make work. Does this have an affect on the value if it is working or not?

Thanks in advance to anyone who gives me some help on this. I just want to get a fair value while getting this car to someone who would appreciate it more than me. I appreciate the history and seem to prefer the straight-line rubber burners over track cars, I just can't afford to keep it in storage and will have less time in the semi-near future thanks to an expected work promotion.

 

[integrity6987]

In this hobby, some people put a premium on originality. Numbers matching / unmolested cars have more appeal to many than cars modified to fit owners preference.

1966 was the most produced year of the GTO so that work against you a little in the "rarity" department.
Tripower and 4 speeds are obviously desireable. Post coupe VIN should begin 24207XXXXX (Xs=body number) - the one on the driver's door hinge pillar and the body tag should obviously match but the format of the information is different - the body tag has the plant designation between the 24207 and the body number

Pontiac Historical Services can provide you a pedigree for the car and you can see if the options the car was "born with" are still with it. e.g. the A/C, Tripower, etc.. It costs ~$75 but will probably help you sell the car.
PHS Automotive Services, Inc.

From many published sources some things are very easy to check.
production of 1966 sport-coupe is 10,363 cars and should have engine code WS (stamped on the block to the left of the water pump)

Other open sources can point you to other part numbers.

You can take a bunch of pictures (sure we'd love to see them) and place on eBay with a high reserve price and see what kind of responses you get. You could also talk to a consigner.

Best Regards, DK

 

[geeteeohguy]

On a '66, the VIN will not be on the trim tag on the firewall. The VIN will be on the door pillar and on the frame, driver's side, top of rail, right before the rear wheel. You can get the original build sheet from PHS. It will tell you exactly how the car came from the factory.

 

[Ello Asty]

So there is a tag on the firewall that has a VIN although not in a straight VIN format if that is what you mean. I have the PHS report for the firewall VIN. The paint and interior match those codes. This says it is the more rare sports coupe but rolling down the windows shows that it is a hard top. Do I market this as a hard top then?

Also, the engine has some fuel stains on it, how do I clean that?

 

[PontiacJim]

So there is a tag on the firewall that has a VIN although not in a straight VIN format if that is what you mean. I have the PHS report for the firewall VIN. The paint and interior match those codes. This says it is the more rare sports coupe but rolling down the windows shows that it is a hard top. Do I market this as a hard top then?

Also, the engine has some fuel stains on it, how do I clean that?

The tag on the firewall is not a VIN tag. It is called a Data Plate/Body Plate. It does not have the car's VIN. It will however have the 242 code showing that it is a GTO. All those numbers & letter codes on the Data Plate tell you what options the car was built with. Check out this site to decipher the Plate - 1966 Pontiac Body Plate Data

The Plate will have 66-24217 for the 2-Dr HT or 66-24207 for the 2-Dr Sports Coupe, or what most call a 2-Dr Sedan as it has a side post versus the hardtop having no post.

The Data Plate body ID will identify the car to be a Hardtop or pillared Sports Coupe. If the Data Plate does not match the body types, then there is something grossly wrong or has been altered. PHS documents have been know to be wrong because it may have been a factory error. So the Data Tag will determine the body style and it should match.

Now if the car has been altered, parts swapped, or anything illegal has been done, I suggest you confirm your VIN at the door post with the VIN found on the frame to make sure they match. If not, it could become a problem for the buyer depending on what state he/she lives in as many states require 2 VIN ID locations to authenticate - which most vehicles have. And then it will come back on you as the seller.

 

[Ello Asty]

The tag on the firewall is not a VIN tag. It is called a Data Plate/Body Plate. It does not have the car's VIN. It will however have the 242 code showing that it is a GTO. All those numbers & letter codes on the Data Plate tell you what options the car was built with. Check out this site to decipher the Plate - 1966 Pontiac Body Plate Data

The Plate will have 66-24217 for the 2-Dr HT or 66-24207 for the 2-Dr Sports Coupe, or what most call a 2-Dr Sedan as it has a side post versus the hardtop having no post.

The Data Plate body ID will identify the car to be a Hardtop or pillared Sports Coupe. If the Data Plate does not match the body types, then there is something grossly wrong or has been altered. PHS documents have been know to be wrong because it may have been a factory error. So the Data Tag will determine the body style and it should match.

Now if the car has been altered, parts swapped, or anything illegal has been done, I suggest you confirm your VIN at the door post with the VIN found on the frame to make sure they match. If not, it could become a problem for the buyer depending on what state he/she lives in as many states require 2 VIN ID locations to authenticate - which most vehicles have. And then it will come back on you as the seller.

Nope, you are right and I should have corrected my post sooner. You've all been a big help and I appreciate it. The data plate matches everything that it could, exterior color, interior color, hard top though the paperwork shows my uncle bought it thinking it was a coupe...The first part of the VIN matches as well. Can you see the frame's VIN without taking off the body? I'll have to try this weekend when I start it.

The engine does not match and I think that they used a '67 engine. The rest is straight, though. 6k miles on a rebuilt engine, all three carbs rebuilt, interior is immaculate though I don't know if the floors are accurate. Was it straight carpet or did it have like a 12"x12" rubber/plastic squares that aren't uncommon for catching rocks nowadays? Like this one under the driver's legs is what I have. https://www.opgi-static.com/common/G484-lrg.jpg?v=21620121704

One last question, the engine has fuel stains from bad floats in the carbs, how do I clean that?

 

[geeteeohguy]

Candlelight Creme hardtop with what looks like factory Soft Ray glass....very nice. Love the wheels. The carpet you pictured is original. All GTO carpets had a molded plastic pad for the driver at the pedals. Gas stains? I use brake cleaner and a soft rag. Go easy...you can do more harm to the carbs than good trying to clean them too aggressively. Better off with honest dirty carbs than ones that have had the details and numbers scrubbed off of them! You will need a dentist's mirror and a good flashlight to see the frame number....sometimes you can slide a sheet of paper on top of the frame rail and rub a pencil over the paper....the VIN will transfer to the paper.

 

[tjs72goat]

I hade my frame sandblasted and could barely read my frame vin in the sunlight.

 

[Wingnuttz33]

from the thumbnail, it's doesn't look like the bpillar is there when the window is down.

 

[geeteeohguy]

from the thumbnail, it's doesn't look like the bpillar is there when the window is down.

It doesn't have a B pillar. It's a hardtop coupe.

 

[Wingnuttz33]

I know .....Ello posted, the car HAS the window frame on the door when the window is down. I believe he referred to it as a bpillar. Yet he posted a picture of the car and I don't see a frame around the window, therfor my response. I am very fluent with 65 I have 2 convertibles and 1 HT in my garage right now. I have owned them since the late 70,s

 

[PontiacJim]

I know .....Ello posted, the car HAS the window frame on the door when the window is down. I believe he referred to it as a bpillar. Yet he posted a picture of the car and I don't see a frame around the window, therfor my response. I am very fluent with 65 I have 2 convertibles and 1 HT in my garage right now. I have owned them since the late 70,s

Wow, did someone pee in you cornflakes this morning? :yesnod:

Being so fluent with 1965 GTO's we'll be looking for a lot of future input from you with regards to these. Thanks for coming on board. :thumbsup:

 

[Wingnuttz33]

My post wasn't meant to be angry or malicious. I'm sorry if you felt that way.
I posted because i am confused.
Maybe i can clarify why i posted.

Ellos the original poster said the window pillars are present when the window is down.
A picture was posted (maybe this is where i got confused) of a 66' that had no window pillars. Maybe I assumed this is the original car he is talking about.

I posted that the picture had no widow pillars.
Geeteeoh responded to my post it isn't a window pillar.

I am still confused.

I posted a responce from my phone i don't see it posted here, so i will refer to my "fluent " remark.

My Avatar is me in 1981, My brother and I have owned Collectively 64, 65, 67, 68. and the last one Pontiac failed on the ventura body.
I have always had a GTO in my garage since 1974, i am now 61 and have 3 in multiply stages of restoration now.

I DO NOT in anyway claim to be an expert. But i am fluent. sorry if i came out cocky, it wasn't my intent.
And that "fluent" is mainly 65's.

 

[dd68gto]

My post wasn't meant to be angry or malicious. I'm sorry if you felt that way.
I posted because i am confused.
Maybe i can clarify why i posted.

Ellos the original poster said the window pillars are present when the window is down.
A picture was posted (maybe this is where i got confused) of a 66' that had no window pillars. Maybe I assumed this is the original car he is talking about.

I posted that the picture had no widow pillars.
Geeteeoh responded to my post it isn't a window pillar.

I am still confused.

I posted a responce from my phone i don't see it posted here, so i will refer to my "fluent " remark.

My Avatar is me in 1981, My brother and I have owned Collectively 64, 65, 67, 68. and the last one Pontiac failed on the ventura body.
I have always had a GTO in my garage since 1974, i am now 61 and have 3 in multiply stages of restoration now.

I DO NOT in anyway claim to be an expert. But i am fluent. sorry if i came out cocky, it wasn't my intent.
And that "fluent" is mainly 65's.

Trust me pontiac Jim does not make mistakes. If he said you pissed in your cornflake I m willing to bet you did. Also trust me move on not worth yours or any one else's time. . I think it ruins the whole ideas of having a forum but some here always have the right answers . I mean really if you have an average of one post every day for six years you must know what your talking about ??? I think ???? NOT ??and I will add why can't you just shut your mouth and let folks talk .? You had a legit question but Pontiac Jim had to jump in. He always has to have the last line . Good luck Pontiac jim who I says does not even own a Pontiac but he sure does read a lot of books . Can't wait for his reply but please understand I might not read for a week or two . I do have s life unlike you Doug

 

[PontiacJim]

My post wasn't meant to be angry or malicious. I'm sorry if you felt that way.
I posted because i am confused.
Maybe i can clarify why i posted.

Ellos the original poster said the window pillars are present when the window is down.
A picture was posted (maybe this is where i got confused) of a 66' that had no window pillars. Maybe I assumed this is the original car he is talking about.

I posted that the picture had no widow pillars.
Geeteeoh responded to my post it isn't a window pillar.

I am still confused.

I posted a responce from my phone i don't see it posted here, so i will refer to my "fluent " remark.

My Avatar is me in 1981, My brother and I have owned Collectively 64, 65, 67, 68. and the last one Pontiac failed on the ventura body.
I have always had a GTO in my garage since 1974, i am now 61 and have 3 in multiply stages of restoration now.

I DO NOT in anyway claim to be an expert. But i am fluent. sorry if i came out cocky, it wasn't my intent.
And that "fluent" is mainly 65's.

With posting, black & white, they lack emotion, feeling or even tones, and your post sounded arrogant, maybe even a little condescending. This is why we use the selection of "Smilies" to enhance some of the responses so we know where you are coming from. You could have been chuckling when you wrote your response and it was all in the nature of fun, but how do we know?

Your statement, "I know .....Ello posted, the car HAS the window frame on the door when the window is down" does come off poorly with the intro "I know" and adding to that the capitalization of "HAS" which comes across as loud. Adding the segment of "...." makes me believe you were injecting "what the F" in there but left it out so we could all fill in the blank - tell me I am wrong. Now if you had written a response such as, "I know :wink2:, I was just pointing out that the photo shows the window down without any post, so it would be a hard top", my response to you would have not taken place. So keep in mind how you say things in type as it may not be well received as written and you may get a response that you had not intended. :thumbsup: One of the reasons I hate texting and rarely do it.

If you read the first post, you would understand that the poster does not have clue as to what he has inherited - thus his confusion in the body style types. We who grew up with these old cars know the differences from sight, and can tell you what year it is whether it is Pontiac, Chevy, Plymouth, Ford, etc.. His confusion is like mine today when I look at contemporary cars and haven't a clue as to make or model because they all share the same shape with very little character to differentiate one from another unless you really stare hard or place them side by side - not so the "older" cars.

You are going to find many who have not a clue on what they have or what they are looking at or what it is they need to do to fix/change something. They may be enthusiast who did not live through the era some of did when we owned, drove, and worked on them as our everyday rides and they had no connection with the word "collectible." So that has to be taken into consideration.

 

[PontiacJim]

Trust me pontiac Jim does not make mistakes. If he said you pissed in your cornflake I m willing to bet you did. Also trust me move on not worth yours or any one else's time. . I think it ruins the whole ideas of having a forum but some here always have the right answers . I mean really if you have an average of one post every day for six years you must know what your talking about ??? I think ???? NOT ??and I will add why can't you just shut your mouth and let folks talk .? You had a legit question but Pontiac Jim had to jump in. He always has to have the last line . Good luck Pontiac jim who I says does not even own a Pontiac but he sure does read a lot of books . Can't wait for his reply but please understand I might not read for a week or two . I do have s life unlike you Doug

Once again, Douche Doug has to chime in. I got you pegged for a Chevy troll or maybe even a Ford troll? You may not even own a car, but one of those mopeds perhaps? You wont' be able to read my reply for a week or two? They let you out in public that often?

Go take your meds and we'll see you in a week or two.

Love, :grouphug:

Jim