The challenge with replacing large swaths of metal on your muscle car’s skin is that often these pieces fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. That was the state we found ourselves in with Project Payback, our 1968 Pontiac GTO that we had acid dipped. We replaced one piece, but couldn’t complete its installation until we replaced several others. Luckily, OPGI came to our rescue once again. The Original Parts Group has been our partner on the exterior of this build, assembling the various pieces such as the passenger door and fender, quarter panel, and pieces of the cowl. We even have a new roof skin and inner structure ready to go on the car as well.

When the GTO first arrived at Innovation Performance Technologies, we thought the metal work was pretty much done. Well, things snowballed when it came back from acid dipping. For one, I completely overlooked the massive hole in the Vent Panel underneath the fender. With the front end off, it is painfully obvious. And for another, as soon as we removed some of these pieces we found more rotted pieces. Thus, we ordered nearly everything from OPGI’s catalogue of firewall and cowl parts for the 1968 GTO.

After assembling the various pieces of the lower cowl area to put Humpty Dumpty back together again, we turned our attention to the vent panel. The Pontiac GTO is no different than any other ’68-’72 A-body here and OPGI had just what we needed. With this piece welded in, the cowl and firewall are nearly complete. The old heater box area still needs to be filled in and there is some finish welding and clean up, but she’s nearly there.

We were waiting on the inner structure for the quarter panel to finish up the quarter panel and roof, and then – at long last – the metal work will be complete. For now, the GTO will wear the roof skin like a hat. And we’ll catch you next time.