72 Lemans ?

[zgator]

This seems to have become a Pontiac forum.So I have a ?.I have a 72 Lemans parts car that I got over the christmas holiday.It has a factory louver like thing on the front fenders.I've never seen this before.Is this rare or not.The car is in good shape but does not have the engine.

[Steve_Hoog]

I'm not real good on 72's but I think that was the basic fender for that year. Also on the GTO, on second thought may have been an option on the LeMans.

Is it a heater only car?

Charley will not be happy to hear you call this a Pontiac Forum.

http://host.threadshosting.com/~yenko/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/CharleySucks.gif

[GTO_DON]

must be a lemans sport, they all have louvers.... http://host.threadshosting.com/~yenko/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif

[Keith Tedford]

As an option, you could order the GTO front end sheet metal on a '72 Lemans or Lemans Sport. The GTO fenders had an actual air vent behind the front wheel. The insurance companies were killing the GTOs but a GTO look alike with the same 400 and 4 speed was ok.

[zgator]

It is a AC car but all that is gone.I didn't mean the whole fourm went pontiac just this section.I pulled some trim off this car and the lower valance.I also got the left front grill.The car is still in Mobile Ala.in my daughters back yard.Still lots of good parts.

[Steve_Hoog]

I need a heater dash insert, 481035 and 481036 pulleys (heater/no ps), and Hurst bench seat 3sp handle or entire shifter.

That was why I asked about the heater.

[Daves70SS]

In the 1980's I owned 2 of 1972 lemans both had 350 2bbl and auto trans, one had bench seat,PS,P/drum brakes,A/C and 140MPH speedo http://host.threadshosting.com/~yenko/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif
and the other had bucket seats,console,tilt wheel,PS,P/Disc brakes,A/C and it had just the 120MPH speedo and both of them had just the regular Lemans emblems on them NOT the lemans sport emblems.
Both were equipt with the fenders with the side scoops,urethane front bumper and the hood with the twin scoops at the front of the hood, in other words they looked just like a GTO without the performance options and they were all original.If I remember right I think these were called an Endura Lemans.

Dave

[Daves70SS]

I forgot to mention that the side scoops are not the only difference between those fenders and the regular Lemans fenders.The fenders with the scoops were designed to go with the urathane front bumper,the front lower valance with the turn signals is different and the area where it bolts on the fenders is a different shape.I also have to correct myself in the last post,after looking at some pictures of the 2 cars they both had only Pontiac emblems on the grills and NO lemans emblems on the 1/4 panels.

Dave

[MosportGreen66]

What LeMans came with a 400? I saw one over the summer and did not know they could come with a 400.

[JLP]

The GTO was an option on the LeMans in '72. The endura nose could be ordered on the LeMans w/o the GTO otpion as long as it was a 2 dr post or ht. (I think it had to be a V8 also) The option code was T-41. You could not order the LeMans with the 455HO w/o the T-41 option. The vented front fender was part of the T-41 option.

'71 LeMans had fake louvers (chrome bars) on the front fenders, T-37's had only Pontiac and T-37 on the front fenders.

The 400 and 455 (except HO) could be ordered in any '71 or '72 LeMans regardless of the trim level (even station wagons). If it was a 2 dr (post or ht) the 455HO could be ordered at any trim level.

In '70 the 400/350hp could be ordered in any LeMans/Tempest 2 dr with either stick or at.

[Steve_Hoog]

Don't forget about the 71 1/2 GT-37, had Pontiac emblem only on the fender and GT-37 cut out of the eye brow stripes. I've become very found of the GT-37's in the last couple of years, all 3 versions.

[JLP]

In '72 the LeMans GT had the '71 1/2 stripe with the GT in the stripe. On the '70 and early '71 the GT was part of the fender emblem on the lower part of the front fender in front of the door.

Have a picture of John Sawruk's '71 1/2 GT-37. Can't seem to reduce the size to make an attachment. Will send it in e-mail if you would like.

[Steve_Hoog]

Try this out.

[copo9566aa]

71 and 72 GTO hood look like a 68 Shelby hood http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif

[Steve_Hoog]

Emblem close up
71-72 A front sheet metal art pp8-5

[JLP]

They were the only hoods on the A body that really were "Ram Air". All the rest didn't really work well.

Here is the attachment for John Sawruk's car. He is Jeff's dad.

[Steve_Hoog]

Maybe that's why Ford tried to copy them.

[copo9566aa]

And for the 1973 GTO Pontiac copy the 69 Shelby style NASA
hood scoop http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Spy on Pontiac Division ??? http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif

[Keith Tedford]

Our '72 Lemans Sport had the 400 250 hp engine which was option code L78. Unless the dual exhaust was ordered the engine was rated at 200 hp and came with single exhaust. Now that would be a waste of cubic inches. The exhaust manifolds on these were a big bottle neck as well.

[Steve_Hoog]

Ford is always trying to keep up with the Jones

[zgator]

Man,maybe this is a 71?was told it was a 72.The louver things are on the front fender right behind the wheel well.There is no endura front end.I di have the front valance here at my house if there is a way of telling the year from this please tell me what to look for.It is NOT a T-37.that much I know because a friend of mine had one many yrs. ago.I did get the front left grill and it only has the Pontiac emblem on it.I would like to get as many parts off this car for people who could use them.I'm not that up on these cars to know just how much is out there repo and such. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif

[Steve_Hoog]

Just get your VIN number, would be the easiest and most accurate.

[JLP]

'71 has a plastic header and '72 has a metal header. Also front valance panel is body color on '71 and chrome on'72. Also check the emissions sticker on the radiator shroud or radiator support panel as it will tell you the original engine and year.

The 6th number of the vin is the year.

Someone could have put a '71 front clip on a '72 as '70-'72 can be interchanged if you do the entire front clip.

Don't just throw away those fake louvers as they sell for about $17 each thru the restoration companies. Cid should be on rocker panel unless 6 cyl or 455.

Almost forgot, rear valance panel is metal in '71 and plastic in '72.

[Belair62]

Hey COPO..wasn't it a NACA duct ?

[copo9566aa]

Thanks Belair62
NACA http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif

[Belair62]

NACA stands for something..I forgot what though...
http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif

[JLP]

Kinda like all the rest of the TLA's and FLA's that get tossed around. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gif

[zgator]

JLP,rocker panel says 350.the rear valance is metal.I know this because it is all bent up and trashed,so I guess it is a 71.

[JLP]

Also check the vin as the 6th # is the year.

[GOAT72]

[ QUOTE ]
Man,maybe this is a 71?was told it was a 72.The louver things are on the front fender right behind the wheel well.There is no endura front end.

[/ QUOTE ]

If anyone needs a set of '72 air extractor vents for the front fender, I have a set in good shape, but without the little black plastic grill inserts.

I'll let 'em go fairly cheap.

PM me if you need 'em.

~GOAT72 http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif

[zgator]

ok
jlp lets go out on a limb.Based on the info do you think it's a 71.The car is in Mobile and I'm in Savannah and my dauaghter won't be of any help on the vin.At least right now.She knows nothing about cars.She has a sweet 85 Cutlass Supream and thinks it's a hoopty car. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

[JLP]

It does not have the endura front end on it and the following indicate it is a '71
1. Metal rear valance panel not plastic
2. Fake louvers on the front fender not plain or Pontiac T-37
3. Front panel is plastic not metal.
4. Front grill is recessed (unless LeMans Sport)not with 1 or 2 cross bars almost flush with outer part of grill.
5. Front valance panel is painted not chrome.

If all these are true then unless a bunch of modifications have been made I would say it is a '71.

She can check these out pretty easily unless the car is setting in the swamp or deep grass. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/haha.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif

If it had an endura front end then there would be Louvers vs air vent in front fender. Also on 71 grill is to the front of the openings and 72 grill is quite recessed.

I'm going off the air until sometime tomorrow. Yes, there is no party. Don't drink.

I will send an e-mail with a couple of pix of '71 T-37 front end. Louvers would be where Pontiac and T-37 emblems are.

[tom406]

My Dad bought a '72 LeMans GT new. It was orange with a solid black (reflective) stripe down the side. Endura front end, scooped hood, and air extractors in both front fenders, just like his buddy's silver '72 GTO, which was purchased around the same time. But the goat had a floor shifted 400 motor, my parents GT was a column shifted 350 2bbl. I still remember how upset I was when my dad got whitewall radials mounted on the Rally II's to replace the original worn-out Polyglas GT's. (Even at age 6 I knew that Polyglas GT's looked "right").

My only other vivid recollections are that quality control wasn't too hot (decklid only had a "G" where it should have been "GT" in black decals) and that Minnesota salted winters weren't too kind to the old girl by the time he sold it for $500 around 1980.

Also, another friend bought a brown '72 LeMans within weeks of the other two cars, and as a toddler car nut I marveled how they all had different stripes down the sides. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif