njsteve
Reged: 11/21/03
Posts: 3190
Loc: NJUSA
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After hunting for a while I finally found a nice project car for the next year or so: and actually found it on eBay! It ended up being an hour from my house so I went to get a look at the car and we struck a deal right there. It's a 72 Trans AM 455 HO four speed with a/c. One of 458 stick cars. It still has its original engine and trans (havent found the rear dif code yet but it looks original) Originally came from Reliable Pontiac in Roseville, CA. I did a google search and they are still in business! I called them and spoke with a very nice lady in the parts department who is sending me a bunch of complimentary license frames and stickers. She doubted any old docs exist as the dealer moved around in the past 32 years but she took down my VIN just in case. The car has 114,000 but the sheetmetal is amazing. The only rust I've found is a small 3" section in the pass quarter, some soft areas in the trunk center section and a couple small spots in the rad support where batt acid did it's thing. Everything else is amazing. You wipe off the grime and there's bright red primer under everything. The original front fenders are perfect. There is a bunch of bondo in the doors and one rear quarter from parking lot damage and the paint is cracking all over, but nothing a good stripping won't handle. The seller had to get rid of his three Pontiacs on wifes orders. He still has a 71 GTO 455 HO 4 speed car and a 71 Formula 455 auto car he's looking to sell Both are original engine cars. This car recently had a carb fire that must have been a doozy: From what I can surmise the car backfired and caught fire in his garage, he was faced with the choice of trying to put it out and risk the house burning down, or pushing it outside and putting it out, out there. The time spent getting it out took its toll.
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njsteve
Reged: 11/21/03
Posts: 3190
Loc: NJUSA
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Here's the rear 3/4 shot
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njsteve
Reged: 11/21/03
Posts: 3190
Loc: NJUSA
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engine shot. The shaker was damaged in his haste in trying to get the fire out. I also think he ended up backing the car over the edge: look at the front snorkle.
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njsteve
Reged: 11/21/03
Posts: 3190
Loc: NJUSA
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Check out the Shroud of Torchin. There must have been a two foot long flame coming out of that snorkle to melt the shroud in that spot.
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njsteve
Reged: 11/21/03
Posts: 3190
Loc: NJUSA
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Oh and even though the engine was "totally rebuilt" by the previous owner before the seller had it, I think I will take it all apart anyway. Tell me what's wrong with these two plugs............ one peanut plug and one large plug and neither was tight!. I checked all the plugs and none were tight. There were four different brands and sizes. Thankfully all the threads are OK in the heads. The car actually ran when I took it for a short test drive.
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njsteve
Reged: 11/21/03
Posts: 3190
Loc: NJUSA
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The carb fire melted all the wiring in the engine compartment. There is a lot of visible copper showing. But the car still starts and runs. I guess you cant kill a Pontiac with fire. You gotta drive a stake through its heart or a silver bullet or something
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njsteve
Reged: 11/21/03
Posts: 3190
Loc: NJUSA
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And what the heck is this? A Ford solenoid. I have a full set of engine compartment harnesses on order already. I can only imagine what these wires are hooked to.
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njsteve
Reged: 11/21/03
Posts: 3190
Loc: NJUSA
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And here's the interior. Its in really nice shape. Orginal carpet could use a shampooing. Driver's set has some separating seams, the headliner has a rip and the console has a tear in it. The dash is perfect, though I have to see if they hogged out the hole to fit that CD player.
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steved
old hand
Reged: 11/08/03
Posts: 1190
Loc: Tulsa OK
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OH MAN the solenoid does it, you should just sell the car to me.
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njsteve
Reged: 11/21/03
Posts: 3190
Loc: NJUSA
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As for what's missing: it needs a 7042273 Quadrajet, the correct divorced choke pulldown, a new shaker lid and air cleaner base, an original 1112126 or 27 single point distributor (thankfully it was ordered w/o the infamous semi-functional unitized/transisterized ignition), some of the shaker hardware, throttle bracket stuff...and a whole lot of $$$ to redo everything. But the nice part is that the body needs very little work and the original drivetrain is there. Let the parts hunting begin! If anyone has any of the above mentioned stuff or advice, drop me an email. Thanks, NJSteve
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