Yahoo's affordable muscle cars

[Material_Boy]

Saw this on Yahoo this morning. This is their slide show of 14 affordable muscle cars.
Interesting list to say the least. Be sure to read the comments after the slide show. some of them are hilarious. Dave

http://autos.yahoo.com/photos/10-collect...6997-slideshow/ (http://autos.yahoo.com/photos/10-collectible-classic-muscle-cars-you-can-afford-1391126997-slideshow/)

[Lynn]

Idiots.

[njsteve]

Gee, nice of them to consider the 1973 SD455 Grand Am (photo 21 and 22) as an affordable musclecar since it was never a production piece and if the one in the photo was actually found it would be worth a 1/4 million dollars or so.

[olredalert]

----Ya, Steve,,,My local dealer in Ohio (actually near Knafel Pontiac) took my order and told me it was accepted by Pontiac for a 1973 Grand Am SD. Of course, I was misled! Then I changed my order to a 1973 Buick Riviera with the GS option. That thing was the size of a small frigate and I only kept it for 5-6 months, and then went to Knafel and traded it off on Knafels wifes 1972 TA demo which had about 3500 miles on it. Much better, as it had every available option you could wedge on a 72 TA and it was white w/blue gut. Still think about a 73 SD Grand Am though. Would have been an awsome ride.......Bill S

[GaryC]

What was in the Can Am? I think I remember seeing a few of them when I was in the USAF in the 70's here in Delaware. Wasn't the run on those cars really short because the mold for the rear spoiler broke or something to that effect?

[StealthBird]

Gary, the 1977 Can Am had a Pontiac 400 or an Olds 403, neither of which set any performance records. These cars were big and heavy, available with automatic transmissions only, and backed with only a 3.08 gear for the 400, 2.41 gears for the 403. Nice looking cars though, and yes, they discontinued the Can Am when the mold for the rear spoiler broke.

I agree about the lack of research done for this article, especially showing the 1973 SD-455 Grand Am!

The SD-455 was originally scheduled to go into the 1973 GTO, Grand Am, and LeMans Sport, and all SD-455 cars were supposed to receive the NASA hood scoop arrangement, with functional Ram Air. Before production began, the Ram Air setup was scrapped, and after a lengthy delay with the SD-455 emission certification, Pontiac announced the SD-455 would not be available in the GTO, Grand Am, or LeMans at all.

In the same breathe they announced the SD-455 would be available in the 1973 Firebird line via the Formula and Trans Am.

GTO fans really got hosed in 1973. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/frown.gif

[GaryC]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: StealthBird</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Gary, the 1977 Can Am had a Pontiac 400 or an Olds 403, neither of which set any performance records. These cars were big and heavy, available with automatic transmissions only, and backed with only a 3.08 gear for the 400, 2.41 gears for the 403. Nice looking cars though, and yes, they discontinued the Can Am when the mold for the rear spoiler broke.

I agree about the lack of research done for this article, especially showing the 1973 SD-455 Grand Am!

The SD-455 was originally scheduled to go into the 1973 GTO, Grand Am, and LeMans Sport, and all SD-455 cars were supposed to receive the NASA hood scoop arrangement, with functional Ram Air. Before production began, the Ram Air setup was scrapped, and after a lengthy delay with the SD-455 emission certification, Pontiac announced the SD-455 would not be available in the GTO, Grand Am, or LeMans at all.

In the same breathe they announced the SD-455 would be available in the 1973 Firebird line via the Formula and Trans Am.

GTO fans really got hosed in 1973. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/frown.gif </div></div>

And 1974 too...late 80's to about 2000 I was a big Pontiac fan. Had 3 68 Firebird 400 4 speed coupes, a 68 and 69 Lemans Custom S, a 69 Judge RAIII 4 speed, January 69 built in Atlanta, and a 70 Lemans Convertible with a GTO front end installed by PO. I really like the fact that those engines had no smog controls and passed Delaware emissions with not one issue no matter how the engine was built. I met this guy that lives in Massey Maryland that was a big GTO guy and had his own body shop. Very knowledgeable plus I learned so much about Pontiac then. I always liked them. The Can Am really stuck out for looks. I had to pull doors off a 73 Lemans and it was a struggle doing it my self. When I went to stand one up it was actually taller than I am and very heavy. I wish I could have kept all that stuff but it was getting too much to handle and Pontiacs can be expensive. I think those Butlers have done a lot for the engine performance.

[robber6910]

I live not to far from a guy who has a yard full of Pontiacs. These cars are all intact and not stripped. All on rolling chassis'. His daily driver is 74 or 75 grand am or GTO and it's beat. Needs a lot of sheetmetal all around. One of his most recent acquisitions was a 77 or 78 T/A. It's rough but all there. I guess he's trying to corner the market and make a nice lil nest egg for himself.

[442w30]

It's even more shameful when you read this:

http://www.caranddriver.com/features/10-collectible-classic-muscle-cars-you-can-afford-feature