We all know what happened to the GTO in the early ’70s, and how insurance costs reduced the customers’ appetite for muscle cars, but Pontiac didn’t abandon the fight.
Not entirely, at least, with the 1972 model year witnessing an important change for people who were interested in powerful engines. The 455 Pontiac V8 now produced 300 horsepower, and the GM brand no longer offered its six-cylinder units.
Buyers interested in lazy engines could still get them on a Pontiac, but they were all sources from Chevrolet.
The 1972 Pontiac LeMans in these photos left the factory with a V8 engine under the hood, albeit this no longer matters today. The owner revealed in a post on Craigslist that the car doesn’t have an engine under the hood, explaining that the only thing it needs is a crate engine to turn it into a small rocket on wheels.
If you’re a diehard Pontiac fanboy, you probably know that the LeMans has become a highly desirable model, not necessarily to be kept as it is but to be cloned into a GTO. This is also the best option for this 1972 Le Mans, according to the car’s owner, as the vehicle has been sitting for some time, lost its engine, but still comes with many original parts.
I won’t comment much on the car’s condition because you can all see what this LeMans is still up to in the photo gallery, but it’s worth knowing that the metal problems are minimal. There’s some rust on the floor pans, but the car looks better than most LeMans projects I’ve seen lately. The good news is that you won’t have to get new floors, as minor patches and bonding should be enough for the next owner to take care of these issues. The interior also comes with original goodies, including the seats, the door panels, and the dash. The owner promises that everything is still in place, so the only part currently missing is the engine.
The engine is missing, but the 350 automatic transmission is still working.
All signs suggest that the car is ready to become a GTO clone, and the VIN (2G37M2P136884) confirms that the LeMans left the Pontiac assembly plant in Michigan with a 350 two-barrel engine under the hood. This unit developed 160 horsepower and could also be had with a dual-exhaust system.
The LeMans is reasonably priced, as the owner expects to get $7,500 for the project. It’s parked in Campton, Kentucky, and considering the engine is no longer in the car, you’ll need a trailer to take it home. The wheels likely roll freely, but contact the owner to discuss all the details before arranging an in-person inspection.