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My new project!
hey guys so i haven't been on here in a while been busy but anyway. i sold my camaro and got a new project. ive always wanted a late 60's early 70's muscle car and now i have one! no its not a camaro sadly but those first gens just command to much money for me right now. soooo i got a 72 LeMans. i saw the add on craigslist and it was pretty old so i ignored it at first but then i noticed the guy wrote he had been away and had not been answering emails. so i figured why not shoot him an email and get some info on the car. he told me he told me the car had been sitting indoors for 10 yrs and that it ran when it was last parked. he also said that it was 90% rust free and that a lot of body work was done already. so naturally i asked him how much he wanted for it. he says $1500 im like :icon_banana:. so i went to see it today and he wasnt lying it seemed to be everything he said it was so i bought it. cant wait to get working on it heres a few pics more pics and info to come!
https://camaroforums.com/forum/membe...-64-13838.jpeg https://camaroforums.com/forum/membe...-65-13839.jpeg |
Towing a new project home is a great feeling. You going to stick with the Pontiac Drive line or convert it over to Chevy? You going for a Driver, Racer or stock restoration? Sure look like putting her back stock would not take a huge project.
I am glad I got my 1st gen back in the 90s. No way could I aford what they have been selling for recently. |
I'm just going to get it to a driver keep the stock driveline for now. Maybe build a motor and throw it in later. Just want to get it driving and looking good.
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Real nice save bro, be waiting for any and all updates. Is that a 326 CID or what? my eyes aren't so good anymore.
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It's a 350
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Originally Posted by Edwardgp
(Post 645539)
Real nice save bro, be waiting for any and all updates. Is that a 326 CID or what? my eyes aren't so good anymore.
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Plans to make it a gto?
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Originally Posted by camaroboy68ss
(Post 645750)
Plans to make it a gto?
So I started working on it the other day and alas the motor is seized. So it looks like I'm getting a different motor . It's not a big deal though I found another motor for 200 on CL. So I will prob just get that and throw it in to get it running. |
I don't think the hoods will interchange from lemans to gto I think the front part is different to mate to the bumper and grill
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I think your right. I'll have to think about what I want to do then
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Yes, the GTO was actually longer with it's frontend than the Lemans, and the leading edge of the hood was not straight across. I have seen aftermarket hood for Lemans that had the GTO scoop, but not sure if they are still available today.
If you change the nose, then you can bolt the hood right on. |
Yeah maybe I'll look into one of those aftermarket hoods but I'm not real woried about that right now though. I'm going to a swap meet on Friday so maybe I can pick up a few things.
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Growing up when those cars first came out, every one said GTO stood for greatest torque offered. Yes or no?
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Started getting the motor ready to be pulled today. Kinda glad I'm getting this motor out gives me a chance to see what stupid crap the privious owner did to it. All I have to do now is disconnect the trans and the motor mounts and that baby is out. Still haven't gotten a motor yet so I'll prob wait to get the new motor before I pull it all the way out.
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i pulled the motor out today. i swear who ever owned this thing before was an idiot. they had only 4 out of the 6 bolts from the bellhousing to the engine. also they had the bolt from the motor mount to the car was missing on one side and on the other side the one that holds the mount to the engine was missing. anyway i got it all out and opened it up for curiosity sake and it was just what i expected RUSTY. ill let the pics tell the tale.
https://camaroforums.com/forum/membe...-67-13862.jpeg https://camaroforums.com/forum/membe...-66-13861.jpeg https://camaroforums.com/forum/membe...-68-13863.jpeg https://camaroforums.com/forum/membe...-69-13864.jpeg https://camaroforums.com/forum/membe...-70-13865.jpeg https://camaroforums.com/forum/membe...-71-13866.jpeg https://camaroforums.com/forum/membe...-72-13867.jpeg |
https://camaroforums.com/forum/membe...-73-13868.jpeg
https://camaroforums.com/forum/membe...-74-13869.jpeg https://camaroforums.com/forum/membe...-75-13870.jpeg https://camaroforums.com/forum/membe...-76-13871.jpeg https://camaroforums.com/forum/membe...-77-13872.jpeg https://camaroforums.com/forum/membe...-78-13873.jpeg https://camaroforums.com/forum/membe...-79-13874.jpeg |
I still have not found an engine yet but I hope to find one by the weekend.
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that motor looked like a good water holder
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Yeah they must of stored their emergency water supply in it lol. The oil was like rotten chocolate milk.
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you have a nice new doorstop now or a boat anchor
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Boat anchor would explain the rust lol
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Good luck with the project
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Just as well that it's junk. It could be rebuilt, but it doesn't cost any more to build a 350 Pontiac vs. a 455, so now's the time to find a 455 for it!
I was thinking on that hood also; it might accept an earlier style GTO hood that was straight across the front. A "70-"71 hood might fit. |
I think I read something about using an earlier style hood. Ill have to look into it more. I was looking for a 455 but there aren't many around me. I found another 350 that I'm probably going to pick up.
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So I found an engine. It's another 72 350. Im not going to be able to pick up the engine until the 16th though. So for now I think I'll clean up the engine bay a bit maybe get the rest of the ac out.
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Did some research about the older style gto hood I don't think it will fit either oh well. Did some more work today to get ready for the engine coming Tuesday. Took the rest of the ac system out. Then I started cleaning and degreasing the engine bay to get it ready for some paint.
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Actually works out well to have time before getting the new engine, to clean and prep for it.
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Yeah that's the one good thing about it.
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got the engine bay painted today. Its not perfect but im happy with it.
before https://camaroforums.com/forum/membe...bay-13923.jpeg after https://camaroforums.com/forum/membe...-81-13924.jpeg |
Nice work! Looks like a major improvement from before!
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Thanks!
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Picked up the engine yesterday but didn't get time to check it out. So today I did an oil change on it and changed out the points. Then I hooked it up to a battery and a makeshift gas tank to see if it ran. It started up no problem And ran pretty good so I'm glad about that. Now I just have to clean it up, paint it and put it in. I'm starting to get excited!
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Sounds like you could be cruising around in it soon! If it shows any signs of oil leaks from pan or valve covers, you might want to change gaskets before painting.
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That's the plan
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well i finished cleaning up the engine today and got it painted. i think it came out pretty good so im happy with it. still need to paint the valve covers black though. i also got it back in the car today but didn't get to hook much up. just bolted it up to the trans and got the starter bolted in too. might do more tomorrow weather permitting. heres some pics.
when i bought it https://camaroforums.com/forum/membe...-80-14044.jpeg stripped down https://camaroforums.com/forum/membe...-81-14045.jpeg https://camaroforums.com/forum/membe...-82-14046.jpeg https://camaroforums.com/forum/membe...-83-14047.jpeg https://camaroforums.com/forum/membe...-84-14048.jpeg |
looks good. I would have done more to the engine (Compression test, tune, etc...) thats just me though. keep the pictures comming.
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Yeah I would of done more tests but I didnt feel it was needed. I know it runs and the guy who sold me it said It came out of a driver. So I'm not to woried.
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heres a better pic i took this morning in the daylight
https://camaroforums.com/forum/membe...-85-14052.jpeg |
Looks great! Any plans to maybe swap a 4 barrel carb/intake before getting it running? Lots of used factory intakes around for these 350 Ponchos, and it would help make a little more HP. With the interchangeabilty of all that generation Pontiac engine, it makes swapping reasonable. I see them going on Ebay often around $100-$125 used.
350 pontiac intake | eBay |
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