# 72 Lemans restoration/restomod



## 1972LeMans (May 4, 2014)

I have a 72 lemans with a 461 stroker that blew on me so that's where my project is starting. It was painted red and I'm having it painted Pontiac correct color. The guy I bought it from head z28 sways in it and gave me the original buckets so I replaced those. I've removed the paint on some of the chrome emblems. I just want to get it back on the road so I can drove my baby and continue my project. 

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## dan woodland (Jul 24, 2013)

Car looks nice. Going stock?

Post looks of pics as you progress!

Dan


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## 1972LeMans (May 4, 2014)

Thanks! I'm going to probably go with the stock appearance with some alterations. I'm thinking aftermarket gauges, keeping it lowered, and some American racing torque thrust 2s. I also want to paint it gloss black as it's black with red metal flake at the moment. I will definitely post pics as I progress. I'm just waiting on the engine to get back from the machine shop and the painters. This car is my baby and at 22 I never thought I'd be owning a true muscle car. 

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## 1972LeMans (May 4, 2014)

Here are a couple more photos:


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## 1972LeMans (May 4, 2014)

So I went and checked up on my engine today...Yes I know the color is off but I still like it. 

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## 1972LeMans (May 4, 2014)

Painting and prepping my engine bay. 

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## PontiacJim (Dec 29, 2012)

And don't spin that engine too high - no 4.11 gearing as RPM's will kill it.

OK, now my OPINION on your car resto-mod. 

Your 1972 becomes transformed into what should have been built by the factory - or some independent dealership.

Your car will become a GT-37 Formula. There was a car in my area that was a factory 1971 Lemans GT-37. I talked with the owner, a kid younger than me, and I was 20. His car came from California and it was clean. Black, GT-37, GT gold body stripes, 1970-1972 wing spoiler (probably was ordered that way), 4sp, white interior, factory rally II's. Not sure on the engine. Here is the thing that made that car. Out in California, someone had grafted the 1972 style Firebird Formula hood scoops to the hood -it looked badass standing still.

So, I always wanted to reproduce that car, but give it a factory build look. To your car add:

Car goes back to solid black -no metallic.

GT-37 letters on the front fender just where the 1968 "GTO" letters would have gone. Below the GT-37 add the "Formula" emblem for the Firebird. Don't use the "400" or "455" that is attached to the Formula emblem as it will be too much and look cluttered, you want the word "Formula" to balance out the GT-37 emblem above it.

Add the correct gold body stripe (full length, not the "eyebrow" type -they repro this).

Add the rear deck spoiler - 1970 Judge style, painted black.

Front bumper blacked out to match the body- like the GTO

Grille -medium/dark grey to contrast with the black behind the bumper and not get lost. Small "Formula" emblem in the grille.

Steel wheels, 8" stock looking - paint black. A set of the factory style "poverty" hub caps (which they reproduce), white lettered tires

FIREBIRD FORMULA twin hood scoops positioned as Firebird had 'em. This was a fiberglass hood and you probably won't be able to locate one junky enough to cut up and glass.bond onto your Lemans hood. But, you could get some dimensions and use a little imagination to shape the correct sized scoops and fit them to your hood -everything smoothed to loo factory.

BTW. The car disappeared. I ran into the owner one day and asked him about the car. He lost control of the car and put it into a tree and totaled it. What a shame. Still want a 1971-'72 Lemans with the Formula hood scoops for myself someday.


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## 1972LeMans (May 4, 2014)

I like some of those ideas. The original color is a bad green but I plan on going to just gloss black. I am a man that loves his chrome so the front and rear bumper are going to stay chrome. 

I like the hood scoop idea I think it would make it stand apart. I also thought about putting the numbers 464 over the lights on the fender as that is the displacement of the engine. 

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## 1972LeMans (May 4, 2014)

Some more progress. 

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## PontiacJim (Dec 29, 2012)

Looking good. Here is a tip. While you are at it, take off your wipers and remove the stainless steel band that goes at the bottom of your windshield. Should be just a couple small bolts and then you can free it loose. Why I say this is that I just pulled the one of my 1968 Lemans knowing I had rust/rot under there and what I found was a LOT of rot/rust -major sheet metal replacement. My car is a "southern" car, but dirt & debris don't know that and it falls behind that band, and moisture gets trapped in as well. Next thing you know - major rust/rotting. If you catch it early, you can prep it, prime it, and paint it to protect. Might save a lot of repair work down the road.


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## 1972LeMans (May 4, 2014)

Thanks for the tip! 

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## 1972LeMans (May 4, 2014)

Well I found what the inspiration for my build is, Dale Jr's Chevelle.

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