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#1
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73 SD-455 GTO real back-story here
The SD-455 GTO back-story
Thanks to the October, 2011 HMM article, you can now read “the rest of the story” by Joe Odlham. |
#2
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Black & White
Here is a little 455 SD history compliments of Jim Dietzler. (Jim conducted an interview in 2002 with Herb Adams): http://peterschoon.com/455sd_history.html Last edited by Alvin; 09-13-2011 at 12:52 PM. |
#3
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1973 SD455 Grand Am
Although they were never offered to general public, it’s still nice to see info about the 1973 SD455 Grand Am’s.
This is from Pete McCarthy’s’ “Racer’s & High Performance Handbook”. |
#4
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__________________
Just a blind squirrel looking for a nut. |
#5
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Quote:
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#6
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SD455 Woody!
OK then, how about Wood Grained LeMans wagon with the N.A.S.A. LS2 Scooped Hood like this one from the GM assembly manual?
I added the upper left index text. (Below) Nice side view of Luxury LeMans with “Wheel Covers” aka: Fender Skirts. I added the hood option cutout. (Below) I am visualizing 15 x 8 or wider RAII’s on the rears tucked up behind those Skirts. |
#7
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Very cool Brian - sorry I missed the show!
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Some guys they just give up living And start dying little by little, piece by piece, Some guys come home from work and wash up, And go racin' in the street. Bruce Springsteen - Racing In The Street - 1978 |
#8
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Thanks for the article Alvin! Great story.
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Steve F. |
#9
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Phil Griffith's car has the SD-455 decals on it in the same place...as installed by the original owner.
__________________
Just a blind squirrel looking for a nut. |
#10
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Also, I think tucking a 15x8 under skirts on a '73 would be difficult. My '73 Luxury LeMans had skirts, and when I went to a slightly larger 70 series tire on a 14x6 American Racing rim (same size as the stock Ralleye II's, but backspacing was unknown), I could not run the skirts on the car, they would not mount up as the tires were in the way. I could still install them at shows for static displays, but that's it.
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Just a blind squirrel looking for a nut. |
#11
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Courtesy Murray Simon
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1976 LeMans B09 Freeway Enforcer, 455/M40 Smokey 1977 Trans Am, 400/M21 Black/Gold Bandit. 44K actual miles 2017 Sierra SLT 1500 Z71 4X4 2019 Canyon SLT Crew 4X4 |
#12
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Have had factory skirt experience on 1967 Grand Prix and 1976 Caprice Classic. Perhaps gutting the factory hinge/pin/lever skirt mechanism and replacing with DZUES style fasteners would enable the stock look while also providing more inside back space. Definitely would be a look you don’t see anymore these days. |
#13
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Rick, that shot for the January 2012 HPP was shot by Tom DeMauro (I saw him running around that day) at Maple Grove, the Sunday after the PY show. First time Phil had the car out in about 4 years due to health issues. The original paint is holding up well, but the nose is starting to show its age. Phil is looking into one of the 'glass noses now and hopes he can get it color matched to the original paint, but is concerned that some of the 'glass noses have required a bit of work to make them fit as well as the originals. He's not interested in tweaking the fenders, he wants it to be a bolt on deal, and I don't blame him.
You should see his other Pontiac...a '75 T/A with an E-headed 455. It's painted an interesting shade of metallic green that's a recent Honda color.
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Just a blind squirrel looking for a nut. |
#14
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Quote:
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1976 LeMans B09 Freeway Enforcer, 455/M40 Smokey 1977 Trans Am, 400/M21 Black/Gold Bandit. 44K actual miles 2017 Sierra SLT 1500 Z71 4X4 2019 Canyon SLT Crew 4X4 |
#15
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hey... there's my truck! lol ....
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#16
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Great article and love to see all the pictures of these A bodies. Thanks for posting!
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#17
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If kept hidden, Dzus fasteners would take up more space than the factory setup since they would require 90-degree brackets...or you could drill the skirts on the outside, which would look like $h!t.
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Just a blind squirrel looking for a nut. |
#18
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Unhealthy For Sensitive Groups
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Come on BB, tell us what you really think! Careful, someone here may take offense…LOL! I know I have a time or two, but got over it. Hence my bitmap creation above. Poking fun at myself and how "serious" this "important stuff" can get. Anyway, Replacing the manual factory mechanical hardware with a “Spring Loaded Pins” setup through the sheet metal on the fender skirt and ¼ opening radii is a possible simple solution. |
#19
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The factory skirts I had on my '73 were not made of metal. Now imagine 3 or 4 Dzus tight buttons around the perimeter of the skirt in that pic...does the phrase "looks like hammered dog poop" come to mind? It does for me.
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Just a blind squirrel looking for a nut. |
#20
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K - "Look Who's Talkin Now" What Would You Do MacGuyver?
Quote:
So, ok Batman - what material where your 73 skirts made from - Plastic? Sorry, but my experience with GM skirts "is limited" with those that were made from metal on my 1967 GP AND 1976 Caprice Classic. So I am genuinely interested. And please DROP the Dzus buttons negative imaging; Keep up, we've moved on from there already. A simple tab/slot at the top INTERIOR of the skirt with side INTERIOR spring pins would be but one possibility. K - "SO" What Would You Do MacGuyver? Last edited by Alvin; 10-25-2011 at 03:32 PM. |
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