[6 Grrrs]

Originally Posted by 1973Formula

Great post. The letters are very interesting. I can only imagine that level of customer care ever existed. Experiences like that are few and far between now. You can really feel the level of anticipation. Post more info any time.

Thanks,
Tom

Agreed. The total opposite when I bought my new 2004 GTO. It was the worst purchase experience of my life, from the day I signed the papers. It went downhill from there.

We wonder why Pontiac is gone?

Awesome reading.

[robz]

Thanx for posting the letters/vintage pics...They were AMAZING!

No road test (gotta love that request) and $8/hr labour rates...Wow!

[bossbirdta]

SD73,
a few things here,
who was the selling dealer,was it either Sheppard or Mazzei Pontiac?
i'm guessing that the photos are from the original owner as the area looks familiar...
808 central ave is less then a mile from me now, go figure......
very cool post!!!!

[SD73]

Boss, it was Mazzei Pontiac-Cadillac. When I was doing my research on the car I called over and the salesman who sold it was still working there and he remembered the car. Yes, those pics are of Mikal and his new T/A. I need to track down one of those license plate frames of theirs. You should go out there and see if you can still make out the burnt rubber prints in the asphalt!

Brew, That first photo with Mikal and the T/A looks to have a pretty clear shot of the fender vent and the black grill. I know I have some of his emails tucked away. I'll see if I can find any of his tuning tips and post those at some point.

[SD73]

oops, it looks like the vent pic wasn't coming through. Let's try this one again.

[toomanybirds]

Do you have the second page for the letters dated Mar 5 and Mar 20?

[SD73]

Unfortunately, those are all I have Toomany.

[toomanybirds]

Thanks for posting these letters.

This is the first documentation I have seen from GM that the cam was changed to meet emission requirements. It was a persistant rumor, but now I have seen it straight from GM. Thanks again.

Now I would like to see documentation of the persistant rumor that the scoop was closed for noise requirements. It may be true, but I have never seen it straight from GM.

[SD73]

How's this do for ya, Toomany?

[Brewster]

Notice the right exhaust pipe is tweaked inside from a backing up bump ?
Cool doc drawing! Notice the original draft date and revisions along the way, also the final print date and cancellation stamp.
Neat stuff.

[toomanybirds]

Originally Posted by SD73

How's this do for ya, Toomany?

I haven't seen that before, either.

Interesting, but it doesn't offer a reason for the cancellation, unless I missed it.

[165th]

Here's a very interesting shaker assembly that I got with my '72 along with the correct original '72 shaker. It is a functional shaker with the '73 ring type mount.

Although it is obvious the t-bar and wiring have been modified and a solenoid is missing, the door, hinge, ring mount and crossbar look unmolested. It has original rivets mounting the Barnum Bros 481689 fiberglass housing to the ring and original spot welded crossbar to the ring as well.

If this was custom made, it would have been modified over 19 years ago, because that's how long the previous owner had it, and he was not the type to change much.

I thought it would be fun to post here to go with the 'cancelled' spec. sheet.

[Norwood]

165th, does the solinoid hold down have any letters or numbers stamped on it? There used to be a kit that was sold thru most of the suppliers about 15 years ago that was very well done with very original looking parts. Brian at Ames told me a few years ago that the source of those part had dried up quite a while ago. This could be one of those kits.

[Zyman]

Any one else think it odd that the original owner went through so much anticipation, multiple letter writing, etc. only to sell the car in less than a year. I wonder if he had a near death experience driving her?!?

[SD73]

Originally Posted by Zyman

Any one else think it odd that the original owner went through so much anticipation, multiple letter writing, etc. only to sell the car in less than a year. I wonder if he had a near death experience driving her?!?

I've heard something to that effect from the second owner.

[165th]

Norwood, it could be a conversion kit. Here are some additional details on this shaker:

A. The solenoid bracket has a GI stamped in it on an angle. My 72 has the same in the same angled position. There's a picture of the GI and the spot welds for the crossmember.

B. One side of the crossmember has a metal tab bent out possibly for alignment against the metal ring. This also is the same as the '72. The second picture is through a mirror so you can see the underside of the crossmember with the tab and spot welds.

C. The 2 plastic tabs for the door pin has circular plastic mold depressions, again just like the '72.

Finally, the sealer around the door and spot welds attaching the crossmember are exactly like the '72, so if it was a conversion, the person doing it did an awesome job replicating the factory look.

It would be interesting to know if the kit had these subtle details sorted out?

Sorry for veering of the topic of this thread!

[SD73]

Originally Posted by toomanybirds

I haven't seen that before, either.

Interesting, but it doesn't offer a reason for the cancellation, unless I missed it.

I'll have to poke around in my files some more. I don't know if I actually have anything from Pontiac stating that. I'm pretty sure I've read some interviews of the corporate bigwigs from back in the day saying it was noise related though.

[165th]

Also, the notes on the shaker spec sheet has an interesting hand written note on it relating to the plate and gasket part numbers that look like they may have been left off of the parts list. The 'gasket' may be the black gasket on the surface of the door that was covered in another thread here in the last few days?

It would be great to compare the '72 shaker spec sheet with the '73.

[SD73]

Originally Posted by 165th

Also, the notes on the shaker spec sheet has an interesting hand written note on it relating to the plate and gasket part numbers that look like they may have been left off of the parts list. The 'gasket' may be the black gasket on the surface of the door that was covered in another thread here in the last few days?

It would be great to compare the '72 shaker spec sheet with the '73.

I may be able to oblige you later.

[165th]

Originally Posted by 165th

Norwood, it could be a conversion kit. Here are some additional details on this shaker:

A. The solenoid bracket has a GI stamped in it on an angle. My 72 has the same in the same angled position. There's a picture of the GI and the spot welds for the crossmember.

B. One side of the crossmember has a metal tab bent out possibly for alignment against the metal ring. This also is the same as the '72. The second picture is through a mirror so you can see the underside of the crossmember with the tab and spot welds.

C. The 2 plastic tabs for the door pin has circular plastic mold depressions, again just like the '72.

Finally, the sealer around the door and spot welds attaching the crossmember are exactly like the '72, so if it was a conversion, the person doing it did an awesome job replicating the factory look.

It would be interesting to know if the kit had these subtle details sorted out?

Sorry for veering of the topic of this thread!

I checked a couple of additional details:

D. The bolts used to hold the solenoid bracket are the same as the '72, an M with a I in the middle of the M.

E. I also compared the gauge of the metal on the door, and both are 0.0465 ~ 0.0485in.

If anyone has one of the conversion kits Norwood is talking about, or even a picture of the kit from a supplier manual it would be great to compare these details to the kit.