[Chief Wanabee]

Thanks for that background, BR57. Beautiful car but needs more trim ring...! :^)

[Brian Baker]

Originally Posted by BR57

The story behind the car is this. The builder was the president of the GTO Association of Ontario. He set out to build a replica of the car that was awarded Performance Car of the Year in 1973. While the award went to the GTO in general he decided to build the car with the non-factory offered power train, a 4 speed with the SD 455. All other details of the car mimic the car in the magazine article. When it was shown in Toronto he had four foot high copies of each page of the magazine review on display. The car in the article sports the Standard OEM GTO moon hub caps on 15" wheels so that's how he built it.

It is a very very nice restoration and recreation.

Does this GTO mentioned have the factory ram-air pieces on it?

[BR57]

The last time I saw the car was about one year ago. He was assembling the pieces for the Ram Air system. I can make some inquiries and see if it was installed.

[Brian Baker]

Originally Posted by BR57

The last time I saw the car was about one year ago. He was assembling the pieces for the Ram Air system. I can make some inquiries and see if it was installed.

Assembling? As in making his own or as in locating and purchasing the rare factory pieces?

[BR57]

Originally Posted by Brian Baker

Assembling? As in making his own or as in locating and purchasing the rare factory pieces?

The latter, I understand he had most of the parts.

[75cancup]

Brian , I believe blackgoat is making some parts also to complete the setup .

Ray did you see imrans black gto this year ??

[BR57]

Originally Posted by 75cancup

Ray did you see imrans black gto this year ??

You mean the Black 69 455 he has had since he was a teenager ? I have never seen it in person just heard about it.

[BillyGoat73]

Originally Posted by OKCHIEF

I took some pictures of this showroom poster from my collection, I thought some of you might find it interesting. It was hard to photograph without any glare, it is on glossy paper. It features the 1973 LeMans GT, I think this poster is fairly scarce. I took some close ups of some of the information, be sure to check out the last engine option that is listed. Tim

Tim,

Thanks for sharing this poster. I have the page from the sales catalog for the LeMans GT (same car as the poster) that shows all the options available. I have never seen the poster. This is something I will have to look for to add to my literature collection.

I bought a very nice documented 42K mile '73 LeMans GT last fall from the original owner. The car was repainted once, but the stripes were not replaced. Remnants of the original GT stripes are still on the insides of the doors. I did purchase a new set from Phoenix Graphics to install the car. The car is the Sport Coupe body with a basic 350 2bbl automatic, manual disc brakes, non-A/C. Other than the GT package, options include deluxe seat belts, floor mats, lamp group, bumper rub strips, bumper guards, and an AM 8-track player. Pretty simple car. It makes a nice match for my '73 GTO.

This car seems to have been overshadowed by the GTO and Grand Am as not many were made. My car was built in Oshawa and according to GM Canada documentation, only 363 GTs were built at this plant. I can't imagine more than 2000 or 3000 were built total in 1973. I have only seen 1 other '73 GT in my travels to national shows over the last 25 or so years.

[75cancup]

No ray his new black goat or should i say another ..... 2005

[BR57]

Originally Posted by BillyGoat73

Tim,

This car seems to have been overshadowed by the GTO and Grand Am as not many were made. My car was built in Oshawa and according to GM Canada documentation, only 363 GTs were built at this plant. I can't imagine more than 2000 or 3000 were built total in 1973. I have only seen 1 other '73 GT in my travels to national shows over the last 25 or so years.

For comparison, Oshawa produced 231 Sport Coupe GTO's and 16 Colonade GTO's for 247 GTO's in total.

[BillyGoat73]

It kind of makes you wonder if those 247 Oshawa GTO's were counted in the total 1973 production numbers. I did have a Florentine Red 4 speed Sport Coupe car pass through my hands about 10 years ago. It was built in Oshawa and sold in the Buffalo, NY area. I aquired it with the intention of restoring it, but it sat for 6 years and I sold it to a guy from Canandaigua, NY. I have not seen it or heard from the guy since.

Hey BR57, will you have your GT at the HMP Pontiac Show in Hamilton June 7th? I brought the GTO up last year, but thought about taking my GT this year. Image 2 '73 GTs in one place at the same time.

[Brian Baker]

Originally Posted by BR57

The latter, I understand he had most of the parts.

Including the rare "made from unobtanium" air pan/filter lid? I'd be interested in hearing more about this if so, since to date I only know of 3 of these original lids still in existance.

[77 Canamman]

I have heard of 5 different complete 1973 RA systems over the past 15 years I have been into these cars.

1. Bruce (Indian Head's A-bodies)
« Reply #45 on: March 26, 2008, 04:41:56 PM »

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I got more than that for the RA setup, and that 10X20 storage stash of NOS parts is now worth double what I let it go for, according to the prices I see NOS going for these days...Gee, I might have to dig out more stuff for play money

2. Tom Goad's GA wagon

3. This black '73 GTO in MN that a gentleman named Wayne owns..



4. Phil Griffith's '73 Grand Am

5. System found in a CA salvage yard

[Brian Baker]

Wasn't aware of the existance of #1 and $5 until now...what happened with #5?

[77 Canamman]

Unfortunately, I don't know.

[BR57]

Originally Posted by BillyGoat73

It kind of makes you wonder if those 247 Oshawa GTO's were counted in the total 1973 production numbers. I did have a Florentine Red 4 speed Sport Coupe car pass through my hands about 10 years ago. It was built in Oshawa and sold in the Buffalo, NY area. I aquired it with the intention of restoring it, but it sat for 6 years and I sold it to a guy from Canandaigua, NY. I have not seen it or heard from the guy since.

Hey BR57, will you have your GT at the HMP Pontiac Show in Hamilton June 7th? I brought the GTO up last year, but thought about taking my GT this year. Image 2 '73 GTs in one place at the same time.

We wonder all the time if any Canadian production is included in figures we see quoted on web sites based from the USA. If you have a GM Canada documentation package you will know how precise and complete the information is. If I was going on a hunch, I'd say not included.

As for Hamilton we are talking about meeting up at fellow Pontiac enthusiasts place in nearby Ancaster for a big BBQ and what not and going to the event. He is a member on here and he has a several nice and rare Canadian built as well as US built Pontiacs.

[BR57]

Originally Posted by Brian Baker

Including the rare "made from unobtanium" air pan/filter lid? I'd be interested in hearing more about this if so, since to date I only know of 3 of these original lids still in existance.

He is BLAKGOAT on board here. Send him a PM.

[BillyGoat73]

I actually met Wayne Hejny (Car #3) from MN back in 1990 when the GTOAA Nats were in Minneapolis. We got talking about the Ram Air system and took a ride up to his house so I could see it in person. I have pictures buried somewhere in my closet of all the parts. My recollection of the story is he ordered the car new and checked off the Ram Air box on the order form. When the car showed up without the system, he started looking through the GM parts network. He worked for a GM dealer so he had connections all over and accumulated everything required to put a complete system together.

Oh what fun it would be to have one of those systems today...

[77 Canamman]

Now that these cars are slowly gaining popularity, we need to get the word out, and drum up some interest in reproducing the Ram Air system. Even though I don't have a '73 yet, I am actively looking, and would purchase a $500 system. I know interest on this board has historically been lame, but there are other sites out there that members here can "spread the word".

[BR57]

In my case I run my car without the backing plates on the scoop inserts and I have a GM Performance parts open element air cleaner. When I drop the hammer it sounds as if the hood is going to be sucked in. I have experimented with dual snorkle OEM air cleaners as well and the response is much better with the open element and open scoops.

Would there be any benefit in performance by using the closed air cleaner OEM Ram air system?