[1972_Lemans_Beast]

I just recently got a 1972 Lemans SPort 350. It is a really nice car with only 57k original miles. It looks cool with its GTO hood and air shocks in the back. But, i need some power out of this thing. The only thing I have done performance wise is put dual exhaust with 24" glasspacks. I'm thinking of putting in a cam, headers, a 4 barrel carb, and an intake manifold to fit it. Jegs has a Cam and lifter set for $150 . Auto ZOne has some Flowtech Headers for $119. I have a 4- barrel Q-jet that needs a rebuild kit on it. And I dunno what kind of manifold for it. Are any of these options any good? I'm not the smartest car guy so I'm asking you guys if you know a good cheap way to push out some ponies. I cant afford really expensive stuff because I go to school and work part time for min. wage. I can afford to spend about $800. It runs mechanically very well now, but i would like to be able to be pretty fast. I sort of got beat by a ricer the other day and i hang my head in shame, but I need your guys advice on how to get my car up to par. Oh by the way, how much and how hard is it to give a car posi-traction. Thanks and any feedback would be GREATLY appreciated.

Chris.

[1972_Lemans_Beast]

I just recently got a 1972 Lemans SPort 350. It is a really nice car with only 57k original miles. It looks cool with its GTO hood and air shocks in the back. But, i need some power out of this thing. The only thing I have done performance wise is put dual exhaust with 24" glasspacks. I'm thinking of putting in a cam, headers, a 4 barrel carb, and an intake manifold to fit it. Jegs has a Cam and lifter set for $150 . Auto ZOne has some Flowtech Headers for $119. I have a 4- barrel Q-jet that needs a rebuild kit on it. And I dunno what kind of manifold for it. Are any of these options any good? I'm not the smartest car guy so I'm asking you guys if you know a good cheap way to push out some ponies. I cant afford really expensive stuff because I go to school and work part time for min. wage. I can afford to spend about $800. It runs mechanically very well now, but i would like to be able to be pretty fast. I sort of got beat by a ricer the other day and i hang my head in shame, but I need your guys advice on how to get my car up to par. Oh by the way, how much and how hard is it to give a car posi-traction. Thanks and any feedback would be GREATLY appreciated.

Chris.

[PMDRACER]

Edelbrock Performer Intake manifold (not RPM)
4 tube headers and dual exhaust. 2 1/2 inch pipes.
The Q-jet will be fine.
Get an HEI distributor.
Cam - well that's up to you, and many other factors. I think you'll be happy with the Edelbrock Performer 204/214 camshaft.

Edelbrock

PONTIAC 350-455 V8, ‘65 & LATER
PERFORMER-PLUS CAMSHAFT KIT
Matching camshaft for Pontiac Performer manifold #2156. Use only stock ratio rocker arms. Do not use race-type springs. We recommend #5857 valve springs.

Performer-Plus Camshaft/Lifters/Lube Package #2157*
Use Edelbrock #7812 timing set for best performance. DO NOT use stock timing set.

Duration at .006 Lift: Intake 278° Exhaust 288° Centerlines
Duration at .050 Lift: Intake 204° Exhaust 214° Lobe Separation:110°
Lift at Cam: Intake .280 Exhaust .295 Intake Centerline: 105°
Lift at Valve: Intake .420 Exhaust .442
Timing at .050 Lift: Open Close
Intake 3° ATDC 27° ABDC
Exhaust 42° BBDC 8° BTDC

TIGER EFI - Electronic Fuel Injection for the Traditional Pontiac Engine. bill@tigerefi.com

[goatless]

With the tight budget try the Summit cams. Cam and lifters about $85.00. The Summit 2800 is similar to the grind PMD was recommending. Alot of the Summit branded parts are a good price.

[72 LeMans]

I got basically the same setup now on my 72.

Performer intake
Quadrajet carb
dual exhaust w/glasspacks
b&M shift kit

I ran a 16.2 with some cheap Goodyear tires and babying it off the line, so 15's guarenteed with slicks. Other than that, bone stock 350/Th350.

1968 GTO-Waiting restoration/modification once the 72 is done. I have plans for this one!

1972 LeMans-Endura option, 350/TH350 with a 455/TH400 being built (Edelbrock heads, RPM intake, Eagle rods, RAIV headers-If anyone has these parts-email me!)

"What? And leave the car stock?"

Heart Of Illinois GTO's Member

[thepontiacman]

Sounds like a good sleeper project to me.Do what you can with your budget for now. I have a Performer Intake for $100., if you need one.

I have a '72 Luxury Lemans that came with a 350 2BBL and TH350, & 2.78 gears. It now has a 455, TH400, and 12 bolt 3.31 posi rear, 2 1/2" exhaust with RAIII manifolds and Dynomax Super Turbo Hemi Mufflers, still has P.S.,A/C and bench seat with shift on column.

You ought to see the looks on the faces of the unsuspecting.

thepontiacman@yahoo.com

[1972_Lemans_Beast]

What I think I will do is go to a junk yard and pull out a 455 out of an old bonneville or tempest or something. I'll bore it out and rebuild it and get it's heads a valve job and put the performer package from edelbrock ont it. I think it will be more worth it to put it on a 455 so i can actually make it run. 350's can only go so far. Do you guys think i should do that instead?

[72 LeMans]

If you have the money go for it! I'm going to a 455 soon.

1968 GTO-Waiting restoration/modification once the 72 is done. I have plans for this one!

1972 LeMans-Endura option, 350/TH350 with a 455/TH400 being built (Edelbrock heads, RPM intake, Eagle rods, RAIV headers-If anyone has these parts-email me!)

"What? And leave the car stock?"

Heart Of Illinois GTO's Member

[Goin' Topless]

Don't forget about the 400. Still plentiful and you can run a steeper gear thanks to the shorter stroke. If you want to drop the big pennies on an engine combo, try that 461-468 combo. 400 block, 4.25" stroker crank and BBC rods. I hear it's a screamer. You can get the crank for 400 bucks, hunt around for a good deal on the BBc rods. With a middle of the road cam (465 - 488 lift/270 @ .050) and some 3.55 - 3.73s you can have enough torque to make you giggle!

[IL68GTO]

I think just the basic rebuild kit for the 455 will blow your whole budget. 455 motor+rebuild kit+machine shop+performance parts= big bucks
I think autozone sells 400's for about $1200 but you would probably want to just buy the short block and scrounge up some good heads.

Nuts & Bolts left in the driveway are seeds for the next job!
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[1972_Lemans_Beast]

I think I've found my rebuilder. I went to a junkyard today and found a Pontiac 400 In an old Chevy 3/4 ton. I dunno why It was in there, but it was. Soon it will be out. It's froze up at the moment, but I am going to do a complete restoration. Everything will be apart. A piston is probably just stuck or something. If i can't get it running it's no big deal because it is only $50. I think i can restore the whole thing, doing it all myself, for around $1000 or a little more. My dad knows a lot of machinists who run C&C machines and can bore it out and stuff, so the machining part will not cost much at all. The most money will be spent on the Edelbrock performer package. The rebuild kit with all the gaskets and seals and bearings and pistons and stuff shouldn't be more than $250 or so. Wish me luck on my new engine. When I actually get it I'll give you guys the numbers on it if I can find them and maybe you can figure out what it came off of or the year or something. By the way, what size carburator comes in the edelbrock performer package? Thanks for the feedback guys.