My new '72 LeMans GT
 

Hi gents,

I recently scored a fantastic '72 LeMans GT! :D

Born and raised in Tucson, I have now brought it home to metro Phoenix, and am learning all I can about the GT's...

On mine, options include: WU2 "GT" option, "T41" Endura nose, Heavy Duty 3 speed, 350 2 bbl, P/S, A/C, AM radio and Soft-Ray windshield. That's it. Monarch Yellow with Saddle (bench) interior. 82k original miles, and spent its entire life in Tucson. As you can imagine, it's completely rust free, albeit sun-faded. Luv it!

My plans are simple for this one... Leave it alone. Oh sure I'll repaint it, and detail it some, but no changes to factory. And as I enjoy cruising it, it will serve as a rolling blueprint for my '71 GTO Convertible currently undergoing restoration in my garage.

Anyway, I have a question for you "GT" guru's... Can anyone post a pic(s) of the GT stripe on an original car with a T41 nose? I've seen a few shots on google, but I don't know if they're correct as I suspect they're repainted. I want to be able to repaint mine and lay down the stripe as the factory did. Unfortunately mine has been lost to the ravages of time and "bodywork" prep.

In the meantime, here is a shot of the car as we were bringing it home the other night (thanks Steve Barcak for helping shuttle it home!). Bonne served support duties during the adventure. Now I'm looking forward to many days of cruising in the GT as I welcome her to the fleet!

Thanks gents!

Nice patina! Keeping with the AZ theme:

http://phoenixgraphix.com/gm/1972lgt.php

Thats a cool find especially with the 3 speed tranny

Nice score!

Looks great!

Nice find!

looks really solid. I would have a hard time even painting it. maybe do like the gas monkey in dallas does and just clean it as good as possible, stripe it and then clear coat it.

Terrific Find Todd! Will be fun cruiser.

BJ

What colour stripe on a Monarch car?

All 1972 Lemans GT used the same 'sword' stripe with GT cut out with or with out the T41 styling(GTO) endure front end.
The color on all Monarch Yellow was black stripes.

Very nice. I'd have no problem driving that as is.

Thanks for the kind words, Gents! I'm very pleased with it for sure.

Back to my question about the stripe, I've seen a few different pics now, but what interests me is that on the Endura cars (like mine), I notice the stripe kind of runs right across the top if the fender air extractors, and the lower portion of the stripe seems to be missing there. Is that correct?

If anyone has an original GT, or has pics of one they can post, I would appreciate it. I'm sure the repop stripe from Phoenix Graphics is correct, but I'd just like a little more confirmation.

While I'm thinking of it, does anyone know if there is a breakdown on production of the GT's in 1972? I'm kind of curious how many were produced compared to the base LeMans.

Thanks guys! Here's an interior shot too! :)

Neat car!

The reflective stripe was fitted that way when installed on endura GT's. I've also come across several original '72 LeMans GT's with the 9 stripe D98 stripes. While odd, it did happen.

In the early 90's, I was the first to commercially reproduce the reflective '71 & 72 D98 stripes & market them nationally. During that time, I sold several sets to Brian K @ Phoenix Graphics, who I'm sure marked them up considerably, he was real pain to deal with. Am not sure if PG digitized a copy of my repro'es or did so off originals. One thing I had done on the repro's, was stub aprox 3/8" to the length of the door & 1/4 stripe,so the stripes had more than enough length to wrap around the door edges & in the 1/4 panel jamb. when Stencils & Stripes reproduced these stripes a few years later, I threw in the towel. Stencils & Stripes would get my business if I needed a set today.

Breakdown has been listed before, will find the link.

1972 LeMans GT (non convert) production:

7825 350 2bbl
289 400 2bbl
614 400 4bbl
24 455 4bbl
14 455 HO
-----
8739 '72 LeMans GT (non converts)


LeMans GT convert (2D67 w WU2)
59 350 2bbl
15 400 2bbl
31 400 4bbl
2 455 4bbl
7 455 HO (2 w/M22, 5 w/Turbo 400)
-----
115 '72 LeMans GT converts

Thanks OPH, that's just what I was looking for! Seems like roughly 10% or so of the Hardtop LeMans in '72 were "GT's" then, which is about what I expected. Cool!

Any ideas how many came with the Endura option as well? I'm guessing there is no breakdown on that option though, right? :confused:

I've found evidence in the door jamb that mine did have the sword stripe, so that's what I want to go back with. (See pic)

My '71 GTO Conv has the D98 eyebrow stripes, so it will get those.

It just struck me as odd that the stripe looked like somewhat of a "make it fit" deal around the air extractors. After looking thru one of my '72 brochures, I saw that originally the Endura cars were unavailable with the sword stripe. I don't know of that was a factory misprint, or if it was true early in the model year, but then became available later in the model year? (Mine is a 05D car, so a fairly late production) I can imagine the fitment around the air extractors was the culprit.

Anyway... I didn't realize you were the first to repop the stripes. Thanks for the intel, and when it's time to buy mine, I'll certainly consider Stencils and Stripes.

Thanks again! :)

Todd, I do agree, that removing the lower pinstripe to make it fit seems odd, but thats how it was done. Have never seen any of the '72 A-body Engr sheets, but I hope some surface as I would love to see any notations & related dates of the installation of '72 stripes. Supercarbob noted there is a sales bulletin that the T41 option wasn't even avail to order til like Oct 7 of '71.

Years ago, know several of us had a discussion on PY about what stripe was correct. I mentioned a few partscar endura GT's with 9 stripe decals I'd run across in the mid to late 80's, wish I'd kept more info on them, instead I was yanking fenders, coresupports, trinkets... stuff was cheap & if one didn't buy it, it often was damaged in the yards. Lloyd & Supercarbob & a few others noted reflective stripe endura GT's they had owned or sold. Again, believe we all felt it odd that some were built with T41 nose, GT option, & the 9 stripe decals, but as many of us have witnessed before, stranger things have happened.

Another thing I noted back in the late 80's as was about to roll out the repro reflective stripes, is most of the original paint '72 LeMans GT's I came across had the GT in the front of the fender stripe, but a few didn't. The few that didn't have the GT cutouts definitely were '72 LeMans GT's, not just D98 tape stripe cars, as each had HD 3 spd trans & Hurst shifter, duals, GT decal on the decklid, & three I ran across in this condition still had the original splitter tailpipe tips. I figured the plants ran out the correct fender stripes & just put on the regular sword stripe. even sent off for paperwork on the ones I hauled in as partscars, that was back before PHS, when invoice copies were free. Miss those days it was like a kid in a candy store nearly every trip.

Thanks again, OPH. Great info! Thanks to you (and others) for taking the time to share.

I'll keep everyone posted more as the GT progresses. Still hoping for more pics too...

:)

Todd,
Was glad to help you get the car home and I really like it.
OPH,
If it is of any help, I currently have a '72 endura Lemans in Sundance orange with 3 speed floor trans and the 9 stripe decals. Not sure if it a GT or not. Do not know how to tell. This car also came from Tucson. It is a parts car and have sold much off of it. When I bought it over 10 years ago, the fenders and stick shift stuff were already gone but, most of the rest of it was there.
In 1977, I bought my first WW5 GTO from original owner, it was red with black int with white 9 stripe decals as you call them. I always called them 'candy cane stripes'.