[72 H.O.]

Hi guys. I'm new to the board because I just bought my first GTO! I've been over @ Team Chevelle for 5-6 years. I have some questions about the car I bought. I look forward to hanging out in here and 'meeting' you all.

How can you tell a GTO from a LeMans in 72?

What steering wheel is correct for a 72?

What type of trim should be on the lower dash? Plain ribbed aluminum or the turned circular type?

Did all GTOs come with disc brakes or were they available in a drum brake set up?

[72 H.O.]

Hi guys. I'm new to the board because I just bought my first GTO! I've been over @ Team Chevelle for 5-6 years. I have some questions about the car I bought. I look forward to hanging out in here and 'meeting' you all.

How can you tell a GTO from a LeMans in 72?

What steering wheel is correct for a 72?

What type of trim should be on the lower dash? Plain ribbed aluminum or the turned circular type?

Did all GTOs come with disc brakes or were they available in a drum brake set up?

['ol Pinion head]

Jimmy,
Hello, welcome aboard.

For '72, the GTO referred back to an option on the LeMans 2 door hartop & two door post (no '72 GTO converts). Problem with easily cking a '72, is the '72 LeMans was avail with a T41 appearance pkg (rubber nose). If the 5th digit in the VIN is one of the following, you at least have an optional engined LeMans.

VIN code
T...400 4bbl
W or Y is 455 D-port (can't remember which)
X...455 HO (roundport)

PHS will need to be contacted to be sure what...

The '72 LeMans came std with a 250 cylinder & if the last 6 digits in the VIN starts with a 6 you have an original 6 cyl LeMans. By checking VIN, if 5th digit, an N or a M, you have a 350 LeMans.
From disassembling enough of the '72's, can usually tell if a T41 rubber nose car is original or has been installed by previous owner. Many little nuances with the '71-72 rubber nose pieces.

Strg wheel choice, one could get the deluxe 3 spoke (it had woodgrain insert for '72+). Or could get the Custom Sport wheel which was urethane thick grip version of the '69-70 wood wheel. Also could get the thick rim Formula wheel. Power Disc's were optional for '67-72 GTO's & LeMans. The alum '70-72 GTO swirled lower dash trim should be present, but is often scratched up. Luckily, it is now correctly reproduced... about $40.

See you are in Granbury. Welcome to the board. Set up at Pate when it was right down the road for close to 15 years, miss the old Pate Good friend bought the rough '70 1/2 T/A over in Whiskey Flats, if you remember it. Need to get down that way soon. Been promising Joe in Aledo, we need to make it to Angelo's in Ft Worth... man that makes me hungry Just woke up. Working mainly at night to beat the heat, BBQ for breakfast sounds like a winner!

[This message was edited by ol' Pinion head on July 24, 2003 at 03:39 PM.]

[Lloyd-TX]

Jimmy:

Welcome to the board, and congrats on the '72 GTO - I hope it's the real thing!

As you can see by my sig below, I'm just slightly partial to 1972 Pontiacs!

By the way, oPh is one of the most knowledgeable Pontiac guys you'll ever find - especially on the '70-'72 Tempest, LeMans and GTO!

I've got an original 2 inch thick 1972 Pontiac dealer "album" sitting here on my desk at work, if you need any other info.

Post more info and pics when and if you can.

The photo below is of a Sundance Orange 1972 GTO belonging to a guy by the name of John Skwirbles (sp) in Illinois. It sports one of the rarest-of-rare "ducktail" spoilers. I hope mine looks as nice as John's someday!

Later,
Lloyd

'72 Formula 455 - TH400, 3.08 posi, A/C, Y99 suspension, tach & gauges, AM-FM stereo, 8-track, Formula steering wheel, etc.; Lucerne Blue with Medium Blue deluxe Interior; 12.96 @ 104 MPH @ the '03 PSN's

Soon I'll starting a body-off restoration on a 72 GTO 455HO, TH400, A/C, etc.; Sundance Orange with Ivory buckets

[poncho-mike]

I thought I'd throw in my two cents worth too. I'm pretty partial to 72 GTOs and Lemans.

Another good way to help identify a GTO vs Lemans is is to check for the presence of a rear sway bar. While the GTO Appearance Option was fairly popular and I have seen many of these cars, most or all did not come with rear sway bars. I'm not even sure if you could get a rear sway bar on the Lemans. Rear sway bar and a larger front sway bar (larger than Lemans) was standard on the GTO package.

I have a 72 455HO 4-spd Lemans Sport conv awaiting resto.

Mike

Mike

[Lloyd-TX]

Jimmy:

I forgot to check your sig - another '72 GTO 455HO car!!!

More info and pics - PLEASE - (I'm drooling, LOL)!

Later,
Lloyd

'72 Formula 455 - TH400, 3.08 posi, A/C, Y99 suspension, tach & gauges, AM-FM stereo, 8-track, Formula steering wheel, etc.; Lucerne Blue with Medium Blue deluxe Interior; 12.96 @ 104 MPH @ the '03 PSN's

Soon I'll starting a body-off restoration on a 72 GTO 455HO, TH400, A/C, etc.; Sundance Orange with Ivory buckets

[Steve Barcak]

On the rear sway bar, there was an optional suspension available to all Pontiac "A" bodies called the Y99. It included a 1 1/8" rear bar as well as the 15" wheels etc.
My '72 455HO GTO is also equipped with the desirable WW5 option which was the most expensive and extensive option ever offered on any GTO, any year. '72's are among my favorites too. I can't be without one. Steve pictures on www.pontiacheaven.org

[Txbobcat]

I guess all the 72 GTO owners are signing in so I am also. Notice you live just down the street from me. Congrats on makig the change from chebby to pontiac

[pggto]

Did I read somewhere that someone is making a reproduction duck tail ?

[Txbobcat]

tHEY SAY SOON. wHAT EXACTLY IS SOON?

[Lloyd-TX]

pggto:

The Parts Place supposedly has one in the works. It was projected to be available quite some time back, but nothing yet. One has to wonder where they got an original to pull molds from???

If their's isn't correct when and if it finally becomes available, a good friend of mine here in Houston has begun preparations to reproduce one, pending results of the Parts Place project.

Steve - great car, just what I'm hoping mine will turn out to be. I haven't got the VIN of it yet, so no PHS docs. I'm holding out hope that it's a WW5 car also. Roger recalls seeing many of the parts off of it while it was in the process of being stripped bare years back. It was equipped with a 455HO, TH400, A/C, gauges, Formula steering wheel, 15" Honeycombs, etc . . . so it's possible that it was originally a WW5 car.

Come on Jimmy - more info and pics!

Later,
Lloyd

'72 Formula 455 - TH400, 3.08 posi, A/C, Y99 suspension, tach & gauges, AM-FM stereo, 8-track, Formula steering wheel, etc.; Lucerne Blue with Medium Blue deluxe Interior; 12.96 @ 104 MPH @ the '03 PSN's

Soon I'll starting a body-off restoration on a 72 GTO 455HO, TH400, A/C, etc.; Sundance Orange with Ivory buckets

[poncho-mike]

Could you get the Y-99 Suspension on any A-body? Was it limited to certain engine combinations?

Was it possible to get the sway bars w/o the 15" wheel option?

Did the 15" wheel option get you honeycombs or Rally IIs?

Incidentally, my 455HO 4-spd conv did not come with the optional suspension. It only has 14" wheels and no rear sway bar.

Mike

[Lloyd-TX]

Mike:

I'm looking through my '72 dealer album - specifically the LeMans order form now to see the "hows" and whys" of the WW5 (704) Y99 (724) and the PJ4 G60x15 tire options.

It appears that one could indeed order the Y99 handling package - which included the G60 tires, power steering, special springs and shocks, and F & R stabilzer bars on ANY '72 D27 (post coupe) or D37 (hardtop coupe) LeMans. Wheel style is not mentioned.

There was also a Y96 (621) firm ride and handling package offered. It included firm springs, shocks and stabilzer bar. No mention if the stabilzer bar was a stiffer front bar or an added rear bar.

The WW5 option package, including: 455HO, TH400 or M22 4 speed, posi diff, sport mirrors (hardtop only), unitized ignition, Ram Air hood, Formula steering wheel, roof drip moldings on the post coupe, carpeting on the post coupe, PDB, gauge cluster w/ I.P. tach, "GTO H.O." identification, and the Y99 handling package was available on GTO post coupes and hardtops only. Again, no wheel style is mentioned.

The G60 tires were available only on a GTO, and/or with the Y99 handling package. SO it appears one could have ordered a GTO with 15" wheels, without ordering the Y99 or WW5 options.

There was also a lesser known performance package option - WW4 (702). It was available on any LeMans post coupe or hardtop coupe, EXCEPT with the GTO option. It included: 400 4V, 4 speed manual trans, posi diff, PDB, carpeting on the post coupe, and the Y99 handling package.

No mention is made in any of these options and packages on wheel STYLE, although I seriously doubt that the 15" tires would have been available on plain wheels.

Interestingly, the LeMans GT is the only option package - including the GTO, which included Rally II wheels.

Later,
Lloyd

'72 Formula 455 - TH400, 3.08 posi, A/C, Y99 suspension, tach & gauges, AM-FM stereo, 8-track, Formula steering wheel, etc.; Lucerne Blue with Medium Blue deluxe Interior; 12.96 @ 104 MPH @ the '03 PSN's

Soon I'll starting a body-off restoration on a 72 GTO 455HO, TH400, A/C, etc.; Sundance Orange with Ivory buckets

[This message was edited by Lloyd-TX on July 25, 2003 at 03:48 PM.]

[JoDurhamRA1972Goat455]

Yep 72's rule

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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>I have become comfortably numb.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

['ol Pinion head]

The Y99 pkg first debuted on select '71 Pontiac A-bodys in late Jan of '71. It was only avail on a Judge for a scant 5 weeks before the Judge was cancelled.

The Y96 pkg in '71 & '72 included a slightly larger diam sway than std T-37 of LeMans, but no rear swaybar on T-37's & LeMans. Std GTO front bar was still larger (1 1/8")

[poncho-mike]

Lloyd,

Is there any way to know what type of wheels your car came with, if you only had the PHS?

About three years ago, I had a Tropical Lime 71 GTO 455HO automatic car. It was pretty well optioned, and even had rear shoulder harnesses. It is the only 71 GTO I've ever seen these on, although I have seen them on GPs.

The car was 100% original except the wheels, which were Chevelle wheels. It was low mileage and had correct carb, dist, air cleaner, rear, motor was 100% complete, even had original exhaust pipes.

The PHS said it had 15" wheels, and I was never sure whether it should have had Rally IIs or Honeycombs. It had no spare, and the wheels on it were Chevelle 14" Rallies.

Mike

[Steve Barcak]

My understanding on the Y99 and the 15" wheels is that they were steel wheels unless specified as rally II or Honeycomb. I guess the only bad thing about the '72s was that too few poeple were buying them when they were new, they are really great, well balanced cars. Steve www.pontiacheaven.org

['ol Pinion head]

Mike,
With a buildsheet for the '72 this info could be diserned

Factory equipped with the 15" wheels, the wheel box would show:

AX for the steel 15x7 wheels, or
KR for the '72 15" ralley II wheels, or
?? something else... (not sure on the two letter code) for the early 15x7 honeycombs

[72 LeMans]

72's rule!!!

1968 Pontiac GT0-400/M-21/3.90 Burmuda Blue with White Royal Bobcat stripes
1972 Pontiac LeMans-455/TH400/3.55's Cardinal Red. Hoping for high 11's

[Jack Peters]

Remember that only the "69-"71 Judge & the '70-71 GT-37 and the '72 LeMans GT came standard with Rally II wheels. These wheels did not have the trim ring. (I'm not real sure about the '72) My recollection of the '72 that I had some close association with when it was new that the decromed wheels came standard. I saw the MSRP on it but that was 1972........

All the rest of the A body cars came standard with steel wheels and hub caps.

JLP