[claudial12]

Is there anyone who has experience in converting a 68 Lemans to a GTO clone? Previous owner says a TH400 tranny was put in this Lemans - how can I verify that? Thanks in advance!

[paint guy]

Easiest way to tell which tranny you have is to look at the pan.350's,400's, powerglides all have different shaped pans.I think a 400 pan is almost square with one corner "cut off".Anyway,if you google tranny pan identification somebody should have an illustration.I know Car Craft or some other magazine like that had an article on it acouple of years ago.

[cuz68]

TRY here http://www.teufert.net/trans/tranny.htm

[SWEETJUDGE]

a turbo 400 has a huge output shaft compared to the 350 but if you have nothing to compare to it be tough. pan design is best visually. just search ebay for pans & remeber what they look like

[paint guy]

Sorry,Claudial12,my info was incorrect.I believe the turbo 350 has a square pan with a cut-off corner.The 400 pan is more of a "kidney shape".Hope this helps.As far as cloning,I don't know everything one would need to do,but I'll bet the correct engine(400),endura bumper(unless you wanted to make an endura delete clone,rather rare,I believe)hood,rally wheels,badges,(or lack of them on the rocker moldings) and a few other things would probably help make your car into a fairly "believable" clone.Bucket seats and floor shift would help,too,from my perspective,although I THINK a gto could be bought with column shift.Clearly,I'm not an expert here,so can anybody else offer something up?

[SWEETJUDGE]

on a 68 should be fairly easy to clone. Chrome bumers are cool on 68. i think the lower valance differs gto/lemans. Dual snorkel air cleaner is GTO for 68 ( i think im a 69 guy) ya gotta get rid of all lemans badging. remove the plactic seals behind bumper as thats lemans only or leave i think for the chrome bumper. GTOs were as basic as lemans with just a few diffs. & possibly more options. THE GTO would be the PERFORMANCE version of the lemans

[AdamIsAdam]

Why? The 68 LeMans is better looking than the GTO! (but then again, I'm biased). The rear tail lights are nicer in the LeMans (so they'd need changing).

Oh, and how's the condition of your LeMans chrome bumper? If very good, I'm interested. Also the VIN is different, but you knew that

[SWEETJUDGE]

oh dont know about that 1, thats like saying the base model mustang is better than the shelby GT.....

[AdamIsAdam]

Originally Posted by SWEETJUDGE

oh dont know about that 1, thats like saying the base model mustang is better than the shelby GT.....

i'm thinking it's more like preferring the GT over the Shelby GT for the more sleek, stealthy look with much of the same performance (and modifying/upgrading the lower model with the money saved )

Also, I was just saying some of the details that are different between my year (`68) GTO and LeMans, I actually prefer the LeMans details, ie the tail lights and chome bumper. In my case, I bought my car because I liked it and it was a good deal at a good price. THEN, I FELL IN LOVE WITH IT!!!

[Greg Reid]

I definitely prefer the GTO tail lights in a '68...but that's just me. 8^)
Dual snorkel breather is a '69 feature. The '68 just had a chrome lid on a single snorkel.
Chrome valve covers.
Rocker moldings had no engine callouts.
Fenders had the "GTO 6.5 Litre" badges
No Pontiac or Lemans badges on trunklid. Just a metal GTO on right side of lid.
Chrome bumper can stay but it has different headlight buckets than the Lemans, if I recall correctly.
GTO on driver's side grille, inboard of the headlights.
Lower valence is the same for either.
Woodgrain dash inserts on the GTO.
"GTO 6.5 Litre" badges on inside door panels.
Some GTOs came with bench seats and column shifts...but if you're cloning one, you just gotta go with a Hurst Dual Gate and console with buckets.

By the way, the easiest way to recognize a TH-400 for me is that the pan shapes somewhat like the state of Texas.

[AdamIsAdam]

Two things:

1) I have a black center console and hurst dual gate shifter all boxed up and ready to intall that I never put in and am considering putting back on ebay. All in very very nice shape with the only blemish being on the very front tip of the console, someone obviously installed gauges at some point so there are two small holes. They aren't visible once installed of course.

2) The rear decklid on a LeMans isn't supposed to have the letters 'P O N T I A C' spelled out? Mine has it and I was wondering if it's correct. See pic.

[Greg Reid]

Originally Posted by AdamIsAdam

The rear decklid on a LeMans isn't supposed to have the letters 'P O N T I A C' spelled out? Mine has it and I was wondering if it's correct. See pic.

No, that's correct for LeMans I believe. Tempest has the same thing with a bar connecting the letters....I think....
What I meant, and know for sure, is that GTO will not have either on the trunklid. Just the letters G T O on the righthand corner.
Very nice Lemans by the way...If I had a LeMans, I'd keep it a LeMans...even with the less attractive tail lights.... ;^)