[Mister Pontiac]

So I've had plans to install the stronger 8.5" 3.23 Posi in the GT ever since I pulled it from my 67 Wagon last year. But sometimes other projects keep jumping in front, don't they? Well, with the U-joint 'clank' getting louder by the mile (boy were they in bad shape when I pulled the shaft out!), I decided it was finally time to get the rear end swap done.

Also, knowing the Posi unit was working well in the wagon for years, I decided only a mild clean up of the housing, quick repaint of the cover and new fluid was all that was needed. The swap went pretty fast after that.

In my spare stash, I had another driveshaft that needed a home, and not wanting to cut up the original 72 shaft (in case I put the original rear back in at some point), I dropped the spare shaft at my local driveshaft shop with new measurements [Thanks OPH for the correct dimensions] Two u-joints, a new yoke, a little shortening and rebalance, and two days later, the shaft was ready to bolt in.

And yes, of course I had to operationally check my work afterwards.

Keep rollin', rollin', rollin'...

[hpp]

Great thread thought I’d share my 72’ Lemans Sport GT 400/400

[Mister Pontiac]

It's been a few years since I've updated this thread, but I finally have some big news to share on the GT. After dreaming for years, I have acquired a complete, correct 72 455HO for her!

Little back story on how I aquired the engine... I bought her from a long time Pontiac friend of mine. 23 years ago, I bought my 67 Tempest Wagon from him, and I recently sold it back to him after all those years. As we discussed projects, he mentioned he might consider letting go of the HO, and I told him I had the perfect home for it, which he already knew.

He has had this engine in his stash for (literally) decades. He had dreams of putting into an F body at some point, but he realized that probably wasn't going to happen, so he decided to send it my way. (Thanks so much, Mark!)

The story goes like this... In the 80's, a brother to a friend of his had a 72 Trans Am that was totaled. They pulled the HO, and then had it rebuilt soon after. At that point, the engine went into the friend's 77 Trans Am, and as though lightning could strike the same place twice, the 77 was totaled a short 500 miles later.

That was 1987.

Fast forward to today. He and I struck a deal, so I drove out to his house in Missouri, and we loaded her into the back of my truck. Now back home in my shop in Arizona, I'm slowly acquiring the little odds and ends to do the install, hopefully in the coming months. I'm still in a bit of disbelief over the fact that I have a correct HO for the car. Can't wait to get it installed and running/driving!




Long time readers may recall that I currently have a zero issue, low 20,000 mile D port 455 in the car that I built a few years back. Why pull it? Well, I have a home for that engine now too. Recently, my 74 Bonneville blew a head gasket in her (NOM) 455, so she will receive the LeMans current D port 455. I'll fill in more details on that swap in Bonne's thread.

As my buddy Mark tells me, I'm playing checkers with 455's around here. He's not wrong.

Here are a few pictures of the adventure. I will post more updates on this thread as I make progress on the install.

[AG]

That will be a cool car.

[Hunter98TA]

boy do love the front end of the 71-72's

Wish Mine was

[Gator67]

Congrats on the HO Todd, your very cool GT will be even cooler now!

[dv657172]

Mister Pontiac - what paint are you using on that 455 HO engine?

[Mister Pontiac]

Thanks for the Congrats, Jeff! I appreciate the encouragement. I too think the 72 will indeed be even cooler now.



DV, I'm using the correct 71-74 non metallic blue paint. I'm guessing you noticed my buddy had it painted in the incorrect 67-70 metallic blue, so I will correct that before install.

[dv657172]

Got it. I wonder if that is where Ames sources theirs as they also have a pretty good matching paint.

Build looks great, hope you get it all done and on the road in the new year!