[bluesmobile]

I bought a 71 Lemans Sport all disassembled as a basket case, and I'm trying to figure out how to put the front end back together correctly.

If I loosely attached the front header panel, I have a couple bolt holes in the header that don't have anything to attach to, so I'm thinking brackets fill the gap. Also fender to core support needs a bracket, I assume.

I have the Pontiac mechanical service manual, but there's no body items in there except for the bumpers and grille's.

Does someone here have the body manual that can share the assembly diagram? One that shows front header and valence brackets?

thanks in advance,
Jeremy

[gto4evr]

do you have a 71/72 core support on the car? there are three studs on the ends of the header on each side that go into the fenders (2 on the top and one on the side before it rolls in for the bumper relief). then the bolts across the bridge of the header go through the core support flap into the header. from memory there's a spot or two where there's nothing going into the header and there's just a square cut out in that core support exposing a hole that didn't get used. I'll look once my son gets home with the car.

[bluesmobile]

Originally Posted by gto4evr

do you have a 71/72 core support on the car? there are three studs on the ends of the header on each side that go into the fenders (2 on the top and one on the side before it rolls in for the bumper relief). then the bolts across the bridge of the header go through the core support flap into the header. from memory there's a spot or two where there's nothing going into the header and there's just a square cut out in that core support exposing a hole that didn't get used. I'll look once my son gets home with the car.

These are the unused bolt holes I was asking about, they are in each front corner by the fender.

I don't know for sure what core support I have, I don't know much about the differences between core supports and the whole car was in pieces when I got it, its unlikely that its the original core support.

[bluesmobile]

I don't know where these 2 sets of brackets are attached. A diagram would be very helpful, thank you.

The large ones are called Outer header panel supports and the small ones are called lower fender support brackets. I found those names on Frank's Pontiac Parts website.

['ol Pinion head]

Post #3's pic I see an original '71 233-237 series FRP header panel thats been attached to a '72 LeMans core support top. Note the unattached boss through the window on the front edge of the core support top

['ol Pinion head]

The small brackets tie the bottom of the front of the fenders to core support. The longer stamped steel brackets mount inboard on FRP header panel & mount to the core support

['ol Pinion head]

V8 core supports are different between the '71 LeMans core support & the following '72 LeMans core support. The difference is in the stamping of the leading edge of the top plate.

-One can install an original '71 LeMans FRP (fiberglass reinforced plastic) header panel on a '72 LeMans core support but it will not be fully attached.

-IF one tries to install the '72 stamped steel header panel on a '71 LeMans core support, there are places along the leading edge of the top plate that will interfere with the molding of the rear of the '71 FRP molded header panel.

Since you have several gaps between where each bolt should attach through the leading edge of the core support & the back of the header panel, I would bet you are trying to install an original '71 header panel on to a '72 coresupport.

On one of my '71 233's it suffered the opposite "fix". A previous "body" guy (actually a total HACK) cut odd shaped notches in the leading edge of the original core support top, so a metal '72 header would bolt up. I probably shouldn't be that hard on him as all he could find was a stamped steel 72 header panel. His poor work in the late 80's is what incentivized me when rounding up partscars as well as stripping parts on boneyard cars. Thus began a mission to pull certain Pontiac core supports, core support top plates, lwr channels, & begin restoring original core supports to a high level.

[gto4evr]

Originally Posted by bluesmobile

These are the unused bolt holes I was asking about, they are in each front corner by the fender.

I don't know for sure what core support I have, I don't know much about the differences between core supports and the whole car was in pieces when I got it, its unlikely that its the original core support.

that pic is exactly what I was remembering (sorry, forgot to check yesterday) but OPH has it about the 72 vs 71 then. I really don't remember changing out my core support (I have a 1 owner 71) but I was changing out lots of parts back in the day upgrading with swap meet stuff that was better than my rotted things so I must have gotten a 72 core support at some point because I have that cutout exposing that hole in the header just like that picture. absolutely not an issue as far as strength or support, there's a stud going through the header in the fender right next to that area and the fenders locked down to the core support so nothing's moving anywhere.

along with the brackets pictured, there was a third type of bracket that ties the center of the header back to the core support too.

[bluesmobile]

You guys know your stuff!
Thanks for the help, I've found homes for all the brackets and I'm going to live with the 2 missing attachments on the core support to header.

I do have the header center support bracket and I could tell where that one went, but thanks for mentioning it.

One more mystery solved, it's been 5 years of putting this one together.

Jeremy