NM 400ci V8/PHS Docs/NM 3-Speed Manual/Original Interior/Mostly Original Paint

1972 Pontiac GTO Hardtop 

For consignment, a LeMans dressed as a GTO.  A lesser known fact from 1972 is that the GTO was an options package on the LeMans so detecting a true goat is not as simple as reading the VIN.  With the PHS documents in hand, this verified GTO comes to us in all original 1 owner form with a mere 58,001 non-verifiable miles on the odometer as the title reads exempt.  An Endura bumper, Ram Air hood, GTO decaling, and calm before the storm Lucerne Blue paint make for on formidable opponent in the looks department.  The numbers matching 400ci V8 under the hood doesn't hurt either...read on and learn more about this final year, second generation Goat. 

Exterior
Lucerne Blue from the body matching bumper that surrounds the grille and forms the iconic Pontiac “beak” to the dual cowled Ram Air hood, scooped fenders, flowing rear quarter panels, and a straight door in the center, it's all bathed in it and is the consignor stated original finish.  This statement rings true from nearly all the panels with only some thicker paint readings being noted on the passenger's door.   Add in some snappy GTO decals on the rear quarter panels and trunk lid to bring the GTO effect right into being.  The rear bumper remains in pristine mirror-like chrome condition, and the taillights are embedded into it.  A few dents and dings and slight scratches are noted throughout as some slight blotchiness to the finish, but it is mostly original and is very nice paint.  A steel roofline sans any vinyl has this car cutting through the air of distinction as do the 14-inch Pontiac Rally II wheels which are wrapped in BF Goodrich Radial TA tires from the 48th week of 2022.  

Interior
A swing of the doors and we are in all original black vinyl nirvana and all is very well inside here.  The door panels are clean and sport some stitching and chromed accenting in the form of a bezel for the outside mirror toggle actuating handle, black leather door pull ends, and window crank.  Panning to the passenger area, more beautiful black vinyl is seen for the seats, a pair of buckets in front, and a bench in the rear, and nary a mark on any save for what appears to be a re-stitch on the driver's tuck and roll for the seat.  These seats float in a sea of jet-black carpet all in excellent condition.  Fronting all this menagerie is an original black padded dash with the factory topper and a nice central wood appliqué for the gauge cluster.  Speaking of the cluster, it strays from the GTO format with full gauge monitoring and no factory tachometer.  Just to the right are the chrome knobbed slides for the heater controls and below in a silver machine pattern panel is the factory AM Delco radio.  A Hurst shifter rises to the driver from the black plastic molded central console in simple but pleasing format.  Just above this sea of black is a tight clean headliner in black with factory shoulder belts and working dome light. 

Drivetrain
Flipping the hood and we are licking our chops with all the under the hood goodies to which our wandering eyes can behold.  This is all original and unrestored.  The numbers matching  250hp 400ci V8 awaits us in its aqua blue aged wonder of paint.   Feeding this mill its mixture of air and fossils is a factory correct Rochester Quadrajet single 4-barrel carburetor which is #7042263 and is attached to the factory intake manifold.  The numbers matching Saginaw  3-speed manual transmission is strapped to the back.  Out back is the correct 10-bolt 3.55 rear axle coding out from the WH stamping code and  May 1 1972 casting date.

Undercarriage
Independent with coil springs up front and a 4 link with coil springs keep this Goat firmly planted on the ground in front and back.  Drum brakes up front and drums for the rear bring you and your passengers back from warp speed nicely and safely.  The frame and floor pans are solid, and sound and we note slight surface rust on the usual suspects.  We see stock style dual exhaust snaking down from the engine bay and feeding the exhale into factory style mufflers before ending in dual chrome tips on either side behind the rear tires.

Drive-Ability
Our muscle car aficionado and master decoder fought tooth and nail to get into this example, so I let him do it out of concern he was going to have a temper tantrum if we did not!  Anyway, he found it a pleasure to drive, it handled nicely for him, and had wonderful acceleration although his words were slightly different, (something about balls?).  Anyway, all mechanically worked and he thoroughly enjoyed his time on the test track.  He did find the radio silent, and the brake lights only worked when I had a turn signal blinking?  Go figure.

End of the era cars are a great way to enjoy the muscle car scene as people tend to forget the power under the hood was still there but people mostly focus on the new way of rating it.  Our consignment has all the right boxes marked off on this GTO and even with the 3-speed manual no disrespect is meant in that statement.  The styling cues are there, Ram AIr hood, Endura nose, proper graphics, and those groovy rally wheels.  What else is there to say other than "Life is what you make it", so why not make it great in this GTO from 1972.

2D37T2P199688

2-Pontiac
D-LeMans
37-2 Door Hardtop Sport Coupe
T-400ci V8 4bbl 250hp
2-1972
P-Pontiac, MI Assy Plant
199688-Sequential Unit Number

TRIM TAG

ST 72 23537-1972 LeMans 2 Door Hardtop
BDY PON230002-Pontiac Body #
TR 276-Black Vinyl
PNT 26 26-Lucerne Blue
05D-4th Week May
A51-Bucket Seats