'68 Pontiac LeMans "Racecar"?

[99StockGT]

Ok so, might as well start a thread so I can keep all of this info and such in the same place. Please forgive me for starting another Build thread, for some reason I can't leave well enough alone so yet another ride goes under the knife. Some back story first.

 

Long long ago, in mystical City of Columbus lived a short bearded man with a desire for something old school and cool. The search began in the early 2000s for something that would have attitude and excitement but without the massive buy in costs of certain platforms. In a gas station print magazine titled "Auto Trader" or something like that, was found a green on green on green 1971 Pontiac LeMans Sport. After an interesting purchase situation and a little bit of planning body work and paint were completed, a new black top installed, and NOS green carpetting installed. A few years of cruising and car shows go by..

 

The original motor was still in the car and after 60,000 miles was a bit tired. Being a numbers matching 350 2 barrel car it wasn't OVERLY valuable but it was a power steering and A/C car so there was some interest in keeping it together. Fast Forward a bit and a TV show on Discovery Channel starts sweeping the nation featuring cars and drivers from the greater Oklahoma City area competing weekly against each other in various Street settings which made them Outlaws... from the Law. Very cool! It's not just another car building show they actually run these things! Skip ahead a bit and one of the main cast members reveals a secret project he's working on... a 1972 Pontiac LeMans!

 

For months the show is there as a temptation. Seeing a big and bad black version of almost the identical car sitting in the garage. Occasional Googles for car parts. Often peeks into the garage at the conclusion of an episode. Speaking with engine builders about options. Battling with ones self about what should/would/could happen. In the fall of 2016 the engine having finally gotten a bit EXTRA tired needed pulled. With the idea in mind to refresh and "bag" the numbers matching 350 unit, a larger 400 block was sourced. Bare and stock bore it was perfect as a starting platform to build from. On the drive up to Cleveland to get the unit a phone call comes through informing me someone local had come over that morning and purchased it. Sorry about your luck! Angry and frustrated, I stopped for some Amish food then returned to Columbus empty handed.

 

After another 2 weeks of searching with no luck on another early casting 400 block I give my machine shop the OK to do some head work, reconditioning, and surface conditioning to get the 350 reassembled and back in the car. As things go in this world, a day before the 350 pieces were to be picked up another 400 showed up on the rogue website Craigslist. A quick conversation to verify what was posted this one comes at a price slightly higher than the bare block 400 that had been missed, but was complete from Carb to Pan! Quick, to the Duelly Dodge!

 

Rocketing up to Akron for this unit I'm greeted by a friendly man in the industrial areas of the city. Backing down his incredibly cramped driveway (which the truck barely fit through) he throws open the garage doors and reveals a 70s paradise! A '68 Camaro sits in one corner, a '69 Firebird leers at the open garage door fully caged and shoe'd in slicks. On an engine stand behind it sits a slightly grimey but completely intact 1972 Pontiac 400, as advertised complete from Carb to Pan. After a brief conversation, hand shake, and exchange of cash the new (old) heart goes in the back of the Dodge and strapped down, ready to make its way back to Columbus. As we say our final goodbyes and goodlucks the older gent says to me, "Hey be careful on the way back, not sure if you know this but you don't have a license plate on that truck!" In my haste to get to this motor before it was snatched up by someone else that small detail had been forgotten, it was still on a different vehicle! For the 2 and a half hour drive of excitement/worry/plotting/imagining the 400 road quietly in the back.

 

Since all the machine work was complete on the 350 it was picked up and brought back to the shop. Everything cleaned and ready to go back together a debate raged. Do you put the car back together with the still stock bore 350 and keep it as a very original car that can be had NOW or do you build and bag the 350 while beginning the process on the 400. For days this quandary kept me up at night. Finally after a week or so of consideration the plan was made, put the 350 back in now that it was stout and healthy and continue to use it as a car show cruiser.

 

But... what to do with the 400?

 

So again we jump forward a few months. The 400 has been torn down and checked, parts kept orderly on a shelf and the block sitting quietly at a local machine shop waiting for plans. Casual browsing of Craigslist continues, car shows come and go, many miles of loud comfortable cruising go by. For what it is, the '71 LeMans Sport does a great job. She's not fast, but she looks good turns heads and is incredibly enjoyable to drive. But...

 

A spring day comes where a co-worker mentions they had heard about a '68 LeMans for sale locally. It's a 400 that needs body work finished. It's a black bucket seat, low option car. It's a bit rough on the outside, but the frame is solid and a good platform to build from. The price is right, the owner just wants it gone so he can move on to something else. Could it racecar? Could it maybe WANT to racecar? Could I afford to build said racecar? With the Dodge loaded up with the car trailer a trip was made to lovely hamlet of Newark to check this beauty out.

 

Several things were wrong with the car and its advertisement, not the least of which were mismatched wheels, a 350 instead of a 400, and a terrible transmission fluid leak that was gushing fluid down the center line of the car and out from under the front bumper. But...a deal was struck. The car was loaded and made the journey back to Plain City. For months nothing was done with it, business and customers cars taking priority over potential racecar dreams. As summer drew to a close the '68 finally had a chance to move into a bay for some inspection and shake down.

[99StockGT]

On the lift a few things were quickly noticed, foremost the wheels and tires HAD to go! Dry rotted, mismatched, and just generally terrible those were not only impractical but completely unsafe. Another blatantly obvious issue was the rattle can silver paint job given to these poor vintage early 70s Rally II wheels. This would NOT do! Various worn out steering and suspension components also showed themselves, this being a car with 40 years of life on its bones needed some attention. As many car folk will attest to, worn out or broken component mean just 1 thing... UPGRADES!

 

With a quick phone call to one of our suppliers to add some size and stature to this ride a set of 15" x 8" Riddler wheels are sourced and shipped over. Another call gets a staggered set of Cooper Cobra Radial G/Ts shipped over, sized to do a 245/60/15 in front with a wide 275/60/15 in rear. With tires and wheels mounted, balanced, and hung the appearance and stance was GREATLY improved! Back off the lift the went to wait in the "Back Yard" until the next time she could be played with.

 

As luck would have it, business continues to push "Project Time" onto the back back burner so months go by of her sitting there patiently waiting. All the while plans are being formed, ideas are being kicked around, experts are consulted. What would she need under the hood? What would she need suspension wise? What color would she be? Could she, would she, might she racecar? Finally seeing a small window of opportunity and fully aware that the longer she sat the more unmotivated I would get, parts were ordered to FORCE some action!

 

New tubular upper and lower control arms with poly bushings would replace the worn out stomped stamped steel and destroyed rubber. All new steering components from Moog would provide the turning bits and make sure she would stay true down the road. UMI would be providing the lateral suspension stiffness with a massive front anti-sway bar. For vertical suspension a set of Moog heavy duty springs were found, built to handle the additional weight of a 4 door car with A/C they would provide some extra muscle from nose squat. With the goal of racecar first and foremost in mind but occasional driver duty, Lakewood Shocks were decided upon to dampen the front end aggressive enough to allow some lift and weight transfer but not enough to make it incapable of taking corners.

 

As the front end came together, final decisions are being made about what sort of monster will lurk under the hood. With options aplenty there could be a high compression naturally aspirated stroker motor, or a low compression boost motor built to handle turbo or procharger additions, you also have the always proven route of a stout build and a whole lot of nitrous for when it's needed.

 

The 400 block has been checked and cleaned, sitting at the engine shop ready to begin its next phase of life. Parts suppliers and shopping lists have been checked, once twice probably 10 times. At present she sits outside awaiting more suspension work and more planning, soon... very soon... a motor will begin coming together to breath life back into this 60s monster.

[99StockGT]

 

 

 

 

As soon as I figure out how to get these images to work..

Edited December 13, 2017 by Mitch

[Geeto67]

wow, those floors are roached. Good thing they sell a complete floor panel.

 

what are those front wheels? they look like Cragar S/S clones.

[99StockGT]

They are Rally II Pontiac 15s painted by someone with a blindfold and off their seizure meds. And yes, floors are toast all the way through, fortunately I can get an entire floor pan kit including trunk for cheap cheap cheap!