New Y Code LeMans Sport Convertible : Factory Freak

                                                                        By: Patrick Smith
                                 

Yep, that's factory paint, car was special ordered Iris Mist metallic by the original owner.

  This is a milestone for the Y Code Registry; we have landed the first rag top in the database. It's one lu lu of a car as well. Check it out, special order paint code car. That's right, the cowl tag is blank where there normally would be a number code. The PHS documents were ordered and it confirmed the special order paint code and Y Code 455 4 bbl D port engine option along with automatic transmission. A Pontiac plant assembled car late in the calendar year, the VIN number is quite high up as a result making it a June build date from the looks of things.

  This is a two owner car and it still sports the original fender 455 die cast emblems from new. The current owner is Dom Sawicki in Massachusetts. The special order paint is Iris Mist, a 1965 GTO special order color and was regularly available for Impalas. It's a fine metallic Lilac paint, so the interior is Parchment with black accents, regularly called Tuxedo among enthusiasts. Other options his LeMans Sport has includes the T-41 front end. This one-two punch likely is going to push my car off the factory freak pedestal. A position I cheerfully relinquish.
     

Lots of options on this car besides the big bore V8, power windows, custom cushion steering wheel, electric clock, sport mirrors, T 41 front end, Rally II wheels just to name a few.

  For those who are counting, there were 235 Y Code GTO hardtops produced, 5 Y Code GTO coupes and Y Code LeMans hardtops made. They're rare anyway you slice it. There were of course, no 1972 GTO convertibles made. Instead they made 36 LeMans Sport Y Code convertibles. Alas, there isn't a direct breakdown on the total of LeMans Sport convertibles with the T41 option.The total production of LeMans with T 41 for the 1972 year is at 16.8 percent.

   We know production of the 1972 LeMans series ended on June 30th, '72. We also have confirmation that GTOs stopped production early in June when the last batch build ended. The VIN for this car is 2D67Y2P******is near the end of production. This could be one of the last 1972 Y Code 455 LeMans made. I only know of one car with a later VIN than mine, it was special order Starlight Black hardtop GTO in Peachland, BC. Alas, the car has vanished from sight and I lost the VIN. It's in one of several work books I have but haven't seen it yet.

As it's a LeMans Sport, the grille has the Arrowhead and Pontiac script on driver side. No GTO convertibles were made in
1972, this was the closest you could get to owning one.

   As for options, this convertible has a few; M35 sport mirrors, L75 455 4 barrel 250 hp V8 with dual exhaust, M40 TH400 three speed automatic, console, power windows, tinted windshield, radio,14 inch Rally II wheels, custom cushion steering wheel, electric clock, rocker panel moldings, wheel well moldings and tilt steering are all visible to the naked eye. Most remarkable is the over all condition of the car. Word is that Dom Sawicki is the second actual owner of the car from new.

   Dom purchased the car from a woman in Attleboro Massachusetts.The seller's mother bought the car new from Fiore Pontiac in Warwick, Rhode Island. She owned a Beauty School for girls so that's why she ordered a convertible with white interior with the flashy special order Iris Mist paint.She also ordered all the GTO options including a 455 engine with a turbo 400 transmission.Somewhere between late 1973 and 1974, Pontiac installed a new 455 engine under warranty for some unknown reason. Dom couldn't find out what it was.

The home plant ( Pontiac, MI) LeMans most often had the Pontiac letters on the trunk lid where cars at other plants
often had no letters. 

   A correct  Y code 455 for that year was installed.Her daughter could no longer garage or maintain the car so Dom purchased the car in 2013.He stripped the interior and carpeting and found all the floor pans and bracing like new. Dom also installed the new jute underlay, carpet new upholstery, front and rear new door panels and top boot.The undercarriage was pressure washed primed and black satin enamel.The finishing touch was a new Flowmaster dual exhaust system.The engine compartment was also cleaned and detailed. It also sports a new set of Cooper Cobra tires on the Rally II wheels since these pics were taken. Dom of course, has the PHS documents to go with his awesome find.
                  *Article (c) 2016 by Patrick Smith PHS Collector Cars Registry
 

New Y Code GTO: Lucerne Blue Hardtop

                                                                       By: Patrick Smith
                   

Here is a close up of the latest Y Code find in Saline, Michigan last belonging to Mark ____. 

    A little over a month ago, I became aware of another Y Code GTO hardtop. I was waiting in vain for details on this car which turned up for sale in Saline, Michigan. Alas, no information was forthcoming. This is what's know about it. Lucerne Blue hardtop with parchment interior. The options include power steering, power disc brakes, Rally II wheels, sports mirrors, wheel well trim, rocker panel trim and tinted windshield.
 

Car was up on hoist being examined before listing for sale by owner. 

   The engine is a non original motor 1974 455 with 1971 455 HO cylinder heads, Holley four barrel carburetor, aluminum intake manifold and aftermarket camshaft. The car has a rear spoiler. It's possible this car has a new owner by now as it was listed for sale a month ago.
    * Article (c) 2016 by Patrick Smith. 

New Y Code GTO: Shadow Gold with Pewter Bucket Seats

                                                                               By: Patrick Smith
                       

This car despite the ram air emblems on hood is actually a Y Code GTO.

   Our latest Y Code find hails from Hoover, Alabama. It is Shadow Gold metallic with Pewter interior. This is one of the more unusual early 1970s color combos in the very hip "earth tones" which were all the rage in the ecological era. This particular car has some nice options; notably power steering, power disc brakes, air conditioning, custom interior (bucket seats and upgraded door skins), remote control driver side mirror, body color sports mirrors, rally II wheels, tinted glass, under hood lamp and custom sport steering wheel. There may be more options as well. This is all I could spot on the page which was listed online.
                 

The engine bay reveals a dual snorkel air cleaner, power brakes, power steering, underhood lamp.

   It appears so far from surviving examples that the Y Code GTO and LeMans were quite varied in appearance, trim and options. Some like Kirk Harbarger's car were loaded to the max while others like the one in Ranger, Georgia had the base interior, air conditioning and little else. It's making the registry quite interesting to observe. We have yet to obtain a Luxury LeMans Y Code car. They were available with that engine. In fact that was the top dog for it. The X Code 455 HO wasn't available in the Luxury LeMans to no one's real surprise. It was the luxury platform and a hulking rasping big bore with four speed or automatic and round port heads just doesn't go with smooth ride and 60 extra pounds of sound proofing!
 

Pewter custom interior is also a rare color to go with the equally scarce Shadow Gold metallic paint.

      The tip off this was a Y Code was the lack of a ram air intake system in the engine bay. Only round port 455s got the intake system from the factory. It wasn't a dealer over the counter deal. As you can see, this one sports the dual snorkel air cleaner pan as found on D port engines.The interior shows an automatic transmission which was the only gearbox offered on a Y code 455 engine.

Nice close up of this car's front end.

    Attempts to contact the seller of this car for details have been unsuccessful. If the new owner recognizes his car from these pics, give a shout out so I can confirm details for the Registry.
     I can be reached at phscollectorcarworld@gmail.com
                      Article (c) 2016 by Patrick Smith. Images from PHS MEDIA ARCHIVES