Addition: 1972 Y Code Hardtop GTO in Quezal Gold

                                                                    By: Patrick Smith

  This particular car has been around awhile but attempts to contact the dealer at the time went nowhere. After it sold, some data finally shook loose and I was able to confirm it was indeed a true d port 455 car. This one is nicely optioned from the factory and is a really attractive example of what Pontiac Motor Division had in mind for the base 455 engine. 

   

Note 455 die cast call outs on rocker panels. We are still researching this detail. Talks with Dan Jensen
confirmed that only LeMans Sport models had front fender piercing for 455 call outs which were unique emblems not at all like the rocker panel pieces which are slanted thin at top and thick at bottom. We know of 3 cars that have rocker panel 455 call outs.

  Unlike Oldsmobile and Chevrolet, the jump to 455 cubic inches was done primarily to allow adding power accessories to the list without loss of required "passing power" torque. The 1970 455 wasn't really engineered as an all out performance block. It retained d port cylinder heads and there was no ram air induction package until mid year and it was an extra cost option. By 1971 the round port 455 HO appeared and it became the high performance block while the d port was paired to a TH400 as sole transmission.

  

Note incorrect decals here in red with 455 HO notation, this car is actually a d port 455, not an X code round port 455 HO. A few d port cars have been cloned into X codes over the years. Duck tail spoiler is an aftermarket piece and not factory.

  It still has formidable torque and a low enough compression ratio to make driving on pump gas possible. You can even bump up the static ratio a thanks to the combustion chamber size. When new, this car came out with a dizzy load of options; starting with GTO option, th400 transmission, tape stereo 8 track, body color sport mirrors, custom seat belts, honeycomb wheels, door edge guards, power disc brakes, trim package pdl, frt floor mats, rear defogger, power locks, air conditioning, firm ride springs and shocks, custom trim, luggage lamp, underhood lamp, glovebox lamp, heavy duty battery makes up column 1. Whew, column 2 continues with L75 455 4 barrel engine, safe t track differential, stereo radio, console, visor vanity mirror, formula strg wheel, wheel well moldings, power steering, tilt steering, rear floor mats, soft ray tinted glass, power windows, power seat L, California emissions package, rear hood molding, dome interior lamp, courtesy instrument panel lamp, ashtray lamp, dual horns and rally gauges.

  

The sales invoice for this particular car shows it was loaded new. Note no spoiler option listed and L75 engine was specified engine. It would have the dual snorkel air cleaner and no ram air underhood equipment at all.

   The total for this was $4,463.00 and some change. It was shipped to John Hine Pontiac in San Diego California by  Dec 16th 1971 so it's an early build car with chrome rear view mirror and 140 mph speedometer. It was built at the Fremont plant in California as well so it had the California spec carburetor and distributor, two low production Y Code items. Note that this car as restored got rocker panel trim which was GTO spec but also 455 metal call outs which as far as we can tell, wasn't available. My car has them and so does one other hardtop. The owner of the hardtop swears it came that way new. Normally a Y Code GTO would get quarter panel callouts of "455 CID" only. This is something we are still researching so I can't say with 100 percent certainty this wasn't factory. We will return soon with another cool entry of interest.

*Article 2023 patrick smith, images from phs media archives.