Only 10K Miles? 1971 Pontiac LeMans
Finding a non-muscle car version of a muscle car, such as this 1971 Pontiac LeMans, as opposed to a GTO, is always a welcome find in my book. They are often overlooked though some, such as the ’68-’72 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu, have shown surprising price resiliency and popularity growth. Will that be true for this very similar Pontiac LeMans? Probably would be my guess – and this LeMans has an interesting feature to add to its draw, more on that later. Located in Tucson, Arizona, this garage find is available, here on Facebook Marketplace for $20,000. Thanks to Scott Z for this tip!
This LeMans sounds like a one-family car as the seller states that it belonged to his uncle and prior to that, it was in the possession of his grandmother. There is a claim of only 10K miles of use (10,000 miles. Really – according to the seller) but further inspection leads me to believe 110K miles is probably truer. The finish looks like code 51 Golden Red Yellow though the dust provides enough obscurants that it’s tough to tell for certain. There’s some overspray on the driver’s side hood hinge so some amount of respraying has occurred. It’s mentioned that grandmother actually ordered this car so the color would have been deliberately selected. We are also told, “Car is complete, very little rust if any at all…car is in good shape… Scrape on the rear quarter panel“. The seller states that he’s going to get the garage cleared out to allow access for better pictures.
Powering this Pontiac is a 250-gross HP, 350 CI V8 engine connected to a heavy-duty three-speed manual transmission, and it’s a floor shift version, not a three-on-the-tree variety. We’re getting the old, “Was running when parked” line but who knows how long ago that was, it’s not stated. Visually, the engine compartment looks like it has seen more than 10K miles of use.
The interior shows well, dusty of course, but being garaged for some length of time will help with the cause. The two-tone cloth and vinyl upholstery, as well as the door panels, still show well but that badly discolored dash pad has a Grand Canyon sized crack in it just above the glovebox. There also appears to be a carpeted dash topper that likely was in place to obscure the crack. Perhaps the damage was caused by outside exposure before garage time set in.
These were popular cars. The standard LeMans two-door hardtop attained almost 41K copies of output but those with a manual transmission, according to the Automobile Catalogue, reached only a paltry 1,231 units – that’s fairly rare. And it is an interesting find with its original family connection, ordered by a woman who eschewed frills like an automatic transmission, A/C, power brakes, and full wheel covers. I don’t want to totally discount the mileage claim but some documentation would go a long way toward verification. As for that price…I don’t know, GTO creep?
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Comments
Looks like it was a three on the tree check out steering column
There does seem to be a pivot point for a shift lever on the column like you say.
If Grandmas car is so great, why doesn’t someone in the family love it? 10K miles, ahh, nooo. Why do people keep trying to scam others, do they no worry about eternal damnation?
This car is clearly a 3 speed manual on the column trans car. You can see where the shift lever has been removed on the column. Someone added the floor shifter as a aftermarket modification. Still a interesting vehicle. However, all one has to do is to enlarge the interior picture of the steering column to see the missing shift lever.
Came from the factory with a column shift.Still has the couple on the steering column.Floor shift added much later.
I’m at the age where I can see that “…garage time set in.”
Not a $20K car. More like $4,000 as a body parts car for a rusty GTO… if you can prove the 350 runs.
And the 10,000 miles? Yeah, no.
Correction: more like a $2,000 car. No options and only a few body parts you can use on a real GTO.
Ordered “from the factory” for his grandma with 3-on-the-tree and without power steering or air conditioning? Was grandma a retired dockworker?
At least it does have grandma colors.
My mom is 5ft nothin and drove us all around in a 66 country sedan with no power steering . I guess I’m sayin it can be done. The world has gone soft. Haha
Thanks Jerry! Lmao retired dock worker grandma! Love it
Granny had no problem with PS on a 70 Maverick Grabber.
It’s not the issue people think it is.
My Valiant only requires extra effort in tight, low speed operations.
No power brakes either. Looks like “grandma” redid the door panels in her quilting class, too!
$2000 ?!? ahhh yeah, NO .
How old are you ?,
2000 for this exceptional specimen, regardless if it has 300,000 is just ignorant or stupid or both.
One can’t buy a used Kia for 2000,. .
seriously guys
sigh
My first car, at 17, was a ’68 Lemans with a 350 4brl and a 3 speed floor Hurst shifter. I never knew if it was original or a transplant. I didn’t take care of it. After a few months it got towed for scrap. Still regret that 50 years later.
Have no access to “here on Facebook Marketplace”….why? What marketplace is it?
Another lazy seller who wants top buck for a filthy car. Hagerty shows 17K for an “excellent” example (with a 400).
This questionably-engineered sad looking car has a long way to go to make twenty grand.
That cracked dash and bastardized interior looks more like 210,000 miles.
This car is worth some $$. Easy over $10k value to the buying public.
$20K?????
Crack IS whack….
That upholstery is not factory it appears. It’s nice and clean though.
http://oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA/Pontiac/1970%20Pontiac/1970_Pontiac_Full_Line_Prestige_Brochure/1970%20Pontiac%20Prestige%20Brochure-39-40.html
From the brochure: “For a car like Lemans, only all Morrokide upholstery will do.”
It’s a nice straight car, though. But seems overpriced.
You referenced the ’70 brochure, this car is a ’71. The ’71 brochure states, “Your choice of all-vinyl or cloth-and-vinyl”. Note the attached.
JO
With a used vehicle, mileage claims are pretty much irrelevant, condition is what you’re paying for…
I guess grandma liked performance – 4 on the floor and aftermarket gauges.
This ad had me laughing so hard my eyes watered!
So what is the actual asking price? I am interested. I just do not want to kill myself on cost now and cost and labor later.
Run! Very fast in the other direction.
Worth well more that $2,000.