28k Mile: 1973 Pontiac Luxury LeMans
Today we are looking at this 1973 Pontiac Luxury LeMans that is for sale just south of Dayton, Ohio. Unfortunately, the seller chose to use pictures that are dated from 4 years ago and many of them that can be seen here on craigslist are blurry. He either can’t change the date stamp on his camera or used old blurry pictures. It is confusing regardless of the reason. The car is listed for sale for $9,500 and is said to have 28,235 miles and has been stored indoors for most of its existence. With its 112 inch wheelbase, this car is spacious and still sports its factory hub caps.
From everything that I can see the car looks to be a true survivor. The white vinyl top is striking against the Golden Olive exterior paint. The green cloth interior features a bench seat, column shifted automatic transmission and manual windows. Seeing this car reminds me of riding in my grandmother’s Pontiac Catalina back in the 1970s. The Pontiac LeMans came in several styles including the base LeMans, LeMans Sport, Luxury LeMans (noted by the rear wheel covers) and the GTO option.
The engine compartment looks clean and the factory engine paint looks correct for a 350 cubic inch V8. The standard 2 barrel version of this car produced 150 horsepower in 1973 although a 400 cubic inch V8 (230 horsepower) and a 455 cubic inch V8 (250 horsepower) were optional. This low mileage Luxury LeMans is said to be rust free and has been stored for most of its life which accounts for the low mileage.
I owned a green 1972 Luxury LeMans that was the prior body style but it had a 350 cubic inch V8 and 2 barrel. I put a 4 barrel on it and started collecting the correct GTO hood, fenders, and the front end parts to make a GTO clone but realized it was cheaper to just buy a real GTO so that is what I did and sold off the car and parts separately. So would you take this cream puff and drive it as a survivor or change out the hood, wheels, and tires and make it look like the GTO option for 1973?
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Comments
I would leave it alone and enjoy it.
I might swap on a set of PMD Rallye 2 wheels, but otherwise leave it as is and enjoy.
Personally I like the Chevy equivalent better and I’m no fan of the fender skirts either, but that’s a fantastic 70s hue! Shockingly well-preserved condition – good luck locating a better example
The problem here is regardless of the modifications or upgrades you might make, you would still be left with a 73 LeMans.
About the last time you could get a luxurious interior in a Colonnade coupe with the triangular quarter windows the cars were originally designed with. I did not like how later cars got an opera window in that fastback roof, leaing a huge blind spot. Not a fan of the louvered windows other Colonnade Pontiacs got, either–claustrophobia in the back seat. Not a fan of the skirts but I still like this car a lot.
I always wanted to tub one of these… those rear fenders and flat rear deck would look awesome from the rear with a ton of rubber. This one is way too nice to mess up, I would dress one up as a GTO with a strong 462 Pontiac up front.
A 462 um ok😂
Yup, 400 block, bored and stroked. Common Pontiac build. With an Indian Adventures aluminum block, up to 541 cubic inches. My 65 GTO currently has a 406″ RAlll, which is an .030 overbore 400 block.
There is more than one way to get to 462CI with a Pontiac engine but the most common is a 455 bored .030 over.
A Luxury LeMans in triple beige/pale yellow? complete w/ the fender skirts and Rallye II wheels was the first iteration of the colonade cars that I saw on the road. Initially, I wasn’t quite sure what to think of them, but I came to appreciate them later. :-)
Why is it that posters on Craigslist can’t make decent photos? Looks like they were taken through a coke bottle.
I think Honey combs are what that needs, but as is works ..
Cool car. Was the guy drunk when he took those photos?
Remove the fender skirts, only look good on lead sleds. And of course a 4 speed swap!
I’ve never been a fan of the mid-70s LeMans. Baroque styling details, a drooping tail, giant chrome log bumpers, tacked-on fender skirts, all heaped onto the already iffy colonnade body. It’s just a mess, as if the people who designed the front, middle, and rear never spoke to each other.
Buford T Justice.
To CCFisher, Thank you for articulating what I did not in my earlier post. Actually, when I saw this design debut way back when, after all the glorious GM designs from the late-60s, I thought I was looking at an ill concocted design of desperation; “Hey maybe they will go for this….”
Would love it, if it were a Grand Am in this color with a white interior. Even better with a NACA hood and a sunroof.
For folks that insist(?) on not using recent pictures…how about I pay you with a POST dated check?
With these Colonades A LOT depends on the colors as far as whether or not I am interested. This shade of green with that green interior? Sorry.
When I see this I am reminded of an early 50s Pontiac that one of my grandmother’s friends drove. It was a two tone blue with fender skirts and a straight 8 engine. In other words, this strikes me as a little old lady’s car.
Well boys, I’m the new owner. Proud of her she’s beautiful and smooth. Miles are real. Rebuilt the 2 bbl Rochester carb and she fires up with no issues. Gonna keep her stock…lots of looks and feels good! She’s gangster boys. Called her Mary Jane 🍀
Not a big fan.
Earlier Le Mans way nicer than Colonnade or Colostomy or whatever these are.
Even with such low miles I think this is over priced. Maybe 8 grand ?
Color sucks
Wow, it even has the luxurious PRNDSL, which is way more better than a regular ole PRNDL. And the PRND2L, that’s just rediculous.
Keep it original and drive it like it is. Show off —– to the young ones.
They cannot know what was back then,,,,
Cool car – priced right if the mileage is genuine…..thought these were pretty sexy when they came out in 1973….
Luxury LeMans had skirts. Regular LeMans did not. If you don’t like the skirts, buy a regular LeMans
Wasn’t the same car, wood on the doors, the mouldings the interior, the badging, my Luxury Lemans was gorgeous,but so were my Spokes and White walls, just looked better without them, it’s a personal taste I suppose, but no one missed them on my car
My favorite car of all time, my 73 Luxury Lemans, bought it when it was 4 yrs old in NY during the time that the streets were loaded w Monte Carlos and Grand Prix, mine was black, w a full white top , and white interior, loaded w Power windows, power locks, seats, everything, skirts were off, wheel opening moldings in place, Spokes and 1.5 inch whitewalls, guido mobile, we went to Spring Break in that car, FT Lauderdale, sold it for a stupid reason and been trying to find one since, this one is beautiful, but too much money, cause I’d need to source Power doors, most likely Grand Am, and the interior panels, for power windows they had a box over the the roller hole, that fit the switches,color change and interior, dying the dash and steering wheel, if he drops the price I’m interested
I have one in Omaha Nebraska for sale burgundy on burgundy all original 70k miles 10 G
Don’t know when he added it, but seller says that date stamp is wrong and that pics are recent.
I like that he says that is “shows 28,325 miles”, not trying to make any false claims. Looking at this car, it’s hard to argue that it has anything more than that. Looks really nice and probably the nicest one around.