The Big Three's Car of The Year that wasn't after all? Clue = A planned SD/455cui with 4 speed manual.

[Snagglefoot]

I have a copy of the 1973 Hi Performance Cars New Car Special issue; At one point Pontiac stated that the SD 455 would be available in the Grand Prix SJ, GTO and Trans Am.
Edit: I believe that the Grand Am was also going to get the SD 455.

I had a version of the Peterson Publishing 1972 version similar to that. I read it front to back many times.

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

I love the Mustangs which were converted into Cobras with a horn button and fuel filler cap.
Now I love a LeMans GTO even more!

GTO story, anyone?
Neighbors of a guy I knew got a "first year GTO". The guy said, "If ever you sell it, call me please".
Decades later, they did. It was essentially untouched when he got it.
There was engine paint on the plugs and original everything else, including the belts-one of which broke on a Christmas morning.
I gave him a very hard time over that one. He deserved it.
He parked this gem high up in a multi-storied municipal parking structure in Jersey City, NJ.
Ten or so months later when he went to look at the car....it was gone.
EZ come, EZ go.

Me too ..... the last several years I really have been admiring lots of Pontiac models I once ignored. Pontiac put out some Street Sweepers (fast machines) in their time.

 

[MCompact]

I still love the 1973 Grand Am; the Euro sedan vibe with an
American accent.

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

I still love the 1973 Grand Am; the Euro sedan vibe with an
American accent.

ONE. Yeah. Well ONLY one of my favorite Pontiacs...... 1976 CanAm LeMans Sport Coupe. One Year only.

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

I still love the 1973 Grand Am; the Euro sedan vibe with an
American accent.

I gotta look that one up. Not one I recall right now.......

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

I still love the 1973 Grand Am; the Euro sedan vibe with an
American accent.

Oh yeah. At the time a big change in all full sized vehicles. 1973 was the beginning of what was known as the American Smog Era vehicles.
Due to government regulations etc.... putting the pressure on the Big Three for moving to de-tuned and unleaded fuel compliant engines etc..... They are not lovingly (hated by many car collectors) known as colonnade vehicles. I like some of the models that came out then. Some really not so much.

 

[PontiacHO]

I recall a Car Craft Magazine article from way back where they transplanted a 454 Chevy big block into a Trans Am. One of the tip offs IIRC was that the dipstick was on the opposite side of the engine.

And the huge canted valve heads and valve covers…

 

[MCompact]

ONE. Yeah. Well ONLY one of my favorite Pontiacs...... 1976 CanAm LeMans Sport Coupe. One Year only. View attachment 254941

I like that one as well. As you noted, rare.

 

[loneryder]

I would have to take a close look at the car to believe it is a Goat vs a LeMans or Tempest. You can build a fake that is really hard to tell. A vin search could help; I believe the GTO became its own model in '66? Don't remember for sure. Great cars!

I know that guys would order a LeMans with the big motors and suspension options so they could disguise it for street racing. They wouldn’t even have carpet in them. Had a LeMans badge but was really a GTO in disguise.

 

[loneryder]

Oh yeah. At the time a big change in all full sized vehicles. 1973 was the beginning of what was known as the American Smog Era vehicles.
Due to government regulations etc.... putting the pressure on the Big Three for moving to de-tuned and unleaded fuel compliant engines etc..... They are not lovingly (hated by many car collectors) known as colonnade vehicles. I like some of the models that came out then. Some really not so much.

Remember those years very well. A 454 Vet in those days had a little over 200hp. They leaned those engines so much they would hesitate badly when you were trying to pull out in traffic. Living in NJ at the time I bought a new German Opel 4sp and it would hesitate so badly pulling out in traffic that it was dangerous. I found a mixture screw on the carb and enriched the mixture and it ran great. Every year when going through state smog inspection, I would pull off near the station, get my screwdriver out and lean out the carb to pass. They stuck a sniffer in your tailpipe in those days.

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

I like that one as well. As you noted, rare.

The Lemans Sport Coupe CanAm was one of the last classic cars I was really looking to get into for a good while. What I found was that folks finally figured out exactly how rare they are.... The Can Am turned into a one year only car when the special rear trunk lid (built in spoiler) mold was broken at the company Pontiac had making them and replacement costs for a new special mold were shot down by the Pontiac "suits."

So I found out any CanAm one can find that is NOT full of rust and in driver or better condition is in the $40,000 + much higher asking price range now. All the others I could find were basket cases. Yet those asking $15,000 to $25,000. So, that took CanAm off the possibility lists I always seem to have going at all times. I got out of the hobby in 2019 but really don't want that to be final. Still have hope I have at least one more to own in any condition.

It is crazy , lately this has become the story with just about everything automotive considered old, antique , collectable and even lots that are not. Many that are just old today. Nothing specials that no one cared for, ones that no one certainly ever considered special before. Many who have them in any shape now from survivor shape to driver shape, mint to even rust holding hands. Boom! The owner wants enough money from buyer to finance the building of a nice , expensive new house with. Really puts a hurt on a big part of the collector hobby.