1966 Pontiac LeMans Convertible

Registration No: GFX 550D
Chassis No: 237676P252194
MOT: Exempt

• Subject to an extensive restoration and uprating that was completed in 2015
• Just c.2,000 miles covered since the completion
• Fitted with a 455 ci V8 engine and Turbo 400 automatic transmission

The mid-size Pontiac Tempest was described by one magazine as “a prototype of the American car of the Sixties” upon its launch in 1961, but even they could not have imagined just how significant it would become as the model which provided the platform for the revolutionary GTO of 1964 – considered by many to be the original muscle car. The LeMans badge first appeared in 1962 as a sports interior option for the Tempest with individual bucket seats, before becoming a separate model in its own right. Between 1964 and 1967, it shared the same 115in wheelbase as the Tempest and GTO and came with a 165bhp, 230ci straight-six as standard, with three V8 options up to 326ci and 285bhp.

One of 13,080 LeMans convertibles produced during the 1966 model year, ‘GFX 550D’ was imported into Britain by the vendor in 2015. The paint code ‘E’ indicates it was originally finished in Nightwatch Blue, but it has now assumed a delightfully sinister character having been repainted in black (believed to be a match for Pontiac’s own Starlight Black) and treated to a raft of renovations, modifications and upgrades just before it was imported.

While appearing outwardly standard save for the Chip Foose custom wheels, there’s a lot going on under the skin, starting with the 455ci Pontiac V8. This was a natural choice for the customiser, as it was the largest iteration of the 1955-81 Pontiac V8 range but uses the same block as the lesser engines. In period, the 455 engine produced 370bhp in its highest state of factory tune. While the output of this LeMans’s engine is not known, it has been tuned beyond factory specification with assorted Edelbrock accessories, so it ought to be considerable! The vendor adds: “The engine is virtually new; it was rebuilt by Robin from Auto Pontiac and has done only 1,500 miles, of which 1,000 miles was running-in.” It has been paired with GM’s famously smooth Turbo 400 automatic transmission, which in turn has received an aftermarket TCI ratchet shifter. Other custom touches include AutoMeter gauges, a back axle and driveshafts from Strange Engineering, Wilwood disc brakes and a modern Kenwood radio. The interior features an original air-conditioning system, although it is not presently working.

Sadly, the Pontiac was damaged in the nearside rear wing when a family member reversed another car into it, which caused the vendor to lose heart, and it has not been on the road since 2020. Some bodywork restoration and light recommissioning will be required, but it promises to be a guaranteed head-turner once finished in the thriving American and custom car scene. The current V5C is supplied.

For more information, please contact:
Paul Cheetham
paul.cheetham@handh.co.uk
07538 667452