Vehicle Description
There's a reason you haven't seen a car like this 1969 Pontiac
Lemans convertible recently: most of them have been converted to
fake GTO clones. This one goes a different direction, preserving
its identity but filling it with GTO-grade performance and luxury
to create a Pontiac convertible that stands out in a very crowded
field.
It's wearing some high-gloss black paint today, but this Lemans was
originally Midnight Green, so it's easy to see why they decided to
go a different direction. Fortunately, the sheetmetal underneath is
in great condition and makes a great foundation for the black
paint, which leaves little to the imagination. The shape is
familiar and it will pass for a GTO in a lot of places, but that's
a good thing since the revised bodywork is one of Pontiac's better
designs of the muscle car era. They spent the time and effort to
get the sheetmetal into shape, so the car has good gaps, a proper
hood with small nostrils that whisper performance, and no dings or
ripples to detract from the overall impression. The big chrome
bumper that frames the front end shines up well and that appears to
be the original grille inside. Out back, you get familiar
rectangular taillights, as well as those cool Pontiac chevron side
marker lights. Oh, and check out how all the name badges and
emblems have been shaved, leaving the car's identity a bit of a
mystery.
The black interior gets everything right, from new reproduction
seat covers to fresh carpets to the ice cold A/C. Buckets and a
console certainly help to further disguise the Lemans, and with
woodgrained appliques on the dash and console, it feels rather
upscale when you're behind the wheel. And speaking of the wheel,
it's hanging on a tilt column, which makes this car easy to drive
for just about anyone. The factory AM/FM radio is still fully
operational, which is nice, but if you're cruising this summer,
perhaps an upgrade would be in order (a smart owner would hide it
in the glove box). The top is a beautiful canvas piece rather than
the usual pinpoint vinyl and includes a crystal clear rear window
and a new vinyl boot. There's also a correctly trimmed trunk with a
full-sized spare tire and jack assembly.
It's not original, but nobody's going to object to a built 400
cubic inch Pontiac V8 living under the hood of a car like this. It
certainly looks correct wearing Pontiac Turquoise paint and chrome
valve covers and air cleaner, further blurring the lines between
Lemans and GTO. An HEI ignition system adds reliability and it's
got power steering and brakes to make it easy to handle. In fact,
the brakes are 4-wheel discs which make a noticeable difference,
and there's a fresh Flowmaster exhaust system under there as well.
The transmission is a robust TH400 3-speed automatic that doesn't
even blink at the 400's torque and the undercarriage is extremely
clean in every way that matters. The ride height is about stock, so
it sits right, and those big 17-inch Rally II replicas give it the
right look with modern 225/50/17 front and 255/50/17 rear Nitto
performance radials.
Looks, performance, comfort, and a discount price relative to a GTO
make this Lemans a real winner. Call today!