1973 Pontiac Lemans restoration - Build process
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- čas přidán 6. 09. 2024
- Some people have been asking to see the restoration process of the 1973 Pontiac Lemans that my siblings and I restored for our parents. The whole process took about 9 months from finding the car to giving it to them. All 5 kids were involved in the restoration. We went almost down to the frame and most of the car was replaced or restored to new, from wheels to headliner. We modernized the car a little with a 5.3L LS engine with electronic 4 speed auto transmission. It makes about 330hp now, a little better than the 180hp from factory!
Best part was the kiss when they got in.. thanks for sharing.
I had a fully loaded 73 Z28 for the first car I bought. If my daughter ever found it for me I would be over the moon.
P.S. That is a GREAT resto-mod and it's done right. Good job.
What a great thing you guys did for your parents! Your pops looked just like he did back in the day.. Maybe a few grey hairs later? Awesome job on the restore!
Perfection, You guys nailed it!
I had a 73 Luxury Lemans Black w White interior white full top, every option, miss that car everyday
Awesome!!
Damn, nice job
I miss mine.....
From someone who restores cars, ya`ll did an outstanding job on this an it`s done right...even an LS swap.... awesome. Color combo is my all time GM favorite. I know your dad is proud and what makes it even sweeter is ya`ll did it yourselves,.. congrats.
What I remember about this series of car (Cutlass, LeMans, Grand Prix & Monte Carlo) was the doors. They are huge and heavy!
Your Dad mentioned the gauges are different, what did he mean?
Beautiful car
I kinda miss seeing these kind of car's. Used to be everywhere.
Great job on resto, im doing a 73 Grand Am right now...your vid is very motivating!
Slick
I miss my 73 Lemans. Had the Sport coupe. I seem to remember that my front seats were higher and more tapers in the headrest area. I also didn't have the middle console and my shifter was on the steering column. Mine looked exactly like that though. Same color paint, interior, wheels, white top. Everything. Great job on this restore.
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Really love this, and the video of you giving the car to your parents. My first car was also a 1973, but the sport coupe edition. That car was very special to me, and I'd kill to find one. Strangely, they're more rare than the GTO. I can find GTO's all day long, but the 73 LeMans, specifically the sport coupe, is rare as hens teeth. Good on you guys for doing this for your parents. They're lucky to have kids like you.
Great job, I miss the old Pontiacs...
Great Job Guys, i had a 1973 Lemans Sport Coupe same color when you first got your dads , i bought the Hood , was going to make it a G.T.O. Clone . question does his Hood work? .
Man...all you guys did such an incredible job! So talented. It just amazes me how you did it, I wouldn't even know where to start. Great work. All of you.
Make it mint green like my lemans plz
HAD A BEAUTY MYSELF,,,'73 LUXURY LEMANS,,WINE COLORED,WHITE TOP AND INTERIOR,,,BUT I REALLY LOVE THE COLOR OF THIS HONEY,,,NICE JOB
The pictures at the end were the best part of the video
Just watched the reveal with your folks and followed the link here..awesome job on the restomod and a wonderful gift for your folks
Awesome job guys. You really brought back her luster.
I love these videos and that is one sweet looking ride. The early 70’s were a weird time for muscle cars. The cars still had the cool lines but their power was being robbed by government mandates to save fuel. I’m glad to see you gave that old beauty a much needed kick in the pants when it came to horsepower.
They were really nice riding cars, and A bodies like this Grand Am with the heavy duty suspensions and sway bar handled really very well -for being 4000 lbs. Drop on around 400 horses, and you have a damned respectable and very fun car to drive. I have a 74 Buick Gran Sport 455 -same frame similar body.
You guys did a great job. When i was a kid my older brother had a 63 chevy impala 327ci 300hp 4spd and it was that same color. To this day i still love that color. Anyway, i watched you guys give it to your parents and then this one. Cool videos.
So much work you guys did for your parents. As amazing as you guys are. Your parents must be even more amazing for you to do this. This was my first car too. Well I had a Grand Am, but it's the same car. And having driven in every generation of these. I feel this was the best. Maybe not quite the fastest ones. But best handling to comfort ratio by far. And they really show that old school GM quality. Love these cars. You made the right choice with the engine though. I bet that thing moves!
Andrew Balus Hey man, glad you liked what we did. The Lemans-Grand am of the 70s with a real time capsule. Give me a jingle if you're ever up in Saskatchewan, Canada. We will take you for rip.
SteveGuzer Yea man. Just thinking about how cool that car is, and the fun times I had in it, really brings me back. I bought mine from the original owner too. So I knew it's whole history. Keep it off grass though. That's what killed mine. The rust!
Thank you for the kind offer. Unfortunately I'm a recovering addict, and with my record that would never let me in your country. It's not really bad, but your government is strict about that sort of thing. Even a drunk driving charge keeps you out.
Enjoy that car. It's a truly fine machine. 😊
that's alot of work! fantastic job! 👍🏼
Wow that was a lot of work !!
You guys did am AWESOME job! That...is one beautiful auto!
This is one cool looking car man.
In high school a friend had a 73. Was a Grand Am. 455 - 4 speed. Had same hood.
Wow ! Just wonderful
Very nice! Drive and enjoy! I had a '72 Lemans Sport, with a '70 455, factory M-20 4 sp. 3:55 12 bolt posi. (Originally a 400 ci). Ran 13.9 @ 101 . Miss that car!
wow ! love what your family did for your folks
this takes me back to my first car , a 1974 Pontiac Grand Prix . Exact same colors interior and exterior , same wheels and BF Goodrich T/A 's ...love the LeMans tho too ..kinda reminds me of the Malibu Laguna S-3
thanks for sharing and making me smile , y'all did an awesome job
#goodtimes
Excellent!!
Great job the car looks great
Pretty darn good !!
I have a 73 pontiac lemans and I'm having some difficulty locating where the bucket seat tracks bolt into the floor. Do they go between the front braces?
Beautiful great work
You guys did an excellent job 😍
Nice build my mom had a lemans...
Why did you change the color?
Fantastic, great job folks!
Nice i have a 68 ready for body and paint what color is that i love it
It is a Pontiac paint color names Porcelain Blue
@@SteveGuzer thank you
Nice work! Do you have a build thread anywhere? I’d love to hear more specifics on the LS swap. What gauges you used? Harness? Exhaust manifolds? Mounts? Did you keep the truck Intake and accessories? Any issues? What radiator did you use? Thanks!
I will PM you. I have answers to all your questions.
I cannot PM you for some reason, fire me a message and I'll give you info.
I can’t figure out how to PM you either! Am I doing something wrong? Does CZcams have a way to PM?
Awesome car. Too bad there isn't a model kit of this one. I would make it just like this if there were.
I would like to know where i can buy or someone can make a pairs of scoops for 1973 Pontiac GTO lemans goes on the hood.
good one...I subbed!!
Now take a look at the last car Elvis was driving and you'll see this car. It's the chassis they built his Stutz Blackhawk from at Pinin Farina.
Great channel ! Nice video :) Happy to have become a fan, keep up with the videos
BTW I have a 1973 gto sports coupe 3 speed 400 cdi 12bolt rearend car in my back yard :P
me too , ( Had ),,ed
LSx Swap FTW!
BadAssEngineering its a 5.3 LS not a LSx
All GM V8s from 1998 onwards are LS Based engines, all of them are LSx engines, up until before the new LT Gen Vs
Beautiful car Steve. You and siblings should be commended for the fine job you did. Question? I have a 74 and want to put gauges in. What gauges did you use?
Got luxury grills in a sports coupe, love the car tho I had 2
What color is that ?
Gary Kboy it’s a Pontiac colour called Porcelain Blue
I bought a new 1975 Grand lemans sport coupe. Bimini blue half white top 350 2 barrel .
Hey Nathan awesome video! Is this the original car that was his?
Unfortunately not, the original one rusted out and went to the wrecker sometime in the early 90s. However, this one was built during the same month in 1973 and at the same factory. It may have even been on the assembly line right next to the original. There aren't too many differences after we were done with the restoration. I think they even thought it was the same car for the first drive!
Man Dad had a 73 Le Mans it was green on green with a 350 ci with turbo 400 trans he also had a 75 Lemans GT with a 400 ci it was red exterior with White Interior
A shame Pontiac didn't install any SD motors in the Lemans body. My siblings and I would have built a '1 of 1' 1973 Judge with a SD spec motor as that would be the car dad really wanted LOL!!!
Since the hood is off a GTO, did you check the vin to see if it was one? My parents had one new in 73, same color as your finished car and had the hood replaced in 75(due to rust) with a GTO hood
where did you find the replacement seat covers or did you have an upholstery shop make them?
John RT We recovered them, but there are several places online that sell the skins as well.
Is that the Original Pontiac " Regatta Blue " ?,,ed
how difficult was it putting in that 5.3? I have '70 Catalina with the 6.6 in it but I've been considering putting in a newer ls like this. worth it?
Absolutely worth it. They make conversion plates that will bolt straight up to the LS block and original clam shell engine mounts in your car. The biggest hurdle we had with fitment was the passenger side exhaust manifold. I believe at 98/99 Camaro manifold was the ONLY one that would clear both the frame and firewall. I would have paid $1000 to know that at the time. We tried so many LS manifolds. I still have about 5 in the garage. You can also strip out a stock wiring harness, but we used one that was specifically build for LS swaps, also a time saver. There's no beating a worry free fuel injected car to just get in and go. Let me know if you have any questions if you choose to move forward with the swap.