1972 Pontiac LeMans
General Motors’ push to get into the compact market was spearheaded by Chevrolet with the Corvair Z-body in 1960. In 1961, Pontiac got their own compact with the Y-body, which they called Tempest. It shared similar tooling to the Corvair Z-body. Pontiac shared the Y-body with both Oldsmobile (F-85, Cutlass, Jetfire) and Buick (Special, Skylark), with some major differences. The base engine was a slant-4 called “Trophy 4”, which was actually a 389ci Pontiac V8 cut in half. Both engines were assembled on the same assembly line saving money and time. Its transmission was in the rear, to create a 4-wheel independent suspension, which resulted in a flat floor. This transaxle utilized Corvair swing axles and other Corvair components, and the Powerglide automatic used many Corvair Powerglide components. The driveshaft was a rubber composite inside of a torque tube, dubbed “rope drive”. It arced down from the engine to the transaxle and was the first and only GM product to utilize such a drive system. It was said to eliminate vibration, while accomplishing an ideal 50/50 weight distribution. Besides the Trophy 4, you could order a Tempest with a Buick 215ci aluminum V8, rated at 155hp or 215hp. These first-gen Tempests ran from 1961-1963, with the top-of-the-line model being the LeMans introduced late in the 1961 model year. It was the top trim package that included nicer interiors and bucket seats. In 1964 the Tempest was redesigned to share the intermediate A-body platform that saw shared use with other GM divisions, thus shedding its compact roots as well as the quirkier engine and driveline approaches. The LeMans remained the top Tempest option package, with a higher performance, more stripped down version called “GTO”. The idea of a smaller, more stripped down platform with the biggest engine you could stuff into it became a lightning rod for other divisions within GM, but also for Ford, Chrysler, and American Motors. In 1965 you could order a LeMans package on a four-door Tempest sedan for the first time. A major facelift in 1966 led to a completely new design in 1968, again sharing the GM A-body with other divisions. In 1970 the LeMans package was dropped down to a midline package, with the top package now called LeMans Sport. Minor styling and powertrain upgrades were the norm through 1972, when the Tempest name was dropped for LeMans.
For 1973 a new larger, corporate A-body eliminated hardtops in anticipation of federal roll-over safety mandates. The new “Colonnade” body featured a semi-fastback top that rolled into a sloping trunk. Only three bodies were available, a 4-door sedan, 2-door coupe, and station wagon. The Colonnade bodies ran from 1973-1977. The LeMans line was split into LeMans, LeMans Sport Coupe, and Luxury LeMans. In 1975 the Luxury LeMans became the Grand LeMans. The “Can Am” became the sporty LeMans option in 1977.
A major downsize occurred for 1978 on all GM A-bodies which besides the Pontiac LeMans included the Chevy Malibu, Buick Century and Regal, and Oldsmobile Cutlass. Body styles were limited to a 2-door hardtop, 4-door sedan, and station wagon, and exclusively for Chevy the El Camino. The Grand Am, introduced in 1973 but killed in 1976, returned in 1978. By 1982 Pontiac discontinued their full size Bonneville and Catalina offerings on the larger B-body and applied the Bonneville name to all A-body Pontiacs, eliminating the LeMans name.
1972 LeMans
The T-37 name for the former Tempest line was eliminated in 1971, replaced with “LeMans”. The GTO name remained. The base LeMans was the coupe sedan body, with the Luxury LeMans available as an upgrade in hardtop sedans and coupes. The LeMans Sport option applied to two-door hardtop and convertible bodies. The 1972 LeMans was virtually unchanged from the 1971 T-37/Tempest, except for minor trim and color changes. This was the last year for this version of the A-body Pontiac, with the new, larger “Colonnade” body debuting in 1973.
AVAILABLE MODELS:
1972 LeMans
- Body Style
- 2-Door Sport Coupe
- 2-Door Hardtop
- 2-Door Convertible
- 4-Door Sedan
- 4-Door Hardtop
- Engine Options
- 250-1bbl cubic inch Straight-6, 110hp
- 307-2bbl cubic inch V8, 130hp
- 350-2bbl cubic inch V8, 160hp
- 400-2bbl cubic inch V8, 180hp
- 400-4bbl cubic inch, 200hp
- 455-2bbl cubic inch, 190hp
- 455-4bbl cubic inch, 220hp
1972 Pontiac Tempest VIN Decoder:
First Character: GM Division
Second Character: Identifies Series
- D ~ LeMans
- G ~ LeMans Luxury
Third and Fourth Characters: Identifies Body Style
- 27 ~ 2-Dr Sport Coupe
- 37 ~ Hardtop Coupe
- 39 ~ 4-Dr Hardtop
- 67 ~ 2-Dr Convertible
- 69 ~ 4-Dr Sedan
Fifth Character: Identifies Engine
- D ~ 250 V6 1bbl
- F ~ 307 V8 2bbl
- M ~ 350 V8 2bbl
- N ~ 350 V8 2bbl
- P ~ 400 V8 2bbl
- R ~ 400 V8 2bbl
- S ~ 400 V8 4 bbl
- T ~ 400 V8 4bbl
- U ~ 455 V8 2bbl
- V ~ 455 V8 2bbl
- W ~ 455 V8 4bbl
- X ~ 455 V8 4bbl
- Y ~ 455 V8 4bbl
Sixth Character: Model Year
2 ~ 1972
Seventh Digit: Assembly Plant
- P ~ Pontiac, Michigan
- C ~ South Gate, California
- X ~ Kansas City, Kansas
- G ~ Framingham, Massachusetts
- D ~ Doraville, Georgia
- L ~ Van Nuys, California
- N ~ Norwood, Ohio
- W ~ Willow Run, Michigan
- Z ~ Fremont, California
- 2 ~ St. Therese, Quebec, Canada
Fifth through Tenth Characters: Basic Production Numbers
Sequential starting numbers for the 1972 LeMans.
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