It’s generally accepted among muscle car fans that the GTO was the snazziest of the Pontiac intermediates, but in terms of “bang for your buck,” perhaps no appearance package in automotive history topped the “Endura styling package” available on the 1972 LeMans. This Sundance Orange LeMans Sport Convertible recently sold on Bring a Trailer for $10,750, and its option load might make it a one-of-a-kind.
The GTO nose was available as the aforementioned “Endura styling package,” which included the GTO’s scooped hood, “front fender air extractors,” and Pontiac’s Endura front bumper/grille, all for the shockingly reasonable price of $41 retail.
When you compare it to the standard nose, it makes you wonder why every single LeMans didn’t have this option; aesthetical sensibilities are by nature personal, but from a 2026 perspective, I have to imagine that anyone comparing the two would prefer the Endura. However, in 1972, trends had changed. The GTO was demoted to an option package on the LeMans (as it was in the beginning). Buyers were defecting to personal luxury cars, so the standard nose most likely reflected buyers’ changing tastes.
Bring a Trailer decoded the Fisher Body tag of this LeMans Sport Convertible, and aside from the black convertible top, it looks much as it would have when it rolled of the line in Pontiac, Michigan, back in March of 1972. The LeMans Sport already came with bucket seats, and the convertible body already ensured that this would be a sporty ride, but this example seemed to be purchased by someone with a certain amount of money to spend who knew exactly what they wanted.
This is a document from Pontiac Historical Services, which shows us the option load of this bright orange LeMans. The car has the first step-up engine option from the base six, the 160-horsepower 350 two-barrel with single exhaust. It originally had the “HD” three-speed (it’s been converted to a four-speed…too bad), which came with cars that had a floor shifter (this car also has the optional console). By 1972, that transmission would have been a Muncie, but many CC readers probably know that General Motors bought three-speeds from Ford for several years to bolt behind their stronger engines. However, that practice ended right around 1970, when Muncie introduced their own three-speed.
Notice that the car originally came with full wheel covers and whitewall tires, so somebody has swapped in the base hubcaps (not a bad look, actually). But aside from those options, the only thing worth mentioning is the Rally gauge cluster, which replaced the warning lights with actual gauges. This focused attack resulted in a great-looking convertible for just over $3,000 $3,800. Smart shopping.
There’s no way that the 350 two-barrel was going to make muscle car noises or push the driver back in the seat, but insurance would have been reasonable, and almost certainly, the original owner would likely have stepped up to a 400 if they could have afforded it. You don’t get a stick-shift convertible if you don’t have dreams of grandeur.
Besides, there’s nothing wrong with a Pontiac 350; they had plenty of tire-spinning, effortless torque, and they had the same basic mechanical reliability of any Pontiac V8. Notice that the original owner forewent power steering or power brakes, and the brakes were still the inadequate 9.5″ four-wheel drums that GM intermediates had used since 1964.
The PHS documents also tell us more about the engine specifications, and there’s something that should stand out to the mechanically inclined—the carburetion. Every Pontiac engine in 1972 used a Rochester carburetor except one, the 350 two-barrel with a manual transmission. For whatever reason, that engine uses a Carter WGD carburetor, a completely different animal from a Rochester 2G. There are no pictures of our orange LeMans with the air cleaner removed, but we’ll have to assume it’s still being fed by the Carter.
The LeMans still has its ivory interior, but the front console was lost along the way at some point over the last 54 years, probably when the four-speed was installed. The car itself is a 20-footer, and it’s also missing its radio, but to anyone interested in restoring a LeMans Sport, it seems like a really good start. The lack of obvious rust belies its Minnesota roots.
And it must have been quite a coup for its original owner; after all, it would have been hard to spec-out a better-looking convertible for the price back in 1972. It was just sporty enough that you could pretend it was a budget muscle car, and it would have turned heads everywhere. It probably still will.
Related Reading
1972 Pontiac Luxury LeMans: The Rise And Fall Of The Midsize Four-Door Hardtop (by Aaron Severson)
Cohort Vintage Snapshot: 1972 Pontiac Luxury LeMans – Brougham Suit (by Rich Baron)
Curbside Classic: 1972 Pontiac Luxury LeMans – Racing Stripes And A Vinyl Roof (by Eric703)
This car reaffirms my opinion that Pontiac was the least attractive of the 1970-72 GM A body cars. There is just so much going on with it (a rarity by that time). And you mention a lack of obvious rust, but that driver side rear quarter panel has what looks to me like the waviness of sub-par bodywork which almost has to have involved some rust repair.
You refer to the Muncie transmissions, and that “Muncie” introduced a 3 speed. It was my understanding that there was no actual GM entity called Muncie, but that it was a Chevrolet transmission plant that was located in Muncie, Indiana. When it was operating (and even now), locals just called the plant “Chevy”.
I sometimes forget that my idea of “rust” involves holes in the undercarriage…I just assume that any car up here has had some quarter work done, so I tend to ignore that. As I mentioned, it’s a project, but also my standards for old cars are probably lower than those of a lot of car people’s because I like beat-up cars for whatever reason.
Regarding the Muncie nomenclature, you’re right, but everyone calls the transmissions made at the plant Muncies (just like the lighter-duty transmissions are called “Saginaws”). I’ve never looked into the history of how the divisions bought manual transmissions, but there is no Muncie Division like there was a Rochester Division.
One of the main authors of another site has mentioned having his idea of what a “rusty car” is forcibly recalibrated after moving from Detroit to Los Angeles – and bringing a couple old cars with him! There was a Jeep pickup in particular which he parted with somewhat reluctantly, and considered in very reasonable shape, but locals thought of as a parts car.
I think the 70 GTO nose was attractive, the standard 70 Lemans(T37 et al) not so much, and the 71-72s yeah are a bit busy across the board for my liking.
I wonder if the designers were cribbing the 68 Shelby Mustang nose when they penned this front end, it has all the same traits(lowered and protruding grille opening, wide flat hood scoops at the leading edge of the hood)?
That’s an interesting theory and I wonder if the 1971-72 Pontiac Endura front end had the same propensity of aerodynamic lift at high speeds that none other than Carroll Shelby, himself, had spoken about with the GT500. Evidently, while stylish and attractive, it was also quite dangerous.
That front end lift can be seen of McQueen’s Mustang in the famous ‘Bullitt’ chase scene in certain shots.
“The car itself is a 20-footer” what?
A “20-footer” is something that looks great from 20 feet away, but when you get up close, you see the flaws.
got it
That top is more like a 200-footer. 🙂
Yeah, I think replacing the top would be a top priority. After that, I’d probably get a set of original wheel covers and whitewalls for it. After THAT, I’d put in a new set of front springs, because it looks like someone was going for a mild rake, not a big deal, but if you’re going stock…
“This focused attack resulted in a great-looking convertible for just over $3,000”.
The sticker price was $3,868.60 – the $3,067.69 is dealer invoice.
Oh jeez, thanks for pointing that out. I can’t believe I missed that; I’ve amended the text.
As posted elsewhere on this site, here’s a Le Mans wagon with the Endura nose option. Screenshot from “The Taking of Pelham 123.”
My buddy had one, just like this one!
The interesting part about the 71-72 GTO nose is not a single piece of sheetmetal on the front clip including the fenders is shared with the Lemans, unlike all previous GTO noses, so I imagine with GTO sales dwindling and this generation coming to a close Pontiac was probably eager to get their money’s worth out of it and quietly attach it as an option to the standard cars.
I’d really like to see this in its original condition complete with wheel covers and the 3 speed, with the dog dishes and 4-speed with T handle you can sense the GTO envy injected in it from previous owner(s), rather than embracing what is truthfully a more interesting car than a real GTO.
Agreed. People put way too much stock in 4-speeds; with a mild engine like this one, the 3-speed would have been an ideal combination for actual driving too.
Should make a good “project” for someone with ability/time/ funds.
As much as I dabbled in Pontiacs, especially the A-bodies, I never knew that the 350 2 barrel used a Carter carburetor when equipped with a manual trans. Weird.
The standard 1971 and 1972 front clip doesn’t look out-and-out unattractive, but it never really appealed to me either. The endura treatment looks great.
Minor rant: While I know through the vicissitudes of classic car fandom, dog-dish ( or “poverty caps” ) seemed to fall into favor in some sort of reverse popularity, but at least they should be over body-colored wheels ( as they were in reality ). As seen on this car, even making allowances for the black wheels being dingy, the wheels just look awful, and completely dress down the vehicle to me. Perhaps it’s just an extension of today’s “all black wheels all the time” herd mentality of the past decade.
My 1971 Pontiac T-37 was the MOST attractive of the 1970-72 GM A body cars!
I was just about to bring up the T-37! It was a sleeper Goat optioned right. The boys on Roadkill had a couple of episodes finding one in a farm field and got it running. They took it all the way to New York City, and got all kinds of attention and thumbs up even in the beat up condition it was in!
Well at least the fellow who said this, “Basic shell and interior are ripe for a full restomod treatment to make an awesome cruiser!!”, didn’t get the car.
This isn’t important, but the text says the engine was 160 bhp while the Pontiac Historical Society document seems to indicate the 350s were 175 bhp regardless of which carb was installed?
Also, I’m surprised that Pontiac wouldn’t have offered a 4-barrel carb on the 350? Or was that just in the LeMans?
The 175-horsepower 350 had dual exhaust (which was an option). The 160-horsepower 350, which was otherwise the same, had single exhaust. I don’t know why the PHS documents don’t differentiate between the two, maybe because the specifications were the same aside from exhaust?
Regarding the 350’s having a two-barrel carburetor only, that was the case in 1972 for both the LeMans and Firebird, and the 350 wasn’t available in the big Pontiacs.
Thanks. I did not know you couldn’t even get the 350 in a Catalina! Funny, Olds and Buick had their 350s available in 88s and LeSabres.
I much prefer the standard front on these which is quite attractive, the Endura front to me is like one of those fish mouth late 50s Studebakers.
Just my opinion which matters not one bit.
I do love the idea of buying a more basic car and selecting particular options however.
I like this survivor and at $10K it’s reasonably prices for a fun hobby car .
-Nate
Looks like there may have been some (poor) “bodywork” around the rear wheel in the last pic. Wonder how much Bondo is on/in there.
I suppose one can get new sheetmetal for not too much money.