Enjoy 5% OFF at VEVOR Canada! and Support Canadian Poncho at the Same Time!
Members Login
Username 
 
Password 
    Remember Me  
Canadian Poncho Homepage -> Canadian Poncho -> 1970 + Canadian Pontiac General Forum -> Top Performance Car of 1973 - Made in Oshawa
Post Info TOPIC: Top Performance Car of 1973 - Made in Oshawa
73SC


A Poncho Legend!

Status: Offline
Posts: 20154
Date:
Top Performance Car of 1973 - Made in Oshawa
Permalink  

I'm finding a lot of good stuff on other sites this week but few if any will know that the 1973 GTO was named Performance Car of the Year by Cars Magazine. A fellow Canadian set out to recreate the car in magazine test and a few on board know him. GTO was only built in Oshawa in 1970 and 1973. Anyway here is the information:

ImranGTO.jpg


73SDGTO-1.jpg

73SDGTO-2.jpg

73SDGTO-3.jpg

73SDGTO-4.jpg

73SDGTO-5.jpg

-- Edited by 73SC on Thursday 26th of March 2009 03:00:53 PM

__________________

Ray White, Toronto ON

1973 LeMans 454 "Astro-Jet"

Built March 9, 1973 - Oshawa ON

1993 Corvette Convertible LT 1

Built January 10, 1993 - Bowling Green Kentucky 

 
Astro Jet


Poncho Master!

Status: Offline
Posts: 2672
Date:
Permalink  

It sure would have been if they had actually built it with the SD-455...

__________________
Hillar

1970 LS4 (eventually an LS5) Laurentian 2dr hdtp
-and a bunch of other muscle cars...
Fall into savings UP TO C $50 OFF Shop now
Fall into savings UP TO C $50 OFF Shop now
73SC


A Poncho Legend!

Status: Offline
Posts: 20154
Date:
Permalink  

Sort of a funny honour - the car was never built.

__________________

Ray White, Toronto ON

1973 LeMans 454 "Astro-Jet"

Built March 9, 1973 - Oshawa ON

1993 Corvette Convertible LT 1

Built January 10, 1993 - Bowling Green Kentucky 

 
87 player bird


Poncho Master!

Status: Offline
Posts: 2050
Date:
Permalink  

Yeah, but what if?...

__________________
73SC


A Poncho Legend!

Status: Offline
Posts: 20154
Date:
Permalink  

87 player bird wrote:

Yeah, but what if?...


That's what the silver one is one of none!

 



__________________

Ray White, Toronto ON

1973 LeMans 454 "Astro-Jet"

Built March 9, 1973 - Oshawa ON

1993 Corvette Convertible LT 1

Built January 10, 1993 - Bowling Green Kentucky 

 
67HEAVEN


Poncho Master!

Status: Offline
Posts: 1560
Date:
Permalink  

73SC wrote:
.....................one of none!

 


 We can build it. We have the technology. wink



__________________



         www.67HEAVEN.com
Re-thinking the entire site design
73SC


A Poncho Legend!

Status: Offline
Posts: 20154
Date:
Permalink  

I actually even know where there is a 74 SD 455 sitting on an engine stand.

-- Edited by 73SC on Thursday 26th of March 2009 07:25:27 PM

__________________

Ray White, Toronto ON

1973 LeMans 454 "Astro-Jet"

Built March 9, 1973 - Oshawa ON

1993 Corvette Convertible LT 1

Built January 10, 1993 - Bowling Green Kentucky 

 
Fall into savings UP TO C $50 OFF Shop now
Fall into savings UP TO C $50 OFF Shop now
davelacourse


Poncho Master!

Status: Offline
Posts: 2249
Date:
Permalink  

73SC wrote:

Cars Magazine

73SDGTO-1.jpg

73SDGTO-2.jpg

73SDGTO-3.jpg

73SDGTO-4.jpg

73SDGTO-5.jpg


Please tell me what issue (month / year) and where did you get the article from?

TIA, Dave

P.S. Love those hood scoops!

 



-- Edited by davelacourse on Friday 27th of March 2009 08:46:50 AM

__________________

56Pontiac  1956 Pontiac Pathfinder 2dr sedan, 496 - dyno'd 545 hp, stick shift, 4.11 posi - Hot Rod

  1964 Acadian Beaumont SD convert, 283 - factory 195 hp, Powerglide, 3.08 10-bolt - Cruiser

  2012 US-built crew cab truck - Daily Driver and Boat Trailering
73SC


A Poncho Legend!

Status: Offline
Posts: 20154
Date:
Permalink  

It's April 1973 Dave !

IMG_2817.jpg



__________________

Ray White, Toronto ON

1973 LeMans 454 "Astro-Jet"

Built March 9, 1973 - Oshawa ON

1993 Corvette Convertible LT 1

Built January 10, 1993 - Bowling Green Kentucky 

 
Astro Jet


Poncho Master!

Status: Offline
Posts: 2672
Date:
Permalink  

I was looking at my 1973 Pontiac Dealer Showroom Album last night and interestingly, it shows that the SD-455 was to be available in all Firebird, Lemans (including the GTO and Grand Am) models, and get this, in the Grand Prix as well!  There is a supplement regarding drivetrain availability, and even though it is dated March 6, 1973, which is quite late in the model year, it still shows that the SD-455 was to be available in all of the above models.  I would have suspected that at that late date, the supplement would have indicated that SD-455 was only to be available in the Firebird, but that was clearly not the case.  Surely some people must have tried to order the SD-455 in models other than the Firebird before then, I wonder what explanation they got at the time as to why they had not received their vehicles yet?

__________________
Hillar

1970 LS4 (eventually an LS5) Laurentian 2dr hdtp
-and a bunch of other muscle cars...
davelacourse


Poncho Master!

Status: Offline
Posts: 2249
Date:
Permalink  

73SC wrote:


IMG_2817.jpg



 Whoa! Is that your car? Did you fab the scoops yourself? Way cool!

Dave



__________________

56Pontiac  1956 Pontiac Pathfinder 2dr sedan, 496 - dyno'd 545 hp, stick shift, 4.11 posi - Hot Rod

  1964 Acadian Beaumont SD convert, 283 - factory 195 hp, Powerglide, 3.08 10-bolt - Cruiser

  2012 US-built crew cab truck - Daily Driver and Boat Trailering
73SC


A Poncho Legend!

Status: Offline
Posts: 20154
Date:
Permalink  

Hillar, I have seen an internal Pontiac Motor Division memo dated March 17, 1973 as I reacall cancelling the SD-455 option, so it would seem that up until that time hopes were it could be certified. I knew it was slated for the cars mentioned, I've even seen discussion on other forums about factory prototype NASA/NACA hooded Grand Prixs. My owners manual makes mention of the solenoid operated hood scoops in the fuse box diagram.

__________________

Ray White, Toronto ON

1973 LeMans 454 "Astro-Jet"

Built March 9, 1973 - Oshawa ON

1993 Corvette Convertible LT 1

Built January 10, 1993 - Bowling Green Kentucky 

 
Fall into savings UP TO C $50 OFF Shop now
Fall into savings UP TO C $50 OFF Shop now
73SC


A Poncho Legend!

Status: Offline
Posts: 20154
Date:
Permalink  

davelacourse wrote:

 

 Whoa! Is that your car? Did you fab the scoops yourself? Way cool!

Dave


Yes it's mine. Those scoops and hood are legit, the hood was optional on the  LeMans line, in 1973 the GTO was an option on the LeMans line, not a model so anything you see on a GTO could be had on a Lemans.

I am posting a photo of a factory documented Lemans Safari with the special hood. Someone who thoroughly read the option sheet must have been the original purchaser of this one.

 SafariNASA.JPG



-- Edited by 73SC on Friday 27th of March 2009 11:17:31 AM

__________________

Ray White, Toronto ON

1973 LeMans 454 "Astro-Jet"

Built March 9, 1973 - Oshawa ON

1993 Corvette Convertible LT 1

Built January 10, 1993 - Bowling Green Kentucky 

 
Page 1 of 1  sorted by
 
Quick Reply

Please log in to post quick replies.
Canadian Poncho Homepage -> Canadian Poncho -> 1970 + Canadian Pontiac General Forum -> Top Performance Car of 1973 - Made in Oshawa
Tweet this page Post to Digg Post to Del.icio.us
.
Support Canadian Poncho!
Select Amount:
<
.
.
.