Us enthusiasts say that Pontiac should have built them, but manual sales were tanking in cars of this type by then. When the downsized 78 GM intermediates came out, manual transmissions were offered with many engines. By 1979 they began to retrench because sales did not justify the development, testing & certification.
Of the '77 Can Am with a manual trans, somebody said "I want one" and scoured the GM parts bin to build one. Gotta respect that.
My 2019 daily driver is a manual. It is getting harder to find such a car today. I love them especially in traffic (go figure).
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67 Chevelle Malibu Sport Coupe, Oshawa-built 250 PG never disturbed.
In garage, 296 cid inline six & TH350...
Cam, Toronto.
I don't judge a man by how far he's fallen, but by how far back he bounces - Patton
You guys knew I wouldn't be able to resist posting on this one......
First off, I seriously doubt this is a real Can Am. It has the wrong dash - should be a Grand Am/Grand Prix style dash. The upper door panels are for a Grand Am or Grand LeMans, and the rear side panels are also incorrect. The "stripy" seat covers are not correct or even the right color of red. Looks pretty on the outside but it's waaaaay too much money for what it is.
There's another four speed "real" Can Am out there. I was pretty close with the guy who built it about ten years ago. He first did a full factory correct resto on a PHS documented Can Am with A/C, then he got bored and said "what if". He used all Pontiac OEM parts from various years (73-77). Factory four speed parts for a Colonnade like a Z-bar are pretty rare, and there's even a unique console insert thats specific to a four speed 73-74 Grand Am. The time and care it took for him to build it paid off (literally) when he sold it. A few pics of it:
-- Edited by Bob F on Friday 4th of September 2020 11:49:36 AM
I too noticed the dash and steering wheel and I 'd say door panels are from a Grand LeMans. These are peculiarities of the car.
The article discusses the original W72 and Turbo 400.
The details from the Hemmings listing are as follows:
Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan, 49512 Stock #: B3224 R VIN #: 2F37Z7P274352 Mileage: 62,179 Transmission: Manual Condition: Excellent Exterior: White Interior: Red
The VIN tells us the story, It's a LeMans Sport - F37 with engine code Z - W72, 6.6 T/A, plant of mfg. is P - Pontiac. The VIN tells us that it is from a Can Am as only a Can Am could have engine code Z in an F37 made in Pontiac.
-- Edited by 73SC on Friday 4th of September 2020 11:02:16 PM
What was the last year in which a 4 speed was available in the A body Pontiac? I have seen a 1973 Grand Am and a GTO, and a 1974 LeMans, with 4 speeds but nothing newer.
What was the last year in which a 4 speed was available in the A body Pontiac? I have seen a 1973 Grand Am and a GTO, and a 1974 LeMans, with 4 speeds but nothing newer.
This is a tricky question because A bodies are defined as follows:
19641981 GM A platform (RWD) - Chevelle, Malibu, Monte Carlo, Tempest, LeMans, GTO, Grand Am, Grand Prix, Cutlass, Skylark, Century and Regal
There was a 77 Cutless with a 5 speed and a small V8, Ive seen them for sale in the us for sure, maybe here too. A us guy I know dropped a 455 in his.
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63 Parisienne sport coupe (The Big GTO), black, maroon interior, 409 4 speed; former owner of a 59 El Camino, 63 Corvette SWC, 62 Chev Bel Air SC. 1963- Pontiac top selling car in Canada
Mahone Bay, NS Still not old enough to need an automatic
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