"Cart Before the Horse Project" '79 LeMans

[Brother Al]

Hello All, been quite awhile since I've been on here.. some of you may remember my contributions in the parts interchange thread.

Anyway, Ive got a line on a '79 LeMans.. I'm partial to the LeMans because its a Poncho. 8)

The LeMans is a 301, both plain-Jane with almost zero options... but has fairly low mileage and isn't beat/rotted to hell...

I will post more when/if it comes to pass.

 

[85GPLef41]

Re: Close to Gettin back into the A/Gs w/a 78 'Bu or 79 LeMa

get both, sell me the one you don't want... I have been looking for a clean Bu for a grip but for the rarity i'm willing to go with a Lemans.... Does the the poncho have the aluminum core support? I would build all Pontiac for the lemans and either Big block or big nasty ls swap for the Bu 8)

 

[Brother Al]

Re: Close to Gettin back into the A/Gs w/a 78 'Bu or 79 LeMa

Dunno Yet.. haven't actually given the LeMans the "tour", but I doubt she has it... either way, Im going to look her over Sunday... the Malibu is clean, but base and priced at 5K.. a little steep, but then again.. not many unmolested/unrotted ones these days.

I'm not going into this for a full on beast build. More for a fun DD that I plan to "improve", cruise, and drive year-round, but very judiciously during the winter... that's what my truck is for. 8)

I have a number of goodies still in my parts pile for Ponchos... most all of my goodness is gone from my Monte/Malibu pile, including a fairly-rare '78-84 Tic-Toc-Tach gauge cluster I had... I still have a GP V8 Tach/Gage cluster, GP Bar, '78-80 Cowl to Rad Support bars, Pontiac Poverty dog dish caps, and a few other goodies plus a mountain of 3rd Gen parts that will fit nicely.

 

[xodruxo]

Re: Close to Gettin back into the A/Gs w/a 78 'Bu or 79 LeMa

Well lets not lay in the bed and ponder on it my friend lets get that mind made up and get the choice you made plastered all over this board... I need to see and read some new material buddy lol.

 

[Brother Al]

Re: Close to Gettin back into the A/Gs w/a 78 'Bu or 79 LeMa

LOL.... gotta decide which I want more and weigh the good vs bad... 8)

Went to look at the Lemans...
Wasnt driven for years, 60k is accurate, seemingly elderly owned then sat. Only option is seems to have is a V8, dual sport mirrors, & full pie hubcaps... manual everything/except trans, no AC, vinyl interior, one piece bench, 14's with full-pie hubcaps, car seems to be a Massachusetts original, with paperwork from Yarmouth, Mass, which explains the odd surface rust.

Of course there's the Good and the Bad:

GOOD:
301 in good shape
Dual sport mirrors
Floor above cat is solid
Body solid
Frame solid
Trunk solid
Interior not wasted or turning to dust...yet.
Tan interior
Price. 8)

BAD:
Grandies biffed the pass quarter slightly, knocked off the wheelwell moulding, and slightly dented the lip, but door and fender are ok.
Car sat in for many years in a garage with either a leaky roof or dirt floor.
Paint is failing in places.
Rot beginning at bottom of drivers door lip.
TH200 :eew:
Sign of an oil or trans leak on front of trans... pretty sure its oil, suspect oil from RMS being rejuv'd after sitting.
Mouse pissed on roof long ago and has a telltale spot where it ate paint.
Brakes are soft
Tires are 20 year old no name 14's but have some hints of dryrot, barely, & are semi hard... but seem drivable for now...
Brake lines, exhaust, and trans lines are pretty crusty.

 

[Brother Al]

Re: Close to Gettin back into the A/Gs w/a 79 LeMans

Well, I'm that much closer to buying the LeMans.

After trying to sort out a CT to Massachusetts Title issue, it will be a couple weeks, and then I "Should" be the owner of this old gal. The issue is that CT doesn't issue titles for vehicles over 20 or 25 years (forgot which because its older) and Massachusetts, like all states, did not issue titles prior to 1980 because vehicles essentially had a serial number type VIN. Federal law changed that and all later cars include the infamous "Check Digit" to verify the VIN... ALL Mass vehicles sold after 1979 required a title, new or old... so most vehicles eventually became titled, but there are plenty out there that were purchased prior to 1980 and were owned by only one person, so a Title was never created... often those people have passed away and the car is forgotten about, until it is "Found". This car is an example of this. It was originally a Massachusetts car, ended up in CT when the owner moved there, and was parked and forgotten in a barn for quite a few years.

In CT, so long as the VIN is clean and it is older than 20/25 years, all that is required is a legit Bill of Sale... My dilemma is that I am a Mass Resident and it was never registered in CT. The Mass RMV does not recognize a Bill of Sale from CT, and requires a title... either a CT Title or the last registered/original owner to file for a Mass Title...
Well, that isn't possible anymore because the owner is now deceased, so in this case, Mass requires a release from the Attorney of the Estate/ Family and Probate Courts... but it was in CT at that point. The current owner received a legit Bill of Sale prior to their passing, but never registered it because he is a CT Licensed car dealer and was looking to resell it... If I lived in CT, I'd be all set, but I don't....

Many would have given up at the first hint of a title issue, but I WONT give up on this one just yet... too nice and increasingly uncommon Tin Indian example to let die an undignified death at the hands of the scrap man. The solution is to have the current owner register her legally in CT, then sell her to me... problem solved. Its gonna cost a few extra bucks, but the car is very much worth it.

Stay Tuned!!!

 

[tdvick]

Re: Close to Gettin back into the A/Gs w/a 79 LeMans

Is the car brown and tan? I think I've seen it online. It looks like a solid car to start with and the price is really good. I like the base model cars. I really like the looks of the base Lemans wheel well moldings better than the grand moldings that mine has. Good luck! I hope the paperwork can get taken care of.

 

[Brother Al]

Re: Close to Gettin back into the A/Gs w/a 79 LeMans

So far so good. Its Copper-Bronze in color... one color, not the two-tone one.

 

[tdvick]

Re: Close to Gettin back into the A/Gs w/a 79 LeMans

Yes, brownish exterior with tan interior. Looks like a nice car.

 

[Brother Al]

Re: Close to Gettin back into the A/Gs w/a 79 LeMans

Sounds like her. She isn't as perfect as the pics indicate... but Thank You...

I've nicknamed this my "Cart Before the Horse Project" I still don't even own the car yet... but sure as hell have the cash, its waiting and burning the hell outta my leg
I'm just waiting for the owner to get things sorted out. Then she's being towed the roughly 100 miles to her new home... already ordered new stainless fuel and brake lines, a new Gas Tank, sourced a few other bits, and am in the process of securing a HD 200R4 and driveshaft. Another part on my list is a 301 4bbl intake... no way a Dual-Jet is going to suffice. Just bought a set of Black bucket seat inner seatbelts (Car has base interior w/ Black seat belts) , and am in the hunt for a set of Tan Viscount seats and center console w/ ducts and brackets... I may have to buy a different color, those consoles are getting scarce around here unfortunately. Used to be a lot more, but C4C and scrap prices skyrocketing killed a lot of good parts cars at most of the yards up here.

I would LOVE to find a factory defrost grid-equipped rear window, but those are practically unobtainium around here. Most Malibu's and LeMans' were inducted into the local circle track racing classes and wiped out long ago... again, this car will serve me as both a warmer weather DD and a fun cruising car... so she will be well taken car of and used. I have plans to do a semi-frame off, improve the frame and seal it up so it doesn't succumb to the ravages of rust like many have. I'm also thinking about a Ttop conversion... would be pretty cool, why GM didn't do it is anyone's guess... like a lot of things I guess. I have a large choice of rims for her in my stockpile... Minty-Mint 15" Rally II's, 15" GM Steelies with the "Correct" Pontiac Poverty caps, 16" '84-92 Trans Am Convex rims, 16" '87-92 Formula Rims, and a set of 16" Mid 90's Trans Am/Formula Twisted Spokes.
a few other bits I have for her from my 3rd/4th Gen F-Body stockpile...
- "XH" WS6/Iroc-Z steering box.
- WS6 36mm Hollow front sway bar.
- LTI rear disc brake set-up.

I am going to hunt for a good '80/'81 301 core, (all '80/81's used the beefier "T" turbo block)... a good "301 HO" would be awesome, but I doubt I'll ever see more than a few again.... I've even thought about a complete T301 swap... but that would only if I can find an intact one at a good price... (would be interesting for sure)... these motors are not the hand grenades urban legend makes them out to be... but they do require some "Love" and careful attention to detail.. something that the UAW and GM Bean-Counters robbed them of..
Another thing I am going to add is the CCC system and E4ME Q-Jet... I'll likely go with a Monte SS version because they seem to still be a lot more common in the wild these days than the Olds 442/HO 307 version... I did have an '87 Monte SS L69 ECM/Harness and Qjet once upon a time but sold it about 8 years ago... . I may still have a Prom somewhere from one...

But Again.. still don't have her....yet!