Whats it worth??

[383Camino]

Hey. I found a 1979 Pontiac LeMans for sale here in Minnesota.
It has a Buick engine...did they come with those??
It has 3" dual exhaust ending it Trans Am splitters.
Recent repaint but it looks to be a decent job.
White half vinyl top and 14" honeycomb wheels.
What sort of money is this thing worth any ideas??
Thanks.

 

[78lemans]

All depends on what kind of shape it's in and how bad you want it! Make sure you check it for body AND frame rot. Especially check the kickup area of the frame from the rear axle back. Some Lemans/Malibus can look great from the outside but don't have enough solid frame left to hold the rear bumper up! I'd also be leery of any older car with a vinyl top, expecially in Minnesota! If she feels really 'crispy' at all under the vinyl, especially at the bottom edges of the top, I'd steer clear of it.

Yes, the '78-'79 Lemans could be had with two different V-6 (3.8) liter engines. One was the 229 cubic inch Chevy, and the other a 231 cubic inch buick.

Overall it sounds like a decent driver or possible project vehicle. If it runs and drives I'd say it's worth anywhere between $500 and $2000. The price really depends on geography though too. I know here in Michigan, pretty much any G-body, even a rotted-out crappy one, seems to have a $1,000 minimum price tag on it. I really lucked out getting my rust-free and running '78 Lemans for $500.

Either way, sounds like a neat car. Got any pictures to post? If you have any other questions about it, feel free to email me, as I have my '78. -Marc.

 

[383Camino]

Hey thanks for the info. I did indeed look at the rear frame rails; they look to be on their way out. My first El Camino (a true MN car!!) almost lost the bumper. It was ugly. Anyway, The Pontiac looks pretty good, but yeah you never know what is under that vinyl.

I guess I should have specified...it has a Buick V8. I didn't crawl inside to see what size it is. No headers, 2" pipes come off the manifolds and swell into 3" pipe. The crossmember is chopped for clearance for the drivers side pipe as well.

The rear end has the words 84 Monte 3.42 on it in yellow junkyard marker, so the guy must have been a hot rodder.

The price was $3250, now down to $2500, "nice car needs some finishing touches." That must be referring to the front sway bar in the back seat.

No pics yet, but maybe if I remember to grab the camera.

 

[clean8485]

I'm not 100% sure if the Buick engine was factory, but I know that GM did mix up engines from different divisions in different body styles during the '70s, so I suppose that the Buick engine COULD possibly be the original engine in the car.

 

[383Camino]

Well I went down to check out the car today. I did get a few pics, but I was informed the car is sold. Oh well. Like I really needed another vehicle.

 

[78lemans]

Just for future reference, a Buick V-6 would have been a factory engine, but not a V-8. The only V-8 engines the Lemans/Grand Lemans/Grand Am got were the Buick/Chevy 3.8 V-6s, the Pontiac 301, and the 267-350 Chevrolet 'corporate' small-blocks. I'm not sure if there may have been an optional Oldsmobile V-8 that year (I know the Trans-Am had optional Olds power) but there for sure weren't any Buick V-8s.
My dad worked at a small town Chevrolet dealership for 22 years and remembers the late seventies corporate engine program very well. Quite a few loyal Pontiac, Olds, and Buick buyers were more than a little peeved when they popped the hood of thier new car and found a 'brand X' engine under the hood. 403 Olds engines in Pontiacs, Buick V-6s in Oldsmobiles...........total confusion. Either way, somebody must have stuck an earlier Buick V-8 in it (a 455 might have made a cool cruiser). Oh well, I wouldn't feel too bad about losing that one....sounds like a good parts car and a bit on the pricey side at $2,500 if the framerails were almost toast.

 

[383Camino]

For sure. Thanks for all the info about the options. Thats alot of knowledge.

 

[grandamman]

Mostly 3.8 v-6's in the Lemans and Grand Lemans. The v-8 would have most likely been the 305 chebby if made in Canada and the 301 poncho if made in US,..........I think. Grand Ams were all 301's
That went for $2500 with rusted frame rails!!!!?
Sounds like a $500 car at most to me.

Heck, i'll deliver a 78 G/A to you for that much, esp if I get that 79 GTO LOL.

I'd like to see pictures of the one you just missed. I like looking at the different color/option packages.

 

[srercrcr]

The California Grand Ams had the Chevy 305 2 bbl, optional 4 bbl.

 

[grandamman]

you are correct, forgot about that.
Welcome, srercrcr, I recognize that handle

GrandAmMan
aka iowapub :lol: