1971 Lemans, all numbers matching
Asked by 71LemansGirl Mar 21, 2008 at 03:50 AM about the 1971 Pontiac Le Mans
Question type: Car Customization
I purchased a 1971 Lemans. It is going through off frame restoration at the moment. My husband is a GM mechanic and he has had problems finding information at work about this car. I know its not a sport or T-37. The body shop has no information to be of any help. I want to get in touch with a collector or someone that knows what will and wont hurt the resale value of this car. I hate the original color (green inside and out), its an automatic I want the console instead of on the steering wheel columb, and the bench seats have to go. I was going to clone it but decided after not finding many Lemans to keep it that way. Would doing away with the vinyl top hurt the value? I have found guys that are GTO nuts, but no one knows much about the Lemans. Any and all suggestions welcome.
7 Answers
littlehorn answered 16 years ago
Any of those changes you are talking about are going to hurt the value of the vehicle. Switching from column to console shift, changing seats, removing vinyl top, any of that stuff is going to prevent this from being a "collector" vehicle, to being just another car that somebody screwed with.
agreed, at most go to a restro rod, but keep all original parts. but I would leave it the way it came
burlingtonboy answered 13 years ago
Your right about there not being to many out there! I have a red 71 lemans with white leather interior. It has the bench seat and colum shift with a 350. Everyone I have spoken with tells me to keep it as original as possible for resale value, that means keepin the bench seat! You should repaint to a colour you love, then rehapolster the seats to a complimentary colour. Makes a huge difference to the appearance, and is not to hard on the wallet!
Everyone will have differing opinions on this, but I think you should change the car however you want. Why drive a car with a color combo you hate? Every time you drive it, you'll be regretting the green on green. A LeMans is a nice car, but not so valuable that you need to worry about it's value dropping because it's no longer original. What's more critical is the quality of the work you do. If the buckets/console conversion is done to look exactly factory, it'll be just as valuable, if not moreso than the column shift. People like good colors and good options. A green on green bench seat car will bring less than a better color combo with buckets and a console. Absolute originality is a bigger factor with a GTO.
you can send $65.00 to Pontiac Historical Service & they will send you a packet full of info for your car,like what options it was originally ordered with ,trim, drivetrain, everything & more.here's the address phs-online.com
i also have a lemans that i totally rebuilt with a big engine & from an automatic to a 4 speed its like a gto clone only i have all the lemans emblems on it. i have tons of resources for parts & info when it comes to these cars. lemans are usually worth more when there hopped up. doesn't have to cost a fortune, engine dress up kit a set of nice wheels & paint it what ever you like ,you're not gonna lose on it.
I have a 1970 Lemans, looks like the guy pulled the vinyl top off but that just prevents under rust so it's a good thing to me but I'm not about total originals, I want my car my way but still the quality original products in most places. My has the bigger rear tires with old school Chrome Cragar SS's new leather-ish interior, the guy before me had a new console built with small white up to date gauges, gorgeous deep Penn State blue paint job, chrome bumpers the rest is just old school hot rod looking. Only 1 Pontiac emblem on the front Bug grill. I bought it that way, got flow master headers, AC, power steering, upgraded to old school Edelbrock high rise intake, Petronix, dist, wires, 8mm plugs, 4bbl Edelbrock carb, already had the matching chrome valve covers and air filter. Basically she's tough she looks great to me and that's all that matters. Bad azz stereo 1st thing I installed.
