[SpartanMSU]

What stripe is this, exactly?

I know there were 2 stripes available in 1972. One was the sabre stripe, as I call it, and it was on the GT. Was it also available on a regular Lemans sans GT script?

And the louvered stripe on the GTO . . . was it available on the Lemans as well? Thanks!

[SpartanMSU]

What stripe is this, exactly?

I know there were 2 stripes available in 1972. One was the sabre stripe, as I call it, and it was on the GT. Was it also available on a regular Lemans sans GT script?

And the louvered stripe on the GTO . . . was it available on the Lemans as well? Thanks!

[BN]

If you go down a couple topics to the one titled "would like some input on my 72" and scroll through the replies there are pictures of both stripes. I'm sure one of those guys can answer your question.

[SpartanMSU]

I've seen the pics. Hopefully one of those guys will see this thread.

['ol Pinion head]

The 3M reflective "sword style" stripes were designed to go on the non-endura nose LeMans. To put them on a '72 endura nose car, took trimming in the lwr stripe area where the top of the fender vent is. Some reflective stripes may have slipped through on endura nose '72 cars as evidenced in an early discussion by Forrest, Lloyd, & several other board contributers. Many others were added at the dealerships, early on, & by owners when the car was repainted.

Having searched out, bought, sold, & cut up quite a few '72 LeMans, LeMans GT's, & GTO's, have run across both GT cut-out front fender stripes & no GT cutout stripes on original paint '72 LeMans GT's. These cars were def LeMans GT's (350- HD 3spd, dual exhaust w/ splitters & GT decal on the deck lid) not regular '72 LeMans 2 door hardtops with the 30 dollar D98 stripe option or something someone had added decals to. Why the instance of no GT cut-out in the reflective fender stripe on a LeMans GTO??? My best conclusion... the correct color decal box was grabbed, & the asm worker simply put on what he/she had in hand.

The other style D98 body stripe used in '72 production is the "9-stripe" decal (some used to refer to it as the "sperm whale" stripe). This decal was not reflective & was designed for the endura nose cars & one should not (it may happen) be found on an original "chrome nose" '72 LeMans. Over the years, have run across this style stripe on literally hundreds of original '72 endura nose LeMans- LeMans GT's- GTO's. On partscars alone, have had half a dozen sets of '72 endura fenders with these stripes or reminants of these stripes in the door jambs. Yes they were used on normal endura nose LeMans.

Which stripe, one uses on their endura nose '72 A-body... there can be reason for discussion/argument. If the car is documented original paint/original stripe car, one would prob want to go back with what was on it originally. If one does not know what came on it originally, would prob be best to go with what color best suits the appearance of the car & does not appear garrish.

[SpartanMSU]

Wow, this is confusing!

So if a GT came with the T-41 nose, would it get the sperm whale stripe? I thought all GTs were supposed to get the sword stripe.

['ol Pinion head]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by SpartanMSU:
Wow, this is confusing!

So if a GT came with the T-41 nose, would it get the sperm whale stripe? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

It could & often did.
Have noted several original endura nose GT's with the "sperm whale" stripes & GT decals on the right rear of trunk lid. In reproducing the refective stripes & talking to hundreds of owners, many of them original owners, by far the largest response I've heard from '72 endura nose GT's owners (past/present) with the refective style stripes, has been on this board.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>I thought all GTs were supposed to get the sword stripe.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Best I can respond, is all "chrome nose" '72 LeMans GT's, were supposed to come with the reflective "sword" style stripes (have yet to see a "sperm whale" stripe on a "chrome nose" car). From chasing these cars & corresponding with original owners, some of the reflective stripe '72 LeMans GT's had GT cutouts in the front of the fender stripes, some did not. All '72 LeMans GT's would however have the GT decal on the rh corner of the deckid. When Spring arrives, & we are organizing, will take some pics of fenders & decklids I have at the warehouse, then use a friend's scanner & show previus 35mm pics of the cars they came off of back before I cut them up, or stripped them & sold the bodys as shells.

[BN]

Was just looking at 72 sales & accessory brochures and they say that: endura front end not available with GT package, What we are calling the GT stripe is part of the GT package or available as a seperate option, and the whale stripe is available on any lemans with the endura front end and is not part of GTO option. This being said though I don't think you can rule anything out. I grew up in Pontiac, Michigan in the 70's and 80's and most of my neighbors worked at PMD or some other part of GM. Many of them would make there own cars. I remember a 77 Can Am that one didn't like in white so he had his made in silver with T-tops (How rare would that be today) Another guy had a 72 plain, ugly lemans sitting on the side of his house equipped with an original duck tail spoiler that sat and rusted for years. I'm pretty sure both those cars were hauled to the junk yard/crusher.

[Phil from Canada]

I have a 1972 PHS documented Lemans HT Cpe. The car has the code 332 GT option and the code 602 endura otion. According to PHS documents the GT option code 332 comes with UPC 614. UPC 614 gives you rally stripes, dual exhaust side splitters and GT decal identification. No further description is given?

[Jack Peters]

Thought T-41 was the endura option. It was a requirement of the 455HO in '72 and optional on '71. It was optional on all other 2 dr's in '72 and 2 dr ht's in '71. OPH has parted many of these cars and probably has the best handle on them. Not at home so can't check other information.

JLP

[Phil from Canada]

T41 is the UPC code. 602 is also called a code. Both are the same item. On the build sheet col 60 item 2 (602) is the T41 endura option. Hope this helps