[se428bandit]

Very nice '72 lemans,does he have the PHS on the car.I notice it has sport mirrors,does it have "N" for the engine code in the VIN.You might have a Lemans GT.

[trailwing]

I don't understand why these threads sometimes start at the beginning and sometimes start at the end... depending on whether I'm logged in or not.

Anyway... look what I found in my pickup over the weekend. Hopefully the block will check out good. It has a standard bore.

[trailwing]

Originally Posted by se428bandit

Very nice '72 lemans,does he have the PHS on the car.I notice it has sport mirrors,does it have "N" for the engine code in the VIN.You might have a Lemans GT.

He's got some original paperwork that the car came with...

[ponchjoe]

Would that be a 455 by chance??????

[trailwing]

Originally Posted by ponchjoe

Would that be a 455 by chance??????

Yes. Lots of corrosion but I think the block will be alright (assuming no cracks or anything). I dropped it off at a local engine shop this evening for them to check out while I'm traveling.

[OVERULD]

Wow...and double WOW! Where did you find that complete 455 with the "unobtainium" H.O. AC bracket???? Is this a WC, WL or YE block? What are the numbers on the carb? And it's go the idle cut off solenoid too! Is it missing the cast iron crossover? Looks like it has the passenger side ram air breather snorkle bracket too.

BJ

[Lloyd-TX]

Originally Posted by OVERULD

Wow...and double WOW! Where did you find that complete 455 with the "unobtainium" H.O. AC bracket???? Is this a WC, WL or YE block? What are the numbers on the carb? And it's go the idle cut off solenoid too! Is it missing the cast iron crossover? Looks like it has the passenger side ram air breather snorkle bracket too.

BJ

BJ - I don't mean to "rain on your parade", but that's NOT an HO A/C bracket . . .

EDIT: If that is the OEM engine color, that would appear to be a '75 or '76 455.

[OVERULD]

Originally Posted by Lloyd-TX

BJ - I don't mean to "rain on your parade", but that's NOT an HO A/C bracket . . .

EDIT: If that is the OEM engine color, that would appear to be a '75 or '76 455.

Well Lloyd, you have rained on my parade...dang-it! O.K., it sure looks like an HO bracket with the contoured curve following the rocker cover...and the angle of the photo is bad...and it's hot down here today and I guess my brain just isn't working right...but O.K., upon further review, the call on the field is "OVERULD" (sorry, just couldn't resist that ) But hey, at least it is a 455! That will wake up this sweet LeMans very nicely.

BJ

[trailwing]

Purty sure it's just a piece of junk '76 455.

[Lloyd-TX]

Originally Posted by trailwing

Purty sure it's just a piece of junk '76 455.

Not a piece of junk at all.

Unlike the mid-70's 400's, the 455 block and crank were just fine through 1976 (the final year for the 455 Pontiac).

The only real issue with the 455's is the HUGE combustion chamber volume in the cylinder heads, and that's easily rectified with a pair of 6X-4 heads or the like.

[trailwing]

[trailwing]

I got out to a good start, leaving Murphy, NC and drove through to Little Rock, AR. I took US 64 across Tennessee isntead of droning on the interstate and it was much more relaxing. It was also hot. I tried running the A/C (that my buddy and some Natural Light worked on the night before) but isn't super cold and seems to draw about 10 HP from the engine.

Ocoee Gorge



Arkansas

[UPC-WU2]

Love it.

[trailwing]

I've traveled across Oklahoma many times and always wondered, "If I died and went to hell while driving through Oklahoma, how would I know?"

At any rate, my success avoiding interstates on Day 1 prompted me to avoid interstates again. I left Little Rock and found some routes that meandered down to Mena, AR where I intended to cruise along the Talimena Parkway. This is a beautiful and quiet little road that travels from Mena, AR to Talihini, OK. Its very peaceful and even has several gravel side rodes if you're the adventure rider type.

A nice little valley between Magazine mountain and those other mountains to the south.



An old fire tower along the top of the parkway.



OK... I don't hate all of OK. Just most of it. And it friggen rained on me again... In OK. At least the wind wasn't blowing sideways across the whole state this time.

[UPC-WU2]

Keep the updates and pics coming. This makes me seriously want to take another road trip.

[trailwing]

I've always loved New Mexico and headed in that direction. Although the weather in Oklahoma was nasty (surprise), it quickly cleared up as I neared Texas and I cruised along I-40 at approximately 65 mph for quite some time. I'm still babying this old engine until I get it home and I ended up getting about 18 mpg. Doesn't seem too bad.

If you're you're bored, exit I-40 at Tucumcari and drive up to Las Vegas. Your GPS will fight you the whole way but keep telling her that you don't give a crap about the interstate. In Sept/Oct, you will probably see big, hairy Tirantulas migrating across the roadway. After Las Vegas, I love the drive up through Mora and into Toas. Its super green this year and is the Colorado that the yuppies don't know about.

The tilting thingy in Texas



Climbing out from Tucumcari. I'm convinved that this town was the inspiration for the Cars, "Radiator Springs". They have a TeePee building and an old Tomater looking truck outside of an antique store.



I fear no evil or long stretches of desert in a barely driven 38 year old car.





Just outside Taos

[Old Goat 67]

I love this.

They were made to drive!

[OVERULD]

Originally Posted by Old Goat 67

I love this.

They were made to drive!

Ditto! Awesome photography as well - keep it coming.

BJ

[andrewT]

dang what a nice car!!!

[6 Grrrs]

Sweet trip & thanks for keeping us in the loop.