While the fourth-generation Pontiac LeMans was largely forgettable, there were some variants that make it a more intriguing prospect as a restoration project. Take this 1974 model, which is the mid-tier Sport Coupe trim. It comes standard with a two-barrel 350 and is paired to the rare 3-speed manual transmission. The seller notes it is a stalled restoration project with good bones, and it’s definitely a rare bird with three pedals. Thanks to Barn Finds’s own Jamie for the find, which you can check out here on eBay where bidding is low.
Bidding is just under $700 and there’s no reserve, so this could be worth a look for a cheap project. The LeMans of 1974 got saddled with a bulbous 5 m.p.h. safety bumper on the rear to match the previous year’s front appendage. The body on this car looks largely sound, but the seller notes the presence of bondo and tin in the lower rear quarters. Overall, you’re starting with a project that’s mid-way through its initial tear down phase, as the interior is in pieces and the seller quickly reattached the bumpers, core support, and taillights.
The good news is the LeMans does start and run, and they have taken it around the block. The two-barrel is no powerhouse but the manual transmission should liven things up a bit (relatively speaking). There were a few engine options available far more compelling than this one, such as the four-barrel 400s and 455 motors. This is closer to the base model configuration, but finding a LeMans with one the hotter motors and a four-speed is likely a needle-in-a-haystack kind of search. The seller says the following repairs / parts are needed: exhaust manifold gasket/donut gasket, full tune up, and radiator hoses.
As you can see, the interior remains in its “as removed” state. The story goes that the shop handling the restoration went out of business and the seller is tired of storing the car. I get it – you can get to a point where a restoration seems so far off that it just makes sense to simplify your life. The no-reserve auction will ensure this LeMans finds a new home, but will the original engine and transmission stay with the car, or will the next owner find a 455 and a four-speed to swap in?
I have never seen one of these in a manual! Would this be a three on the floor, or a three-on-the-tree? The “ho-hum” of the car notwithstanding, great find!
It’s three on the floor… I know this because this is my friend’s car for sale.
“the body looks largely sound”…if you’re a mouse!
I do not know what it is as I largely like smaller cars but I always like the looks of this model.
It would be a 3 speed shifter on the floor buddy.
Well, if this were a “GT” and a 4-speed, it might be worth more. But as it is, it’s simply a LeMans with a tape stripe down the sides and a manual transmission, which was standard. By `74, the GTO was relegated to the Ventura chassis, and was little more than a shaker hood/stripe kit pkg. really.
The ’74 GTO was my first new car (sure, call me stupid, but what else was available?). I always thought it was strange that Pontiac made the flapper in the shaker scoop open when the back two barrels kicked in (literally) while the ones in the Trans Am were fixed close. So what would you have chosen in ’74 Will? A Maverick Grabber 302? A Barracuda 360? I read somewhere an article comparing the ’74 GTO to the ’64 model with a four barrel. Size wise and performance wise, there wasn’t a whole lot of difference, so not complete sacrilege. We just got spoiled by what came in between!
https://www.myclassicgarage.com/knowledge-base/1974-Pontiac-GTO
Just add a 455 Super Duty & a four speed.
So around the block it went without a functional cooling system? smh…
I was sitting in this Pontiac with my girl friend in a lover’s lane, when a BMW hit my rear bumper, at a high rate of speed. Not a dent on the Pontiac’s bumper. The BMW was damage, better him then me.
We knick named my friends older brothers rig (daily driver) the “blood vessel” Red 73-75 Le Mans , 2 door coupe…Just a 350 /quadrajunk 4 bbl…Same platform as Cutlass, Malibu, etc GM…The lines of the pontiac, be it Firebird, Le Mans were personal favorites….GM should have dumped Buick ! Personal opinion , Liked pontiac and Olds best…
buick is g.m.’s oldest company. cant dump it. cadillac is 2nd oldest (and henry ford’s first car company). now you know why.
As far as finding a SD455 and 4speed good luck, even though this is kind of big to try and build it into a muscle car by adding 400 or 455, the 350 could be built up to have decent power, at least some far no one has suggested an LA swap, I would be more concerned with rust and hoping all the little pieces needed to put interior back together than engine swap
I wouldn’t do an LA swap. The Mopar LA 318/340/360 isn’t significantly better than the Pontiac 350/400/455. It’s certainly not better than an SBC, which would also bolt right in.
Better yet, do an LS swap! It’s not that hard to do and there are kits available. And you’d get a ton more power, fuel efficiency, and emissions. Because this car isn’t particularly valuable in stock form, it’d be a perfect candidate for this swap.
all that rust and a standard 3 speed on the floor make this one a parts car unless you have more ambition than sense. IMO
Boring.
I love these cars this one will be a great project for a pontiac enthusiast. I own a 73 GTO ,73 grand am and a 76 lemans and would love to own this one but unfortunately I can’t bid on it
Nick, if the winning ebay bidder doesn’t come through I can reach out to you.
Blue one the other day was in much better shape, this one looks a bit more sporty(at a glance) but it needs some help. I can’t help but wonder how many of these would have been ordered with the mighty 455SD had Pontiac been able to offer it in these. Probably very few, a handful for the press maybe. Insurance price gouging is what did in the fabled super car more than anything else…
Not a bad looking car to me now, but thirty years ago I would have never even noticed this porker.
Well, at least THIS one isn’t a straight six.