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Rare 1977 Pontiac Can Am W72 400

The 1977 Pontiac Can Am has a unique history. Based on the Pontiac Le Mans, Jim Wangers created the Can Am while working with Motortown Corporation and pitched the car to Pontiac. While other manufacturers were producing “sticker’ cars, Wangers wanted to produce a flashy car that had a big motor.  The car is located in Jeffersonville, Indiana and can be seen here on eBay. With one day remaining, the car is bid to $2,500. The car is rough and will need a full restoration.

The majority of the Can Ams were produced with Pontiac’s new W72 400 cubic inch V8 engine.  The W72 delivered 200 horsepower and was designed to replace the 455 cubic inch engine that ended production in 1976. California cars received the 403 cubic inch V8 engine that produced 185 horsepower. While neither engine is fast compared to today’s standards, the W72 400 was respectable and was a good platform for improvements. All Can Ams were equipped with a Turbo 350 automatic 3-speed transmission.

The seller states that this car was purchased out of Tupelo, Mississippi and the floor and trunk show alot of rust. The odometer shows 90,977 miles. The doors and undercarriage appear crusty and the car was once equipped with nitrous.

The rare rear spoiler is damaged but still with the car. Jim Wangers stated that 1,133 Can Ams were produced with 42 of those being sent to California. Pontiac intended to produce 2,500 Can Ams before the rear spoiler mold was broken and production ceased after only 6 months at 1,377 cars officially produced.

The shaker hood scoop is still protruding from the long hood but you can see that the bumper pieces have deteriorated away. Additional pictures show that the hood is bent which will be a real problem when it comes to the restoration. Most of the plastic is faded and the dash is cracked. I think $2,500 is the most this car will bring unless sentimentality comes into play. Who has driven or owned a Pontiac Can Am? Is this car restorable?

Comments

  1. Avatar Will Fox

    I see this one’s missing the RR spoiler end over the taillamp. That’s what stopped production of the CAN-AMs; the mold got ruined for the fender cap spoiler end and they couldn’t make anymore. Production was to be 5,000, but ended up stopping at 1,377 due to this. So unless you have a spare, you’re SOL on this part for the car.

    Like 3
  2. Avatar JohnD

    I’ll play devil’s advocate and say 3D printing would probably enable you to scan the piece from the other side, reverse the file, and print one. At least good enough to make a mold from. That said, is it worth it? Well, apparently it wasn’t worth it to Pontiac to fix the mold . ..

    Like 8
    • Avatar CJinSD

      I should really start reading all the comments before responding to the first one.

      Like 2
  3. Avatar Ralph

    This is the only way to be both Smokey and the Bandit at the same time…..

    Like 7
  4. Avatar Vin_in_NJ

    With the velocity stack on the engine, I was wondering how the hood scoop was attached. Never would have imagined bungee cords would be used.

    Like 3
  5. Avatar Dana

    That part can be made. It was made of fiberglass originally. 3d or fabricated. The rust repair on this thing will be more difficult to repair and likly to costly.

    Like 1
  6. Avatar Timmyt

    I have 3 this guy has more you can see 1 in the background and a 66 LeMans he probably got the spoiler parts he needed and the rest is for sale I don’t have any with the 403 Cali emmission motor and they look stupid with honeycomb wheels strangley only 14 were built with honeycomb wheels and only 14 with 403 Cali emmission package I assume the 403, honeycomb,and emmission package all went to Cali,it is a rare car indeed but unfeasable for restoration in it’s condition and seller (flipper) did not validate original powertrain or options on car good luck to the high bidder,ps none came equipped with th- 350 trans

    Like 2
    • Avatar md

      Those are snowflake wheels, not honeycomb…

      Like 1
    • Avatar JoeNYWF64

      Unlike the ’75 & later t/a which got the smaller t-350 trans(pros & cons), the can am got the more durable turbo 400 trans because the car was bigger & had room enuf under to fit the bigger t-400 next to the wide pellet cat converter.
      Tho, i never liked something that gets that hot next to ANY auto trans.
      Even the shaker scoop is rusted on the inside?! – car went through hell! lol

      Like 0
  7. Avatar gbvette62

    You guys need to go back to ebay and look at the ad again. The seller has all 3 pieces of the spoiler, it’s just that some of the mounting bosses are broken. There’s a picture of the rear of the car, showing all of them in place, and one showing the broken mounting bosses on the under side of one of the spoiler sections.

    From what I see, I’m sure the spoiler can be repaired, the question is, is the rest of the car worth restoring?

    Like 6
  8. Avatar Mike

    Please, please crush this car immediately for the goodness of all mankind…

    Like 3
  9. Avatar RH

    Plenty of parts for someone restoring one, just not this one.

    Like 2
  10. Avatar John Oliveri

    I’m a Pontiac man, nothing special left here, only plus is it’s a 400, not a 403, 90,000 hard miles w nitrous probably later in life, rusty low option, nothing

    Like 1
  11. Avatar dyno dan

    leave it alone and watch it turn into a chia pet!

    Like 2
  12. Avatar Moparman Member

    Do you suppose that there are enough stickers denoting that it is a Can Am?? :-)

    Like 0
  13. Avatar SteVen

    Drat! The insidious Dark Lord of Oxidation strikes again.

    Like 0
  14. Avatar jerry z

    What is growing on the package tray?

    Like 0
    • Avatar Poppy

      Looks like they roasted a pig back there.

      Like 0
  15. Avatar PRA4SNW

    SOLD for $2,500.

    Like 0
  16. Avatar TimM

    Bet the windshield is rotten all around and the same with the rear window!!

    Like 0
  17. Avatar Mark

    You must all be West Coast guys. Here in the rust belt, these types are routinely saved because its what you have to work with. In a world of clapped out, stripped west coast Chevelle’s and their exorbitant prices, saving any 60’s & 70’s coupe is acceptable, so long as you can do most of the heavy lifting yourself, and you have friends that will assist you for beer.

    Like 5
  18. Avatar Patrick Farmer

    The man or woman that let this Pontiac get in this condition needs there ass kicked. I have owned my all Pontiac Can Am for 40 years. It has a fiberglass spoiler on the back that I have considered copying for some time. After looking at this abomination I very well might. I have seen urethane spoilers on sme cars. My car must be an early version. Someone stole my air cleaner assembly, not the scoop from mine, while it was in storage ina body shop. So I am going to search old wrecking yards to see if I can piece one together. These cars had rust problems. All GM cars did in 1977 because they used a more malleable steel. I fought rust constantly until I moved from Houston to dry DFW. I have turned mine into a predator of a car with a balanced and built 455, very heavy duty Turbo 400 and 12 bolt with a Moroso Brute Strength Posi with a 4:10 gear. No 9-inch here. I love the 9-inch and I feel that GM should stay GM and my Fords stay all Fords. I love Pontiacs and Fords equally. Go figure. Shelby owners love Trans Ams and Trans Am owners love Shelbys. Not all but a few. Must be all the plumage.

    Like 0
    • Avatar John Oliveri

      Sounds like a great car, I think you built what a 77 Grand Am should have been, I have a 73 Grand Prix SJ w a 455, and it’s all Pontiac too

      Like 0
    • Avatar cp

      If the car was nice, too bad you didn’t leave it alone…all that hot rod stuff is cool but you should have done it to a dime a dozen camaro or chevelle..not that rare piece

      Like 0
  19. Avatar J Batal

    Does anyone know the amount of different colors interiors put in these,

    Like 0

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