Need advice upon buying 1971 Le Mans Sport

[2d4m]

Hello everybody,

First off, I'm french speaking and completely rookie with mechanics and muscle cars, so please be kind if my vocabulary is not accurate with the tech stuff

I'm in the process of buying a 1971 Le Mans Sport with the Endura/GTO option.
Quite rare supposedly..

The car is working ans selling at 4.5K$
The owner changed:
Springs, chunks (?), paintjob, brakes, drive, floor, radiator, heating, alternator, brake booster, power steering, camshaft, timing chain, valves, lifter, oil pump, carburator (edelbrock 750), ignition (electronic)

According to him, the only things left to do are the weatherstripping and the "bottom side of the engine" ? He says he has done all "up side of the engine".
I understood that to change stuff in the "bottom side of the engine" is a long and pricy operation ; but he said that I don't necessarily need to do it, the car is working anyway.

The car is 95K miles

What do you think about it?
I'd like to enjoy my first muscle car and learn mechanics with it

Thanks a ton for your inputs!

Damien

 

[2d4m]

I forgot:
the engine is the 350 one and the car is the coupe

Cheers
Damien

 

[92 Sunbird LE]

Good price , but where is the stock stuff? ( may need it later to increase the value )

Doug in P.R.

 

[melsg5]

Damien:
The link below will give you an idea about the value of a stock unmodified car. Without detailed pictures there is not much to tell you about the car. From your description it sounds like a lot of work has been done to the car but you will have to determine if the work was done correctly. Some of the words you are using are not translating correctly, chunks?, drive=transmission?, floor=floor of the car, meaning it rusted?. If you can provides pictures it would be helpful.

http://www.collectorcarmarket.com/collector-car/prices/1971-pontiac-lemans-sport-value.html

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[92 Sunbird LE]

Dont know the exact figures for the Endura nose on the Sport Models , that something that a PHS package will tell you.

I remember something like 775 cars with Endura option on the 71 Lemans GT convertibles.

Doug in P.R.

 

[2d4m]

Thanks guys for your fast answers!

Good price , but where is the stock stuff? ( may need it later to increase the value )

Doug in P.R.

The owner kept all original pieces that were changed

Damien:
The link below will give you an idea about the value of a stock unmodified car. Without detailed pictures there is not much to tell you about the car. From your description it sounds like a lot of work has been done to the car but you will have to determine if the work was done correctly. Some of the words you are using are not translating correctly, chunks?, drive=transmission?, floor=floor of the car, meaning it rusted?. If you can provides pictures it would be helpful.

http://www.collectorcarmarket.com/collector-car/prices/1971-pontiac-lemans-sport-value.html

Sorry for the vocabulary..
chunks = shocks
drive = steering column (I think so)
floor = yes, floor of the car. Why he changed I don't know

I have some pictures but from a distance, I'm pretty sure they won't help you

Damien

 

[melsg5]

why are there seat covers, have you looked at the condition of the seats?
there is a plastic panel missing between the front bumper and the radiator
the steering wheel has a cover, is the steering wheel damaged?
the shifter has something resting/covering it, is the shift plate PRND12 damaged?
if the car was recently painted, why ares the mirrors black?

 

[2d4m]

why are there seat covers, have you looked at the condition of the seats?
there is a plastic panel missing between the front bumper and the radiator
the steering wheel has a cover, is the steering wheel damaged?
the shifter has something resting/covering it, is the shift plate PRND12 damaged?
if the car was recently painted, why ares the mirrors black?

I'm adding 2 more pictures

The seats are ok, but on the driver seat the seam has come undone on 5cm or so
shift plate and steering wheel are ok
I don't know about the plastic panel, is it only esthetic?

I'm mainly concerned about the fact that the owner told me that he's done the engine's head, but not the block
How do I know if I have to fix the block (crankshaft, cylinders, bearings) or if I can drive it as it is?

Thanks
Damien

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[92 Sunbird LE]

Whoa............Painted Honeycomb wheels? ( never seen that before)

$4500 Canadian dollars ( Quebec ?) or are you in France?

Looks like alot of work to make it factory again, depends how you want to go.

Short Block ( bottom End) will last probally 30,000 miles more if driven easy as old motors wern't designed to last over 120,000 miles. ( dont know why he did all that top end work with that many miles on the motor?)

Late 80's -2000+ cars now last up to 300,000 miles as a comparision.

It will take alot of Money to make it factory again so best to leave it as is.

Just fix it up a little at a time to your liking, They made 30000+ Lemans Sports so its isnt too rare right now till you get the report from Pontiac HS or GM Canada if the car is there now. ( Endura Option)

That doesnt look like a factory color either, 1969 - 70 "Carousel Red ( orange ) wasnt available in 71.

Doug in P.R

 

[92 Sunbird LE]

About 700-900 dollars in the US for the short block only, 1800 for the long block ( with heads)

If its number matching ( heads and block that came in the car from the factory) you may just have the block in the car now rebuilt instead of buying another one allready done.

Doug in P.R.

 

[melsg5]

Plastic panel

I'm adding 2 more pictures

The seats are ok, but on the driver seat the seam has come undone on 5cm or so
shift plate and steering wheel are ok
I don't know about the plastic panel, is it only esthetic?

I'm mainly concerned about the fact that the owner told me that he's done the engine's head, but not the block
How do I know if I have to fix the block (crankshaft, cylinders, bearings) or if I can drive it as it is?

Thanks
Damien

The purpose of the panel is to insure that air coming through the grill goes through the radiator and not up and around the radiator.