1977 Can Am's in Houston

by Pontichev327 Sun Mar 17, 2013 12:56 pm

Here is a new ad and an older one, both from Houston CL...http://houston.craigslist.org/cto/3683985701.html....#2...http://houston.craigslist.org/cto/3615129003.html

by 1973 454 MONTE Sun Mar 17, 2013 1:16 pm

im diggin the second one.

by zodiacblue442 Sun Mar 17, 2013 1:43 pm

These are really cool cars! That 57K original car is fabulous. What is a realistic price for one? He's asking $18K and I think that's kind of steep. I know those Can Am's are rare cars but are they worth $18K? Not knocking him or being sarcastic, it's a legitimate question. I know Olds alot better than Pontiac. Again that's a beautiful car. Cool

by pila Sun Mar 17, 2013 11:00 pm

OK for collectors I suppose......not a car I would drive enough to take a chance on getting it bent up. How many were built ? I've never seen one.

by Pontichev327 Mon Mar 18, 2013 4:16 am

Hey Pila, I actually worked unloading some of those cars, and prepping them for sale at the dealership in '77! Exclamation

They are definately cool, and along with the Hurst Olds, are probably the most valued G-3 models for collectors. They were planning to make 2500, but they got orders for over 5000 right away! Unfortunately, the mold for the spoiler broke after only 1377 were made. GM was NOT making those... they were being finished FOR Pontiac at Jim Wangers company(Motortown). (Like Hurst Olds was finished at Demming). The price of making a new mold was deemed too costly and they sold all the remaining cars as Lemans Sport models without the Can Am stuff on them. Like the Grand Am, it was considered bad buisness to take away sales from the Grand Prix, so the idea was dropped. Most of them got the regular 400, and only 42 got the Olds 403. NO factory 4 speeds were made, but a few have been converted.... [img] 1977 Can Am's in Houston Can_am10

[/img]...[img] 1977 Can Am's in Houston Can_am11

[/img]...[img] 1977 Can Am's in Houston Can_am12

[/img]...[img] 1977 Can Am's in Houston Can_am13

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by Pontichev327 Mon Mar 18, 2013 4:20 am

They do seem to go for close to that when it is a really nice one. Most are over 10k now for sure.

by zodiacblue442 Mon Mar 18, 2013 2:55 pm

Thanks for the additional info guys. I always like to learn new things about the G3 cars. Sounds like they're about as rare as Hurst/Olds so the $18K for a super clean low mileage original may be in the ballpark. I didn't know a few (42) were made with an Olds 403 V-8. Being more of an Olds guy, I'd love to have one of those! Very Happy

I know most Pontiac purists would want a Pontiac engine. I'm the same way with Oldsmobiles. There were Olds full size cars (mainly Delta 88's) in the mid 70's that had Chevy V-8's in them, right off the assembly line.

That's just wrong.

Back to the Can Am cars, were they all the same paint scheme and produced in 1977 only? The first year for the Olds 403 was 77, but I didn't know if any Can Ams were produced in 76. If so, obviously those wouldn't be Olds powered.

by 77mali Mon Mar 18, 2013 4:42 pm

How many survive in good or better condition? Not many. They also had "Add-on" options for these cars ie...all cars did not come with a tach (unless you ordered it special), I've seen pics of some with bench seats & column shifts, some with or without sport mirrors or just 1 mirror, lol. Some mirrors were ordered with stripping & other just plain white. The white paint scheme seems to be the only real constant, although there is one that was red. (Originally a Lemans that was Can-Amified by Jim W's Co).

http://www.popularhotrodding.com/features/0802phr_1977_pontiac_can_am/photo_08.html

PS- Nothing wrong with an SBC in an Olds 88 or an Olds 403 in a Poncho or a Turbo Buick 6 in an 89 T/A... LOL

by pila Mon Mar 18, 2013 7:51 pm

My last Cadillac, the Fleetwood that got totalled last summer, had a 350 Chevy engine. It had the trailer package, with a 3.73 rear end, and was quite zippy for a heavy car, but liked gas real well !
And I would NEVER buy another Caddy if it has a Northstar engine. Lots of horror stories on the Cadillac forums about that engine, which it turns out was a design flaw by GM.

My wife's brother had a Pontiac Firebird with the 403 Olds engine. I played with Olds engines in the old days when they were smaller, like 324 CI etc, and had one in a '40 Furd coupe. Don't know anything about the others except that I worked on a 455 in a friend's jet boat.

by dynchel Mon Mar 18, 2013 7:58 pm

The worst thing I've heard about northstars is they are prone to head gasket leaks. They are also known for head bolts pulling the threads out of the engine block when trying to replace said head gasket.

by Pontichev327 Tue Mar 19, 2013 12:50 am

The Urban Legend Carosel Red Can Am is just that. A non- truth that has been accepted as the truth over time.( Yeah, I've seen the pics on the web) Jim Wangers was the CEO of Motortown, the company that made them. He 100% denies that any were made in ANY color but White. Staight from the man... Read his books, Glory Days and Pontiac Pizzaz, they are good readin' man... I have been lucky enough to sit and talk with Mr Wangers on three occasions, and he is not shy! Here he is getting ready to give me a plaque at Pontiac Heaven '09. cheers

[img]

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by 77mali Tue Mar 19, 2013 6:49 am

The red Lemans "prototype" was returned to Pontiac-

http://www.pontiacsonline.com/JIM%20WANGERS.htm

by Pontichev327 Wed Mar 20, 2013 9:29 pm

Well, it is also on Ebay...http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1977-Pontiac-Can-Am-57-000-mile-Survivor-/171007890666?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item27d0dd54ea

by Pontichev327 Wed Mar 20, 2013 9:32 pm

It has a monster 462 engine in it, AND comes with the original engine in good running condition.Plus with the provenance provided, this is worth the money!!

by Pontichev327 Wed Mar 20, 2013 9:40 pm

That's a great article with Jim. I'll get to talk to him again in May at Pontiac Heaven '13. He is super nice!

by 77mali Wed Mar 20, 2013 9:51 pm

I had forgotten about that 76 show car. Pretty cool. Wonder if it's stored at GM or got crushed. I hate that they crushed many of their concept show cars.
1977 Can Am's in Houston Jw74al10

by kslongrider Wed Aug 21, 2013 6:59 pm

zodiacblue442 wrote:Thanks for the additional info guys. I always like to learn new things about the G3 cars. Sounds like they're about as rare as Hurst/Olds so the $18K for a super clean low mileage original may be in the ballpark. I didn't know a few (42) were made with an Olds 403 V-8. Being more of an Olds guy, I'd love to have one of those! I know most Pontiac purists would want a Pontiac engine. I'm the same way with Oldsmobiles. There were Olds full size cars (mainly Delta 88's) in the mid 70's that had Chevy V-8's in them, right off the assembly line. That's just wrong.

Back to the Can Am cars, were they all the same paint scheme and produced in 1977 only? The first year for the Olds 403 was 77, but I didn't know if any Can Ams were produced in 76. If so, obviously those wouldn't be Olds powered.

Only in white were sold. I have 2 of those 43 if you'd want them!

by Pontichev327 Thu Aug 22, 2013 4:08 am

Welcome to the site! Ya Got multiple Can Am's eh? Nice! I really dig the Cans for sure! I have had several chances to have one, but always at the wrong time of course. I have my Grand Am's for now, but you never know ! Keep on rockin' the Pontiacs! cheers

by 1973 454 MONTE Thu Aug 22, 2013 7:25 am

theres a guy here in ohio that has 3 complete can ams and than parts from a 4th.hes a horder and wont let them go. Rolling Eyes

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