1971 Pontiac T37

Okay, there's a few people out there that would like to strip this car's (Muscle car) staus since It started out as an economy car (v6).

Since I've had it Its had a 283 and right now I have a 305 pushing her around.
My first classic The car that wet the whistle.










And the best part? Its not a Lemans, or a GTO, OR a Tempest haha.
But it does seem to be a little bit of all three.

Looking good! That cleaning up made a huge difference.

Thanks, lots of work went into renewing alot of the parts.

I'm NOT a pureist, so a can of spray bomb hides a multitude of sins.

When I pulled out the 283 (shown there) after blowing it. I cleaned the 305 even chipped the flaking off the block with a chisel and hammer. Painted it as well, did the whole engine compartment with spray bomb, spray in box liner where for the transmission hump etc.

get it while you're there right? lol

musclecar

Well... you cant turn a basemodel commoner into a musclecar, only the manufacturer could do that.
A musclecar clone is still just a common car with common papers and some unoriginal doo-dads like ss and gto emblems tacked on.

let's see...hotrods can either be hopped up modern cars but regarded mostly as traditionally built older rides...
And streetrods are the showy billet and chrome versions of hotrods

If I remember correctly when people started hopping up base models to make them perform like and even look like or look better than factory musclecars, (I was there) the name they (the journalists, builders, and the aftermarket industry) gave them at the time was "street machine".
Musclecars are considered to be exclusively a child of the automobile industry. they are pedigreed and it's the economy of scarcity combined with historical excitement that gives them their investment value.
Not a tear has been shed for the dissection of the nicest base model or clone to supply the restoration of the most destitute musclecar.
Along comes Mark Grimes not necessarily inventing but for sure popularizing the use of off street drag race components in a street machine creating what we now call "Pro Street".
I'm not sure exactly what Rat means but i know it appropriately involves the use of the middle finger if someone does not like the car.

I have alot more respect for your ride in that it is what it is or it is what you want it to be other than sticking some badges on it and trying to pass it off as something it is not to impress others.
it's a g'dang honest hard core a#1 ride you have right there mate!

They were rare but they did make a 455 HO T37
That's a mucsle car!
The number of these 455 HO's very. Some say it's less than 25 produced but most paper work say that only 15 were produced with the 455 HO. Pontiac open all the options with these HO's too. You could get a hood tach, 4 Speed, Posi with a wide selection of gears ect ect. So it's safe to say that the 455 HO T37's that you do find today are more than likely one of a kind with the options that each one was ordered with and the rest that where wrecked and sent to the crusher.
Yours may not be a 455 HO but it's still cool! Have fun with it. One of those body styles that you don't see anymore.

I like it,
got a 68 got/lemans me-self
go gob on the "restoration" of the motor.

Really nice ride, I love it! The strict definition of a muscle car as a genre may be a car built by the factory but a 60's car with muscle fits my definition!

Beercan

when I see that pontiac emblem i know there's something there lurking

rustybeercan said:

Really nice ride, I love it! The strict definition of a muscle car as a genre may be a car built by the factory but a 60's car with muscle fits my definition!

Beercan

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I agree.

Great looking car and the engine and compartment turned out excellent.I hope you have lots of fun with it.

305? what was u thinking? what a pooch motor. why not a 400 pontiac big block? I have a 72' lemans gt convertible with a factory 400/ 4 speed. it has all the ponies u need.

Cool Pontiac. It's good to see someone try to keep an oler ride on the road instead of getting 300 bucks from the scrap yard. I had a 70 AMC Rebel 4 door that I drove, (with three different motors- the original 6 banger, then a 350 Olds, and last was a 460 Ford) until it got sort of "unsafe" for the road. Everything was wore out and I just got tired of fixing it. It was a daily driver for over 35 years.
And streetrodman, what's wrong with a 305? It starts, runs and pushes the car down the road. Not everybody, believe it or not, has the money to just go BUY something he wants.

Hey thanks for the comments everyone learned a few things
I'm glad to see people who appreciate what a car like this means to a 25 year old kid, it may never get fully restored but it'll always be a part of my story.

Why a 305? You're right it's not a very powerful motor but it was the right price the right time and well throw the 2 speed powerglide behind it and it feels good.

Let's face facts, feeling good is all that's important.

Time will tell what will happen with this car but I do know one thing, I'll continue to enjoy the hell out of it.

Still hoping for a big block pontiac under the tree come Christmas time in the next I dunno 40 years

I understand the cost factor.... but

Karbon said:

Hey thanks for the comments everyone learned a few things
I'm glad to see people who appreciate what a car like this means to a 25 year old kid, it may never get fully restored but it'll always be a part of my story.

Why a 305? You're right it's not a very powerful motor but it was the right price the right time and well throw the 2 speed powerglide behind it and it feels good.

Let's face facts, feeling good is all that's important.

Time will tell what will happen with this car but I do know one thing, I'll continue to enjoy the hell out of it.

Still hoping for a big block pontiac under the tree come Christmas time in the next I dunno 40 years

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I guess I'm old school but Pontiac's should run Pontiac motors.... not chevy.... otherwise it's just a chevelle in Pontiac clothing..... I'll but you can find a 400 or even a 350 poncho motor for cheap and keep it Poncho JMHO..[P

Karbone where are you from???

If you're close, maybe I can fix you up with a true pontiac drivetrain...

I'm in Edmonton Alberta Canada lol not very close

Just a hop, skip and a jump...ahy?

Karbon said:

I'm in Edmonton Alberta Canada lol not very close

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I have some good friends living in and from Canada.... I spend about two weeks a year at a friends place in Muskoka....Lake Joseph/ Port Carling area.... I know it's not near you but so much of Canada is beautiful.... Toronto is where my friends live....

Nice car. I can't blame you for running a SBC.

The pontiac motors are not really superior to the chevy, but I would have to say save up for a 350 or better yet a 383.

$1000 in a SBC will go a lot further than $1000 in a Pontiac motor.

Speaking of money, this car has been rebuilt under the hood but the years and weather are taking it's toll on this car as the weather striping is all but warn out, and well it's old.
I did however crack my lower valance on the front bumper causing the outer half of the signal light Pod to break off, would it be cheaper to have it repaired and rechromed or buy a new one?

It's cool to see a T37 theres not many around anymore. Good Luck with it! As for the moter I prefer Pontiac in a Pontiac but Chevy is much cheaper to build, and dont let them give you crap about he 305 i built one that Dynoed 519hp at the crank. So Have Fun!!!