Nineteen sixty-six was a very good year for Pontiac. The GTO was at the top of its game, eventually selling over 96,000 units. But, from an engineering perspective, the Tempest, Tempest Custom, and LeMans made news thanks to the new OHC-6 and OHC Sprint engines. One of those interesting vehicles, a 1966 Pontiac LeMans Sprint Sports Coupe, is our Pick of the Day. It is for sale on ClassicCars.com by a dealer in Macedonia, Ohio. (Click the link to view the listing)
When John DeLorean developed the OHC-6 program, it was a nice tangent from the transaxle that had been a unique Tempest feature from 1961-63. Though based on Chevrolet’s 230cid straight-six, the OHC had its own block and, naturally, head. The 165-horsepower one-barrel OHC-6 was standard throughout Pontiac’s A-body line save the GTO, but a four-barrel Sprint version with 207 horses was an option. Goodies included higher-compression pistons, bigger cam, Rochester Quadrajet, and the usual upgrades like stronger springs. Though this was fewer horses than the base V8 (250-horse 326), the Sprint likely offered better performance. For V8 fans, there still was the 285-horsepower 326 HO or, of course, the GTO.
On two-door coupes, Sprint-equipped A-bodies featured a mid-body racing stripe, while four-doors did without the stripe; station wagons were not available with the Sprint engine. Standard was a three-speed manual on the column, but a three-speed on the floor, four-speed, or two-speed automatic (on column or console) were available. Alas, it was a V8 world, and consumers were keener on moving up to a low-revving V8, though the Sprint found a natural home in the 1967-69 Firebird
This Madeira Maroon 1966 Pontiac LeMans Sports Coupe (the one with the B-pillar) is a Sprint with the desirable four-speed. The restoration is a little more than a decade old, but it’s still looking good with “excellent panel gaps and no evidence of patching or cutting mean that this car probably led an easy life,” per the seller. “There are a few blemishes and signs of age in the finish, but nothing that requires attention, and it certainly doesn’t detract from the awesome look.” Dig the red stripe too — what a nice contrast with the paint!
Inside, bucket seats were standard in the LeMans (black, in this case), but the console was optional, so the Hurst shifter pokes through the floor of this one. Woodgrain decorates the dashboard and is complemented by “that lovely steering wheel [that] adds a European sports car feel,” which is in the Sprint’s vein since its engineering was influenced by those cars across the ocean. “The upholstery, door panels, and carpets are new, and the headliner was recently replaced.”
For you folks wanting to see if you can beat up on small V8s, the 3.55s out back are just the right thing for spirited driving. Being a six, it likely hasn’t been raced and abused, so it “still feels tight and well-assembled, which isn’t something we can say about a lot of GTOs.” Good point!
Add $4,000 worth of Hurst mags and redlines and you have one very nice junior GTO. Pontiac called it GeeTO Tiger, Jr., and that was spot-on. For $34,900, you can own an American car that was ahead of its time.
To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.
Source: www.classiccars.com