1973 · Pontiac · United States
1973 Pontiac LeMans: the Colonnade era begins
The Colonnade LeMans arrives, with GTO and GT options for the two-door models and a Super Duty 455 listed for the LeMans in Pontiac's dealer book.
United States · researched through 2026-09-23
This record's own dek states that the Colonnade LeMans arrives for 1973, with GTO and GT options for the two-door models and a Super Duty 455 listed for the LeMans in Pontiac's dealer book. This record's own overview states that Pontiac's 1973 dealer price book lists the Colonnade intermediates as LeMans two-door and four-door Colonnade hardtops, a LeMans Sport Coupe two-door, Luxury LeMans two-door and four-door, Grand Am, and two- and three-seat LeMans Safari wagons, with the LeMans and Sport Coupe standard on the 250-cubic-inch six and a column-shift three-speed, V8s from the 350 two-barrel to the 455 four-barrel optional.
This record's own overview states that performance equipment for the two-door LeMans and Sport Coupe was sold as options: the GTO option with a 400 four-barrel, heavy-duty floor-shift three-speed, G60-15 tires, dual exhausts, a NACA-style scooped hood, and stabilizer bars; the cheaper GT option with a floor-shift three-speed, dual exhausts, G70-14 white-letter tires, Rally II wheels, and stripes; a Handling Package; a Ram Air hood; and a 310-horsepower 455 Super Duty option priced at $828 without the GTO option.
This record's own key facts state that the 1973 LeMans Sport Coupe listed at $88 over the LeMans two-door, $2,958.60 against $2,870.60, effective September 21, 1972, and that the dealer book lists the 455 Super Duty as a LeMans two-door option with a four-speed or Turbo Hydra-matic, a listing this record notes shows what could be ordered rather than what was built, with no installation count found. Those same key facts state that Curbside Classic's Aaron Severson writes that over 98 percent of 1973 LeMans buyers chose a V8 and that almost 97 percent of 1973 Pontiac A-body production had Turbo Hydra-Matic.1
This record's own production section documents two unreconciled totals: 205,649 from conceptcarz, whose scope for Luxury LeMans, Safari wagons, Grand Am, or GTO-optioned cars is not stated, and 233,989 described by Curbside Classic as sales rather than production, with no source or basis given. This record's own production notes state that no breakdown by body, engine, transmission, or option was found for 1973, that the two totals are not a partition of each other, and that GTO-option production is recorded on the Pontiac GTO page rather than here, naming the Standard Catalog of Pontiac, Pontiac Historic Services data, and Pontiac's 1973 AMA specifications as the best remaining sources.2
This record's own prices section documents seven body styles from $2,846.60 for the four-door LeMans to $3,357.65 for the three-seat Safari. This record's own engines section documents six powertrains, each with single- and dual-exhaust net ratings where applicable: the 250 six at 100 hp, the 350 two-barrel at 150 to 175 hp, the 400 two-barrel at 170 to 185 hp with Turbo Hydra-matic required, the 400 four-barrel at 200 to 230 hp, the 455 four-barrel at 215 to 250 hp, and the 455 Super Duty at 310 hp, this record's own note stating that the Super Duty is a listing only with no installation evidence found.
Fifteen exterior colors are documented for the year without production counts, each with a letter order code, from Starlight Black (A) to Burma Brown (Z), alongside six documented interior trims from a standard LeMans cloth-and-Morrokide bench to Luxury LeMans Morrokide buckets. This record's own specifications section documents a 112-inch two-door wheelbase against 116 for four-doors, a 207.4-inch overall length against 211.4 for four-doors, a 77.7-inch width, a 15.1-cubic-foot trunk, and a standard 3.23:1 axle against 3.42:1 with the 400 four-barrel manual and 455 Super Duty, and its own unpublished leads flag a reader-comment figure of 5,897 three-speed-manual A-bodies, about 2.4 percent of production, as uncited in the article body itself.
Fact sheet · 1973 · United States
The numbers
1973 Pontiac LeMans — The Colonnade LeMans arrives, with GTO and GT options for the two-door models and a Super Duty 455 listed for the LeMans in Pontiac's dealer book.
Coverage: Partial — researched sections are shown; missing ones are not yet sourced. Researched through 2026-09-23.
Every figure is labeled with how sure we are. Reported means a manufacturer, registry, or reference figure we cite but have not reconciled against factory records ourselves. Disputed means credible sources disagree and both are shown. Rows are separately scoped; don't add them together unless the note says they make up a total.
Key facts
- The 1973 LeMans Sport Coupe listed at $88 over the LeMans two-door: $2,958.60 against $2,870.60 (MSRP, effective September 21, 1972).
- The dealer book lists the 455 Super Duty (LS2, 310 net hp) as a LeMans two-door option with a four-speed or Turbo Hydra-matic; the listing shows what could be ordered, and no installation count was found.
- Curbside Classic's Aaron Severson writes that over 98 percent of 1973 LeMans buyers chose a V8 and that almost 97 percent of 1973 Pontiac A-body production had Turbo Hydra-Matic.1
Production
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| LeMans total (series scope not stated by compiler)2 LeMans line (scope not stated) · not stated by source Uncited compiler figure; whether Luxury LeMans, Safari wagons, Grand Am or GTO-optioned cars are included is not stated. | 205,649 | built, model-year | Reported |
| LeMans sales as stated by Curbside Classic3 LeMans (coupes, wagons and four-doors per the article) · not stated by source The article calls this a sales figure and gives no source or basis; it is not a production count and is not comparable with the conceptcarz total. | 233,989 | sold, not stated by source | Reported |
No production breakdown by body, engine, transmission or option (GT, Handling Package, 455, 455 SD) was found for the 1973 LeMans. The two totals below come from different secondary compilers with different stated bases and unknown series scope; they are not reconciled and must not be read as a partition of each other. GTO-option production is recorded on the Pontiac GTO page, not here.
Best sources that would close this gap: the Standard Catalog of Pontiac 1926-2002 (Gunnell/Kowalke, 2nd ed., production by series and body), Pontiac Historic Services production data, and Pontiac's 1973 AMA specifications.
Prices when new
| Model | Price | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| LeMans 2-door Colonnade hardtop (D37X) | $2,870.60 | manufacturer's suggested retail price, excluding destination, 1972-09-21 |
| LeMans 4-door Colonnade hardtop (D29X) | $2,846.60 | manufacturer's suggested retail price, excluding destination, 1972-09-21 |
| LeMans Sport Coupe 2-door Colonnade hardtop (F37X) | $2,958.60 | manufacturer's suggested retail price, excluding destination, 1972-09-21 |
| Luxury LeMans 2-door Colonnade hardtop (G37X) | $3,215.60 | manufacturer's suggested retail price, excluding destination, 1972-09-21 |
| Luxury LeMans 4-door Colonnade hardtop (G29X) | $3,338.60 | manufacturer's suggested retail price, excluding destination, 1972-09-21 |
| LeMans Safari 2-seat wagon (D35X) | $3,230.65 | manufacturer's suggested retail price, excluding destination, 1972-09-21 |
| LeMans Safari 3-seat wagon (D45X) | $3,357.65 | manufacturer's suggested retail price, excluding destination, 1972-09-21 |
Prices are the nominal dollars of the day, not adjusted for inflation.
Engines
| Engine | Factory rating | Availability | Built |
|---|---|---|---|
| 250 six, 1-bbl (sales code 35D) 250 cu in · one-barrel | 100 hp (SAE net) | standard on LeMans and LeMans Sport Coupe; not available with air conditioning in California | Not yet sourced |
| L30 · 350 V8, 2-bbl1 350 cu in · two-barrel | 150 hp (SAE net); 175 hp, 280 lb-ft (SAE net (with dual exhaust)) | optional LeMans and Sport Coupe ($118); standard Luxury LeMans | Not yet sourced |
| L65 · 400 V8, 2-bbl 400 cu in · two-barrel | 170 hp (SAE net); 185 hp (SAE net (with dual exhaust)) | optional; requires Turbo Hydra-matic; $169 on LeMans 2-door and 4-door | Not yet sourced |
| L78 · 400 V8, 4-bbl 400 cu in · four-barrel | 200 hp (SAE net); 230 hp (SAE net (with dual exhaust)) | optional with heavy-duty 3-speed, 4-speed or Turbo Hydra-matic ($215 on LeMans without GTO option); included in the GTO option | Not yet sourced |
| L75 · 455 V8, 4-bbl 455 cu in · four-barrel | 215 hp (SAE net); 250 hp (SAE net (with dual exhaust)) | optional, power disc brakes required ($272 on LeMans without GTO option, $57 with it); Turbo Hydra-matic only per the full-line brochure | Not yet sourced |
| LS2 · 455 Super Duty V8, 4-bbl 455 cu in · four-barrel | 310 hp (SAE net) | listed for LeMans 2-door ($828 without GTO option, $578 with it) with dual exhaust, power disc brakes and Ram Air hood; not with unitized ignition or 3-speed manuals; 4-speed or Turbo Hydra-matic with 3.42 axle. Listing only; no installation evidence found. | Not yet sourced |
Ratings are the manufacturer's advertised figures under the standard shown (SAE gross before 1972, SAE net after). They are not dyno results, and gross and net ratings can't be compared directly.
Transmissions
| Transmission | Availability | Built |
|---|---|---|
| 3-speed manual, column shift (sales code 36A) | standard with the six or 350 | Not yet sourced |
| M13 · 3-speed manual, heavy-duty, floor shift | $82; with 350 or 400 4-bbl only; included in GTO and GT options; not on Safari | Not yet sourced |
| M20 · 4-speed manual | $190 on LeMans, Sport Coupe and Luxury LeMans; with 350, 400 4-bbl and 455 SD only | Not yet sourced |
| M38 · Turbo Hydra-matic (with six or 350) | $215 with 350 and on Luxury LeMans; $205 with the six | Not yet sourced |
| M40 · Turbo Hydra-matic (with 400 and 455) | $236 on LeMans and Luxury LeMans; not with six or 350 | Not yet sourced |
Options and packages
| Code | Option | Price | Installed |
|---|---|---|---|
W70RPO |
Sport Coupe option (LeMans 2-door): notchback bench with armrest or bucket seats, louvered rear quarter windows, Sport Coupe identification (sales code F37) | $88 | Not yet sourced |
W62RPO |
GTO option (LeMans 2-door and Sport Coupe only) | $368 | Not yet sourced |
WU2RPO |
GT option: G70-14 white-letter tires, wheel opening moldings, body-color mirror, accent stripes, dual exhaust, Rally II wheels less trim rings, heavy-duty floor-shift 3-speed, GT identification | $246 | Not yet sourced |
Y99RPO |
Handling Package (G60-15 tires, power steering, special shocks and stabilizer bars) | $188 | Not yet sourced |
LS2RPO |
455 Super Duty 4-bbl engine with dual exhaust, power disc brakes and Ram Air hood | $828 | Not yet sourced |
L75RPO |
455 4-bbl engine | $272 | Not yet sourced |
L78RPO |
400 4-bbl engine | $215 | Not yet sourced |
L65RPO |
400 2-bbl engine (requires Turbo Hydra-matic) | $169 | Not yet sourced |
L30RPO |
350 2-bbl engine | $118 | Not yet sourced |
M13RPO |
Heavy-duty 3-speed manual, floor shift | $82 | Not yet sourced |
M20RPO |
4-speed manual | $190 | Not yet sourced |
M40RPO |
Turbo Hydra-matic (400/455) | $236 | Not yet sourced |
M38RPO |
Turbo Hydra-matic (six/350) | $215 | Not yet sourced |
G80RPO |
Safe-T-Track differential | $45 | Not yet sourced |
G92RPO |
Economy axle | $10 | Not yet sourced |
G95RPO |
Performance axle | $10 | Not yet sourced |
N10RPO |
Dual exhausts (required with 400 4-bbl and 455 4-bbl; included with GTO; not with six) | $30 | Not yet sourced |
WU3RPO |
Ram Air hood (GTO only, with 400 4-bbl and 455 4-bbl; required with 455 SD) | $56 | Not yet sourced |
K65RPO |
Unitized ignition (400 4-bbl and 455 4-bbl only) | $77 | Not yet sourced |
WW8RPO |
Rally gauge cluster with clock and tachometer | $100 | Not yet sourced |
W63RPO |
Rally gauge cluster and clock | $49 | Not yet sourced |
Y96RPO |
Firm ride package (springs, shocks) | $9 | Not yet sourced |
N41RPO |
Variable-ratio power steering | $113 | Not yet sourced |
JL2RPO |
Power front disc brakes | $46 | Not yet sourced |
C60RPO |
Custom air conditioning (not with six) | $397 | Not yet sourced |
D55RPO |
Console (with bucket seats) | $59 | Not yet sourced |
C08RPO |
Cordova vinyl top | $97 | Not yet sourced |
P05RPO |
Honeycomb wheels (not on Luxury LeMans) | $123 | Not yet sourced |
N98RPO |
Rally II wheels (included in GT option) | $87 | Not yet sourced |
D98RPO |
Accent stripes (included in GT option) | $31 | Not yet sourced |
N31RPO |
Custom Sport steering wheel | $56 | Not yet sourced |
CA1RPO |
Electric sunroof (2-door only) | $325 | Not yet sourced |
C03RPO |
Manual sunroof (2-door only) | $275 | Not yet sourced |
D35RPO |
Body-color outside mirrors, left remote (included in GT option) | $26 | Not yet sourced |
Y88RPO |
Basic Group (Turbo Hydra-matic, whitewalls, AM radio, deluxe wheel covers, power steering, power disc brakes, dual horns, protective bumper strips) | $530 | Not yet sourced |
UM2RPO |
AM/FM stereo radio with 8-track tape player | $363 | Not yet sourced |
Paint
| Code | Color | Built |
|---|---|---|
19 |
Starlight Black4 | Not yet sourced |
11 |
Cameo White4 | Not yet sourced |
24 |
Porcelain Blue4 | Not yet sourced |
29 |
Admiralty Blue4 | Not yet sourced |
26 |
Regatta Blue4 | Not yet sourced |
81 |
Mesa Tan4 | Not yet sourced |
56 |
Desert Sand4 | Not yet sourced |
46 |
Golden Olive4 | Not yet sourced |
42 |
Verdant Green4 | Not yet sourced |
44 |
Slate Green4 | Not yet sourced |
48 |
Brewster Green4 | Not yet sourced |
74 |
Florentine Red4 | Not yet sourced |
64 |
Ascot Silver4 | Not yet sourced |
66 |
Burnished Umber4 | Not yet sourced |
60 |
Valencia Gold4 | Not yet sourced |
68 |
Burma Brown4 | Not yet sourced |
Color names are the factory's. We don't show color swatches, because a screen color is no guide for a restoration.
Interiors
| Code | Trim | Built |
|---|---|---|
|
LeMans standard: bench seat in cloth and Morrokide vinyl (2-door and 4-door); all-Morrokide trim optional at $27 | Not yet sourced |
|
LeMans Morrokide split bench seat, shown in saddle; also blue and black | Not yet sourced |
|
LeMans Sport Coupe standard: notchback bench seat with center armrest (cloth-and-vinyl or all-vinyl per the brochure) | Not yet sourced |
|
LeMans Sport Coupe Morrokide notchback bench seat, shown in blue; also white, saddle, black and burgundy | Not yet sourced |
|
LeMans Sport Coupe optional Morrokide bucket seats, shown in chamois; also blue, white, saddle, black and burgundy | Not yet sourced |
|
Luxury LeMans: front bucket seats in Morrokide (2-door) or notchback bench in all-Morrokide or cloth and Morrokide; Custom Cushion steering wheel, pedal trim plates | Not yet sourced |
Specifications
| Measure | Value | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Wheelbase, 2-door | 112 in | LeMans and LeMans Sport Coupe 2-door |
| Wheelbase, 4-door | 116 in | LeMans 4-door |
| Overall length | 207.4 in | 2-door (4-door 211.4) |
| Overall width | 77.7 in | 2-door and 4-door |
| Overall height | 52.9 in | 2-door (4-door 54.3) |
| Track, front/rear | 61.5/60.7 in | 2-door and 4-door |
| Trunk capacity | 15.1 cu ft | 2-door and 4-door |
| Fuel tank | 21.5 US gal | LeMans |
| Standard tires | F78-14 blackwall | LeMans and Sport Coupe (G60-15 with GTO option and Handling Package; G70-14 white-letter with GT option) |
| Standard axle ratio | 3.23:1 | LeMans and Sport Coupe; 3.42:1 standard with 400 4-bbl manual and 455 SD |
Identification
- Model designations (dealer price book)
- LeMans D37X (2-door) and D29X (4-door); LeMans Sport Coupe F37X; Luxury LeMans G37X and G29X; Grand Am H37X and H29X; LeMans Safari D35X (2-seat) and D45X (3-seat).
- Paint order letters (dealer price book)
- LeMans-series colours by order letter: A Starlight Black, C Cameo White, D Porcelain Blue, E Admiralty Blue, F Regatta Blue, G Mesa Tan, H Desert Sand, J Golden Olive, K Verdant Green, L Slate Green, M Brewster Green, S Florentine Red, V Ascot Silver, W Burnished Umber, Y Valencia Gold, Z Burma Brown. Buccaneer Red (R), Sunlight Yellow (T) and Navajo Orange (U) are not marked for the LeMans series.
Identification
Read a 1973 Pontiac VIN
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Same model year
Also in 1973
- AMC AMX The Javelin AMX's best year. 5,707 were built, a quarter of them with the 401, alongside the Trans Am Victory decal and the Pierre Cardin interior.
- AMC Gremlin X and Spirit AMX The V8 Gremlin X continued, with new stripes and an available Levi's denim-look interior. No production split has been found.
- AMC Javelin The SST name dropped away and new twin 'TV-screen' taillights arrived. Javelin production reached 25,195, alongside the Trans Am Victory decal package.
- Buick Riviera Stage One (260 hp net) joined a separate GS handling package; 1,234 Stage Ones and 3,933 GS cars of 34,080.
- Buick Skylark Gran Sport, GS and GSX On the new Colonnade A-body the GS became a Century Gran Sport package; 6,637 were built, 728 with the 455 Stage 1.
- Chevrolet Chevelle and Malibu SS The Colonnade Chevelle's only SS year: RPO Z15 on the Malibu coupe and, for the first and only time, the station wagon, with a 245 net hp 454 available.
- Chevrolet Chevy II and Nova Hatchback appears in the source body table; SS offered with any engine per the source. Enthusiast-compiled production: 369,509 cars; Super Sport 35,542.
- Chevrolet El Camino SS The new Colonnade El Camino could still be ordered with RPO Z15 SS equipment; no El Camino SS count was found.
- Dodge Challenger The six was gone: every 1973 Challenger hardtop had a V8, the 318 standard and the 340 optional, with the Rallye now sold as a package.
- Dodge Charger The Charger's best-selling year of the original era, 119,318 cars, came as the 440 lost its Magnum name and the car moved toward personal luxury.
- Dodge Dart GTS, Swinger and Demon Renamed Dart Sport, the fastback's 340 model sold 11,315 in the 340's final year.
- Ford Maverick Grabber The 200 six became standard as the 170 was dropped; Classic Industries counts 32,350 Grabbers.
- Ford Ranchero GT The Ranchero GT continued on the 1972-76 Ranchero; 15,320 GTs were built, per reference-site counts in the Standard Catalog lineage.
- Ford Thunderbird The 429 4V was standard and the 460 4V optional in the sixth generation's best-selling year.
- Ford Torino The 1973 Torino kept the 1972 body behind a heavier bumper; the Gran Torino Sport fell to 51,853 SportsRoofs and 17,090 hardtops while the 351 Cobra Jet remained the performance engine.
- Mercury Cougar The last Cougar convertible and the last 351 Cobra Jet year, with production up to 60,629 as buyers shifted to the XR-7.
- Mercury Montego GT The Montego GT fastback's second and last year; a vehicle profile reports 4,464 built.
- Oldsmobile Cutlass, 4-4-2 and Hurst/Olds On the new Colonnade Cutlass the 4-4-2 was a W-29 appearance and handling option, and the Hurst/Olds came in white or, for the first time, black: 1,097 built.
- Plymouth Barracuda and 'Cuda V8 only: the 318 became standard on both Barracuda and 'Cuda, the 340 moved to the option list, and production rose for the only time after 1970.
- Plymouth Duster 340 and 360 The 340's last year in the Duster produced 15,731 cars with power front disc brakes now standard, and the Spacemaker Pak fold-down rear seat joined the line.
- Plymouth GTX, Belvedere and Satellite For 1973 the GTX name survived only through the Road Runner's optional 440 four-barrel, which came with TorqueFlite only; Mueller's Muscle Car Source Book counts 749 of them.
- Plymouth Road Runner A secondary count puts production back up to 19,056, the highest of the 1971-1974 Satellite-based years.
- Pontiac Firebird and Trans Am The Super Duty year: 4,802 Trans Ams, 252 of them SD-455s.
- Pontiac GTO A GTO option on the new Colonnade LeMans, with the 400 standard and a 455 optional; 4,806 built.
- Pontiac Grand Am Pontiac's Colonnade GT with an Endura nose and a 400 or 455; 43,137 built, the Grand Am's best year, with 1,058 four-speeds.
- Pontiac Grand Prix The Colonnade-body Grand Prix arrives, with the 400 standard and the 455 in the SJ.