He reports that he has all pictures from the beginning of the restoration to the end, and might even make a CD available to the site to share some select images of the process. This car took 1st place at Detroit Autorama 51st and 52nd Annual Shows. The two lower photos are from one of the Autorama shows, which were previously misplaced into the '71 section.
"MY 72 VENTURA II STORY"
1972 PONTIAC VENTURA II SPRINT, VIN 2Y27F2W172457
YELLOW W/ BLACK STRIPES, BLACK VINYL INT, 307 V8
3SPD/MAN/FLOOR, PINS ON HOOD.
Here's my story. In 1972 I ordered a new Rally Sport Nova, it fell off of the train en-route to the dealer, so I went to a nearby Pontiac dealer in Stratford, Iowa and bought the Ventura. We had a lot of fun together. I still have 5 trophies I won at the local drag strip. These 2 pictures and trophies are all I have left.
As wedding plans approached in 1974 (still married to same gal) I sold it to a friend in Western Kansas. He moved it to Colorado where it was sold a few times. A very nice lady in the Colorado DMV helped me track it up to about 10 years ago. Then, no more records. The last word I had, it was being chased down a Colorado Springs street by the cops. Last known owner was a Daniel Kruse in Colorado. I don't have much money, but, I'd sure like to find it and bring it home!!!! GREAT WEBSITE! E-MAIL ANY TIME. Regards, Rick Young ( youngrick1@yahoo.com ), Jewell, IA
If anyone knows the fate or whereabouts of this car, you know who to contact! Interesting to note that the car carries the "Sprint" logo, which did not always appear on the '72 model. Two of Rick's trophies can be seen on the car's hood.
"Would like to say Well Done! on your website. Would also like to forward a couple of pics of my 72 Ventura II. I have owned it for about 20 years...it's seen numerous engine swaps, and a couple of years ago it got a major bling bling resto.
It's most recent mill is a zero deck 406 with lots of squeeze, and TONZ of torque. Victor manifold, Hookers, Flowmasters, tweaked 780 Holley...Turbo 350, deep pan, B&M converter and shifter, fresh 10-bolt posi, 3.08s out back, Weld wheels, new front and rear suspension, poly bushings, RCI buckets. She's one of those 'NEVER drive it in the rain, lives in a heated garage, don't even wash it' cars. But on any sunny day you'll see me out cruising around Victoria B.C. Canada".
And this car would be hard to miss!
"This is my 72 Ventura. I got the car when I was 15 back in 1993. My uncle found it for me sitting in a field just rotting away. After I got it, I put a 350 in it and painted it. I love this car. I am in the Army so it has been in and out of storage for the last 7 years. I plan to keep working on it, I want to make it a drag car but still be able to take it out on the street on Friday night. This winter (2004-2005) I am going though the suspension."
It's always great to hear about another Ventura being rescued. Hats off to James!
(R) Vintage photos from the scrapbook of another Ventura owner...Jason K ( venturaguy72@yahoo.com ) drops us a line: "These are pics of my 72 Ventura that I have had for five years (taken when I first bought it)...have not touched it for three years. Now it is 'the wreck in the back yard'. I do have plans of getting to it soon. I have been collecting parts for the car the whole time...so far I have a '72 455 .030 over from a Grand Prix, # 62 heads from a 400, TH400 trans from the same Grand Prix. Brand spanking new full length floor pans for both sides, new quarters, and I just got a stock car that I stripped for parts: a Ford nine inch rear axle with 4:10s and a locker, coil over shocks, disc brakes at all four corners... the only problem now is getting it all on the car and finding parts to rebuild the Hurst/Airheart break calipers...I am looking forward to seeing my car on your bad ass web site. Jason" Be sure to check out the current condition of this car in the "Wrecks & Relics" section of the site!
Pontiac 455 bored .030", Edelbrock Performer rpm aluminum heads, Edelbrock Torker 2 intake
TH350 w/ full manual reverse and 3500 stall, aluminum radiator, Chevy 12 bolt w/ 4.10 gears
31"x18.5"x15" Mickey Thompson Sportsman Pro 15x3.5 frt 15x15 rear Weld Pro Stars
10 point cage, 150 hp shot NOS, MSD ignition and cockpit timing control
This car has a very aggressive look...can't wait to see when it's done! -Ro
"Been watchin your site. Thought I would send pictures of my ride. I am the original owner (still have the purchase receipt). Car has a 565 ci big block Chev pump gas motor, Fast F.I., 400 turbo, 2200 stall, an early Olds rearend (narrowed) Summers Bros 4:56 gears, and a Gear Venders unit (turns the 4:56 into a 3:55 in overdrive). The motor dynoed out at 752 hp at 6200 rpm. Car should go high 10s. All original sheet metal and interior, 25,0000 actual miles. Car came with a Chevy 307, since then it has had an LT 1, a 440 ci rat motor, and a frame-off redo. The car was always black...black was not an offered color, it cost an extra 97.00 dollars. If you look at the firewall badge you'd see that there are 2 slash marks where the paint code goes...car was painted at the factory.
"The extra stuff you see around the Gear Vendors unit are electric exhaust dumps. I turned my ash tray into a small control panel and have my switches mounted there. I close the ash tray and switches are out of sight. I do not have a rollbar and don't plan on installing one. It is truly a street car. Catch you later, Kenny Pierson"
"A friend of mine who owns a Mitsubishi Eclipse took me for a ride in it awhile back and I couldn't believe the power. He installed a bigger turbo, intercooler, and some other goodies and was making somewhere around 340 hp (measured on a dyno) at the rear wheels with the little 4 cylinder! The last time I talked to him, which was about a year ago, he was running low 12's in the quarter mile. Turbos are unbelievable, a system like I'm attempting to build should easily make around 600-650 hp if done right, and that's a pretty mild system. The intake I'm using is a Tuned Port system off of a '90 Corvette with SLP aftermarket runners. Thank you again for keeping up the site. My visit certainly got me wanting to get back to work on mine. Kenny Pierson's '72 floored me, super clean, original owner, low mileage, unbelievable."
Rico has since fabricated and test-fitted the piping that runs from the turbos to the intercooler, and from the intercooler to the intake. Stay tuned for more progress photos to come.
"Just wanted to let you know that you have by far one of the best websites on the net, and I should know, I am a librarian who has lived on the web for the last 8 years. I bought the green '72 that was listed on your site. I'm having a blast driving it. Thanks again for a website for us Ventura lovers" ( Aaron.Buchanan@dal.frb.org )
No details, just a shiny Ventura fresh out of the car wash. Interestingly, the owner had applied a Cobra emblem along with the Ventura logo.
(R) While travelling thru central Oregon, I noticed this '71/'72 vintage Ventura parked in a hotel lot. It could be a local car, because a few hours later I saw it again, parked about 10 miles away. Now what are the odds on that? The old workhorse looks like it's seen some hard driving.
" I have
done a whole lot of stuff to my car since the last update. I have done
all my body work and it sits in white primer right now, I like the primer
look and it will satisfy me for a couple of years till I get it painted, but
for now I am working on performance.
"This winter I added 3.73 gears in my stock posi unit, and boy, did that
make a difference compared to my 2.73's. Along with new multi leaf rear
springs helping ride height, I cut my front coils so it would sit down just
a little. I scraped and painted the underbody, took out my stock gas tank,
and installed a nice aluminum fuel cell.
"I'm slowly transferring the car over to a daily driver/pro-streeter. I have a 4 bolt main 350 block that I'm currently building into a blown 383 stroker. My goals for the motor are 600 horsepower / 550 ft/lbs of torque at the flywheel. That should give me a solid 450 hp at the wheels, and some real put-you-in-your-seat torque. Hoping for high 11's if I hook up...I know some people doubt many horsepower heights, but let me assure you, this will be a real thumper...
"I love the car more than ever and can't wait to make some black marks on the street. After the engine is done I would like to tub the rear and make way for some big sticky rubber. I'm by no means chopping the car up, I try not to sacrifice the integrity of my Ventura, still have every last thing I ever took off of it in my attic, including A/C. ...Just a couple weeks ago my sunroof blew off my car, I was going a bit too fast for it to handle... have fixed everything on it, and now just waiting on the upholstery guy to finish the canvas top." (Oct05)
CONTEST
WINNER
(L) A mere $600 got Keith this rough-but-running '72 Ventura with its original Pontiac motor. This is probably how he found it--- I doubt if any self-respecting Ventura owner would stack tires on the hood!
(R) Navy man Mark Figueredo, ( figueredo.mark@lincoln.navy.mil ) provides the following stats on his ride: "1972 350 4bolt main, 10:8:1 compression, aluminum heads ported and polished. Edelbrock cam and performer intake, true roller timing chain roller rockers and a ton of assorted chrome. Future projects are B&M transmission overhaul kit to include shift kit and a powertrax with 4:10 gears. According to the Decktop dyno I'm pushing out around 375hp and 430tq. It likes transmissions. Go US Navy!" Transmissions are expensive eating, hope he can get that figured out...