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A series of pics from New Jersey. Nice close-ups
showing lots of detail. This is an SJ version. |
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This well-maintained car owned by Bill L.
Looks like there might be some Chevy
rims on this one.
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(L) A collection of fab four-doors
(R) And here are a few
coupes from the classifieds |
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 This
well-preserved example was snapped here in Seattle. This is the
factory-applied "Special Appearance Group" package. |
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From
overseas, though the car's owner did not identify the country of
origin. Some clues make me think this could be Turkey, but of course
I could be very wrong! |
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(L) A
beautiful setting, could this be the Mediterranean? Or maybe the
Black Sea?
(R) Looks like a big
motor, maybe a 350? Will these questions never cease? |
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 Check out
the unique taillights. The interior is very well-optioned with tilt
wheel, power windows... |
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(L) Here's a
'picture of a picture' of a nicely-modified vehicle in its heyday.
This car is undergoing some extensive changes; be sure to check the
current status of this car
below. (R) This 'beauty' was
included because the ad copy was worth a few grins :-)
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(L) Busy
net-surfer Carl rescued these images from an online auction.
(R) Another welcome
contribution from Carl. This looks like a promotional image from
Pontiac. Nice!
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Ken Likens is about to begin work on
this '76 Ventura. The exterior's suffered a bit from road salt, but
the interior is mint and he's added a beefy Formula steering wheel in
anticipation of more fun ahead.
Ken writes, "I have to admit that I anticipate your site updates more than
my beloved monthly issue of High Performance Pontiac magazine!" |
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Stripe
kits
for your '76 can be ordered from www.graphic-express.com
(Whether this stripe was actually originally available is another question)
Carl finds yet another '76 photo. I left the seller's site address
attached in case there are more literature collectors out there. |
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'The
Spirit of ’76 Lives On' photos and text by Michael Black
(Jan 2004)
“This
‘76 is actually a ‘77 with the older nose and different bumpers from an 80's
ish- Bonneville - It needs rear quarter panels due to rust at the bottom of the
rear wheel wells but the rest of the car is exceptionally straight. I had plans
to do the quarters and even ordered a set off the net...but they were of such
incredibly poor quality that I sent 'em back... This is my daily driver for the
last 8 years now ( I've had four of these cars in the last twenty years...) and
it was in Car Craft in Aug of ‘99. |
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“I
have since made numerous changes to it, and since it is a "hobby car",
the changes will always continue... I love making things. The ‘76 Pontiac was
BY FAR the most attractive x-body produced, except for those bumpers
though.......I will do some more pics soon once I get it a little more
presentable...
“‘73 455 Olds motor bored and stroked to 496 with over 100,000 miles since
the last rebuild. "j" heads port matched roller rockers w/ big valves
Performer intake & Quadrabog 1 3/4" hpc coated headers, dual 3"
cats and x pipe w/Flowmasters, 4 core radiator with dual electric 17"fans,
150 horse NOS ( but I don’t use it anymore ...scared of seeing my rods OUTSIDE
the block!) 140 amp alt. w/ dual Optima batteries and all wiring custom
designed. |
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“Centerforce
clutch and Richmond 5 spd (AWESOME trans!! over 140,000 hard miles). Nickel
alloy u-joints and Ford 9" rear from Currie w/Explorer disc brakes, Mopar
adjustable proportioning valve under dash.
Tubular a-arms and mildly reworked spindles and front end geometry w/big
car brakes, 3/4 coil cut from front springs, rear leafs with custom-made trac
bars w/Koni's.
Addco 1-1/4" front and 1" rear sway bars with all poly bushings
and Koni shocks...lots of built-in adjustability. Custom interior (under
construction as always...) Autometer gages, performance comp. overhead console
with super tuner and EQ with Pyramid amps and 4 Pioneer 3 way 6x9's , 12"
sub, CD player body is shaved, nosed and decked.
Stock bumpers were dumped for rubber replacements from a Bonneville - I
think. The front body mounts were tossed and the doghouse channelled over the
subframe 1.5 " for more 'rake' to the front end - and to get the damn poor
factory body seams to look better...modified front inner wheelwells with 235
60R15 and 275 60R15 rear and a bunch of other stuff, mostly electronic
countermeasures, but my fingers are gettin’ tired from all this typing and no
wrenching......so... Thanks and Seeya
(Boy, you sure can see the paint chips in that front end of
mine.....looks like the Milky Way...)
Feel free to add my email if you have time...
Michael Black
mblack2@woh.rr.com |
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Finally, we
have some full shots of Mike Black's mblack2@woh.rr.com
highly-modified Ventura to share with you. This car began life as a
'77, but Mike liked the look of the '76 better. The front bumper is
off of another Pontiac product, too. |
This
well-preserved example was snapped here in Seattle. This is the
factory-applied "Special Appearance Group" package. 
Check out
the unique taillights. The interior is very well-optioned with tilt
wheel, power windows...
