1965 Pontiac Le Mans Hardtop Coupe

Description

The Pontiac Le Mans, named after the historic French city of Le Mans and the legendary 24-hour endurance race, was initially a trim upgrade package based on the Tempest but became a separate model in 1963.

With the 1964 model year, the Tempest line transitioned to the new GM A platform, and Pontiac’s 1965 A-body intermediates included the Tempest, Tempest Custom, Le Mans, and GTO trims. This redesign added 3.1 inches to the overall length while keeping the same wheelbase and interior dimensions, featured Pontiac's distinctive vertically stacked quad headlights, and increased overall weight by about 100 pounds. The dashboard was updated to a more modern and driver-focused design.

The 1965 Le Mans gained prominence for its sporty appearance and performance options, with the GTO variant particularly contributing to its success and cementing the Le Mans nameplate’s reputation in the muscle car era.

Highlights 

• Reported as a complete “rotisserie restoration” which was completed 13 years ago 

• Powered by an original specification 326 cu-in V8 mated to a three-speed manual transmission 

• The chassis number (237375B137769) decodes as follows: 

  • 2 - Pontiac 

  • 37 - Tempest Le Mans 

  • 37 – Two-door coupe 

  • 5 – 1965 model year 

  • B – Baltimore, Maryland assembly plant 

  • 137769 – Sequential production number 

• The trim tag reveals the following original build details: 

  • 08A – Assembled August (08), first week (A) 

  • 65 – 1965 model year 

  • 2 – Pontiac 

  • 37 - Lemans 

  • 37 – Two-door coupe 

  • BAL – Baltimore, Maryland assembly plant 

  • 137769 – Sequential production number 

  • EE – Single-tone Nightwatch Blue 

  • 218 – Parchment interior 

• Oil was changed recently 

 Features 

• Power steering 

• Bucket seats 

• Black carpeting 

• Center console 

• Floor mounted gear selector 

• Wood rimmed steering wheel 

• AM radio 

• Heater / defroster 

• Lockable glove compartment 

• Door mounted arm rest 

• Stainless steel door sills 

• Manual roll-up windows 

• Pivoting vent windows 

• Dome light 

• Lockable center console storage compartment 

Known Imperfections 

• Minor flaking of the front bumper chrome 

• Light pitting on driver side wing window frame trim 

Included 

• Miscellaneous parts, including taillight trim 

Ownership History

The former owner of this 1965 Le Mans commissioned a complete restoration of this vehicle 13 years ago because his first car was a ’65 Le Mans. The consigner purchased it in February 2023 after the previous owner’s health deteriorated and he no longer had the mobility to operate the clutch. The consigner has enjoyed Le Mans for 18 months, driving it to local shows, mostly cruise nights. However, he says, “I never have enough storage, so it's time for me to sell also.”