Even though Can Ams are generally...
Even though Can Ams are generally heavy, they can still make for a quick race car. This example, owned by Paul and Dale Freese, weighs 4,349 pounds with driver (4,032 pounds without), features a 455/469 combo with Edelbrock 72cc heads, Turbo 400 and a Ford 9-inch with 4.10 gears. It runs 11.62 in the quarter-mile with 1.70 60-ft time and a trap speed of 124.32 mph with full exhaust and MT/ET Street tires.
The Can Am was ordered by marking the WW3 option in Reserve Box No. 4 on the back side of the LeMans Vehicle Order. It included the 200-horse T/A 6.6 400-cid four-barrel Pontiac V-8 (or the Olds 403 with the Turbo 350 automatic transmission, if sold in California or high-altitude areas), a Turbo 400 heavy-duty automatic transmission, Rally RTS handling package with front and rear stabilizer bars, body-color Rally II wheels, Grand Prix instrument panel with Rally gauge cluster and in-dash clock, power front disc brakes, power variable-ratio steering, GR70x15 radial tires (with space saver spare), protective rubber bumper strips, front and rear body color twin sport mirrors (LH remote), and a blacked-out grille assembly. Out back, the T/A 6.6-equipped Can Ams with A/C came with 3.08 gears and those without A/C were fitted with 3.23s. The 403 Can Ams received 2.41 gears.
According to Wangers, who features the Can Am in his new book, Pontiac Pizazz, and Can Am Registry founder Verne Howard (also the President of POCI), the LeMans Sport Coupes were shipped to Motortown and converted with tri-tone colored accent tape stripes on the hood, front fenders, doors and sport mirrors; black lower body sides with accent stripes; full-width rear deck spoiler with tri-tone colored accent stripe; tri-tone Can Am identification on the front end, rear deck and front fenders; blacked-out windshield, backlight, door window and belt moldings; unique Can Am interior I.D.; and Trans Am-type shaker hoodscoop with tri-tone "T/A 6.6" or "6.6 Litre" identification and accent stripes.
Pontiac's 200-horse W72 T/A...
Pontiac's 200-horse W72 T/A 400 engine in the Can Am featured the same specs as the Trans Am: Q-jet carb, No. 6X heads with 2.11/1.66-inch valves, a 274/298-degrees duration cam with 0.364/0.364-inch lift., 1.5-stamped steel rockers, and an 8:1 compression ratio.
The newly-born Can Ams were shipped back to Pontiac for transport to dealers in all 50 states. According to Howard, "The conversion took approximately three days to complete and was called the 'Can Am Appearance Package.' A smaller window sticker, telling about the appearance package, was placed next to the factory window sticker."
Pontiac advertised the Can Am as "A Super New Limited Edition LeMans." Ad copy proudly rallied the musclecar-buying public with the battle slogan, "Remember the Goat!" The first Can Am candidates rolled off the Pontiac assembly line in late 1976. The response was overwhelming. "Pontiac ordered only 2,500 of the Can Ams to start," Wangers recalls. "But when the dealers saw the cars, they started ordering more, some even three or four more at a time, and Pontiac upped the limited edition run from 2,500 to 5,000."
According to body tags documented by Howard in the Can Am registry, production continued into August 1977, at which time Pontiac pulled the plug on what was a beautiful limited edition to its lineup. An often-reported news item that Pontiac cancelled the program due solely to a spoiler tooling break was debunked by Wangers in an exclusive interview with HPP, following this story.
Production totals aren't available from Motortown, so hobbyists rely upon Pontiac's tally of the Can Am WW3 option, which is 1,377 units. A second report from Pontiac lists 1,335 W72-optioned Can Ams in 1977. From these two numbers, hobbyists estimate that 1,335 Pontiac W72 400- and 42 L80 Olds 403-equipped Can Ams were produced.
But these numbers are estimates only and Howard cautions Can Am collectors from accepting them as absolute truth. "After 30 years, I have not seen anything that says different about the number of W72 T/A 400- and Olds 403-powered cars. The mystery of how many Can Ams were 400-cid powered and how many were 403-cid powered may never be resolved." Wangers is more confident in his number. "There were 1,133 Can Ams produced at Motortown before Pontiac cancelled the program," he says.
 Can Ams and their owners travelled...  Can Ams and their owners travelled across the United States to the Ames Performance Tri-Power Pontiac Nationals in 2007 to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the limited edition Pontiac. According to the Cam Am Registry, this reunion was the largest gathering of Can Ams since the vehicles left Pontiac, Michigan, in 1977. From front to back and left to right are Verne Howard, Lee's Summit, Missouri; Rich Tucker, Meadville, Pennsylvania; Darl McGillem, Connersville, Indiana; Rick Lightfoot, Corning, New York; Pete Rust, Bethel Park, Pennsylvania; Larry Vicari, Christiansburg, Virginia; Dave Rust, Bethal Park, Pennsylvania; Steven Dorris, Lake Orion, Michigan; Brian Cook, Norris, South Carolina; David Stover, Port St. Lucie, Florida; Bill Ostovich Sr., Slinger, Wisconsin, and Steve Burnham, Lake Orion, Michigan. |  This Olds 403-equipped 185hp...  This Olds 403-equipped 185hp Can Am (code L80), owned by Darl McGillem, is one of an estimated 42 Can Ams sold in California and high-altitude areas. It's easily recognizable by its oil filler tube at the very front of the block, Oldsmobile valve covers, and by the "6.6 Litre" decals on the shaker. According to Verne Howard, the block is stamped with code 4A or 4B. |  Owner Larry Vicari opted for...  Owner Larry Vicari opted for custom work inside of the cockpit, including an engine turned appliqu la the Trans Am and aftermarket floor mats. This Can Am has the Rally gauges with optional tachometer (code WW8). |
 Saddle interior (code 64R1)...  Saddle interior (code 64R1) is rare in a Can Am. Notice the Grand Prix instrument panel, optional Custom Sport steering wheel (code N31), Turbo 400 automatic trans (code M40) and cruise control (code K30). This example is owned by David Stover. |  Placing a model designation...  Placing a model designation on the glovebox is reminiscent of the '69-'71 Judge. Early production models received the decal, but it was dropped by Motortown due to adhesive problems on the rough surface of the glovebox. This example is an aftermarket reproduction in Verne Howard's Can Am. |  A six-way power bucket seat...  A six-way power bucket seat (code AC3), as shown in Steve Dorris' Can Am, is another rare option. |