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64-72 A-Body, GTO, Lemans, Tempest
Pontiac V8 64-72 A-Body, GTO, Lemans, Tempest
Know Your Frame — 64-72 A-Body, GTO, Lemans, Tempest for Pontiac V8s
The 1964-72 A-body GTO, LeMans and Tempest is the most-built Pontiac chassis, and it has the deepest header selection because of it. The important split is 1964-67 against 1968-72: the frame and the front brake plumbing changed, so the two ranges use different castings even when the tube size matches.
Butler carries Doug's Headers four-tube full-length sets from 1 3/4" D-port up to 2" round port in black, metallic ceramic and all-stainless, plus American Racing Headers handcrafted 304 stainless D-port and round port sets.
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More About 64-72 A-Body, GTO, Lemans, Tempest
1. 1964-67 or 1968-72
These are not the same car under the floor, and the header part numbers follow that split.
| 1964-67 A-body | Doug's 1 3/4" D-port set is listed for 326-455 in GTO, LeMans and Tempest, with a 3" collector. American Racing Headers covers 1964-1972 in one stainless design. |
| 1968-72 A-body | its own 1 3/4" D-port casting with a 3" collector, plus the 2" round port set listed for 400-455 in 68-72 cars. |
| The 1 7/8" round port set spans 64-72 | Doug's round port header with 1 7/8" primaries and a 3 1/2" collector is listed for 326-455 across the whole range. |
2. The three gotchas that bite A-body owners
These come straight out of Doug's fitment notes and they are the reason installs stall out on a Saturday.
| Brake proportioning valve | Doug's notes that you may have to reposition the brake proportioning valve on the driver side frame rail. Look at it before the headers go up. |
| Manual transmission with the 1 7/8" round port set | Doug's specifies that manual trans cars must use the 1964-65 Z-bar, GM number 9776376. Butler stocks that Z-bar as a clutch linkage part. If you are running a stick and ordering round port headers, order the Z-bar with them. |
| Factory air conditioning with the 2" set | Doug's states the 2" round port headers will not work with factory A/C cars. There is no workaround short of losing the compressor. |
3. Primary tube versus engine
| 1 3/4" D-port | the right header for a 326, 350, 389 or a street 400 with factory-shape D-port iron. Most GTO builds land here and are happier for it. |
| 1 7/8" round port | for round port iron or aftermarket aluminum heads on a healthy 400-455 with a real cam. American Racing Headers offers round port in 1-3/4" and 1-7/8" primaries and D-port in 1-3/4" and a stepped 1-3/4" by 1-7/8". |
| 2" round port | a 400-455 race-leaning combination, 68-72 only, no factory air. |
4. Coating, and one legal note
| Black or raw | Doug's standard headers come raw and pre-polished, ready for your paint or your own heat barrier coating. Black painted versions are paint only. |
| Metallic ceramic | a thermal barrier coating over a pre-polished tube, which Doug's rates for heat resistance up to 1400 degrees. On an A-body the payoff is less heat soaked into the frame rail and the brake plumbing you already had to work around. |
| Stainless | Doug's all-stainless sets in 1 3/4" D-port and 1 7/8" round port, and American Racing Headers 304 stainless, race proven and handcrafted in America. American Racing Headers states its products are manufactured exclusively for racing purposes and that installing them eliminates legal use on public roads. |
Every Doug's set uses 3/8" thick machined flanges, CNC mandrel-bent tubes and heavy 16 gauge tubing with long transition collectors. Tell us the year, the head casting and whether the car has air and a stick, and we will keep you out of the three traps above.
Not sure what your Pontiac needs?
Call our tech team at 866-762-7527. Tell us your engine, heads, car, and power goal, and we will put the parts together as one combination that works.