The 1978 Pontiac LeMans Safari station wagon represented General Motors’ decision to downsize their medium-sized models (LeMans, Malibu, Cutlass and Century) and sell smaller versions of them that year.
The new LeMans model was also a nimbler version of its former self and helped GM deal with weight issues with its introduction.
The net result was a better balance between power and weight during an era when brute force horsepower models were no longer built by domestic car manufacturers, including GM.
Jim Sutherland
Allan Shritt has worked on cars for a long time and witnessed the end of the muscle car era during the early 1970s. Fortunately, Allan’s trade gave him an ability to make a humble 1978 Pontiac LeMans Safari station wagon into a beast.
He bought his 1978 Pontiac LeMans Safari station wagon project in 2014 and began his plan to make the car faster and cooler. Knowledgeable MyStarCollectorCar fans will notice the newer front end on Allan’s wagon.
The newer front end was donated by a 1986 Pontiac 2+2 because Allan liked its sleeker style and wanted to improve the 1978 Pontiac’s squared-off look. He also used the ’86 Pontiac newer front subframe because it allowed Allan to improve the wagon’s overall performance.
As mentioned earlier, Allan wanted more power under his 1978 Pontiac Safari’s hood and chose a 396 cubic-inch Chevy big block for his horsepower upgrade. He bolted up the 396 to a Corvette four-speed manual transmission because Allan knew it could handle all the extra horses under his Safari’s hood.
MyStarCollectorCar may be surprised to learn Allan chose a modest rear gear ratio (2:73) from a Chevy S-10 because it offered a posi-trac rear end and durability in one package. The highway gears were intentional because Allan wanted to drive his wagon at highway speeds without blowing up the engine. In short, he wanted to drive his car.
A 1978 Pontiac LeMans Safari wagon was not entirely compatible with a 1986 Pontiac 2+2 in terms of body fit so Allan was forced to glue door skins on his Safari to fit with the newer Pontiac’s front fenders. The net result is a clean front-end transformation that looks like it was installed at the factory.
Allan wanted as many creature comforts as possible in his Pontiac resto mod wagon, given the fact he intended to drive his wagon after the project’s completion. Consequently, Allan’s ’78 Safari has power steering, power front disc/rear drum brakes, and even working air conditioning in it.
The exterior of the car has a unique custom stripe package that celebrates Pontiac’s Safari heritage in a very striking way. The net result is a station wagon from the Me Decade that has an updated style because of its creative stripe package.
Allan noted the car was supposed to be black but guessed the former owner got a good deal on gray paint and bought it. The upside is gray paint is easier for touch-up work, according to Allan.
Allan took his mild-mannered 48-year-old grocery hauler and worked some serious magic on it. Congratulations on a job well done.
Jim Sutherland
BY: Jim Sutherland
Jim Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer whose work has been published by many major print and online publications. The list includes Calgary Herald, The Truth About Cars, Red Deer Advocate, RPM Magazine, Edmonton Journal, Montreal Gazette, Windsor Star, Vancouver Province, and Post Media Wheels Section.
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