Topic: 78 SE's - W72 or not?

[cbtransam07]

I assumed that SE's typically came with the "better" engine option (W72) but I saw an SE car recently that is a Y82 car but didn't have the W72 option listed on the PHS docs.  Did some original owners choose to get the appearance pkg (Y82) but not upgrade the engine?

I am new to TA's so just trying to learn.......Thanks all!

[Gold78Spc]

That would be correct.  Not all SE's have the W72 option.  My Y88 SE did not come with the W72 package either.

[Swift]

ditto, my Y88 didnt come with the W72. But did come with the WS6. I understand what you mean, it is unbelievable that someone would lay down over a grand for appearence but could come up with another $76 for performance

[O'Neall]

Yes, the Y81/82/84/88 SE appearance package could be ordered with or without just about any option.  Many SEs were built without the W72 engine.

[ta78w72]

Remember, there were a lot of T/A's made with the Olds 403.  In some states (that will go unmentioned or you'll be terminated) you couldn't get a 400 engine of any type after 76. 

[cbtransam07]

OK, thanks everyone.  I feel fortunate now that whoever originally bought my Y82 car also chose to plunk down the extra $75 for the W72 engine!    

[ta78w72]

Hopefully you also have a four speed.

[cbtransam07]

Ummm....well, no. Guess you can't have it all, well, unless you have $20-30k to spend.    But, the auto shifts well and is good on long trips, and it's still pretty fast.

[w72transamowner]

ditto, my Y88 didnt come with the W72. But did come with the WS6. I understand what you mean, it is unbelievable that someone would lay down over a grand for appearence but could come up with another $76 for performance

Well......not everyone orders a car, they just buy off a lot from existing dealer stock, so who knows, maybe dealerships simplly weren't ordering (or getting from the factory) SE models with the W72 package.

[jphillips3333]

So you have to post pix ... it's actually a rule or they'll bounce you off the forum.  Really.

Ummm....well, no. Guess you can't have it all, well, unless you have $20-30k to spend.    But, the auto shifts well and is good on long trips, and it's still pretty fast.

[RainMan]

It was only 75 bucks extra for the W72 option ,wonder how much the standard option was . Or was it extra with the auto like nowadays.
I would have loved to have the W72 4 speed ,it would complete me lol .
I just have to figure out how to build a time machine now ,that way I can get my 1 of 20 , 78 SE  that I dream about all the time

Maybe it would just be easier to get the HitMan to build me a 78 SE  W72 - 4 speed ,Fisher T , clone lol

[ta78w72]

You can find a four speed for a reasonable price.  Then build yourself what you want.  Although, I kind of like automatics.  But, I turn my nose up at the standard 400.  That was no high performance engine.  Once I saw they had a hub instead of a Dampner....and reading what Stimpy wrote about them,  I wouldn't want a basic 400.  They weren't built very well.  But all you guys are lucky...you can rebuild your engines.  I'm stuck here in California.  We can't change anything.

[kentuckyyeti]

I'm stuck here in California...

I drove to LA a couple of years ago.  I found that I-15 runs to I-70 and I-80.  Both of those interstates will get you out of Cali   Took 70 in from Vegas and took 80 to the Grand Canyon and across the South.  California.  Great place to visit.  Wouldn't want to live there.

[fb_rider]

In Smokey and the Bandit, the shot of the shaker scoop was a 6.6 Liter, not a TA 6.6, so apparently those SE's didn't have W72's either

[ta collector]

i am too young to remember when the W72s were new,but was this option advertise at all, or did it just fly under the radar, and only certain people knew about it.

because even now days i know more about new Pontiacs then some of the salesman do.