What Years Did Pontiac Make The GT-37 & How Much Horsepower Did It Have?

The Pontiac GT-37 may not ring a bell like its legendary GTO platform-mate, nor did it make our list of the 10 most sought-after Pontiac cars to enter production. In hindsight, the GT-37 should be in the pantheon of the muscle car greats for offering value-packed performance.

Pontiac introduced the GT-37 in mid-1970 as the high-performance model of the T-37 hardtop coupe. The T-37 replaced the base Tempest trim grade of the third-gen LeMans midsize coupe. Pontiac wanted a car that cost less than the GTO, but with no shortage of grunt, and the T-37 ended up being among the most affordable A-body vehicles in General Motors' stable.

However, the lowly T-37 received an available GT-37 performance package upon launching in mid-1970. It had niceties like commemorative badging, side stripes, vintage rally wheels, hood pins, and a GTO exhaust. Pontiac continued offering the GT-37 package until the 1971 model year, which means the Pontiac GT-37 was only in production for one and a half years.

The horsepower ratings of any 1970 to 1971 Pontiac GT-37 will depend on what's under the hood. The GT-37 launched with a standard 350 cubic inch (5.7 liters) L30 V8 with a two-barrel carburetor and casting number 11 heads. It produces 255 horsepower and 355 lb-ft of torque.

Meanwhile, there's an optional 400 cubic inch (6.5 liters) L65 V8 with number 11 heads, a two-barrel carburetor, and up to 265 horsepower and 397 lb-ft of torque. Also available is the L78, which uses the same 400 cubic inch head, an updated four-barrel carburetor with casting number 16 heads, and up to 330 horsepower and 445 lb-ft of torque.

The L78 comes exclusively with an automatic gearbox, but a manual option tops out at 345 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque, thanks to updated number 12 heads and a dual-snorkel air intake. If all this sounds familiar, it's because the GT-37 shares some of its powertrain choices with the GTO muscle car. Pontiac added more updates and engine options for the 1971 GT-37: The L65 received number 99 heads to produce 400 lb-ft of torque, while the L78 got number 96 heads to produce 300 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque.

New for 1971 is the L75 V8 engine with 455 cubic inch number 66 heads, producing up to 325 horsepower and 455 lb-ft of torque. Lastly, the 1971 Pontiac GT-37 was available with a high-output 455 cubic inch V8 with number 197 heads, producing 335 horsepower and 480 lb-ft of torque. The standard gearbox is a three-speed manual for the L30, L78, and LS5, while three four-speed manuals and two automatic transmissions were on duty across the lineup.