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PFC Andy Miller and his wife, Sara, got to enjoy cruising in his freshly custom-painted 1972 Pontiac LeMans while he was home on leave from Afghanistan. He expected to find his project car in pieces, but thanks to a scramble by his father-in-law, Bryan Osborn and other family members and friends, the LeMans was driven to the Automobilia weekend car show in Old Town.

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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle

The original plan called for orange paint highlighted by ghost flames, but Miller's father-in-law made a command decision and enlisted Brandon Johnson to apply the realistic flames over the charcoal-silver nose of the LeMans as a surprise.

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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle

Bryan Osborn sprayed the Dodge Mango Tango Orange paint in a friend's shop and then applied the contrasting charcoal-silver accent panels, which actually complement the LeMans' sculpted body lines.

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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle

Bryan Osborn, left, surprised his son-in-law, PFC Andy Miller by having his prized '72 Pontiac LeMans painted and in driving condition by the time he came home on leave from Afghanistan.

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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle

Andy and Sara Miller, left, with Sara's parents, Diana and Bryan Osborn and her sister, Erica, at Sedgwick County Park shortly before Andy left to finish his tour of duty in Afghanistan.

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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle

The 350 cubic inch GM V-8 has been enhanced with an Edelbrock Performer intake and carb and a Comp Cams camshaft, as well as a set of dual exhausts.

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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle

Chromed factory-style wheels with dog dish hubcaps are used all around. The `Custom LeMans' emblem is a decal specially made for the car.

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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle

The original interior was treated to new cloth upholstery for the bench seat and the rear seat.

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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle

The only factory emblem left on the smoothed body is the round LeMans badge on the rear roof pillar.

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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle

Door panels remain clean and functional in black vinyl.

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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle

The steering wheel and dash board remain basically stock, including the factory shifter for the 350TH automatic transmission.

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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle

Accessory pieces inside include under-dash tachometer and a 3-gauge panel of instruments.

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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle

A set of matching charcoal-spoked mag wheels and a few more engine modifications are all that's planned for the LeMans in the foreseeable future.

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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle