When gas was 36 cents a gallon, as it was in 1972, this Pontiac Grand Prix SJ might have made more sense, even at the inflation-adjusted equivalent of $2.56 a gallon today. But with dinosaur juice nearing five bucks in a lot of places, perhaps a 10-mile-per-gallon car is not the greatest idea. Still, someone’s going to venture here to eBay and snag this cruiser. It’s bid to just past $2K with a few days left in the auction, with no reserve. The winner will then get to McKeesport, PA to pick the car up. Oh, and while he or she is at it, there are two parts cars that come along with the deal.
What would you do with two parts cars? I ask that for a couple of reasons. First, where would you put them? Second, what would you need them for? This car doesn’t look half bad, though note the comment about the ineffectual capturing of images below. Even still, I can’t see the reason to haul two more carcasses across the country to provide bits and pieces. Yet maybe it’s a marketing thing, with the enterprising among us realizing that restoration costs could be fairly significantly offset by parting out the two extra GPs. Might be nice to see them, but this apparently didn’t occur to the seller.
So what kind of restoration would then be in the new owner’s future? Gas consumption might be the least of your worries with this personal luxury cruiser. The paint looks to have given up a while ago, though the images in the ad are not easy to decipher. The ad itself claims a solid structure lives under this GP, but also mentions body rust, and one picture seems to show a rotted-out rear fender. The front bumper is rusty. Under the hood looks gnarly from sitting, likely outside, and as is so typical, the AC is “not hooked up;” that is, it’s in need of an expensive retrofit to meet modern standards. Think you can skimp on that? Take this car to Target in July and go inside for ten minutes. Come out and see what those black vinyl seats have absorbed. Hope you’re not wearing your short pants when you get in to drive away.
If you’re brave enough to try this car, you’ll be driving one handsome machine when you’re done with your resto. Look at that long, flat hood, with a 455-CID engine thrumming away underneath. Not bad, not bad. You just have to reckon on a lot of torching and welding to get you to the finished product, and that might get wearying on the wallet, or your nerves if you’re doing the work yourself. So what price would make this one make sense?
Seems like a good deal with 2 parts cars!
Nice find! Total minutia question and comment: 1) best door handle design of all time 2) who designed it and why wasn’t it on other GM products
Door handle design lifted from 1955 DeSoto. Copy the best!
Think you’ll find a similar design on boattail Rivieras, too. Toronados used the same.
These cars weren’t/aren’t very common, so it would have made sense for the previous owner to grab what they could, when they could.
If you leave the parts cars behind, good luck finding another 71-72 GP to scavenge in the future.
I seem to recall a Desoto that had door handles like those in the 50’s. 55 Fireflite maybe?
Are the parts cars 455 SJ’s too?
Are the parts cars 455 SJ’s too?
If the frame is solid on the main car ,this would be a pretty far deal to me. Alot of extra parts available.
I live in west mifflin, can i come and take a look at .
gary, Reach out to the seller by clicking on the EBay link in the article.
The parts cars are a big plus with this car if they contain the parts need for the restoration. I am restoring a ’69 model J right now and I can tell you parts ain’t as easy to find for one of these as a Camaro or Mustang.
Where is gas $5 a gallon? The failed republic of California? That would make sense. But in states not governed by out of touch loons gas is under $3 a gallon. I doubt very much that very many at all of my fellow BF readers worry over much about the gas mileage of a classic. What’s next a prius on BF??? GTFOH
@FireAxeGXP
I sincerely hope I’m already dead before a Prius shows up on Barn Finds.
We hope you are not, because, God forbid, it will probably happen sooner than later.
As I said in the first comment a good deal with 2 parts cars but I wish there where pictures of the 2 parts cars
Gas bearing $5 a gallon in some parts? What parts? In the U.S. it’s around $3.45 in Las Vegas. Around $2.00 in north Texas, goes back up to around $3.20 across Arkansas & Tennessee. Virginia around 3 something and settling back at $2.21 in Maryland. Are you referring to European countries? Which are in Euros?
So Cal, where $4.59 is a good price and places downtown LA are nearly 6 bucks.
@Wademo
DAMN!
Sold on 3/16/2025 with a high bid of $3.161.
Steve R
I remember those cars,single wheel peel for half mile