With just 37,992 original miles and no signs of body rot or previous damage, this 1979 Pontiac Grand Prix SJ is aging nicely with original paint and a “barely worn” interior. The body and shutlines looks quite good, and the chrome trim pieces haven’t broken down with time and age. The SJ package was the sportier model in the Grand Prix lineup, which gave drivers a standard 150 b.h.p. eight-cylinder engine under the hood. Find the Grand Prix here on craigslist with a listed price of $9,500.
The Grand Prix looks good from all corners, with attractive wheels, a landau-style roof, and paint that appears to still shine up nicely. The fourth-generation Grand Prixs weren’t spared from the pressure to reduce the size and consumption of vehicle models that had been growing larger year-over-year. The Grand Prix at least retained an attractive profile (in this author’s opinion) and 1979 saw the introduction of restyled taillight lenses and a new crosshatch-style grill treatment.
The seller notes the interior features bucket seats and a full console, both of which appear to be in very good condition. Carpets appear slightly bunched up and soiled lightly in places. The dash is uncracked and door panels feature material that matches the seat inserts. Hopefully, that steering wheel cover isn’t hiding any ugliness; if it’s not, the wrap should be tossed, even if the colors are somewhat complimentary. Woodgrain-style inserts punctuate the instrument binnacle area. The seller notes the A/C is not functional.
The engine bay is surprisingly clean, and the 301 V8 offered drivers the most power in the Grand Prix lineup. The SJs received a four-barrel carburetor that pushed output to a respectable (for the era) 150 b.h.p., with the familiar Turbo Hydra-Matic three-speed automatic getting the power down. While not an overly desirable car, clean specimens can be hard to come by – especially here in the northeast, where this Grand Prix is listed for sale (Long Island.) Is it worth close to $10K? Thanks to Barn Finds reader Ikey H. for the find.
Looks like a nice car. I always thought this era Grand Prix was attractive and a good example of a somewhat upscale car of its day.
For that asking price, I would expect the AC working, power windows/locks and T-Tops or moonroof option….
Good luck , try finding one first instead of making a wish list of options like you are ordering the car today in 2019.
Hen’s teeth rare in survivor condition as this era 1978-1980 very short lived.
All those gage pods & no gages – odd. A lite brown collapsible elastic velour steerin wheel cover from $ tree would look & feel better. Wonder if they offered 15 inch wheels on these.
My father had a loaded 79 with leather and t-tops. That 301 felt faster than my 83 Berlinetta with the 305.
But the shift from 1 to 2 was hard, not sure if it was just that car.
I’ve got a 455 and a muncie 4speed that would straighten the power problem.
$9500 should be enough to buy the best loaded SJ with T-tops in the country with everything working, probably a 2 tone with real wire wheels too…. this is a nice $4500 car.
The genuine wire wheel option was extremely rare, available in ‘79-‘80
models only. I have a mint ‘80 GP LJ bought new, but I regret not buying
it with those wheels, although I did get the attractive Rally IV units.
Should have ordered a set of the wire wheels as well, a $500 option,
still quite expensive back then though. To find a nice set today is
virtually impossible.
Looks like a well-maintained car with 137,000 miles to me. Note worn, stretched, wrinkled driver’s seat; worn carpeting and center armrest; cracked dash at the speaker grille; deteriorating vinyl roof; discoloured rear-window surround, and non-functional A/C.
The photo of the rear seat also reveals a lot of fading–odd on a beige interior.
Caveat emptor…
I thought an SJ came with silver dash instead of woodgrain and also gauges?
My first new car, I was 18, 79 Grand Prix 2 tone blue, loaded out, every option Spokes and Vogue tires, for its day it was a nice car, the 301 was sufficient no power house, but nice car, Disco days in New York
Do you still have that 73’ Grand Prix?
Based on the wear and tear of the steering wheel alone, there’s no way that this a 37K mile car.
It is a LJ, not a SJ
SJ’s came with full instrumentation.
Nice car though
I was very disappointed with the Grand Prix starting in 78 compared to the Cutlass and Regal. I bought a 79’ Cutlass Supreme Brougham beautiful car but slow. Then in 89’ a Grand Prix SE. I said yes the Prix is back. Wife totaled it dang. Oldsmobile and Pontiac are my favorites and they are gone I don’t know how I survived.
Me too, not to mention no more sporty 2 doors, no more choice of at least 15/5 exterior/interior colors, & loss of a comfy ride & comfy seat materials. & look at the sticker prices now & how much most “cars” look alike & colorless & ugly today.
I wonder if a 400 cube pont v8(or even 400 chevy small block) & turbo 350 trans can be swapped in this lighter than prev gen GP – it sure would be fast, espec w/o a cat. Rally IIs & sport mirrors seem out of place on this lux car.