Pontiac’s beaked and angular Grand Prix left its roots after ’77 according to some, and this 1977 Pontiac Grand Prix SJ in Cadillac, Michigan represents the final year of this generation with high style. The two-tone paint, 400 V8, power accessories, and snowflake wheels help this SJ make a classy entrance. According to the listing here on eBay, this coupe enjoyed the care of two female owners. The first worked at the Texas dealership that sold it, and a second, presumably in Michigan, where it never saw snow and hardly ever rain. The classic luxury coupe can be yours for the Buy It Now price of $19,950 or tempt the seller with the Make offer button.
The red velour bucket seats look great on this never-restored Pontiac, and nothing here disputes the claimed 84,000 miles. The undercarriage looks solid from the one picture included. The angled console and full instrumentation on the SJ bring some sport to the luxury interior, and power windows and air conditioning make comfort and ease of operation a priority.
Historically the SJ came with the hottest available motor. With the 455 cid (7.5L) dropped after ’76, this SJ got the four-barrel 400 cid (6.6L) mill. Interestingly, Pontiac fitted “6.5” badges on cars as late as 1974 despite the bump in cubes from 389 to 400 in 1967. Pontiac brochures for 1977 refer to it as 6.6L. Recounting this Grand Prix’s female owner history and as-is no-warranty status left the seller too exhausted to describe the vehicle’s running or driving condition or enumerate features and accessories or their operating status. It would be a shame if we missed some important details. Maybe the second owner was a Catholic Nun who only drove the Pontiac to church on High Holy Days.
The two-tone paint accentuates the hood and trunk lines. Popularity of the aluminum “snowflake” wheels led to their shortage and substitution of Rally wheels for most of model year 1977, according to MotorTrend. As a 1981 Imperial owner, I appreciate the market for this Grand Prix, but I paid about 10% of this car’s asking price for my Imperial, so it would be hard to go all in on this one. That said, you won’t find any new cars with this sort of style and comfort for $20,000 and ’70s cars perform well in almost every driving situation. Mechanically, this ride will be cheap to keep on the road, but don’t expect much in the aftermarket when it comes to interior parts or trim. Stick a smartphone to the windshield that talks to a hard-wired stealth Bluetooth adapter and your navigation will beat most modern factory units. Would you make room in your garage for this well-preserved ’70s Pontiac?
That pontiac 400 they still sing the praises about its power & torque! Long as it wasn’t a Olds 400 I think if well bought it would be a excellent road car. Florida anyone for spring break?
Todd, Here’s an idea…BF writers should do periodic write-ups on their own vehicles. I always wanted an early 80’s Imperial and would be interested in your experience and how to get it to ” run right”.
The Grand Prix is a very nice find….maybe $10 to $12,000.
Thanks, Sam61! I usually do a “selfish” piece when I buy a classic and/or every 500 or 1000 articles. Below I’ll link the last one, and you can click on the dark red link of “my Imperial” above and check the comments there for a couple updates on my ’81. https://barnfinds.com/todds-rods-whats-in-the-garage/
Awesome collection Fitch. 👌 Fun all over the place, including the JD. Love that 650 Honda CB, no idea they revved out like that. I understand your grin 😸
Thanks for those links, loved it.
The “6.5” emblems are even more baffling once you realize a 389 is 6.4 liters.
I miss my 77 Grand Prix. My uncle owned Kole Pontiac in Oak Lawn, near Midway airport on the south side of Chicago, back in the day.
I remember way back in high school when we were turning 16, and all the “rich kids” were getting their new cars. I was driving my dad’s Kingswood Estate wagon (when I was allowed to borrow it, which wasn’t often) so I was on the sidelines for this. One kid got a new 442, one a 280ZX, there was a Firebird, a Jeep, etc. But one guy’s folks didn’t tell him what he was getting, it was a surprise. For weeks, he fantasized about which car it would be. Turned out it was a ’77 Grand Prix, triple green, literally with every option Pontiac offered. He was livid. He hated that car. He thought it was an “old person’s” car. He moped and sulked and complained until his folks bought him another car. I think of that snotty, entitled jerk every time I see one of these cars.
I know the type. Then there’s the haters. This girl in high school her dad bought her a brand new 76’ Grand Prix yellow/white interior t-tops loaded with every option with bucket seats and somehow she put it in a ditch on a busy street and you’d be surprised how many kids laughed. She was hot too.
My first new car was a 77 LJ Glacier Blue with rally II’s and a 301. I was so excited I didn’t ask about the engine when I bought it. Just figured it was a 400. That car was so beautiful and comfortable but so slow. Always had spark knock. Had to get rid of it because of the insurance bill a year later. Accumulated to many tickets with the car before it, a 68 GTO. I always thought it would have been a perfect car with a late 60’s 400 though. Still miss it 46 years later.
From 73 until mid to late 80s most of these big GM cars were cheap low performance dogs. I know because I was there. The last of the well put together performers in the Grand Prix cars was 71, before all the low tunings and smog crap turned high performance big blocks into low horse power versions of what the previously were.
And over all build quality began to suck after words.
Had an uncle who recently passed who had a 1970 J model with a 400 that was a beast! I loved that car. Best luxury and power I’d ever seen, or would ever see again.
My best friend was given one of these as a graduation gift, back in 1979. It had first belonged to his mother. We had a lot of fun in that car. It rode like it was on air, and the 400 had plenty of get up and go. It was no muscle car, but it moved ok for a large, 1970s car. I think the seller is dreaming with the 20k ask, 10k would be more realistic.
I had 1971 grand prix that 77 looks just like it. What was the difference between a 71 and 77???
Everything.
I have owned two 1977 GP, SJ models. The second one that I had was purchased used around 1984?
It had the dark grey bottom with light silver top, with this same two tone paint sceme. I didn’t like the factory color combination, so I lightly sanded the paint and painted it all dark grey.
I still had the silver padded top. It was loaded, like this one, with the velour interior.
I wish that I would have just kept it now, because seeing all of these nice Gran Prix’s lately makes me want another one?
A person would almost have to see a vehicle in person to know what it really is? I would feel comfortable owning this one because it looks good in the pictures. It doesn’t look like it has been hacked with parts omitted or wrong?
Just my oponion!