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Black and Red: 1977 Pontiac Grand Prix

When I write my articles for Barn Finds, I write about some of the different cars and manufacturers from an Australian perspective. Sometimes these perspectives are right, and sometimes they are wrong. If they’re wrong then I just have to cop it on the chin and learn from the feedback that I receive. This is one such car. I have always found Pontiac to be an interesting manufacturer. They always seemed to have marched to the beat of a different drummer. Their offerings have always seemed just main-stream enough to attract the average buyer, but just different enough to allow them to stand out and be distinctive. The Firebird of the 1970s typified this. It had looks that suggested a muscle car, performance that was adequate but not in muscle car territory, but a level of comfort that brought it close to being a true GT car in the pure sense of the phrase. This 1977 Pontiac Grand Prix is another such example. It’s a car from Pontiac that possesses these attributes, as well as a few interesting and distinctive styling touches.  Possessing a clear title this one is for sale here on eBay. Located in Wooster, Ohio, bidding has reached a mere $1,000 dollars although there is a BIN option of $11,500.

I’ve been sitting her trying to think of an impressive and intellectual way of describing this car and I think that I’ve got it: Man that’s nice! I don’t think that there’s a much better color combination than this. That black paint looks very consistent and has a nice shine. The panels look really straight and the wheels and red pinstripe set it off nicely.

Here lies the 301ci V8 which is backed by an automatic transmission. While it will never be a tire-fryer, performance would be what Rolls Royce describe as “adequate”. As an aside, this Grand Prix was owned by the original owner for 41 years. Given that he was a mechanic it all augers well for the next owner. The car has air con which is nice if you live in a warmer climate given the outside color.

The red interior presents a neatly as the outside of the car. Seat upholstery looks clean and in remarkable condition for the car’s age. This is the second car that I’ve written about today where the rear seat looks completely unused. The dash, carpet and door cards also appear to be in first-rate condition.

In conclusion I have to say that this appears to be a really nice example of a Grand Prix from that era. I will readily admit that it won’t be a car that will set the track alive at your nearest drag strip. The price also puts it towards the upper echelon of similar cars for sale at present. But the seller states that you can buy it and drive it away. That has to be an attractive idea.

Comments

  1. Avatar Miguel

    This body style cries out for a big engine to intimidate other cars with.

    I don’t think the 301 is enough.

    It is a beautiful car though for somebody that lives in a cool climate.

    Like 13
  2. Avatar Michael

    My 76 was the exact same color combo. Loved that car.

    Like 7
  3. Avatar Steve R

    Cool color combination, if anything can push it towards the BIN price it will be that.

    That’s still a hefty price for a low option car with a small engine. Unfortunately the sell didn’t take detailed pictures of rust prone areas and doesnt address the condition of the body, even in passing. Hopefully that was an unintentional oversight, but would warrant a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

    Steve R

    Like 5
    • Avatar Rick Rothermel

      Nice looking car but under-equipped. My dad had a ’64 GP new, I had two at the same time in 1980.
      I agree with Pontiac advertising legend Jim Wangers that the division lost its way entirely in the ’70’s with regard to the ‘content’ of the cars.
      When did ‘Grand Prix’ start to not mean ‘bucket seats and a console’?
      And a 301? Eccch!
      Toward the end of the brand, many Pontiac stores stocked base GPs that were only fit for fleet or rental use. GM wasn’t pushing much else. Maybe that trend started with cars like this.

      Like 0
  4. Avatar edh

    I need more muscle under the hood if to tolerate having to use my muscles to lift those giant doors up as I close them.

    Like 3
  5. Avatar Jimmy

    A young lady who my wife babysat for her 2 kids had one of these back in the early 80’s. same color combo. The car was smokin hot and so was she. Don’t tell the wife I said that.

    Like 15
    • Avatar Ike Onick

      Your secret is safe with us. Just keep the payments coming.

      Like 12
  6. Avatar Ron

    You’re assessment of these Pontiacs is correct. They were considered midsize cars back in the day ! These were typically owned by young stud disco type guys !!! Their styling is really great !!! I would even call it sexy !! Lol. Not for drag racing though and they weren’t intended for that anyway more for scoring.

    Like 7
    • Avatar Jeffro

      I could “score” driving a rusted out Yugo that was sitting on blocks.

      Like 2
      • Avatar Don Diego

        I have a mental picture of what you could have scored with.

        Like 9
      • Avatar Jeffro

        Certainly not implying it would be a super model, but possibly have all/most of her teeth. A car only has a certain amount of limitations

        Like 3
  7. Avatar Bongo

    A 301 and asking big block money. I’m going to watch this one i don’t believe it will break 5000. I had a 301 gran prix everything put it to shame. Had to cut air off Every time I need to get out of the way.

    Like 1
  8. Avatar ccrvtt

    These are distinctive cars and I personally like the looks.

    I just can’t get past the image of the driver having a generous gut, hairy chest, too-tight shirt unbuttoned halfway down revealing 3-4 heavy gold chains.

    Then again, my mother was 58 and totally gray when she had hers. As far as I know she didn’t have a hairy chest…

    Like 0
  9. Avatar Nick

    I agree with those above, who say it’s a nice looking car but with a tiny, under powered 301 and few options, it won’t get a very high price. Too bad. I hope it finds a good home.

    Like 1
  10. Avatar DETROIT LAND YACHT

    Needs a T-Top…and a gum-popping dancin’ babe who just washed her hair with Herbal Essence shampoo.Lotta disco era iron up in here lately.
    No complaints from me!

    https://youtu.be/xI68A-rntIk

    Like 4
  11. Avatar wuzjeepnowsaab

    So much nicer than a Monte Carlo of the same year.

    Like 5
    • Avatar 72 Monte

      Being a 1st Gen Monte Carlo guy, and having an admiration for the 77 Monte, I agree that the front end styling of the 77 Grand Prix is a classier design.

      Like 0
  12. Avatar Oil Slick

    That ones all wrong. Needs buckets, pw, pdl, t tops, 455.

    Like 5
    • Avatar steve

      Everything needs T-tops.

      Like 3
      • Avatar ACZ

        Built in water leak.

        Like 3
      • Avatar Robbie R.

        Sure, T-tops were (almost) all leaky from time to time. A big annoyance back in the day when they were your daily driver (personal experience with 3 of them in this era). However now with most of these relegated to weekend cruisers, they rarely go out in the rain. Sheer joy to cruise around with tops out on a 80-degree day.

        Like 0
      • Avatar Rick Rothermel

        Solid roof, could be worse.
        That was also the era of the ‘storm door’ aftermarket sunroof like I installed back then in Anchorage. Don’t ask…

        Like 0
  13. Avatar Jim in FL

    One of these came into the dealership my dad and I worked at as a recovered theft in 1987. No wheels and tires, steering column broken like a 70s GM theft. Guy settled with insurance, bought a new car and handed dad he title, which he handed to me. $400 in Rallye IIs and tires, plus column out of a junkyard and I had my high school wheels. Mine was black, but had a silver upper with silver vinyl landau. I never could buff he silver to a shine.

    Mine was higher optioned with power windows and sunroof. Loved that car and drove it all through high school. Gave it to my older brother when he hit some hard times. He got back on his feet and gave it to a friend, who rolled it drunk. I can never figure out how he got the 301 to go fast enough to roll it.

    Been looking for another for years, but the coin is pretty high on this.

    Like 1
  14. Avatar Ron

    Oil Slick just described the perfect Grand Prix but I don’t think you could get the 455 in 77 in that car ? Anybody remember ?

    Like 2
    • Avatar Robbie R.

      Biggest engine in 77 GP was 400cid. If this color combo had the 400 w T-Tops, it would easily be a 20K car. As is, still nice but worth about 10K.

      Like 1
  15. Avatar rmward194 Member

    This one is about as basic as they came in 1977. Split seat, looks like an AM/FM Radio, Rallye Wheels, AC and that is about it. Too much money for a low-option car.

    Like 2
  16. Avatar JP

    Grand Prix’s don’t cut it with bench seat & column shifter!

    Like 2
  17. Avatar Jimmy

    I had a 85 Grand Prix with T-Tops and I loved them for about a month then I got sick of them every time the wife wanted them off I had to take them off put them in these storage bags that came with the car in the trunk then put them back on later that night because the car sat outside most of the time. Unless you live in sunny southern California and in a gated community that’s the way it is.

    Like 0
  18. Avatar Wrong Way

    The only thing holiday back bidding I think is the lack of horses under the hood! It’s a little over 5 grand at the moment! This is a beautiful car every other way! Maybe the interior isn’t sporty enough? It’s just right I think!

    Like 1
  19. Avatar Ron

    I would be surprised if it goes for much over 5k. It’s a pretty car but It seems they sell for around that much unless special like SJ t-tops big engine. But a great car if you want to get into a future classic for a reasonable price !

    Like 1
  20. Avatar Vance

    Enough about the inconvenience of t-tops, it took 2 minutes to take out. And they didn’t leak at all if you treated the seals with the recommended solvent once a month. Car never leaked because the were treated properly. It was laziness that caused your problems and nothing else. If you didn’t want them you shouldn’t have ordered them.

    Like 3
    • Avatar Jimmy

      @Vance, mine never leaked the whole 5 years I owned it and my mom and niece owned it another 5 years with no leaks and it did take longer than 5 minutes to remove them and put them in their protective bags to keep them nice then remove them to put back on the car. I didn’t order my 85 it was a demonstrator car the salesman had that I got a great deal on. If I would have had enough garage space to keep the car inside over night it would not have been a issue.

      Like 1
  21. Avatar Pops

    Friend in high school had a burgundy, dare I call it triple burgundy, with the 400 and T-tops …just seemed like all the emissions hardware choked it… Car had no balls, but Friday night cruising was always fun….girls seemed to love that car…

    Like 1
  22. Avatar stillrunners

    Stellar car back in it’s day….this one looks well kept.

    Like 1
  23. Avatar chris

    I had one of these and that 301 wouldn’t outrun a 70’s corolla. Horribly underpowered motor in a huge, and I mean HUGE car. I traded it in on a brand new 89 Escort GT when I graduated H.S. … So maybe I’m pretty stupid anyway. lol.

    Like 0
  24. Avatar Pete

    Hey that is one clean car. Buy it and drop a 400 in it then you will be set to go. I always thought they so much prettier than the Monte’s as well.

    Like 1
  25. Avatar jeff

    I had this exact same car ( but mine had the console & bucket seats ) . it was a great car on the highway , very smooth, Yes the 301 – 2bbl was under powered
    but oh well — can’t complain for $ 500 back in 1988

    Like 0
  26. Avatar Larry

    A friend of mine had the same year but it was the SJ with the 455 with the Turbo 400. That was a nice car. It was like a Forest Green paint with a Tan interior. He did a few mods, intake, carb that was it. That thing would literally melt the tires. One day where he worked which was a tire shop which was attached to to other businesses in one building with an alley street behind, you could drive around the building. He did a complete nonstop burnout around the building. This car had posi so he had two consistent lines around the building. That was awesome to see. He parked the car and just when the smoke cleared the cops show up and were like nothing happened here LOL.

    Like 0

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