Black Beauty! 1972 Pontiac Grand Prix SJ 455

Disclosure: This site may receive compensation from some link clicks and purchases.

“If any car were designed to make it big on looks alone, that car is Grand Prix.” Pontiac’s sales brochure for 1972 included this impressive boast for their sporty and powerful two-door. This 1972 Pontiac Grand Prix SJ in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada seeks a new owner here on hemmings.com with an asking price of $12,000. That’s less than any of the cheapest new cars available in the United States today, and I’d take this Pontiac over any of them. Thanks to Rocco B. for spotting this black beauty north of Niagara Falls.

Under the direction of John Z. Delorean, Pontiac re-invented this generation of Grand Prix in 1969. Envisioned as a modern Duesenberg, the supercar of its day, Pontiac delivered a Grand Prix with sweeping lines and the longest hood in the industry. Thanks to hotrod.com for some details. Potential buyers will be glad to know this Canadian Grand Prix doesn’t have to make it on looks alone; this one “is perfect mechanically,” including a number of parts replaced in the last 2000 miles.

With an airplane-inspired dashboard, the driver is clearly in control. The front seats have been re-upholstered in the original fabric. Only the radio differs from original equipment. The seller shows one rust spot and proclaims this classic otherwise rust-free.

While “SJ” in Duesenberg parlance indicates a Supercharger, this Pontiac “SJ” relies on 455 cubic inches of displacement, 55 more than the standard engine. Rated at 300 horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque, it would have been formidable among its peers. Engine ratings dropped on paper for 1972 because of the change from SAE Gross to Net horsepower, but the engine changed little from 1971 when the horsepower and torque numbers were 325 and 455, respectively. If the stock power leaves you wanting more, waking up this giant V8 with more horsepower is no problem. My dream garage includes either one of these SJ models or a similar but 455 454-equipped Chevrolet Monte Carlo. Does your garage have room for a Pontiac with “a hood that seems to stretch into the next county?”

Auctions Ending Soon

Comments

  1. poseurMember

    gorgeous!
    love every bit of it including the color in/out.
    yeah, i’d prefer a manual but….
    $12k doesn’t seem out of line although it’s more than i’d pay

    Like 9
  2. Jack M.

    Todd, the Chevrolet Monte Carlo had a 454 cubic inch engine optional from 1970-1974. Pontiac, Oldsmobile and Buick were the ones with the 455.

    Like 10
    • Richard Gaskill

      Canadian Pontiacs got Chevrolet drivetrains because GM didn’t have Pontiac engine plants in Canada. However, this car was manufactured and originally sold in the U.S.

      Like 1
    • Todd FitchAuthor

      Thanks Jack M. Of course you are right. I know this and have had the pleasure of driving a tire-smoking 454 Chevy and a few 455-powered GMs. I messed up on the keyboard, though. Thanks for the correction. I need you all to keep me straight! I fell in love with the Eldorado styling of the Monte Carlo first then later I discovered these SJs. Tough choice!

      Like 3
    • David Rhoces

      the Buick 455 and the Olds 455 were totally different motors

      Like 2
  3. Sparkster

    I bought a 1972 Grand Prix for $200 back in the 80’s. The engine had a miss and smoked. Replaced bent pushrod and changed the oil. We’re good to go. Love the 400 engine in mine

    Like 5
  4. J Liu

    Love the lines on this car and especially the wrap around dash.
    Still a class act after all these years. It looks to have been well cared for but the big issue is rust and how much ru$t.

    Like 7
  5. Maestro1

    J Liu is right, it’s a class act; someone jump on this one. After you get it in the air and look at its bones.

    Like 3
  6. Markin32425

    A friends dad traded his 68 Bonneville for a 69 Grand Prix. Then the 69 for a 71

    He seemed to like silver cars, black vinyl top, and black interior

    Like 2
  7. irocrobb

    I like the car but is that not bondo on the hood ? Makes me wonder about the the rest of the car

    Like 3
  8. Er70s

    Anyone ever heard of one of these 455 equipped GPs leaving
    the factory with two four barrels?

    Like 0
  9. Scott Landers

    Any of these ever leave the factory with 2 four barrel carbs on the 455?

    Like 0
    • LJ

      No GM banned multiple carbs on everthing but Corvette after 1966.
      Last factory Pontiacs with dual quad carbs was 1963 Super Duty engines.
      Camaro had dual quad carbs supposedly delivered in trunk.

      Like 2
    • poseurMember

      Pontiac never offered a factory multi-carb setup for the 455.
      pretty sure just the 389 & 421 could be ordered with 3 2-barrels or dual fours.

      Like 4
  10. Ray Lunt

    I had this EXACT car in 1974, when I was 18. It was a BEAST!! I had to sell it, I was spending more on gas than my payment and insurance combined!talk about a tire smoker… this is it!

    Like 3
    • Samuel T. Alexander

      Yeah my sister had one she bought new in Corpus Christy, Texas. That thing could smoke the tires for an 1/8th of a mile easily. Beautiful cars….

      Like 0
    • Michael L Clark

      I owned a 72 black, small block 400. First car I bought at 16 in 1978. Loved the power. I put 60’s in the rear and 70’s up front. Final touch was side pipes. I miss that car. Bucket seats was a plus

      Like 0
  11. d.jay.meister

    Redlines would have been a better choice over the RWL tires given the overall theme.

    Like 1
  12. Don Meister

    Jag ? Stop reaching. No reference.

    Like 0
  13. stillrunners

    Back in it’s day when I was younger….these were just as a chick magnet as any Trans Am or SS was in the GM line up. Nice car…..

    Like 3
    • Richard Gaskill

      And they had a bigger back seat. 😀

      Like 0
  14. Todd

    Miss her.

    Like 13
  15. Ike Onick

    It’s way north of The Falls. It is in Toronto. This was the bad-ass gangster car of the 70’s. Most of the outlaw motorcycle gangs drove these to deliver drugs, guns, and money in the winter.

    Like 1
    • Ron

      My 72 sj was orange with black top. 455. Favorite car I’ve ever had… in 1979

      Like 2
    • pugsy

      A guy I know that used to sell pot, drove one of these in the late 70’s, so I’d say your comment is dead on.

      Like 2
    • Dave

      Maybe it’s an artifact from the Quebec Biker War? One would think that being that far north a 4×4 would be more practical.

      Like 2
      • pugsy

        North? Ha, Toronto is a lot souther than a lot of America.

        Like 3
      • Frank Sumatra

        The Official Car of the Rock Machine.

        Like 1
  16. Michael Proulx

    Beautiful ride , being a Pontiac freak there is no replacement for the 455 . The 454 is a great engine no doubt but I’m firmly in the 455 Pontiac camp. I’m guilty of putting a 468 in a 1968 firebird , them days are over currently have a 1972 455 H.O. in a 1979 firebird and a 1970 455 in a 1980 T/A , that GP is awesome , takes ya back to a different era.

    Like 0
  17. rmward194Member

    My first car when I was 17 was a 1971 Grand Prix SJ with a 455 HO. Paid $500 for it.

    Mine was all black, just like this car with just about every option. It was originally a factory rep’s car. Unfortunately I blew it up shortly after getting it and my father swapped out the 455 for a 400 2bbl. The 455 went to the junkyard. If I’d only known then what I know now.

    Brings back memories.

    Like 2
  18. morrisangelo

    Huge fan of these GPs. Here are mine for what it’s worth…

    Like 13
  19. Mark

    One of my all time favorites, I think it’s priced very fairly, would love it with a 4 speed or even better a Tremec 5 speed…

    Happy New Year Guys !

    Like 4
  20. Steve S

    Putting a 5 or a 6 speed in a old muscle car would be ruining the car you can get just as much speed out of a 4 speed as you can with the 5 or 6 speed and you would also get more torque and old muscle cars were meant to have a 4 speed manual transmission or some 4 speed automatic or the lighting rod transmission or some times a 3 speed manual transmission or the 2 speed power glide transmission not a 5 or a 6 speed manual transmission I would rather have the 4 speed manual transmission with the 455 that’s my opinion

    Like 0
    • Richard Gaskill

      How do you figure you can get as much speed out of a 4 speed? Cars with 4:11 or similar gears for fast acceleration would be running at over 4,000 rpm at highway speeds. A 5 speed could reduce that to closer to 3,000 rpm. A main reason for switching to a 5 speed is for more economical cruising with less engine wear.

      Like 1
  21. Bob in VictoriaMember

    If that’s $12000 Canadian keep in mind the US dollar is worth about 30% more than ours. That represents a savings that should easily cover shipping costs almost anywhere in the USA.

    Like 1
  22. Utes

    @ Jack M.:
    Actually the 454 was a Monte’ option thru ’75.

    Like 0
  23. Phil Parker

    I’m interested if still available? Does it have 2 or 4 headlights?

    Like 0
  24. Jeff Holmes

    JUST NOW SEEING THIS!!!!!
    My older brother Skip had a 1972 Pontiac Gran Prix SJ when I was 8 in 1973. Black on Black with a 455 leather/vinyl interior.

    I didn’t realize how great that 72 GP was when I seen his 77 Pontiac Grand Prix SJ black on black. if I had to choose I would choose that 72 over that 77.

    Is your still available????

    Like 0
  25. thom verrochi

    hi is this still avabile

    Like 0
    • Rick Gaskill

      I doubt it. It was listed on December 29,2018

      Like 0

Leave A Comment

RULES: No profanity, politics, or personal attacks.

Become a member to add images to your comments.

*

Barn Finds