Many vehicles produced during The Malaise Era suffered the same fate. Owners drove them into the ground before trading them for something more modern that promised greatly improved performance. Most of those discards found their way to scrapyards years ago, but a few hardy examples have survived. Such is the case with this 1977 Pontiac Astre Hatchback. It isn’t perfect, but it is a turnkey vehicle that is in excellent mechanical health. It could be ideal for enthusiasts considering a first restoration project, because it is undeniably affordable. The seller has listed the Astre here on Craigslist in Mission Viejo, California. They set their price at $6,900, encouraging interested parties to make an offer. I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder Barney for spotting this promising Pontiac.
Pontiac introduced the Astre for the 1973 model year as a badge-engineered variant of Chevrolet’s Vega. As a result, early cars suffered many of the same issues that plagued the Bow-Tie examples, with rust proving to be a headache. This 1977 example is no exception, although life in a dry climate has limited the damage to a few isolated spots. None of the issues appear structural, and should respond positively to patch repairs, rather than wholesale panel replacement. The seller is candid about the Fiesta Orange paint, admitting that it exhibits areas of deterioration. However, with so little rust and no significant panel damage, this Astre could be a prime candidate for a DIY restoration. The chrome roof rack offers additional flexibility, and like the remaining trim, its condition looks quite good. The glass is clear, while the black wheels and dog dish hubcaps add a sense of purpose.
Powering this Astre is the 2.5-liter “Iron Duke” four, teamed with a three-speed Hydramatic transmission and power assistance for the steering and brakes. The “Iron Duke” was new to the range for the final production year, and while its power and torque figures of 87hp and 128 ft/lbs are unlikely to set the world ablaze, they represent a useful gain over the 79hp and 109 ft/lbs available from the previous year’s 140ci four. There is plenty of good news for potential buyers, with this Astre receiving some significant recent mechanical TLC. The list of replaced parts includes the water pump, radiator, power steering pump, catalytic converter, manifold gaskets, HEI distributor, ignition module, and the battery. The carburetor is rebuilt, and the car is said to run and drive extremely well. The new owner needs to do nothing but slip behind the wheel, twist the key, and head off into the sunset.
The dry climate that has done such an admirable job of preserving this Pontiac’s steel has exacted a toll elsewhere. The door trims show significant deterioration, and I would be willing to bet that the pad is probably cracked under the aftermarket cover. The driver’s seat has split, and the carpet exhibits wear and fading. None of the shortcomings are insurmountable, but it will be a question of how much cash the buyer is willing to splash to lift the appearance. If the pad is cracked, some careful work with a product like Polyvance might offer an affordable solution. A blind patch and a set of slipcovers would hide the seat issue, while splashing $250 on a carpet set would make an enormous difference. I’m not sure what approach would be best with the plastic, although I have seen surprisingly good results using automotive plastic paints and spray putty. The process requires patience to sand and blend the putty to disguise imperfections before applying the paint, but spending the time to perform the work will cost the new owner nothing beyond the price of the materials. The seller states that the air conditioning blows cool, and it sounds like a recharge might be required. Aftermarket additions include a tachometer and a modern Bluetooth stereo with a separate amp and subwoofer.
Rarity claims are often hard to verify, but the sales figures for the 1977 Pontiac Astre and its Vega cousins make interesting reading. Chevrolet sold 78,402 Vegas across all body types in that year, while Pontiac mustered 32,788 cars. The Hatchback proved the popular pick across both badges, and also demonstrated a widening gap between the pair. The Vega achieved a sales tally of 37,395, while Pontiac could only shift 12,120. It is unclear how many still survive, but history suggests that we are probably talking about a relatively low four-figure number. The 1977 Pontiac Astre isn’t the most desirable classic on the planet, but the shrinking survival rate means that you are unlikely to see many on your daily travels. That fact and the demise of the marque make this Pontiac worth more than a passing glance.
Didn’t have a prayer, and that’s a shame, the Astre was actually a pretty nice car, despite the fact, it had to live in the Vegas shadow, and that’s another thing, how come there were no Buick or Olds Vegas? GM was banking on people that actually knew about car motors, and while the Iron Duke was no marvel, it was better than the Vega, but few cared, it still LOOKED like a Vega, the kiss of death. Consumers, especially American ones, are a finicky type. They get burned once, not likely to try again, and while I defend the US cars, the Asians kicked our touchas, and these cars were the smoking gun why. With over 150,000 sold, they weren’t rare, but by ’77, only about 35,000 sold, and it was adios in favor of the Sunbird( Skyhawk, Starfie, Monza) with much better results. Practically unheard of someone would actually save one. You may have to turn off the A/C on big hills, however.
The Iron Duke was built like an anvil, compared to the junk powering the Vega.
Nice looking car, factory surf 🏄♂️ racks.. very cool 😎 option. 👍🌊
Indeed. The hundreds of thousands of Iron Duke-powered USPS LLVs still on the road prove that.
A good testimony for the Iron Duke. It powered many a GM vehicle for 17 years.
i worked at the lordstown plant that made the vega &astre 1977was a good yr for theses cars. they finally got the bugs worked of these cars. it was to late because i think wass the last yr for these cars because of the vega”s bad reputation
You probably remember the “Vert-A-Pac”( Vertipac?) shipping by rail. Some claim it was part of Vegas rusting issues, as they were shipped vertically on end, and water got trapped in hidden areas.
The last time I saw a ’77 Astre on the road was probably in 1982. Not many around in the day and quite rare these days.
First model year for the Astre in the U.S. was ’75, not ’73. Don’t know about Canada.
neat and a cool color too but needs to lose the roof rack
Yeah, that killed it for me, too. It’s cool if you’re doing a lot of skiing or surfing or whatever, but for everyone else it’s just extra trim to damage.
I had a 76′ that I bought for $775 in 1981. I thought it was priced a bit high for a cousin of the Vega. It was my winter work beater. It had the aluminum block but surprisingly burned no oil. Also, there was no rust on it. However, all kinds of other GM engineering failures occurred in that car. Torque converter, wiring, even the hood hinges snapped (huh?). I felt bad selling that car to a guy I worked with. I sold it in 82′, and it was the last GM car I ever owned.
I’m happy to see this one, since I have a near twin, a red 77 Astre with Iron Duke and stick shift. Same body style. Like above comments, really most of the bugs gone by 77, and the Pontiac 4 lasts forever, another article showed a junk yard example with over 450 thousand on the odometer.
Pontiac added just the right amount of touches to make these better looking than the Vega.