This one is a head-scratcher for me. The seller has this car listed as a 1986 Pontiac Parisienne, which it sure looks like in every way other than the grille. Most of us remember that GM offered the Parisienne in Canada for years, but it also sold this car in the U.S. from 1983 through 1986. The seller has it posted here on craigslist in Aurora, Colorado, and they’re asking $5,000. Here is the original listing, and thanks to Mike F. for the tip!
Is this is, or is this ain’t a Chevrolet Caprice grille? Specifically, a pre-1986 grille? The Parisienne grille, I believe, would have had vertical bars, not an eggcrate-like grille like this. This is where my head starts spinning. It’s wearing a Pontiac Parisienne hood ornament, and the other badging and details look Pontiac’ish. Bill Owens wrote about basically this same car, but in much nicer condition, here on Barn Finds back in 2018, and you can see the grille.
The taillights and badging are correct everywhere, that’s why I can’t figure out the grille. One of you will know, maybe it’s a Canadian version rather than the actual Pontiac Parisienne that was sold at U.S. Pontiac dealers from 1982 or so, until the end of 1986? In any case, you can see how incredibly faded this car is inside and out. Colorado is a sunny state, but dang, this car is dull and faded, sort of like me. Page 20 of this 1986 Pontiac brochure shows a 1986 Parisienne.
I’m not a value expert, but I just don’t see $5,000 here, given how faded this car is inside and out. The seats appear to have lost all of their color on the top surfaces, the dash has a cover on it, and I’m assuming it’s due to cracking, but we don’t know for sure. I’d bet that this fabric could be redyed back to looking like a nice burgundy velour again. Have any of you done fabric dying on seats? I’m assuming quite a few of you have, since a lot of you have restored vehicles for decades. The back seat looks plush, but similarly faded, and here’s the trunk.
The engine should be a Chevrolet-sourced 305-cu.in. OHV V8 with 165 horsepower and 245 lb-ft of torque. Power passes through a four-speed automatic to the rear wheels, and the seller says it’s original, and it runs and drives great. Oh yeah, the best part: there’s no rust, according to the seller. What are your thoughts on this Pontiac Parisienne? Is it wearing its cousin’s grille?
Cheviac??? Pontichev??? Bonnarice?? ParriesineImpala? I’m out of ideas on names here….This is a first. I guess its obviously possible that everything bolts up. I’m guessing they needed a grill and couldn’t find a Pontiac one, so I guess this had to do. These are comfortable nice riding cars. It actually looks pretty good. And complete and no rust showing which are all huge pluses. This was definitely a more interesting find Scotty. Maybe I’d try to source a correct grill. Because I have C.D.O. It’s like O.C.D…..Except…… The letters are in order…. As they SHOULD be!!!
Thanks Scotty!!!
It’s common to see different wheels/hubcaps shared by the General’s family. The Caprice/Impala front end is a sure thing I’d say.
Nice riding car comfortable cruiser, 5 digit odometer so you are taking the seller at their word for how many miles are on it. Personally I would rather have the Pontiac grill but for something that I don’t care much about getting beat up in the Walmart parking lot I guess it’s ok
It’s definitely a Pontiac. Not sure it’s worth the money being asked. I know a mechanic who has one. Last time I checked, he had 500,000kms on it. It was pretty rough but still going