The 1970s Ventura was Pontiac’s version of the successful Chevrolet Nova. The GM division was lacking a compact from 1964 to 1970, so rather than cook up something completely new, they borrowed the Nova, changed the front clip and taillights, and sold it as the Ventura II in 1971 (the Ventura had been a full-size car the year before). The seller has a 1973 edition, but it’s in the process of being modified, from a crate motor to a new roofline. A work-in-progress, this nearly Nova is in Mebane, North Carolina, and is available here on eBay. The starting bid is $9,500 (no takers yet), and there is also a reserve to be met.
Pontiac called the car the Ventura II for two years, then dropped the II part in 1973. They scrapped that name in 1978 and went with Phoenix instead. When the X-body platform was retired after 1979, they slapped the name on the new front-wheel-drive Chevy Citation derivative (which was not such a great car). The early Ventura’s had a Chevy inline-6 as standard but went with Pontiac’s own 350 cubic inch V8 when a buyer specified eight cylinders.
This car has a very interesting story. The seller bought it 15 years ago from the original owner’s family at 38,000 miles. It now has 46,000 on the odometer, so the car has been used on a limited basis annually. The seller was unhappy with the performance of the original 350 V8, so he took it apart and decided that installing a new Chevy small-block crate motor would be cheaper than fixing the factory motor (really?).
He didn’t like the taillights, so he replaced the panel and lights with those from a 1968 Pontiac Firebird. Then he replaced the suspension, converted the brakes to 4-wheel discs, swapped the bulkier bumpers with those from the prior generation, and more. But the biggest change might be with the roof. He pulled off the vinyl top covering, didn’t like what he saw there, too, and modified the roof to go with the smaller side windows like on the 1968-72s. There’s a lot more, like the interior being taken out of the car, but the bottom line is that you’re going to have some work to do to finish what the seller started.
He needs to follow through on his “unique” vision. I am guessing that nobody else on the planet shares his vision but there’s a chance that I am wrong
I agree that the pre-1973 cars were better looking, but the seller has a lot of work in this one, to make it look earlier. The big ugly bumpers were a federal mandate in ’73. I never saw the reason why G.M. changed the roof line of these (Nova, Ventura, Apollo, and Omega) just to change the whole car again in ’75. I do like the taillights and the changes overall but he sure has a lot more ambition than I do.
It might have been to support the hatchback that was offered ’73-74. The old roofline might not have provided the enough meat needed to support the hatch and hardware as well as maintain the structural integrity of the unit body
His changes have made it undesirable as far as I’m concerned. I’ve been looking for a nice Ventura, but not one that has these kinds of alterations.
No judgement. When something is Frankensteined together like that, it creates a really strange and small market. Like the guys who take corvettes and try to turn them into speed racers.
My dad had a ’73 with the big V8. Got to drive it a couple of times and it was big time fast.
At first, I thought he had removed the roof and replaced it with the eairlier roof from a doner. On further inspection, all he has done is add a piece to cover up part of the rear side glass.
Well, it’s his car…. he can do with it as he sees fit I guess.
Just don’t ask anyone else to buy it!
Going through the time and expense of changing the roof ,quarter windows, bumpers, mounts and taillights, then worry about the cost of repairing the Pontiac 350 makes no sense to me
Even if he just fabricated some covers for the rear windows, my opinion hasn’t changed
Would have been cheaper just to buy a Nova.
Almost any time you change a car to suit your preferences, you decrease the number of folks who would be interested in buying it. I think this one would be worth more if he’d left it alone.
We had a Ventura Sprint (fancy stripe 350 V8 and. Bucket seats) as a loaner car for the service department. That 350 Pontiac engine and weight of the Nova size car made for an employee favorite. Many vacations by employees in that car. (Myself included) I’ve driven 350 Chevy Novas and it just wasn’t the same feeling.
Yep – the Ventura was a Nova — a MUCH better looking Nova, and the modifications done to this Ventura makes it even better looking IMO. But the seller needed to completely finish the project before putting it up for sale. I hope it finds a good home to finish what was started, as I truly see it as a nice looking mid-size car.
You would be at a complete loss trying to figure out this “vision” when trying to get parts. Tell the parts man ” I need a part for a 69/74 nova /ventura /firebird car. He would look at you like your a complete moroon……
better looking than a nova but i would have put either a 400 or a 455-poncho motor in it rather than a sbc. the reserve i bet is 20k or better. it a good looking ride in that color.
My friends sister had a burnt orange 73 w350 4 spd it was a hatch back white gut with cragars that thing flew and she could get 3 gears sideways it was fun ! Pontiacs got that torquey pull :)
Somebody please cut off this guy’s supply of fiberglass and Bondo.
I like everything he’s done to it, but under that nice paint job must be some putty. Lot of time, money and work put in to it!
I have seen worse on BF. I like the look and his ideas. Lets remember that’s how hot rodding started. Making something out of something else.
ill take with a 428,,,,
stop changing things. all it needed was a pontiac engine .. 428 or a w72 400. engine. keep changing stuff and guess what you would have …. a pontiac that you still own ….
how about inspection . what do you call it since they all have the same frame numbers…chevy nova, phoenix, ventura.,appolo ??////////????
I kinda like it???
Nice color…great wheels…beautiful taillights!!!!!
Not sure about the roofline/rear window design.
I’m apparently the only one here that really likes it. So be it. I don’t mind being the odd man odd out. I can completely understand why a purist would not like it. Deviates too much from completely stock. In only a very few cases am I a purist so for me, this car works well.
Several people here have said they like it — me for one, so you’re not the “only one”. The Ventura always was a Nova with much better makeup. The modifications here make it even better looking IMO. It’s just unfortunate it isn’t finished, but it’s new owner can take it as it is and maybe make it an even better looking car – and put a new Pontiac V8, tranny and rear end in it too. That would complete the package.
I like it except for the engine choice. A nice 455 Pontiac engine would provide all torque you would need in this weight vehicle. And it doesn’t weigh any more than the original Pontiac 350.. I have been on the lookout (passively) for a Ventura II for awhile now.
Chevy had the nova right, the other divisions made theirs ugly and this one has been made worse , geez
He could have just put a nice crane thumper cam in it with roller rockers and lifters and it would have been way cheaper than putting in the small block ? No ? And it seems like it’s torn apart in storage and is not looking like the pictures as of now ?