It seems that Pontiac’s beautiful contribution to personal luxury cars, the Grand Prix, didn’t often come in sporty colors. More like sedate tones, as this 1971 Grand Prix is sporting. Or to work another theory—these more staid colors are more typical on cars that actually survived to the present. The silver cars with snazzy red interiors have long been used up. But who’s to say there’s anything wrong with brown? In the case of this GP, this is a solid car that you could drive or restore. With a bid just over $7,000 with five days to go in its auction here on ebay, it’s not crazy money (yet). If you want it, plan to find your way to Buckhead, GA to collect it.
You’ll likely be able to pilot the L78 400-CID engine home, as it is said to run very strongly. It should, if it’s been maintained, though there are 133,517 miles on the car. Anyway, you’ll drive home in style, with a vinyl top and those fancy body side moldings (some bits of which need replacement, as can be seen). Once you get, there, though, the vinyl top and paint need to be taken off, and new ones put on. This according to the very frank seller. However, the photos don’t seem to agree. The car looks presentable as it is. Oh boy—this is one of those times when an in-person inspection is in order. Surely one of the 171 people in Buckhead is related and would thus offer you a couch to crash on the night before you meet the current owner of this car for an inspection? Many of them might remember the car, too, giving you an instantly credible oral history that you can package up with the car.
What else is evident? The car adds value by coming with the original build sheet and paperwork from new. Not hard when it’s had only two owners. The original interior is serviceable, if lacking in visual appeal given the colors and the split bench seat. The body elements, including floors and rockers, not to mention exterior sheet metal, are solid. That’s Georgia for you—warm and dry most of the year, with no road salt and not replete with salt sea air. That’s a great recipe for preservation.
If this car stays under ten thousand bucks, it could be a fair buy. If you can do a strip-and-repaint in your spare time, you might even make some green on this survivor. Or have a car to take you on various summer adventures.
I don’t recall ever seeing a column shift Grand Prix (1969-1972)!
That because you’re not into GP’s . Ive seen plenty of 69/72 Column shifted GPs . They are definitely out there. 😎👍🏻
I had a ‘69 with a column shift, bench seat and no vinyl top. Went like hell too!
I bet you never seen a ’69-72 GP with auto column shift & bucket seats.
Or 1 with 3 on the tree! lol
Nice car.I’d replace the top and buff the paint out replace the missing trim.Always liked these long hood gp’s.I agree with the author around 10k would be a good deal for both parties.Has a Masonic decal in the rear window and the masons took care of and appreciate what they own.Glwts.
Sharp eye Maggy….I’m a 33rd degree Mason & missed that! That 400 powerplant was popular & reliable at the time for Pontiac. Commoningly used across the board including Lemans & GTO’s. But alas, that’s about the time that the govt. started running interference. A 400 produced just 300hp; the 455 just 325. Went even lower the following year in 1972. Almost bought one new in the Army back then but went w/a Camaro instead. Sharp cars tho.
This appears legit, a closer in-person inspection might verify.
If we lived closer, we’d definitely consider this one. For < 10K it would be do-able for us.
Congratulations to the future owner!
Nice looking driver. Like what I recall when they were a well cared for 15-year-old Michigan car. Repair or replace the top and driver arm rest and give her a good scrubbing.
This was a nicely equipped car in 1971. Back in a time when everything was optional wind up windows and column shift automatics were normal. Even bucket seats may have been had without a console.
Before I would drive this GP home to Illinois, I would do the timing chain and gear. Ponchos had a tragic weak point in that area, timing gear had a plastic covered gear. Can you imagine driving happily along and then the motor is eaten by snakes.
Forgive me, that was a nod to the great Frank Zappa.
Big 10-4 on the buckets without a console. Right out of high school (72-73) I worked at a gas station. We had a regular customer with a triple black SJ model with a 455SD, and a 4 speed. It had buckets and no console.
I purchased a one owner 1972 from an estate sale that sat in storage for a while and mice had taken advantage of it. Nothing smells worse than mice droppings on a hot engine. I would buy another one.
I bought a 1971 Grand Prix , same color in the late 70’s for $200 and it ran but smoked really bad after oil got warm / hot. Column shift with black interior. I found that bench seat with arm rest very comfortable rather than the console type .The woman had just had a valve job completed , mechanic painted the heads Chevy orange.. The oil looked liked black tar on the dip stick. I changed the oil five times in the first week. Never smoked again, other than when I put the pedal to the floor and burned rubber all the way down the black. Best highway cruiser @ 125 mph across Nevada
Love the big ol 70’s GP’s. My buddy had a black 455 74 and the 455 had been massaged back to a fire breather. Absolute GOBS of torque. We had a blast in that car!
I always thought the Grand Prix was a very nice looking car. I do have a couple favorites. However the 71 is not one of them. The front styling, including the headlights, always seemed to have its proportions off. To me it looked like it was trying to resemble the Ford Elite, which was never one of my favorites. I remember thinking mmm, if both GM and Ford were designing cars that look like these, and we all know they were, I must not understand what they were after. So I thought the look of these cars required a framilure reference to cars from our passed, but I never found out what that was. The rear styling wasn’t bad, it was naturally good looking, and I liked the interior. In 1971, I worked at a local travel trailer dealership. We only sold the Aristocrat brand, they were upscale trailers that were made well and they were good looking. My boss at the time bought one of these. It was the most hideous color yellow metallic that kinda had a perl thing going on. It had a black vinyl top and interior, it really was a mistake of a color. My job description was Lot Boy. It was my job to make sure the display circle of trailers were always clean inside and out. Once a week I also had to detail his GP, and his father’s 69 LTD. It was cream white with a black vinyl top and black cloth interior. I liked the LTD, so I liked keeping it clean, but could never come to terms with that God-awful GP color. I think it was called Golden Rod Metallic. My favorite GP was the 1965 2 door hardtop with the fastback roof and coke bottle side styling. The front stacked headlights and the heavy chrome bezels that surrounded them were gorgeous. The rear had the wall to wall black and chrome grill work that hid the large taillights at each end and they f followed the fenders. It had a very sexy look to it. The dashboard was beautifully designed and finished with real oak trim and those gauges angeled towards the driver. I also liked the 68 and 9s too.