European Flair Meets American Muscle: 1973 Pontiac Grand Am

During the early days, Pontiac had high hopes that its new Grand Am would become a strong competitor in the domestic marketplace for buyers who were taking note of European offerings that combined luxurious and sporty features in a single package.  Introduced in 1973, the timing wasn’t great, as the oil crisis seemed to have many consumers either focused on totally economical vehicles or those considered pure luxury.  However, over 43,000 units found homes during the first year of production, though the Grand Am enjoyed its most successful period in later generations.  This 1973 Pontiac Grand Am here on eBay in Cheektowaga, New York, would benefit from some attention, but it seems to have strong bones and reportedly runs smoothly.  The current high bid of $3,150 is not yet enough for a sale, as it falls short of the reserve.

We’d like to thank tipster extraordinaire Curvette for finding this cool Poncho and letting us know about it!  The moniker Grand Am was derived by combining the names of two other popular Pontiacs from the period, the luxurious Grand Prix and the muscular Trans Am, with the intent of combining several fine features of both.  1973 was also the first year for the GM Colonnade styling, and the Grand Am wore it beautifully, appearing sportier on the outside than the similar base LeMans.  The seller doesn’t go into much detail about the sheet metal, but it appears fairly solid, with the only obvious small spot of corrosion near the bottom of the driver’s side door.

Standard under the hood here for the first year was a 400 V8 of the 2-barrel variety, which provided drivers with 170 horsepower.  An optional 4-barrel upped that number to 200, or 230 if the car was also equipped with a dual exhaust system.  However, the top size in ’73 was a 455, and that’s what the seller reports is in the bay here, with a shaker added on top.  No other details are mentioned, but it’s said to run nicely and smoothly already, though a couple of mechanical issues will need to be addressed soon.  The owner reports a slight gas leak, plus the Poncho needs a new ignition, which is said to be included with the sale.

The Grand Am benefited from a Grand Prix interior, though this one could use some new upholstery on the driver’s bucket and a steering wheel center cap.  I’m not sure it adds any real-world value, but it’s fun that the inside of the glove box has been signed by the late Jim Wangers, a marketing executive who helped shape Pontiac’s high-performance image in the sixties.  This one seems like a desirable example, and while it’s not perfect, I’m thinking there are far more positives than negatives here.  What are your thoughts on this 1973 Pontiac Grand Am?