Life in NASCAR is very much an action-reaction kind of existence.  To achieve what the bigwigs in Daytona call parity, rules are bent, massaged, and sometimes overlooked to make sure the show is a good one.  Take for example what happened when Ford’s sleek new Thunderbird began dominating superspeedways in 1984 and 1985.  GM executives leaned on NASCAR for an intervention.  That intervention resulted in a limited number of modified cars like this 1986 Pontiac Grand Prix 2+2 for sale on eBay in Ocean Gate, New Jersey.  While this slope-backed Pontiac is a bit rough around the edges, it represents a part of NASCAR’s aero wars in the eighties.  Is it worth more than the current bid of $3,150?

The arrival of Ford’s jellybean-shaped Thunderbird changed everything in NASCAR.  The aerodynamic coupes allowed Ford drivers with well-set-up racecars to sail through the corners of the larger tracks without lifting off the gas.  Not so with the less aerodynamic Chevrolet Monte Carlos, Pontiac Grand Prix, Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, and the Buick Regal.  The rather blunt front end and almost vertical rear window of these cars required more horsepower and produced less aerodynamic downforce at high speeds.  It wasn’t long before a little team from Dawsonville, Georgia began to win races in dominating fashion.  Richard Petty once complained about Bill Elliot’s dominance at a superspeedway race by saying something to the effect that during his peak years at least he was smart enough not to let anyone know just how much better his cars were.

So, a deal was cut.  GM was allowed to produce a version of the Monte Carlo and the Grand Prix that had what looked like a Camaro rear glass attached to the trunk lid area.  It wasn’t that simple.  New panels had to be created, and the conversion was quite extensive.  The deal was 1,200 of each model had to be produced.  Strangely, only Chevrolet and Pontiac ever produced what soon came to be called Aerocoupes.  There were no Buick or Oldsmobile versions.  One cannot help but speculate what an Aerocoupe version of the Hurst Olds or the Buick Regal Grand National would have looked like.  More importantly, would they have sold enough of them to make the venture worthwhile?

While the Monte Carlo was the most prevalent GM coupe in NASCAR, Pontiac thought the Grand Prix needed to be competitive as well.  Stock car was still a word in circulation at that time, because the cars on the track closely resembled what you could purchase in the showrooms.  During this time, Bill Elliot sold a lot of Thunderbirds, Dale Earnhardt sold a whopping lot of Monte Carlos, and Richard Petty had fans lined up at Pontiac dealers.  The problem was these cars looked like race cars.  Sadly, the drivetrains left a bit to be desired in the way of performance.  The Pontiac version put out only 165 horsepower.  That was not quite enough for the average customer to see an aerodynamic benefit from that sleek back glass.

The Grand Prix you see here is just one of the 1,225 Aerocoupes built that year.  This one is a bit rough, as you can tell from the photographs.  The biggest issue seems to be water intrusion into the cabin.  This water then found its level in the floorboards.  You know the rest of the story.  There is also rust damage at the bottom of the doors and likely other places the photographs don’t show.  If it were a plain Jane Monte Carlo, it would likely be junkyard-bound right now.  Being that it is a fairly rare Aerocoupe, this one deserves saving.

While the bidding hasn’t hit the reserve mark yet, hopefully, this running and driving Pontiac sells for an amount that allows the new owner to restore it.  Aerocoupes in good condition bring a premium over lesser-known models.  The NASCAR ties don’t hurt its value either.  These are pleasant cars to drive, and they make great show vehicles.  Hopefully, someone comes along who will bring it back to showroom condition and tell its interesting story.