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Keep It Six?: 1971 Pontiac Ventura II

Another California car has come out of storage. Rocco B found us the tip on this 1971 Pontiac Ventura II, waiting for a new owner in the Fremont area. You can see it here on Craigslist, and It can be yours for the reasonable number of $11,500, or, of course, you can make an offer. I’d make an offer.


This is anything but a pristine offering. A glimpse at the photos shows a covered-up (ie. probably cracked) dash, non-original velour/velvet seat surfaces, uneven paint, and possible body damage on the driver’s rear fender. Add to that surface rust and some kind of funkiness on the trunk lid, bits and pieces missing in the instrument panel, the need to repaint the interior metal surfaces after knocking off the surface rust, and lots of detail work. Some cars feel like, despite their warts, they’re worth driving while you gather parts, or cash, to do a restoration. Not this one, though. It wants attention—now.

What was a Pontiac Ventura, anyway? A series of Pontiacs that went out of showroom doors from 1960-77. This particular model was a variant of the Chevy Nova and was properly titled “Ventura II,” It was called this for only the first couple of years (1971 and 1972) of a run that went from 1971-77 and was then replaced by the Phoenix. The standard engine for the 1971 model year was a 250-CID six-cylinder, though a V8 was optional.

This is where the odd language of this ad comes in. The car in question is, in fact, a six-banger. Fine. You can use it as is (maybe—at the least, it is said to start, run, and drive), but many will think immediately of replacing the engine with some kind of V8—maybe one of the 350-CID mills sitting around in most restoration shops. Don’t you dare. Here’s the seller, with typos cleaned up: “You don’t want this car for its six banger; you have bigger plans.” Sarcasm. Later, “Don’t want a six-banger car? You should want one that is unmolested. Straight body not twisted up by having a V8 for its whole life.” Passive aggression. This is complemented by, “Prefer a Chevy Nova? Fine. Just swap out the front clip.” Will you take this advice, which comes free with the car, or do you buy this car, put it on a trailer, and get the heck out of Northern California as quickly as you can?

 

 

Comments

  1. Avatar Raoul-F

    Seems, there is a “1” in front of the price too much. :-)

    Like 17
  2. Avatar Cadmanls Member

    Seems like a nice builder but far from pristine. Could be that fresh Chevy orange or the uncut zip ties that is bumping the price. Alot is needed to make it a nice V8 car but better to have the parts in hand, could get expensive quickly otherwise.

    Like 6
    • Avatar LCL

      Truly far from pristine.
      A lot is needed to make it a nice straight 6 car.
      Methinks it has been disrespected.

      Like 7
  3. Avatar Ragtop Man

    Stab in the engine it was supposed to have (note the tall hood line and cowl ) – the 250 ci Pontiac OHC Sprint 6. The maxperformancepontiac web board in the OHC discussion pages had a build where the owner swapped the Sprint into an Olds Omega (I know, WTF?) and it looks like the thing grew there. Looks factory perfect, except for the rockets. If the 14th floor had replaced DeLorean in ’69 with another engineer in late ’69, instead of political hack Jim McDonald, they would have built this very car.

    Like 8
    • Avatar Jack M.

      There is also a kit to put a 500 cubic inch Cadillac into Novas, Apollos, Skylarks and Ventura II’s. Looks factory stock.

      Like 12
      • Avatar C Force

        Would have to keep it pontiac,a 400 or 455 in there.

        Like 5
    • Avatar JoeNYWF64

      I wonder if the OHC 6 motor did not meet 1970 & later emission &/or mpg standards.
      Or was discontinued for the ’70 model yr due to timing belt failures or poor sales.
      Or could not fit under the lower hood of the 2nd gen firebird!
      BTW, the OHV strait 6 chevy motor is 1 of the few with no timing chain OR belt!
      I seem to recall a motor in the Ford Probe with a timing chain AND belt. lol

      Like 0
  4. Avatar Grant

    I like the six, but of course, I always do.

    Like 11
    • Avatar Tbone

      Grant is preoccupied by six

      Like 6
      • Avatar Tbone

        Some may even say he has a six obsession. I know I do. One of my first and favorite vehicles was a 55 2nd series Chevy truck with a three on the tree and a smokey stove bolt six. Not fast but amazingly simple to wirk on and fun to drive

        Like 5
  5. Avatar Bob C.

    PRNDL, yep a Chevy Powerglide. Virtually a Nova. My 72 Lemans had the same power train. Bulletproof as heck, no matter what.

    Like 7
  6. Avatar John C.

    Price is too high but def something I could drive everyday with some minor work, good on gas and no check engine lights, very easy car to work on. Someone will go for it.

    Like 3
  7. Avatar Danny

    I’d leave the six in place. A buddy of mine put 250,000 miles on one in 5 years. But a fair price would be about half of what they are asking. Eleven grand would be top end for a mint, pristine example, which this one is far from

    Like 4
  8. Avatar C Force

    Pontiac did make a 455 ho ventura called the sprint,only about 12 made and there is a 74 ventura out there with a 455SD in it

    Like 3
  9. Avatar BigBlocksRock

    Had a 72 Nova years ago with a 250 in it. Cam, pistons, intake, 4 barrel & header into duel exhaust it had around 300 hp.
    It had more than respectable performance. One of not many.
    Plenty of small block transplants.

    Like 4
    • Avatar Sidejob53 Member

      I had a friend that he did what u did! It was a 72 Nova,and fast!

      Like 3
  10. Avatar Karl

    The 6 is gone and it would have a really nicely built small block!

    Like 0
  11. Avatar Rufus

    Easy to work on, seems to be a common thread on this car. Back in the 70’s my buddy and co-worker Greg Pasley (RIP) bought his Ventura not because it was easy to work on, but because there was precious little to fix. His was the six cylinder, three on the tree, no power anything, brakes – steering – windows etc. and no A/C. Nothing to break. He drove that car forever, with nothing but preventive maintenance.

    Like 3
  12. Avatar Wing Wong

    Pontiac and Olds are the two GM marques that suffer from awesome or disgusting front grilles. This, sadly, is the latter.

    Like 1
  13. Avatar chrlsful

    hada later model w/hatch. Pretty useful. Problem? 350 was too powerful for my use.

    Like 0
  14. Avatar Keith D.

    Anyone remember the memorable car chase with Roy Scheider and famous stunt driver Roy Hickman with Roy’s 1973 Ventura vs. Hickman’s 1973 Pontiac GrandVille in the classic movie “The Seven Up’s”

    Like 4
  15. Avatar bone

    The Ventura name lasted at least until 1975 ; I had a 74 and the redesigned 75 Ventura

    Like 0
  16. Avatar 64 Bonneville

    Had a 77 Ventura SJ Hatchback. 305, automatic, air, power steering and brakes. Sort of a medium dark Root Beer Metallic with tan vinyl interior. Car sat low and cornered like it was on rails. Lost it in the flood of 1984 in Tulsa. Was in process of going thru the engine as the 305 back then was notorious for jumping time. Had most all the parts I wanted, had the heads and valves done and gasket ported them, 1 step up from stock on the cam (“RV Grind”) Edelbrock intake and 650cfm 4 barrel, Would have been a nice street cruiser and “stoplight dragster” .

    Like 0

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