With the large number of Chevrolet Novas running around in the early to mid seventies, some people assume at first glance that every GM X-Platform they spot from that period is of the Chevy variety, and most probably are. However, in 1973, there were three other very similar General Motors offerings, including the Oldsmobile Omega, the short-lived Buick Apollo, and the Pontiac Ventura. It would be especially easy to mistake this particular 1973 Ventura Sprint here on Craigslist for a Nova, since it’s wearing Chevrolet rally wheels, but this one’s a real Poncho! It also appears to be a very fine example, and is located in Yakima, Washington, where the seller has set his asking price at $24,995. Another fun find, Curvette, and thanks for this and all of your other great tips!
This one’s for sale by Top Notch Motors, and while much of their inventory is more recent automobiles, I noticed they also have a few other more vintage vehicles available on their website. Some other notable offerings include a numbers-matching 1972 Corvette, a beautiful black 1963 Thunderbird, and a 2000 Pontiac Trans Am with just 62k miles. However, this Ventura Sprint seems as nice as any, with the body looking straight everywhere and a fine paint job with catchy graphics. There’s no background story provided, but the photos show what appears to live up to the description that this one’s a beauty.
No specific information is given about the interior either, but it appears to be nicely preserved as well, or brought back to the excellent condition we’re seeing it in now. It would be preferable to find buckets and a console up front, but instead there’s a bench seat, though the vinyl appears to be in good shape here and everywhere else inside. There is an unusual bend of some sort in the top trim just above the speedometer, but it’s minor, and that seems to be the only obvious blunder on the dash. It’s a plus to see this Pontiac is also equipped with an analog clock and that the factory AM radio is still present.
Some really good news is that this one is equipped with a 350 V8, which should deliver plenty of power for a car this size for most drivers. The seller lists the mileage at 97,577, but that’s not excessive for a 53-year-old vehicle, and hopefully there’s lots of life here for the buyer to enjoy. It would get extra points if this one had air conditioning, but this seems to be a very solid car overall and will probably turn plenty of heads, with most folks thinking to themselves that it’s a sharp Nova. Does this 1973 Pontiac Ventura Sprint merit at or near its almost $25k asking price?
Another nice find Curvette and writeup by Mike! I love 8″ rally Chevy wheels as much as anyone, but only works on a Chevy to me, regardless of how much they pop on this silver car. A set of nice early Pontiac Rally’s will fit the vehicle much better.
Almost a GTO…
Pontiac Rallye wheels are needed as stated!!
Bucket seats and console, auto or 4 speed. Makes a huge difference when you have a good looking two door.