No Reserve! 1964 Pontiac Grand Prix

You never know how many people own a certain make and model of car until you buy one; then, you see them everywhere! It seems that the same can be said this week about Pontiac Grands Prix from the 1960s; earlier this week, we saw this beautiful burgundy 1965 model, and now we have this solid-looking 1964 GP, which is for sale here on eBay in Espanola, New Mexico, with a starting price of $14,200. While nobody has yet made an opening bid, you have to respect a person who knows what price they want for a car and starts their auction there, and the Grand Prix appears to be worth the price.

For years, I’ve thought of the 1964 Grand Prix as a retrograde step from the dazzlingly clean 1963 model, but my viewpoint on that has softened to the extent that I’d gladly make a bad decision should the right example of either come along. The Grand Prix, being one of Pontiac’s premium models, had a hotter standard engine than the cheaper Catalina or Star Chief. In the case of the Grand Prix ordered with the optional Roto Hydra-Matic, it was a 303-horsepower 389 four-barrel, and for a little extra snap at stoplights, a deeper 3.08:1 rear axle ratio was standard. This is a well-optioned Pontiac, with power steering, brakes, and air conditioning (which unfortunately is out of order). The seller has installed a new Edelbrock carburetor, but the original carb (most likely a Carter AFB) will come with the car. I’d make a dismissive comment about the upper radiator hose, but I discovered recently that molded upper hoses for 1960s cars are becoming harder to find lately.

The exterior color of this sporty Pontiac appears to be Alamo Beige (although in some pictures the paint almost appears to be too light), so the saddle-colored interior matches well. The bucket seats, console, and floor shifter were still standard equipment in 1964, and a vacuum gauge was standard with automatic cars. This example has power windows, and it’s a good time to point out that even the steering wheel was an Easter Egg on the 1964 Grand Prix: the color-keyed translucent rim is something you didn’t know you wanted until you saw one.

We don’t get any pictures of the undercarriage or trunk floor (without mat), but being that the car is in New Mexico, the chances of its being solid are better than average.

Ah, that roofline. Those taillights. That horizontal ribbed trim on the tail. Those eight-lug wheels. Those “coke bottle” quarter panels. I was silly to look askance at the 1964 models for years—they’re gorgeous. With no reserve, it’s obvious that the seller will take the opening bid of $14,200 for their Grand Prix, so you could drive home in one of the best-looking 1960s full-size cars for a very reasonable price.