Purchased by the seller’s Grandfather weeks before retiring to Florida, this 1976 Pontiac Grand Prix seems to have enjoyed a life of garage-kept leisure. Thanks to Rocco B. for spotting this ’70s survivor here on craigslist in Detroit, Michigan where $8,900 will make it yours.
Pontiac leveraged their arrowhead theme to adorn this generation of Grand Prix with a host of literal or suggested arrows in the nose, hood, trunk, bumpers, and elsewhere. You might say they “made a point” of using the arrow wherever they could on these cars. Revised taillights and headlights summarized the exterior changes for 1976 (thanks to wikipedia.org for some details).
The seller describes this Pontiac as “almost 100% original.” My 1978 Pontiac Phoenix featured a very similar angled console. As one might expect, this retirement ride came well-equipped with power steering, power brakes, and air conditioning.
New tires and battery in 2017 sweeten the pot, and a full set of maintenance records comes with the sale. Plus there’s nothing like being able to ask questions about the car’s past and possibly get a real answer! The listing eschews engine pictures or details, and we might assume it’s equipped with the base 160HP 350 CID V8. However, Grandpa might have dialed up some torque by ordering the 200 HP 455 CID V8, an option on all trim levels. In fact, 1976 marked the last year for the 455 in cars of this size. Do you picture yourself behind the wheel of this pointy-tipped Pontiac?
These are surprisingly nice to drive. The ‘Radial-Tuned Suspension’, as it was called, made quite a difference to the ride quality of this heavyweight.
I’m guessing that this would be pretty good buying for someone.
Great car in every way. But most of them have had the test of time, and I know what it takes to keep this a nice car. Do not park outside in the sun, be sure to oil the hood hinges and door hinges regularly. Those are the weak points.
Looks pretty good from what I can see. Would be better to have engine, trunk and underside pictures. About the only issue I can see so far is it’s missing one of the center caps on the rims. It would make a nice cruising car.
Very nice find. This car is a definite beauty. If I were to drive a vehicle of this size I’d choose one with a 260 V8 and a 5 speed.
This is the second to last generation of Grand Prix vehicles to roll out of Fisher Body assembly plants.
I had a 1980 Cutlass brand new with a 260 V8, can’t tell you liked it for 30 seconds. Car could not get out of its own way. Just sayin.
So an engine that never existed in the car PLUS a transmission that never existed in the car…?
The black console and seat belts seem odd….
This is a way better deal than the Plymouth Duster that was featured a few minutes ago.
Seems to be a great deal for a nice Grand Prix, first thing I would do is ditch the fuzzy dice.
Interesting study in contrast between this car and the ’96 a couple of ads down.Give me this ’76 any day!
The Colonnade cars have aged remarkably well and this one is very, very nice. The color is definitely period correct and coalesces with the lines in an eye-appealing manner. I like the GPs and Montes with the square rooflines and the Regals with the rounded tops.
I always thought that the absurd bumpers really ruined what could have been classic (i-con-ic?) designs. It would be nice if Chip Foose could market a line of tucked-in bumperments for these cars in their old age, though I doubt the market would be very big.
This is a nice find. Someone’s going to be happy with this baby.
The Pontiac Grand Am and Chevrolet Laguna and S-3 fixed those problems, at least for the front ends.
Steve R
Beautiful car. 350 is fine by me I treat 40 year old cars like antiques. This one is really nice. I also love the big bumpers.
Now THIS,,,was a Grand Prix! Unlike that ’96 abomination. Can you imagine someone buying that ’96 thinking that was what a GP was all about. Heck, even the ’78 downsize GP was better than the FWD. Seems funny the auto industry embraced FWD across the board, when there was nothing wrong with cars like this. SMH,,
I agree with you about the FWD Howard. I have 2004 Monte Carlo SS, that I intend on turning into RWD with an LS and 5 speed. Still in the planning stage though.
I believe there is a hood ornament missing also. Still…..this is a great looking car. I had a 76 Monte and I regret parting with it.
Had an opportunity to “upgrade” to this car when my 70 Toyota began to wheeze sometime around 1980. Even trade, the seller suggested. I liked the pointy beakiness of the design, bumpers were guardrails but integrated relatively well. Turns out the old GP had been ragged out by the seller so I opted to sell the Toyota to my sister for cash and bought a 69 Corvair. BIL quickly diagnosed the Toyota problem as clutch and wet dizzy then drove it for another couple of years. If I recall, the GP had already rusted through the roof sail panels under the vinyl top and around the rear window. Common spot for corrosion.
The VIN shows an “M” for the engine.. its a 350 2bb
..and has a single exhaust..
I have had one of these(350)a 454 73 monte two 74’s a 75 a 76 century and a 77 loved them and drove(literally)everyone of them to the wrecking yard perfect for teens cheap and practically indestructible tanks weighed about 4200 lbs and ran really well for land yachts…so thats a yes for me😎
My dad had one of these, pretty much the same color scheme, IIRC. Sitting at a stop light, was rear-ended by a kid in a Camaro doing somewhere near 50. The back bumper was pushed up almost to the tires. Amazingly, as it was a nearly new car, the insurance company insisted on repairing it!
My aunt bought a 1976 GP same color combo in 1977; she traded my uncle’s 1975 Catalina for it and he took her 1976 Buick Electra. Shortly after my uncle died and she took the Electra back and gave the Grand Prix to my cousins.
I remember seeing a 50th anniversary GP (which was a similar gold) on used car lot at Pontiac dealer in late 1977 and considered buying it, but it had 36,000 miles which I thought was way too many miles for a one year old car. I waited a few months and got a new Thunderbird instead.
From the days when having a GP meant you had something special.