Quick question: Which one of General Motors’ personal luxury coupes pulled off its 1978 downsizing most successfully? The Monte Carlo (although I like it) seems to have its share of detractors, as do the Oldsmobile Cutlass and Buick Regal. Many people seem to prefer the 1981 restyling of all four, but I don’t think Pontiac did a bad job out of the gate in 1978, and the original owner of this car, who is now 97, obviously felt the same way. He’s held onto the Grand Prix for 48 years, and it’s now up for sale here on craigslist in University Place, Washington. Yes, it’s a survivor with 121,000 miles on the clock, and the asking price is a seemingly fair $6,300 or best offer. Thanks to Curvette for another nice Pacific Northwest find!
The engine compartment looks as one might expect from a 121,000-mile survivor, and although the basic Grand Prix came standard with Buick’s 3.8-liter V6, this one has Pontiac’s own 301 under the hood (probably the two-barrel). An interesting note, but perhaps not too surprising in Washington State, is that this car seems to have been ordered without air conditioning. If nothing else, that leaves a lot of room under the hood to work, something that was more and more rare as the seventies became the eighties. The seller, who is a family friend of the original owner, says that the battery is new.
The lack of air conditioning is also not surprising given the basic specification of the car, with a basic bench seat and (in the following picture) what appears to be an AM radio. The driver’s side of the seat has begun shedding its upholstery and foam, so a trip to the upholsterer (or the thrift shop for a blanket) will probably be in order as soon as the new owner signs their name on the title.
One thing that Pontiac perhaps did better than its competing GM makes was the dashboard, because even though there’s plenty of fake wood to go around, the instrumentation at the very least looks sporty. The parts store steering wheel cover, however, might have to go.
Oops, you might also need some rear bumper fillers, but even if the Grand Prix will need a little TLC, it’s a rust-free example of a car that you really don’t see much anymore (and they sold a ton of them back in 1978). It doesn’t have a vinyl top, so you won’t have to worry about hidden rust, and the paint color, which is one of about a dozen browns and dark reds offered in 1978, is appropriate for a disco-era PLC. Not a bad deal at all.
This first series of the downsized Gran Prix is not terrible bad but back in 78 when it came out the 77 model was still fresh on our minds. This was rather disappointing to say the least. The same was said about Cadillac but after some time to check them out we found we didn’t really need our cars to be so large. Ford, Mercury and Lincoln made out very well in 78-79 though.
Of the 4 the Cutlass Supreme was the best. It was the best selling car in 1978.
Personally, I’d have gone for a Malibu coupe and optioned it up. I like the original owner of this car’s choice of a tintop and rally wheels, though.
I owned a ’78 GP. First car I ever financed! Had to have it, at 21. Beautiful car, but that 301 was a dog, and it didn’t do too well when I took it off roading…
These were great looking cars that lived in the shadows of their predecessors. Public reception of the B and C-body downsizing was well received because it wasn’t a compromise. These suffered from interior space and the hardtop that wasn’t. I think it’s a good looking survivor that may have been just dealer inventory for the budget shopper. Wheels, mirrors and a V8 was all some folks needed.
301 slug v8, no a/c and the seat looks like a chew toy.6300.00 i think n\more like 3k. clean ride.
I’m sorry to those who like this car. But it is such a sorry replacement for the Grand Prix of the ’60s and ’70s. There is no STYLE to this car.
Dad had a loaded black one like this, and it was a nice ride! Bucket seats inside. I don’t believe it had the ubiquitous Rally II wheels though, so its looks suffered from factory Poncho wire wheelcovers (an era which uglied-up most Bonnevilles, Grandvilles, Firebirds and Gran Prix).
I bought one of these shortly after they came out. My first brand new car, bought and paid for in cash with my own money. Catmine Red Metallic with Carmine Red cloth buckets, white, landsu roof, Rally II wheels, white pinstripes. Bo power options except steering and brakes. Bought from the late Jim Bradley Pontiac in Ann Arbor Michigan. My present to myself for making it through law school. It was a great car. Nice size, easy handling. I traded it for a 78 Audo 5000, and have driven Audis ever since.
My dad bought a 78. Two tone silver gray red pinstripes with red interior and rally II wheels. The 301 was a dog but the car was really nice looking.
Dad had the car for about ten years. Biggest issue was the paint. GM silver at the time did not hold up even though it was garage kept.
Convinced him to let me take to senior prom rather than the 70 Catalina. Date was impressed. Enough said
I bought a 78 GP from a friend. It had the 301 engine. The engine was a dog, as others have shared. It also had a drinking problem. Gas mileage sucked.