I’m not proud of the fact that I have a couple of motorcycles that I put into storage in 1986 and they haven’t seen the light of day since then. I’m not sure if this 1973 Pontiac Grand Prix SJ 455 has been parked inside or out – I’m assuming inside – but the seller says that it’s been parked since “1997 or 8”. This project Poncho is on Craigslist in Fulks Run, Virginia with an asking price of $1,750 or offer. Thanks to Ian C. for sending in this find!
1973 was the first year of the third-generation Grand Prix and they were made until the much-smaller models came out in 1978. They were a bit longer than the previous cars due to the freshly-mandated bumpers and in looking at the bumpers, yeah, they’re wicked ‘uuuge! My first car was almost a blue 1969 Grand Prix with a cue ball for a 4-speed shift knob and these later cars do look a lot bigger to me. Maybe I should have gotten that car since it looked and ran great and the seller was asking, gulp.. $750. Scotty G meathead move #24,487.
The seller says that this “car has just over 100,000 original miles, but has sat since 1997 or 8 when Brake master cylinder failed.” That shouldn’t be a huge issue, but they also say that there is a “cracked windshield and rust. Great for parts or aggressive restoration.” They show a few photos of rusty areas and it would be more work than I could tackle, or would want to. The “SJ” package added radial tires, a tuned suspension with front and rear sway bars, special shocks, and a rally gauge cluster.
After all the thinking about that 455 V8, there isn’t one photo of it. They say that the “Engine will need pulled and rebuilt. I’d think anyone that wants this 455 would want to build it with more than the original horsepower it had anyway.” That’s probably true since by 1973 Pontiac’s 455 cubic-inch V8 would have had 250 hp and 370 lb-ft of torque. That’s not horrible but I’m sure we would all want another 100 hp under the hood if possible. The interior looks decent but I want to see the engine. Can this GP SJ 455 be saved? What’s your favorite year Pontiac Grand Prix?
Ha! Im quite familiar with these Grand Prix. My childhood neighbor had a sharp blue Grand Prix he worked on sporadically between 1980-84. I spent too much time watching and handing wrenches to the guy. I don’t think I ever heard it run outside of the garage. I just checked with my ma and she tells me that Grand Prix is still in same garage…. that’s what, 38 years?
Buy it !!
You should stop by for a visit.
My mom had the 400 c.i. version and it was a very nice car. Huge, not really fast, but nice. White, with a black vinyl roof and black interior. We had it until I was rear-ended at a stop light by a drunk driver who happened to be a Marine Corps brigadier general. I had just gotten my license and my mom was happy that her 16-year old was OK, bit really pissed that her beloved GP was totaled.
My mother bought one of these new to replace her ’69 Toronado because the Olds didn’t have air conditioning. (Hey, we lived in Michigan and it never gets hot there, right?) Hers was Navy blue with no vinyl top and a bench seat. It had the goofiest wheel covers with these ultra thin vanes on them that looked cool but were impossible to get clean.
These were the best looking of the colonnade GPs – later ones had really clunky bumpers that were even worse than the Nader-inspired ones on the ’73’s. It wasn’t as deluxe as the Toro and it had even less legroom than the MGB I was driving at the time.
Very nice-looking imo but who’s going to invest what it takes to bring it back?
Triangle hood center section… square headlamp bezels… circle headlamp bulbs…. how many more shapes can you find?!?! I love it! Everywhere you look it has great lines. From the instrument cluster, to the rear glass, to the quarters/door line. It just goes on and on. If I had the time, I would already own it. If the right one came along at the right price though…….
The 1971 and 1972 models look very similar to this.
Are you sure, Scotty, that 1973 was the first year for this generation?
Hi Miguel, according to several sources, including Wiki, 1973 was the first year of the third-generation cars.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontiac_Grand_Prix
Pre-73 it had similar front end styling, bulkier body lines, and a different, more formal roof line with no fixed quarter windows set into the roof—it was a true pillarless hardtop, with quarter windows that roll down.
It doesn’t look like enough changes between ’72 and ’73 to make it a new generation.
Actually this body style started in 1969.
yes. It was the first year of the new body style.
If um not mistaken, the 73s had the big bumper in the front only. This car appears to have a big bumper in the rear also. That would make it a 74 or above.
It’s only worth the$1750 in decent running condition.way to much investment for way to little return.
72 was the car, Especially an SSJ Hurst model
My brother and I have 4 of the Hurst SSJs here in Tampa.
It’s kinda rough and a shame. Could if been a nice car. I hope it at least gets parted properly. Don’t trash this thing if you buy it. Someone is going to want those parts.73 is the first for this colonade body.
Save it!
Brings back memories of the ’73 I had from 1979 to 1988. Mine had the 400cid engine with the TH400 trans. I believe it was rated at 230hp from the factory.
Pretty torquey engine. Got rubber in second gear at half throttle. Luxury cruiser that had a 140mph top end.
Even beat a Starsky and Hutch Torino, with a 428 SCJ transplant, in a street duel. Boy, was he mad.
My brother bought his ’73 a month after the first owner bought it new. I got the car later and loved it. It was the J model with the 400 4 barrel and lots of options, turning lamps, auto a/c, and a very leaky sunroof. Maroon with a white vinyl top.
Had it until the ’90s when the head gasket went. Soooo sorry I traded it in.
Nice survivor at a good price….light em up !
Damn.. when was the last time you saw a car with an ash tray…. with butts in it?
If I bought it, I’d pull the drive train front to back save what I could of the interior for maybe a future project and either part out or junk what was left. How much per pound for scrap these days?!
I had a one of a kind 1973 Grand Prix, which was factory hand built with
an SD 455, 160mph speedometer, and documents stating that it was briefly used by Pontiac execs! When I purchased it, it only had 4,500 miles
on it! It was a mahogany brown exterior, black landou top with black leather interior. It was beautiful, fast, and so well built that it was actually
pretty good gas mileage! I lost my job and could not finish making the
last payments on it, so I had to give it up. Man, I would LOVE to be able
to locate where it is now! Whoever now owns it, I can only hope that
they have maintained her and not wrapped her around a pole!
Need those front directional turn signal lens and bezels ASAP!!!!!
My sister had a 75 sj. I loved that car the day my dad bought it for her. She loved that car as much as I did. It was hit one day on a family trip to Astro World. Though the car ran fine it would not pass inspection. My dad let it sit in our yard until it was towed away. I never forgave him for that, neither did my sis. That car was amazing! Later in life when I was old enuff to drive, I had a 79 sj. It was in no way near the car my sister’s was. Mine was totaled & I scraped it. I was not going to fix it, it was too badly damaged.
Does anyone know how to pull off the shift knob on a 1973 Pontiac Grand Prix? I need to repair some wires underneath the console and I do not want to damage any thing.