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Parts Or Restore? 1973 Pontiac Grand Prix

This 1975 Pontiac Grand Prix looks quite sad parked in a messy driveway on flat tires, and the seller isn’t pushing it as a restoration candidate – but it does seem complete enough that parting it out would be a shame. The bodywork is a mixed bag, with some panels looking better than others, and other areas like the rear quarter panel appearing to have been briefly buffed out before the detailer got bored. The Pontiac is equipped with a rebuilt 400 with 6X heads, which are generally favored by engine builders as the performance-oriented option. Find the Grand Prix here on Facebook Marketplace with an asking price of $2,250 and located in Carmel, New York.

The Grand Prix is a special car to me on a personal basis, as both my mother and grandfather drove different eras of them. My grandfather had one like this, jet black with a red interior, and I suspect he was looking far better when he sold it than this one does. The seller does mention that he acquired it as a barn find and that it’s a complete car despite the tired appearance. I can’t quite tell if there are areas of severe cancer in the body or just isolated pockets of rust. There’s also isolated damage, like the turn signals going missing and an odd spot of rust on the top portion of the driver side fender.

The interior isn’t terrible, but it does need a good cleaning. There are cobwebs and dirty door panels, so this Grand Prix didn’t likely go into the barn as a time warp specimen. The seats, for being a lighter color, look surprisingly clean, and the dash may even be crack-free (one of the few benefits of living in the Northeast is you can still find crack-free dashboards in junkyards.) There’s no scary rust lying in the door jamb, which I had visions of upon seeing the outside of the car. I can’t help but wonder if the rest of the paint would come back if the seller buffed out every panel, and how much better the Grand Prix would present with a few hours of detailing.

The dashboard still sports its luxurious fake wood trim fascia, which looks surprisingly decent for a car that I suspect was not stored carefully. The surface rust on the turn signal and wiper stalks suggest it was stored in a damp environment, and given the rust, we can see on the outside, it does make you wonder if the floors are toast. The engine alone is likely desirable for someone building a hot rod, but the 6X head came in a few different varieties indicating how large the combustion chambers were. Still, I’d hate to see a good car parted out if it turns out the undersides are solid and it’s just a case of needing a good clean-out and detailing. How would you approach this barn find Grand Prix?

Comments

  1. Avatar Moparman Member

    Based on the blue still on the tires, I ‘d say they were new, and it is the debris around them making them appear to be low/flat. Seller states that the engine had been rebuilt, the low price of admission could make it a viable candidate for restoration, IF the undersides are solid. GLWTS!! :-)

    Like 1
  2. Avatar Steve R

    This car isn’t even a viable project, let alone a parts car anywhere close to its current asking price. Savvy buyers will keep looking until something better pops up. Persistent shoppers can and will do better.

    Steve R

    Like 0
    • Avatar jerry hw brentnell

      you know what yo do with this? go at it get it running, strip the body off it , find a 51 mercury body , and drop it on the GP frame and have a real car as the GP and the merc, are the same length it been done several times in the past

      Like 1
  3. Avatar Ike Onick

    Why does BF keep forgetting to list Option 3: ? Sheet steel

    Like 1
  4. Avatar George Mattar

    They made tens of thousands of these. Keep looking. I love Colonnades. Have owned 4, including a 77 GP SJ with 27 options.

    Like 1
  5. Avatar Keith

    Move the decimal point one place to the left. That’s about what I’d expect to pay for a non-running, “farm fresh”, post-’73 400/400 up here in road-salt country. Whatever else you salvage would be a bonus.

    Is anyone actually restoring low-spec Colonnades? My gut says the trim and other non-metal pieces would hardly be worth the shelf space, unless you happen to own such a car already and wanted spares.

    Like 0
  6. Avatar Connecticut Mark

    Looks like something in front end caved in . The way it’s sitting. Not good

    Like 0
  7. Avatar rex m

    Forgettable new, forgettable now.

    Like 0
  8. Avatar John Oliveri

    It’s a 73, not a 73

    Like 0
  9. Avatar John Oliveri

    It’s a 75 not a 73

    Like 1
  10. Avatar Don

    Back in the 90s i scrapped a bunch of these 73 – 77 GPs in better shape than this one – nobody wanted them ..pull the engine + trans let the rest go..🙄🤔

    Like 0
  11. Avatar Duffy

    I need the electric seat motor and the rear bumper? PARTS FOR SALE????

    Like 0

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