This 1985 Pontiac Grand Prix is an attractive survivor, and is a rare find with a T-top roof panel. While most of the T-top roofs were found on the more sporting models, the luxury-focused Grand Prix could be ordered with the removable panels – it just seems not many owners checked that box. This 1985 model looks quite sharp with original two-tone paint, color-matched wheels, and under 100,000 miles. Find it here on eBay with bidding at $5K and no reserve.
One of my favorite local junkyards has a Grand Prix SJ of this same generation, complete with the T-tops and Strato bucket seats. I’ve been told it’s a fairly rare bird and it actually looks restorable, despite the roof panels having gone missing and the interior exposed to weather. This Grand Prix is in far better shape, and hails from Washington State where vintage cars seemingly have a high survival rate.
The interior looks quite nice, with tan upholstery holding up well. The driver’s seat foam (or springs) may be receding a bit, as it looks like the dead-center of the seat bottom is sinking in. The dash appears to be uncracked and the plastic surfaces still display deep, brown coloring. The seller notes that prior to his taking possession, this Grand Prix was a one-owner car that never left Washington State.
The Grand Prix is powered by the standard 3.8L Buick V6, so it’s hardly a barn burner. While V8s were optional, they weren’t significantly more powerful. For a car like this, you’re buying it for the laid-back cruising it will provide with the added bonus of being able to remove the roof glass for the open air experience, without having the annoyance of repairing a convertible top. A great starter classic, in my opinion.
WOW! What a beauty! I am suprised that the clock is missing from an otherwise complete “gage” panel, and I’m curious as to what the hole is for under the speedo reset button? Personally, I like the Rallye II wheels better, but I’d happily cruise in thisone all day, as is! GLWTS :-)
The hole is for the knob to zero out the trip odometer (obviously missing) and the clock would’ve been on the original radio. This car has a tachometer where the earlier clocks were.
I had a 79 LJ with60/40 seat fully loaded with pillows. I wish I never sold that one in 1988.
These were a nicely sized car when they came out. The V-6 really kills it for me. The V-8 doesn’t have much more power, but the increase in torque would be noticeable. Unfortunately many components would have to be upgraded to install a V-8.
A stiffer set of springs and a V8 radiator would be required to install a V8. That’s only $150 worth of parts. A Buick, Olds or Pontiac engine would bolt to that transmission (it’s possibly a dual pattern bellhousing that would accept a Chevy motor too). The G-bodies had Buick, Olds, Pontiac and Chevy motors, so the frame is already drilled for the mounts.
I owned a 1987 Pontiac Grand Prix.. it came factory with t-tops and the Chevy 305 5.0L H.O. V-8 mated to a 700R4 4 speed automatic overdrive transmission. I bought it used from a dealership in 1994 and had it about 5 years.. LOVED that car! Miss it to this day! The V8 had alot more power than the V6.. my buddy had one and we raced many times.. I always beat him by alot. Why he kept trying.. I don’t know lol
This is a blast from my young adulthood. This was definitely a car that people aspired to.
This would make for a cool weekend cruiser.
No air conditioning either and the door panels “look great” because they’re clearly re-upholstered since they would be cloth on the original versions.
Odd car, expensive options like t-roof, 2 tone paint, alloys and buckets, but the base engine and no air conditioning on a Grand Prix, rare, but not the good kind of rare…….
I have an 85 twin to this one but I do have the V8. My door panels are leather just like this cars. My parents were the original owners and they definatly never re-upholstered the door panels.
I am currently working on restoring my baby and that what brought me here to this page. :-)
My parents had a ’83 I learned on.. v6 wasn’t too horrible.. I remember liking that car so much it ignited my love for Pontiac. Sadly no more!
Almost feel bad for the seller on this one. May well have received double the current $5200 bid if it had a V-8, AC and PW/DL.
I bought a used1985 GP in 1990. It had the T tops and the 305 under the hood. Great car, but upon buying it, I had no idea those t-roofs leaked worse than you could imagine. When it rained, my seat was wet. I couldn’t go to a car wash, as I’d get wet from the high pressure water.
Sweet car. My 455 pontiac and muncie 4speed would straighten out the power problem.
This is the kind of “good bones” car just begging for a modern GM 5.3 / 6.0 engine and transmission swap. Cheap, powerful, plentiful and bulletproof.
T-tops = built in water leak
I had one that had the “astroroof”, a power sunroof. It was a little older, 1981, & it was a diesel from the factory. The guy I bought it from blew up the diesel engine, but a 455 bolted right in.
I also had a 1985 Bonneville (at the time, that was the 4 door Grand Prix, Parisienne was the full size model) with this v-6. Kinda lame on performance but we had the federal 55 mph limit then. It was adequate at that speed. I would hate to take it through Oklahoma now on Interstate 40, where 80-90 is common. For the time it was fine.
Chebby your out of your mind if you even consider putting a chebby engine in ANY Pontiac. Thats just disgraceful. Keep your chebby stuff to your chebbys & stay away from real cars.
Had the same t-top black/chestnut gold with turbines on my ’86, console shifter with buckets and was powered by a 4.3 TBI v-6. Beauty of a car, I miss that machine a lot.
Had a Grand Prix just like that was stolen still looking for it last four then 9036
From Charleston South Carolina