With the gas crisis looming, the American cars were changing internally, as well externally. The external changes of that era included less chrome, with more fiberglass and plastic. This 1973 Pontiac Grand Am Colonnade is a sleek stylish sedan with a fair sized American lump under the hood. Clean as a whistle, this sedan is bid up to $2,124, with the reserve not met. Find it here on ebay out of Naperville, Illinois.
The fair sized lump under the hood is a 400 cubic inch V8 with a 2 barrel, and single exhaust. Although not the peppiest engine offered for this year model, this 400 makes for a nice cruiser, and has nice features such as air conditioning, and an automatic transmission. Although equipped with air conditioning, the system is not currently charged. With only light evidence of surface rust in the engine bay, this Pontiac has a relatively clean appearance under the hood.
Now the inside of this Grand Am is what really shines. This interior is in fantastic condition, and has a great sporty appearance. The dash, steering wheel, console, and bucket seats make this Colonnade appear more as a muscle car than a semi luxurious sedan. Just about every aspect of this interior is mint. There is no wear on the steering wheel or the shift handle. Prone to wear, the gas and brake pedal pads appear as new. The dash, as the entire interior looks to have lived life in a garage out of the sun’s harmful rays. Even scrutinizing the door panels reveal no wear or damage of any kind. What a wonderful interior, in grand condition!
With little chrome and an interestingly sculpted front end, this gas crisis era American sedan has some neat styling. The front end has vintage aerodynamic appearance to it with its main nose cutting through the air dispersing that air to 6 vents that feed the under hood. As the years progressed from 1973, American bumpers became larger and larger, but thankfully the bumpers on this Grand Am are subtle and nicely executed. The midsection of this sedan looks as you would expect, but the tail end tapers down to a nearly flat design. Although this Pontiac appears as a survivor, this sedan has been re-sprayed in a proper single stage paint. The fresh paint gives the car a stunning appeal, and looks as if the car is a true survivor. The paint work on the nose cone and front bumper look superb with no evidence of body work, or cracking. The panel gaps on the hood look slightly off, but the rest of the car looks top notch. Perhaps not recognized as a dream car, this Pontiac is a clean and not so common classic that would be a different flavor to own, and to take to car events. Did any of you grow up with, or own one of these Grand Am Colonnades?
that is as cool as a 73 four door Pontiac can get! even has buckets and console, it’s like a four door Grand Prix. uncork that motor with a re-curve on the distributor and a set of duals and you would be cruising! really cool ride!
It is? Not a 400 4-speed? 455?
It’s been so long since I’ve seen one I forgot what they looked like – nice.
This is pretty cool for a four door. I grew up in the 70’s and I honestly don’t ever remember seeing this car. What’s really cool is the interior, you just don’t see that in a four door to much. Anything under 5k I would think is good deal. im sure the owner wants more though.
My parents gave me my first car. It was a 73 Grand Am. 2 door. Parents had it restored for me as an 18th birthday present. And I repaid them by absolutely ragging it out. I need my ass kicked.
I remember Pontiac advertisng how the neoprene noses on these resisted dents. Being 10 years old at the time, I savored the opportunity to wail on one with a hammer at the auto show.
Subtle is not a word that describes the rear bumper on this car. While most if not all US cars had a big front bumper in ’73, most still had a normal rear bumper, first car that comes to mind is a ’73 Corvette, has a ugly rubber snout for a bumper on the front but the tasteful bumpers on the rear are held over from the ’72 model. But by ’74 every US car had a big stupid rear bumper as well (by gov’t reg) wonder why they put one on the Grand Am a year early?
Were these sold in Canada? I’ve never heard of this model.
how come this Pontiac 400 says 6.5 liters on it but trans ams said 6.6? wasn’t it the same engine?
Historically, starting with the first GTO in 64, Pontiac used the 6.5 litre designation although the 389 at that point in the GTO was really only 6.3 litres. 6.5 litres is correct for the 400 cu in engine which Pontiac started using in 1967. And I believe they continued to use the 6.5 designation until they started putting the 403 Oldsmobile engine in the Trans Am in 1978. 6.6 is accurate for the 403. The remaining Pontiac 400 engines were called T/A 6.6 and the Olds 403 was called 6.6 litre at that time.
This is from a man who knows!
There was a guy near me that had a 73 or 74 Grand Am 2 door that had a factory 4 speed manual. Only one I ever saw and actually was pretty fast.
I agree with 68 custom. Open this thing up to breath! I myself would put an electronic ignition in it but this would make a great entry level car that you could be instantly proud to own.
I helped my dad pick his choice for a new family car back in 75. I was just 17, and I I recommended that he choose either the Olds Cutlass, or the Pontiac Grand Am or Grand LeMans. Effectively, these were all pretty much the same cars under the skin. My dad found the best deal he could get was on a very handsome and new Grand LeMans, in what they called “Arctic Blue”, which was a creamy light blue colour. The car was very well-appointed and had a (relatively) powerful 350 with a 4-Barrel carb.
It was a nice car to drive, with the high-quality radial tires and “radial-tuned suspension”… certainly better than most American cars at the time.
This Grand Am is almost identical, with the exception of the details on the nose and tail treatments, and the addition of fender skirts on the Grand LeMans. Unusual? Yes. But I think these were interesting and stylish for their time.
Have a true soft spot for these. Had A shabby ’73 coupe and loved it, but some neighbors had a sedan in a nice spruce green with a black vinyl top. I believe it had a red and gold stripe running from the point of the front end to under the windows. And it was a 455. They kept it nice for years then sold it to some derelicts who swiftly and sadly destroyed it. No one else made a four door muscle car with some euro tendencies?
You could get it with a 4 speed I think.
I had a white on white 74 Grand Am coupe with the 455 V8 and every possible option offered including a factory power sunroof. It needed to be restored but it was pretty solid and was a strong runner. I sold it a few years ago for 5000 to a Pontiac club member who had one in his youth and wanted to restore it. Boy these are nice cars. This era Grand Am is a rare find. The 4 door is really cool. Oldsmobile offered the Cutlass Salon model just like this, also with the buckets and floor shifter in the sedan.
I would give this rare sedan a thumbs up for sure but someone here took away our thumbs up and down….
Yeah feel like a bunch of kids being scolded. Guess they really wanted to do away with that feature after all.
My dad bought a white with a red vinyl roof 1973 Grand Am four-door with a 455 cc engine. What a delight it was to drive it. It was unstoppable in snowstorms.
Jason its the pc thing to do so nobody gets there feelings hurt, haven’t you heard its all about safe spaces lol.
Yea well if they continue to do away with that feature, they may have to also make due with the loss of many long time readers who have been with the site since it just started out when you guys were hoping to have nice guys like us respond to your new finds. Without your loyal readers, what would the site be? I post less and I can see that a number of people also post less. I also noticed a few well known names who posted several times a week all of a sudden dropped off the site. I will not say who. Anymore else see that? Admit it guys, we all see the difference now. Enough of this PC crap. The site is not the same anymore. Enough already.
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Cool car. I will say it though because no one can thumbs down me……2 doors too many.
This site is about sharing. who cares about the thumbs up or down. I know some like it and vice versa but it won’t curb my interest. I like seeing the finds.
I love all the info shared. I don’t mind opinions if they are fair. You or I might not agree but fair comments based upon knowledge should be tolerated
Someone might like this car more as a 4 door than a 2 door….God bless them if they do! Great! Let’s face it…..everyone has different tastes. Collectability has truths that some don’t like to hear about. at the end of a day, a Painting (or a car) is worth $1 Million dollars IF someone pays $1 Million dollars for it. most of us wouldn’t pay $5 bucks for it. Some of us are in it for the love of cars. Some are in it for the love of money. Some for both. To each their own.
I had a 73 two door in the same exterior color with red interior and a factory sunroof, It was the 400 automatic with the 2 barrel. One I never should have sold. Mine also had the white letter tires. g70 15s as I remember. When he painted it he should have tried to get the red, white, and blue stripes. They really set it off. The only car I ever had that was stolen. Thankfully recovered with minimal damage.
R.I.P. Pontiac. You were one of the few manufacturers able to build a four door this good looking. Pontiac wasn’t afraid to stick it’s neck out to build out of the ordinary designs. I’ll never forgive GM for dumping you.
But OH how they did rust out, the whole GM mid sized line, in the 70’s, which is why this is so rare, despite how many were made.
Rust they did! I had 73 Malibu wagon that had squares of plywood in the footwells they were so rusted out….and rusted out around the windows so bad that when it rained water would stream down the insides of the glass. Ugly as sin but ran like a top…..
I worked at a Pontiac dealer back then. I had a 455 4 speed for a demo for a few weeks. Loved driving it better than a Trans Am. It was a sleeper. (proper term for this car) And I felt that it rode and handled better than the Trans Am.
I would be a buyer if it was a 4 speed car.
It must have been a 400 because pontiac didn’t offer a stick with the 455.
Wayne, if the admins could put up the thumbs, you’d get mine up. But alas, when we comment more they sensor it.👍
“My” black 76 CanAm had a 455 4spd. I say “my” as in I got to sit in it, but because I didn’t make the ‘A’ honor role, I didn’t get the car. Long story. Really cool car… I forgot they even made the 4 door. There weren’t too many of them as I remember.
The CanAm was only available in 1977 and it was white. And Pontiac didn’t offer a 455 behind a manual for the LeMans,etc since 1973. Seems to be a pretty common misconception. Love Pontiacs.
Trey – “Mine” was actually a COPO Grand LeMans and it did have the 455/4spd. My Grandfather was the line Super at the Atlanta GM (formerly Chevy) plant and so long as it was built there he could get anything. The order was placed for a 76 Grand LeMans base “with options” in May of 75. When completed, it sat on the plant showroom floor for a while before the plant manager gave it to his son. It was (my personal bias / feeling) the prototype for the CanAm since when the CA came out it had every option as on mine (except the wheels – I had Grand Prix honey-combs) – and except they were white with stripes and mine was all black – and no pin/stripe of any kind. It was ominous looking. OK…so it might (and probably wasn’t) the prototype, but I can be bias …right?…
My first “real” car (as in one I drove regularly, not the 64 & 1/2 non-running Mustang I owned 1st), except mine had a matching Red interior..IIRC,these were the first “touring sedans” produced by USA automakers..? The front buckets, suspension upgrades, etc…? :)
The 455 4 speed was a special order by the owner of the dealership. ( largest Pontiac dealer in the country at that time). He did not realize when he ordered it. Or the Pontiac home office screwed it up. And it came with the 4 speed and the 455. He wanted the automatic. So I got to drive it until it was sold. He had a hot Grand Prix also that was a lot of fun to drive. ( I don’t recall ever knowing what size engine that one had.)
In a world where the EPA was King, I don’t think special order cars like that were built. Besides, if was a special order, how could the one doing the special order not realize the combination was unavailable? Not saying you are lying, but I’m a Doubting Thomas.
The 4 door can’t hope to match 2 door values, but for rarity, they made far fewer 4 door GA’s…8,000 vs 34,000 in ’73, maybe it is collectible?
Seller has it listed on multiple sites for $8,000 and $8,500…
High School friend in the early 80s had the 2 door. He hooned the living hell out of that car and back. I clearly remember passing on the gravel shoulder at 70mph.
Can’t believe a car could be that much fun.
In 1973 my father orded a new loaded Florentine Red SD-455 Grand Am coupe. Being a kid, I wanted him to order a Trans Am but he knew my mother would not drive a car with flaming bird on the hood. However, he did order the optional NACA hood which was cool as well. When his order could not be filled with the SD-455, he changed it to the standard 455.
That car still did some pretty healthy burnouts, (my dad was a leadfoot) and suprised a lot of other performance cars of the day. My father loved that car and kept if for many years. I grew to love it too even though I still wanted a Trans Am for myself. Been thru seven of them over the years……..
Recently I purchased a very clean original paint 73 400 4bbl, turbo 400, 3.23 Safety Trac equipped Grand Am coupe to restore, and remind me of my father.
While it’s not a fast nor as loaded as his was, the car still drives great and turns heads. Being about his age now, I can see the wisdom in his choice of the Grand Am. I never would have been confortable stuck in the back seat of a Trans Am back then…….
Every one in my neighborhood had pontiacs My next door neighbors always bought slightly used ones. He had 69 lemans 2 door.she traded her 67 catalina for 71 lemans sport 2 door. Then traded that for dark blue 74 grandam 4 door white interior with 455 v8. Across street 66 catalina 4 door then 72 catalina 2 door then 78 lemans wagon
i love cars like this one.
Yes, indeed I grew up with the Colonades….my friend’s mother had a ’73 LeMans albeit not the Grand Am which was the stunner of the bunch. The 1973 models of the Pontiac and Chevrolet models look best to my eyes. I liked the sporty versions of each, particularly the aformentioned Grand Am, the Laguna, and Cutlass Salon. I also thought the wagons were quite attractive too. Its unfortunate that GM focused more on the luxury aspect as these cars began to have more and more affectation (Grand LeMans with fender skirts), but with performance sapped due to emissions and fuel economy reasons, maybe it was hard to convince a buying public to be sold on a racy looking car that lacked the performance creds, and instead focus on slower, sedate, unhurried luxury.
My HS years coincided with my father’s purchase of a 1973 Grand Am 4 dr (Admiralty Blue) with a few options, but the 400-2v and automatic transmission. It was considered a cool car by my HS classmates, which was very important at the time. When my father purchased the car (October 1973) the 1974 models were out and there were just a handful of 73’s left on the lot. One was a 455SD 4 speed. I tried to convince him of the wisdom of that, but no deal. He paid for it and was going to return to pick it up after it was prepared (“dealer prep”) the next day. When he did pick it up the following evening it died on him about 3 miles away from the dealership. It’s kind of hard to remember how unreliable the average car was back then.
When I finished college and started grad school I was scraping by, and my parents gave me the car, by then 7 years old with 115k miles on it, and plenty of Wisconsin road salt-induced rust. I drove it to 144k miles before selling it for $400 (probably the value of the 5 Rally II wheels that went with it.) I saw it once after selling it – in a mall parking lot. Utterly desecrated. There was a huge Metallica window sticker across the back glass, wheels replaced with stock steel wheels. Adorned with marijuana legalization and heavy metal bumper stickers. I couldn’t look!