Pontiac added the Grand Prix in 1962 as a personal luxury car with punch. In some respects, it sounds a bit like what Chrysler set out to do with the Letter Series cars of 1955 to 1965. The Grand Prix would remain a Pontiac fixture for decades, and the seller’s example is from the first year’s outing. This Poncho is covered with patina, was owned by the same party for 40 years, and does not run. It sounds as though it’s being offered by a dealer in Edmonds, Washington, and here on craigslist for $4,450. Hats off to “Curvette” for fielding yet another cool tip.
Early Grand Prix’s were based on the B-body platform used by the Catalina, but with a higher level of trim. And a 389 cubic inch V8 was standard, and this example is equipped with an automatic transmission (though you could order a 4-speed). Pontiac cranked out more than 30,000 copies of the Grand Prix in 1962, so it was instantly popular, and competitors like the Buick Riviera would soon follow. The indicated mileage is 27,000, but we’re betting the odometer is on its second time around.
This Pontiac looks like it was parked years ago, running or not at the time. But it doesn’t now and probably needs a cleansing of the fuel system before you can remotely expect the engine to come to life. The Grand Prix came with bucket seats and a console, and this one has the optional 8-lug wheels that John DeLorean cooked up. They’re supposed to help cool the brakes, which of course were still drums back in ’62.
We’re told this is a complete car that will not be parted out. The body may or may not be okay, and the white paint looks mostly orange due to heavy patina. It’s had the same owner since the 1980s, and it appears that said party may have passed on, and the car was handed over to a dealer to make it go away. If you’re looking for a project, this Pontiac would be way cool once restored.
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