Parked in 1978, this Pontiac Grand Prix was a victim of the gas crisis, and was parked due to maintenance and the fact that the owner bought a Honda Civic to beat the gas prices. Driven for only 11 short years, this Pontiac has since been stored all of this time just as you see it. Packing a numbers matching 400 V8 this Pontiac may be dirty, but I am willing to bet the metal on this car is very nice due to being on the roads for such a short time. Find this big convertible here on craigslist out of North Judson, Indiana. Thanks to Barn Finds Reader Michael for this interesting barn found submission!
Unfortunately at some point in time the convertible top failed allowing dust and dirt to encroach on the interior. Personally I am not put off by this as it is merely dirt, and I imagine that the interior fared well over the years from its short use and zero exposure to UV light. I am not going to say that this is a cream puff, but I imagine that the interior is going to be reasonable after a labor intensive cleaning.
I also imagine that under all of that dirt is a relatively nice body with reasonable paint as well. It would certainly be fun to pull it out into the light and carefully clean this Grand Prix to reveal its condition. I cannot determine that there is any rust to be seen on the car, and it would seem it has lived a very dry life. Part of the reason this Pontiac was parked is that it was suffering from a leaking head gasket. Now that could be an issue over all of this time depending on how the gasket was leaking. If fluid was getting into the cylinders, well, let’s just say the block may need a bore and hone before being a runner again. Even with considering the fact that the engine could need a rebuild, this Pontiac seems like an advantageous value from the possibility of it having little to no rust. Would you take a chance on this Grand Prix Barn Find?
I’m not a big fan of the design of the car but from what i see there is potential.
I’d take a chance, but not at that price.
$5800.00 Obo. I’d say just a couple grand for it as is. This thing is so big, it should come with a rudder! Lol. Maybe for the right person (me), it would be a very nice cruise in car, in antique mode. LOVE the hidden headlights!
While it would be more attractive at a lower buy-in price, when all is said and done what’s a few thousand here or there? It’s going to take a whole lot more than $5,800 to do justice to this car.
When it’s done (and it will be) it will be a distinctive ride. Nice find.
I would love to have it, but noplace to work on it you people DO know that 1967 was the ONLY year for a Grand Prix CONVERTIBLE, right??
Question? In the ad it shows a 1968 Grand Prix Convertible and it states 66-68 Grand Prix in the photo. ( Craigs list ad). So is it a one year only?. Great looking car when new. Thanks
These were only made in 1967.
These are rare and a one year only body style. Great front end styling, and they move pretty well with the 400.
if that’s a dirt floor there will be ironworms underneath. Inspection is always a good idea. Super rare find tho.
Good luck to the new owner!!
Top goes down, price goes up.
Oh man, to go from this chunk of American steel to a Honda ? What a buzzkill
Well current gov is reducing MPG requirements and with roll backs… how many future cars will park why foreign markets push pure electric and hybrids getting much more MPG…
Oh how history will repeat again…. imports killed regular cars and took over the in the past… :-0
“Stored”?? Really?
Yeah, abandoned and forgotten is more appropriate. “Stored” implies some level of attention.
Dang.
If I had the garage space, I’d like to have that.
Love the hideaway headlights.
What a great summer cruiser!
The family had a ’68 Delta 88, loved that car.
11 short years? If it was driven 9k miles per summer. Not short years when you add the winter salt.
Love the front end, but would rather have a ’67 Grand Parisienne.
These aren’t hard to restore since the body is a Catalina with a different front and rear, and everything underneath is common among all the Poncho full-sizers. Interior panels and seat covers, along with many trim pieces and mechanicals, are readily available. Although they only made about 5000 of the one-year-only GP convertible, they made thousands of the other variations. Bench seat (less desirable since the buckets and console looked so great), not the most exciting color combo, and no indication of 8-lug wheels (worth $2-3000 on their own) on this one. Makes a terrific head-turning cruiser—see mine attached.
My mom had one when I was in high school. The things that poor car endured thanks to me. Despite its size it moved along quite well. My sister ended up totaling the car in 1973. I think the insurance co paid my dad $650 for it. We should have kept it, the salvage value was only $100. I’d love to get one someday, but not this one.
I should have kept several vehicles, but I don’t have the land! I did have 20 acres for awhile, I guess I “should have kept it”! We left a beaten S15, and , unfortunately, a 51 Massey Harris tractor, on the land when we sold.
Drag it out of the garage. Wash that damn patina off. Sit it in front of an attractive tree, bush, flowers etc. Take a new set of pictures. Then relist it.
Drives,me crazy when they post pictures of what it could look like instead of more pics of its current condition. Cut the price in half and I may make a trip out there.