Seeing a 50-year-old car in this condition is pretty fun. It gives me hope that there are more vehicles like this 1975 Pontiac Grand LeMans Safari wagon hidden out there somewhere. I can’t imagine there’s a nicer example for sale anywhere than this one. The seller has this incredible time capsule listed here on eBay in Canton, Georgia, and they’re asking $17,890, or you can make an offer.
I know the mid-1970s isn’t a favorite era for a lot of people, but I just like seeing a preserved vehicle like this, no matter the era. And this isn’t a low-mile trailer queen, it has 120,820 miles on it, so it’s been used. Clearly, it’s been looked after and maintained to have remained in this condition for five decades. The seller has provided dozens of photos, also many underside photos, so please click on the eBay link and check this car out.
Pontiac made the fourth-generation LeMans from 1973 through 1977, and the LeMans Safari, or Grand LeMans Safari, in this case, was the wagon version. The Grand LeMans version was available with woodgrain as seen here, and this is the one you want, as far as I’m concerned. The Grand LeMans Sarari had a different, more-refined grille treatment, and a hood ornament, two dead giveaways, other than the obvious one in the woodgrain, which was optional on the Grand LeMans but defines this model for me.
As expected, this interior appears almost new, and do I see power window and power door lock switches? Nice, that has to be fairly rare for a 1970s car. The “saddle” 60/40 front seat looks perfect, as does the rear seat. This is an eight-passenger model with a foldable third seat in the rear cargo area. The cargo area also looks almost perfect. Whoever owned this car really kept it in nice condition.
The engine is a Pontiac 400-cu.in. OHV V8 with a four-barrel carb, and that was standard on the LeMans wagon and Grand LeMans Safari wagon. It had 185 horsepower and 315 lb-ft of torque when new and is backed by a three-speed automatic sending power to the rear wheels. The seller says it runs and drives strong and is a well-preserved original car from Georgia. This is easily the nicest one I’ve ever seen. Have any of you owned a similar LeMans wagon?
Nice find Scotty. Even comes equipped with a bumper sticker!
Beautiful Lemans the Grand Safari package is icing on the cake
What a beauty. I would prefer the 76 or 77 front fascia with the rectangle headlights, but I would not kick this one out of my driveway. Some one is going to get a very nice wagon.
Gorgeous wagon with a lot of nice options, hard to believe the high mileage after looking at those pictures!
Very Nice Pontiac wagon right down to all the power options. Never seen one this clean before. Maybe add dual exhuast for a little more power and leave at that!!
Very Nice Pontiac wagon right down to all the power options. Never seen one this clean before. Maybe add dual exhuast for a little more power and leave at that!! I even see in the add that the front brake lines look newer and it has a rear sway bar. This one has survived the times!!
My mother owned a 1974 Chevelle Malibu station wagon with a 350 4bbl, auto. It was some kind of ugly green with fake wood paneling on the sides. Couldn’t get out of its own way, is all I remember when I drove it.
gotta be a first! Instead of setting the mileage back it looks like the seller set it going the other way. Looks like a super low mileage version but with 120k+ miles, exceptional. The owner deserves special recognition for the outstanding care and maintaied condition of this Pontiac.
I just can’t believe that this has over 120K miles on it. It just goes to show how proper care and maintenance can go a long, long way. This is one beautiful wagon, and definitely hope that it goes at least another 100K for sure before needing anything.
Very nice.
This is a testament to keeping a car in a garage when not in use.
These days most people don’t have a garage or fill it with junk so the car sits outside. At one time cars were seen as a major investment and to be taken care of, not a consumer item. Also people had less stuff it seems.
Problem is many homes built from mid 80s on, have smaller depth garages for larger cars. Mine was built in ’91. I bought a nice ex cond ’70 Ford XL conv in grabber blue, blue int buckets/console, white rag top.
Had a 429 w/only 52k orig miles.
Had to part with due to tired of pulling into garage w/ top down just so I can climb over to the pass side & exit as it was right up against the pipe that protects the furnace & the garage door literally not a half inch clearance from rear bumper.
I’ve seen them with the 455 which would be the dragon wagon but that 400 could be hotted up. Your already going to get 12 mpg might as well go full bore but definitely a nice wagon!
Those wheels make the car. Looks great
That’s a great looking Colonnade! I’d tuck the bumpers and no more.
My mother had a 76 Buick Century wagon in that color scheme. It was her first wagon and she fought it but once we had it she loved the car. Loaded with options, smooth, quiet and it lasted for a long time. It was replaced by a LeMans wagon. GM had shrunk the mid size cars by then and it wasn’t the same driving experience as the Buick.
I had a ’77 Chevelle wagon. They needed a high mounted brake light,the optional rear vent windows are great,mine lacked them.
I had to be very careful when fueling the vehicle,the exhaust,and fuel tank,were on the left side,below the fuel filler. I had overflow sizzle once,and only once !
I’m not sure if the Pontiac version exhaust is on that side.
Two of my favorites, a collonade and a wagon. Whoever ordered this didn’t skip much. Good colors to compliment the wood tone exterior. Full gages, both bumper trims, wheels and white stripes on a 3 seater to boot. The only thing i
I can’t make out was power seat and 60/40 bench. Looks more like a notchback front seat to me. And that invoice, around 20% margin? That doesn’t exist today.
Nelson, if you go to the ebay page, one photo does show a power seat, so this one is really loaded up for a collonade. Love the color contrast with the wood grain. The rims with the whitewalls finish the touch. Well ordered, well cared for, and apparently sold.
Johnny Mopar is right about garaging your car. Witness the vinyl roof on the ’78 Cougar on here recently. Neighbors had their cars out for years before they cleaned out the garage.
This same dealer had a ’78 Olds Salon coupe last year.
Hey Scotty, did you notice the bumper sticker of the homeboy?
Hey, Jon! Ha, I did, ol’ Fritz, a heck of a guy. Not the most dynamic, but down-deep, he was a really nice guy, I think.
The dash is quite reminiscent of my ’73 Gran Prix. It’s a little rich for my blood. Not saying it’s unreasonable, because I don’t believe it is. I’d love to own it. Pontiac had it going on in this period.
Is it just me or did Pontiac sell a lower percentage of wagons than the other divisions on every corporate wagon body? Chevys were always the biggest sellers of course (I’m talking within GM) but Buick and Olds seemed to have a higher take rate for wagons than Pontiac.
To me as a teenager at the time, the GM colonnade wagons were supremely weird. And not terribly functional with the swing-down hatch (good luck leaving it open if you have anything sticking out the back) and fixed rear window. But they have aged well.
Auction ended with no takers.
Thank you, sir! I was just coming here to say that.
This is one of the only vehicles that I can remember in a very long time on Barn Finds where almost everyone loved it! That’s rare in today’s world.
Scotty, that is so true!
I like the diversity of opinions, but it’s nice when everyone agrees every once in awhile.
You forgot about me. I have a history of stirring the pot! Lol! But even I will let it pass THIS time!
It’s still on the Cherokee Motors website.
Would love this car. It’s no speed mobile but that 400 cubes will get you there with ease. And one that I would list as a plus is the Grand Prix dashboard. Rally’s. Power windows, seats, maybe cruise not sure but $9,000 my offer if I was.
My parent’s similar Chevelle wagon had cruise control – it was on the end of the turn signal stem. There was no indication that I can remember of it being on or off. You just pressed it when you wanted to use it. Being young and crazy, I would set it to a speed that was crazy for a winding road and then try to keep the car on the road without stepping on the brakes.