A mere 2500 miles after restoration, this super-clean 1965 Pontiac Grand Prix Sports Coupe in Greensboro, Georgia comes to market here on Hemmings, needing nothing beyond a new owner. Once featured on My Classic Car, the 421 Tri-Power Poncho features aluminum 8-lug wheels, numerous power accessories, air conditioning, and shiny Iris Mist paint. The seller boast that it runs and drives “excellent,” and this full-sized cruiser should move right along with the mighty 421 under the hood. The asking price of $42,000 (negotiable) will put it in your driveway! Thanks to reader Larry D. for spotting this impressive purple-pink Pontiac.
As Pontiac’s sportiest full-sized offering for ’65, the Grand Prix offered buyers many no-cost options including the choice of bucket or bench seats in vinyl or cloth and vinyl. This one also boasts automatic transmission, air conditioning converted to R134a, power steering, power brakes, and power windows, and automatic climate control!
Pontiac’s 1965 brochure offered two pages of powertrain options including engines, transmissions, gear ratios, compression ratios, and carburetor options for the savvy ’60s buyer with high-test in their veins. This 356 HP 421 cid (6.9L) hydraulic lifter V8 could only be topped by the 376 HP 421HO.
The slick full-width tail lights make a flashy statement out back, while fender skirts add a touch of luxury. How many two-door six passenger vehicles would you find on today’s market? In this era, each General Motors line enjoyed strong personality and eye-catching styling. A decade later, profit-motivated “badge engineering” saw many GM products differing only in front and rear styling. Catering to share holders more than customers can be a dangerous path for a public company. Whether GM is better without Pontiac and Oldsmobile would be hard to measure today, but as a consumer, I preferred the broader range of choices in the old days.
The clear plastic steering wheel was re-cast to mimic a perfect original. A Pontiac vacuum gauge and tachometer augment the standard instrumentation on the original dashboard. Despite the legend of the GTO, only full-sized rollers like this Grand Prix got the 421 cubic inch mill. While the GTO may edge out its bigger siblings in a drag race, when it comes to styling and class, the upscale GP wins every time. Among Pontiac’s 1965 offerings, would you take a GTO or this high-rolling Grand Prix?
This beautiful Pontiac was designed in the era of white wall tires, and it needs a set of them to really set off its looks (IMO). Black walls were an “economic” (read as “cheap”) choice! GLWTS!! :-)
Totally agree. Black walls were cheep and made the cars look that way. Just like the Poverty / Dog Dish (Hub) Caps.
Always Loved the 60’s Tin Indians. My Aunt and Uncle always had Pontiacs when I was growing up, They helped me get my 65 GTO, This is a Beautiful Blast From The Past. Wish I Could Park It In My Driveway In Honor Of My Aunt.
Truly a beautiful car. I purchased a 65 Bonneville which also had the 8 lug wheels, a nice accessory. I got it in 1980 for $100 dollars and it ran…..True story. Now I wish I had held on to it with this bringing home 42K!!
What a beautiful 65 GP.
Full size Pontiacs of this era had some of the best looking dash and interiors in the business.
This one has the optional dual radios – one for the driver and one for the passenger. So cool.
Really nice car and probably will bring close to the ask.
BTW Jcs, the lhs “radio “ is actually the HVAC controls!
Jcs, I’ve heard several people comment over the years about the dual radio. They didn’t have dual radios. The AC/Heater control looks just like the radio with a knob on each side and push buttons. I have had a couple.
The 65 and 66 Pontiacs really nailed it for me in terms of styling. I wish there were more around. Our 66 Bonneville convertible only had a 389, but it still had decent pickup. I would like to drive a 421 with the tri power.
Interesting that GM used the exact same ac compressor for like 30 years.
The asking price on this seems strong, but it’s a lot of turn-key car for the money. I would have loved to keep the 66 in the family, but it got nailed pretty hard in front of the house. This is back when on street parking was more common. Dad said it was unsafe to fix and that was that.
GM used that compressor for so long as it was the best in the business, bar none. Not only did MB and Rolls use them, but Ford used them on Lincolns/Tbirds first and then a bit later on ‘regular’ Fords. Why? Because they were the best on the market.
And just so happens to be painted ’65-only Iris Mist!
Not sure how close the tones were (and it appears pretty darn similar) to Chevrolet’s “Evening Orchid”, also a one-year color. One of the most beautiful cars I ever saw was a ’65 Corvair Corsa convertible in that tone, with a white interior and top.
Same color, different name
I had a blue 65 GP in high school back in 1976. It had navy blue bucket seats and center console with wood veneer on it and the dash. One of my favorite cars.
I liked the style of these, pure sexy IMO. Now the main question, I don’t remember being a oem color this year, so I assume there was a color change involved with the previous work. Taken with the interior color, just doesn’t look right to me but that’s my opinion.
I like the car, just not the interior/exterior colors on it.
…it’s just that this color was available for ’65, not only on Pontiac but Chev too, then under the name Evening Orchid. IMO it looks too ‘girly’ however it is unique for the year – its cowl tag should reveal whether Iris Mist was original to this specimen. Not many other interior colors than black or white would look right with it
There was also a “Plum” interior for these, which would really be a MATCH, rather than a contrast, but it was not often seen.
The best interiors and dashes GM ever made. Today they are stupid tv consoles smothered in boring black plastic. My dad drove new Pontiacs from 1962 through 1967 and traded every year. He never had a GP, but we had Catalinas with out AC and we survived. Roll down a window. My kids are in their mid 30s now and they cannot believe you had to roll down window let alone have no cold air blowing on you. How the once mighty GM has fallen because the buying public is brain washed by the Internet.
The only thing car wise that GM has to sell is Corvette and bunch of trucks that all look the same
My favorite year for Grand Prix’s
Bought the Catalina 2+2 new in 65. Ordered it in Teal. Had to wait 5 months for delivery due to the strike. $3150.00
Never forget the day I picked it up. Certainly wish I still had it. It was my first new car.
Ahhhhh, sweet days of youth. Back in 1967 while selling cars at Jackson Goldie Ford in Oakland – then a nice dealership in a nice city – I sold one exactly like this to my buddy George. I don´t remember the price, but he made the error of trading it in on a Caddy a few years later which gave him nothing but trouble.
We are all becoming hipmitized on these prices. For that money you are into w30, poncho, 454 ss money.
But this is a beautiful brute – check the quarter mile times and this would dust quite a few of those “muscle” cars !
Ahoy there………throw me a line!
Talk about a boat being a place to sink money into! Holy Moses…..when will this sky high price ask business end?
Fishing expeditions, I understand and its a perfect boat to do it in. It is a beautiful boat but……………..
This is a beautiful car ruined by blackwall tires!
This car is exceptional on so many levels, seems reasonably priced to me.
If ya’ll don’t pay these prices, sooner or later the prices will come down.
A car is only worth what someone will pay for it.
He’s asking $42,000. You think it’s only worth $30,000. Offer him $30,000. If he says no, HE’S stuck with a car he can’t sell until he comes down in price.
It’s simple math
Woowahhh I LIKE
Beautiful Poncho.As popular as the’ 65 GTO is I would take this GP in a second. I have always loved these big Pontiacs from the ’60s.I grew up around these cars as a kid.My uncle had one of these.