Worth Fixing? 1971 Pontiac GTO Project
Many consider the Pontiac GTO to be the godfather of muscle cars (though some credit the Chrysler Letter-Series for being the first). After a killer launch in 1964, the GTO would become a series of its own from 1966 to 1971. That would include the seller’s rather rusty ’71 which hasn’t run in two decades. It isn’t in non-op status, so the buyer will have some back fees ($800) to clear the DMV slate in California. Located north of San Diego, this project is available here on craigslist for $12,000 OBO. Hats off to Barn Finder T.J. for this tip!
From a sales high of more than 96,000 GTOs in 1966, demand fell to just over 10,000 by 1971. Two-thirds of them had the 400 cubic inch V8 with a 4-barrel and automatic transmission, this car being one of them. From the limited information the seller provides, this auto has been out of commission for at least 20 years – and we’re guessing it was stored outdoors given the amount of rust it wears. Loads of it can be found in the roof, trunk lid, hood, and the panel below the rear glass, which may be the worst. Tropical Lime looks like the car’s original color.
On a positive note, the seller says the undercarriage is clean, although things do appear crusty back around where the gas tank is situated. The mileage might be 65,000, but the seller doesn’t try to substantiate that figure. The keys are MIA so the buyer will have to invest in replacing all the locks. As an incentive, the seller will deliver the car if it’s purchased ASAP, but are there limits to how far?
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Comments
Wow! Was this GTO SUBMERGED in the Pacific, north of San Diego?!? I’ve never seen this much rust on a California car before! Deep pockets are going to be needed for this one to return to its’ former glory!! GLWTS! :-)
Could have come to California at some point from out of state. Like New England, perhaps?
This is a prime example of a car that sat in the open close enough to the coast that it was subjected to coastal fog. Any rust on the floors is due to the water that made its way through the holes above. The rust is likely worse than shown. This is probably a parts car by now, the only certainty is it’s priced significantly higher than what it’s worth.
Steve R
I agree. That looks like some genuine East Coast Salt belt rust there. Wow. Its going to take some deep pockets and a really good welder to get that body back to how GM had it in 71. Whats holding that back window in? Force of Habit?
Not really true. This could have easily been a California car since New. If it sat on the coast for any amount of time, it’s constant salt spray. My 2012 nissan van roof got holes in it being on the CA coast. Small scratches from loading ladders etc and salt spray are a terrible combination. I grew up in Cleveland Ohio and I’m very familiar with rusty junk haha.
Agree with both – ever seen a Houston, Tx car that sat outside for 50 yrs ?
With the amount of heavily rusted sheetmetal on this GTO, it’s probably better as a parts car
That Endura bumper alone might be worth $5k…..
You’re quick Dave!! And in this case obviously correct!
And those plates indicate it was licensed in California in late 72, implying that rust indeed happened in California! Man!
Gotta love that flow thru ventilation!
Its down to 9000 on listing but still 7000 to high.
Looks like nature cut the top almost completely off.
The trunk pan is gone but rails and pans might be okay.
This car needs a lemans parts car to donate trunk, hood, roof, trunk pan to start.
The engine needs to go past go and straight to rebuild.
If 2000 plus 800 fees and 4000 engine rebuild and 3000 donor car one could get out under water.
Ocean front property. Will be a challenge finding any metal to weld on to.
Gotta love California, they even came up with a way to TAX non running cars. Thinking this one is too far gone.
The seller states “Rusty on top, clean underneath” however the photos reveal the truth. Was it parked at the bottom of a lagoon?
First question I’d ask is “would you put fuel in that gas tank?” Maybe the running gear is worth something.
What a shame for this Goat! Owner waited this long to sell it? When I see rust like this I walk away!🚶 I like these GTO’s . I knew someone in Highschool with a 70 GTO 455 4 SPEED 4:10 gears in bright red. That was a beast!! You could hear the 4 speed whine! You knew he was coming into school!! 😂..This GTO is a good parts car. Unless……….. You have very very deep pockets!! 😂🇺🇸🐻🇺🇸
Pick your favorite parts kids. There’s a few gems you can hang on your Le Mans to spruce her up!
My dad has a 1970 pontiac lemans sport. We could use the mirrors and a few other pieces.
It aspired to be a Grandville with the cool louvered trunk. They left it at Pismo Beach in the sand in 1983 and now…..
To answer your question I would say No, after looking at the pictures I would say it’s begging to become a donor car. Might be able to salvage the frame but needs closer inspection
I think this was floated in from Maine.
Looks like a legit California car judging by the plate with sequencing that would have been from around 1971/72. As others have said, I have seen cars that have resided near the ocean, like Santa Cruz and Half Moon Bay, places that get lots of fog and it’ll rust the heck out of a vehicle if it is parked outside. Usually Cali cars rust from the top down but anywhere near the ocean, it’ll rust anywhere where condensation and moisture accumulate. This GTO is rufffff.
At some point it’s just not worth it to rebuild a rusty car, rust and corrosion is the worst, any other part is easier to restore, too easy to spend far more than the market says it’s worth when finished
Whomever decides to take on this project I helped they have good Grinding and w3lsing skills, their gonna need it. Even to get this thing running and able to be sold. ( After seeing all the body rot, who knows how bad the frame is, or if it’s twisted and rotted through thus needing to source a new frame to even makevit safe to transport !
Killer insight freak! And not so far out.
California cars rot. I have first hand experience. I have seen better cars here in the Northeast. I bought a 70 GTO in 1986 in Los Angeles. Had it shipped to my PA home near Philadelphia for $300. It had perfect outer sheet metal, but open the trunk and where the vinyl top met the filler panel between the rear window and deck lid, it was getting crunchy, likely from too many washings and rain. You couldn’t see it and I never washed the car, so it didin’t get any worse. That very car is now for sale at Volo Auto Muesum for $73,000. I paid $5,500.
I doubt many Californians will be interested in buying this car. A few years I sold an east coast truck in central California with full disclosure of its history. The undercarriage scared off a few lookers and the buyer used it as a negotiating point. They had a very different idea than me of what an undercarriage should look like. If I had sold it back east, no one would have blinked.
IMHO if the car was free, the parts were free, and the labor was free this would be one heck of a car!! And of course this would be a perfect world!!
I’m surprised this car is getting so much attention, yes, it’s a 71 GTO, there are thousands of rusty 50 plus year old cars out there that aren’t noticed, rust is a killer issue, especially when it’s this extensive, it’s really a collection of parts connected to a rusty car, anything can be restored, the real question is, should it be restored? I don’t think this one should be. Just my opinion
Parts car? It’ll buff out…
I’m guessing that it’s about 75 lbs lighter than when it rolled off the showroom floor. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I owned a 1971 GTO from 1974-1988 (Lucerne blue w/white vinyl top and blue interior. They were hard to find back then, especially unmolested. I can tell you that this one is a PARTS CAR ONLY. It also must have been repainted at some point because the clear coat, which these cars never originally had, is peeling ferociously. It also has an aftermarket rear stabilizer bar that differs in appearance from the original. Why was the original one replaced? The only valuable parts on this car are the endura bumper and the Honeycomb wheels, and maybe a few other exclusive GTO parts. Whatever is not rotted out on this car is surface-rusted or pitted. The seller is dreaming with $12k for a price, and $800 for the reg. fee. Unfortunately, this GTO is shot. Very sad that it ended up this way.
It actually makes my heart hurt when I see this beautiful girl in this shape. What a shame. Part her out and let her live on in other people’s projects and dreams. Why do people do this????
I have seen plenty of California cars that were very rusty and they always spent their lives within a few blocks of the ocean. Sitting outside the salt air comes ashore at night and 40 or 50 years later this is the result.
This is best described as a parts car and even that is limited, parts for 1971 models are most of it reproduced today, this would be a big task and very expensive, it would have to be a labor of love to ignore the high cost, also have to consider what you would have when it is done!