Misbadged Beauty: 1970 Pontiac Grand Prix J
Rocco B. sent us this gorgeous 1970 Pontiac Grand Prix J. It is listed here on Craigslist for $26,000. The odometer is said to read 68k miles and it is located in Longmont, Colorado north of Denver. The car listing was posted just 3 days ago. The seller describes the car as as close to brand new as you can get. It has been garage kept. The third generation Grand Prix (1969-1972) was offered in the base J model and the upscale SJ option. The LJ (luxury) option was not offered until 1975.
The morrokide vinyl interior shows well with bucket seats, crank windows and air conditioning. The automatic transmission is operated by a Pontiac shifter built in to the console between the two front seats. A couple of discrepancies indicate that the car is badged as an SJ but the VIN shows it is the base J model. Also, the seller states that it has the Hurst transmission package but there was no such package. The car has the standard Pontiac shifter and it is likely that someone added the Hurst badges. The Hurst Grand Prix known as the SSJ was produced in 1971 and 1972.
The 1970 Pontiac Grand Prix was with a 350 horsepower 400 cubic inch V8 engine as the base engine. A low compression 400 cid engine was also offered with a 2 barrel carburetor. The performance option was a 455 cubic inch V8 engine rated 370 horsepower and 500 lb ft of torque. This car is said to have a 400 cubic inch V8 but like the exterior badging on the car, the decal on the air cleaner states that it is a 455 cubic inch V8 engine. The car looks like it has a new power brake booster and master cylinder and looks rust free and clean under the hood.
Most Grand Prix came with 14×6 Rally II wheels or hub cabs. This one appears to have aftermarket Rally II wheels that are 15 x 8 inches. The car sits a little low for stock but the exterior paint looks great. Based on the success of the Grand Prix in 1969, other GM divisions offered a version of the personal luxury car including the Chevrolet Monte Carlo and the Oldsmobile introduced the Cutlass Supreme cope with a roofline similar to the Grand Prix. These competitors were successful and Grand Prix sales declined 40% to 65,760 units in 1970.
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Comments
Seems to be a nicely kept and sorted “tribute” Grand Prix SJ.
Neat looking and great color!
👍🤓
Sits too high in the back killing the look of it imo.These cars imo look so much better w/o a vinyl top. Nice car though.
I agree on the vinyl top. My 72 looked, color and vinyl, like this 70 and would have looked better without the moisture holding, rust causing vinyl top.
Nice Gran Prix, but too much left to question on this one. When name plates and VIN tags don’t match, Perhaps dig deeper, or go with ‘plan #B’.
the shifter had detents if you pushed it to the right as you shifted. These were factory installed. My 72 has it and was a model J. Not a true dual gate but worked pretty good.
Great cars, a luxury GTO!
I had a 72 in exact color scheme, same vinyl top. Would love to have it back.
Id still take it Love these cars.. My friend had a sj in the early 80’s punched out 400 car was a blast. If he knew today he would have kept it. Hell i would have bought it…
A neighbor of mine had a ’69 SJ with
a 429 V-8/4-speed in it. The tranny was a rock crusher type with very close throws between gears. The young lady that owned it was a real pro at shifting gears and a real treat
to watch. Used to ask her to drive me
to the smoke shop so that I could watch her do it! That was over 40 years ago and I almost married her
after my 1st wife and I split up, but it
wasn’t to be. I married my late wife
a year or so later. The neighbor, my
wife, and the car are all gone now,
but I still have all those great memories. Great find and thanks for
bringing them all back to me.
A fren of mine got his grandma’s 69 Gran Prix in about 82, the frame was rotten so he move the 428 and the interior into a 70 Lemans, that was a fun car, and I really liked that interior with those comfy seats.
My buddy had a green one with green vinyl top and 350 hp 400. His dad put a shift kit in the 400 turbo tranny and it was a strong running sleeper.
To the auther of this ad.They did have a Hurst SSJ in 70 also
Why would you put a 455-4 air cleaner on a 400? Wishful thinking?
These were nice looking cars. Not too many Pontiacs did it for me but this is sweet. The rims and tires are perfect as is the interior. J
Only Needs Red line tires. I was wrong.