One-Owner Survivor: 1977 Pontiac Astre
The Pontiac Astre is a rebadged version of the Chevrolet Vega, which had a dubious history in the 1970s. Because its sales numbers were much smaller and it only ran for three years in the U.S., the Astre is the lesser-known of the two cars today. The 1977 model featured the Pontiac “Iron Duke” I-4, which escaped the issues of the Chevy aluminum-block engine. This Astre is a one-owner car with just 56,000 miles and one of only a couple of thousand built in ‘77. Located in Hampton, Tennessee, the little machine is available here on craigslist for $7,500. Thanks, Pat L., for finding another seldom-seen car!
Chevrolet rolled out the Vega in late 1970 for the 1971 model year. Throughout seven model runs it would sell more than two million copies. The shift to fuel-efficient cars after the 1973 OPEC oil embargo helped keep that car afloat because – by then – it had gained a reputation for rusting prematurely and aluminum engine woes, such as overheating and oil guzzling. Presumably, those issues were resolved when Pontiac got their version of the car called the Astre. It was sold in Canada in 1973-74 and then in the U.S. for 1975-77. When the Vega folded its tent in ’77, so did the Astre, selling just over 147,000 cars in America in three years.
The biggest improvement made to the car came in 1977 when the Vega engine was replaced by Pontiac’s new 151 cubic inch inline-4. Both the cylinder block and cylinder head were cast-iron. Standard in the Pontiac Astre and Sunbird, these were the first GM vehicles to utilize the engine that saw widespread use into the 1990s. I had a 1980 Sunbird with that engine, and it was the best thing about the car. It was both durable and economical. The seller’s Astre would have benefitted from that change, being produced in Astre’s last model year.
Only 32,768 Astres were produced in 1977, including 2,327 of the notchback coupes, the least popular of the body styles because it had a closed trunk rather than a hatchback. The seller’s car is was of these notchbacks and was purchased new by the seller’s husband’s father. We assume he’s passed on, but that’s not mentioned in the listing. The car has only averaged 1,300 miles since it was new and looks to be in particularly good condition. It has a three-way red color scheme, top/body/interior. The paint may be original, while the vinyl top has been replaced.
The interior looks good for being 44 years old and the driver and his/her passengers will ride in comfort with factory air conditioning that we’re told still works! The dash pad is cracked, but that’s common. The only new part referenced is the radiator and the only thing that appears to need attention is the rubber seal where the trunk lid closes. Online price guides treat the Vega/Astre as used cars and are priced as such at $2-4,000. This car seems much nicer than that and nice cars command more money, but the seller’s asking price may be a stretch.
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Comments
Being a notchback and having an automatic, $7500 a little rich for me. Nice car but such a slug.
Rare does not automatically equate valuable. To me this car is proof of that but, it wouldn’t shock me if the seller gets most if not all of the asking price.
Cool survivor in any case. I drove my father’s Vega while in high school. Eventually got t- boned at an intersection. Thankfully no serious injuries. The aluminum engine was a cool idea but the execution was poor. To say the least.
They went to cast iron cylinder liners, by 1974, so there was a slight improvement. Also, replacing the factory radiator with a larger unit helped the cooling.
You were lucky, very small car with little side protection. I had a 1976 Chevy Vega, & decided that 4 cylinders were not for me, went & got a Ford with 351 CI. My Vega was black, but the red interior looked identical to this one.
Looking back nearly 40 years later I was very lucky. Nearly pushed out the passenger side of the car but no one involved even spent a night in the hospital. Sheer dumb luck.
Iron Duke makes it a nice little car. A four speed would make me a bidder.
Brake pad looks mighty worn down for those “low miles”
And its been repainted, you can see overspray under the hood
That’s a no’ bad lookin’ thing. Slim pillars; shame about the slushbox.
I didn’t even know there was ever a trunkback Astre, at least in the US. At first I thought maybe it was a Canadian car.
Cool example of a pretty neat little car. Auto and A/C actually pretty desirable this day and age, but one must remember to turn off the A/C if you happen into an impromptu speed contest with a city bus. Chances are, you will still lose.
My first car (bought from my father when he was finished with it) was a ’79 Monza wagon with the Iron Duke and 4-speed. I liked it, but it was worn out at 100,000 miles and I bought a new car as soon as I could after graduating from college.
I’ve been experiencing some H-body nostalgia recently and might be interested in this car (at a lower price) if it had a 4-speed.
Notice the brake pedal. Hard to wear through the rubber in 56k miles. I would be looking carefully for signs it may be 156k. Just because a car is garaged all its life and well cared for doesn’t automatically make it a low miles car.
Look at the trunk gasket too. I can see wires and the washer pipes have red overspray too , so its not as original as one would be led to believe
The 2.3 Vega engine was standard equipment on the notchback coupe only. The 2.5 Iron Duke was optional.
The Iron Duke wasn’t a bad little engine, so named to reassure buyers they wouldn’t face the horrors of the aluminum Vega engine. It is to my understanding the Iron Duke was built from half a Pontiac 301 V8.
Pontiac had considered creating a four cylinder engine from half of the 301 V8, similar to what they had done with the 194.5 Tempest half of a 389 V8. However, the Iron Duke actually was more akin to the old 153 L4 engine that had appeared in the Chevy II and was also used in Chevrolet vans. And, the 153 was derived from the 230 Chevrolet L6.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_153_4-cylinder_engine
Odd Chevy raised the roof on this 2 door sedan.
If instead the astre/vega had the sawed off Chevy strait six 153 4 cyl motor (with 5? main bearings & NO timing chain OR belt!) & powerglide, ironically one would have a virtually indestructible powertrain!
I’m trying to think of the last AFFORDABLE modern entry level 2 door with a TRUNK – I think it was the 2010(or so) Ford Focus. No excuse for none today! Not even 1 from ANYBODY! Unbelieveable.
Typical of GM in this era. Start out selling crap and improve until the last year it was pretty decent, then cancel the model. A friend bought a used a Vega of this vintage with power steering, brakes, auto, ac and a trailer hitch! I don’t know how long it lasted but it sure rusted out quickly.
Reminds me of the 1976 C10 I owned and a ’82 Chevette an acquaintance from my high school days owned. Both literally dissolved from rust.
Possible rental car early in its career? I briefly rented a ’73 Vega w/2 speed auto and a ’74 Vega with a 3 speed auto. Both left positive impressions on me.
Read where Baldwin-Motion Performance built 2 complete 454 Vegas and kits for an unknown number of conversions….
The engine was like Chryslers aluminum slant six, which I once had, bad. I also had a Astre wagon I pro streeted with a injected 427 big block and TH350
A Vega! Run for your lives!
My father had a 1974 Pontiac Astre that he bought new. Four speed – orange exterior and the black and white seats with a checker centre pattern. By 1980 the car had nearly dissolved from rust. It looked so nice new but by the end the quarter panels were held together by fiber glass repair. It was absolutely unbelievable. I miss that car. $7500 is too steep – if it was orange I would consider it.
The 2.5 iron duke was a very good engine, and plenty of power for this light little car,had one in a 1990 cutlass ciera,it would scoot,witha little single barrel throttle body,was comfy and got 30 mpg.
My late ex-MIL, who I loved dearly, shattered all those nasty MIL jokes, had the Vega version of this car, same color. Most of these were hatchbacks, so these coupes are really rare. She worked at Sears and was awarded “longest employee in the Milw. area”, like 50 years, she drove that car everyday from the N side to the S side ( about 10 miles) on all city streets. Never complained once. It was my job on our weekly visits to add oil. She would drive it until the oil light blinked, had a case of oil in the trunk,,,Sears best, of course.
These will go down in history as probably the worst cars ever, but it, while old hat to the Europeans and Asians ( and Aussies), for America it was uncharted territory, and I think, all things considered, these did an adequate job, all that was required. Many, like my old man, still refused to buy a foreign car, and literally, they HAD to put up with what America offered. No wonder the Asians won out eventually, and never looked back.
This car is junk. Look closely at the pictures. $7500? Maybe $750.