Parked For 25 Years: 1971 Pontiac GTO
This isn’t just any old Goat. This baby is loaded up. The list of options includes power steering, power brakes, power windows, air conditioning, cruise control, remote side-view mirror, light group, limited slip differential, automatic transmission, vinyl top, and an 8-track tape player for listening to all your favorite Bee Gees tunes. Maybe this GTO identifies as a Grand Prix! The bad news is she’s a little crusty around the edges. Located in Keokuk, Iowa, it’s listed here on Craigslist for the asking price of $8,500.
This appears to be a complete unmodified original car except for the wheels. It would be nice to have a set of Rally II’s. Reproductions are available. Used ones are frequently available on eBay, too.
The left quarter panel needs to be replaced or at least patched. Being a GM intermediate, sheet metal is readily available in reproduction, either patch panels or complete fenders and quarter panels.
The right quarter looks better than the left, but I’ll bet it’s very thin if not rusted all the way through.
As you can see, the bottoms of the fenders need some attention. The seller doesn’t mention anything about the condition of the floors and there are no pictures of the undercarriage.
Finding rust out in the front of the hood is a little unusual. There might be a brace under there that trapped moisture. The underside of the hoods usually didn’t get much paint anyway. As far as I know, steel hoods aren’t available in reproduction. This one would have to be repaired. Isn’t that a mean looking hood with those two big nostrils right out front? The grille is the easiest way for me to distinguish a 1971 from a 1972. The 1971 grilles were close to flush with the bumper openings. The 1972 grilles were recessed much deeper into the bumper.
What can be seen of the trunk looks pretty solid, but who knows what’s under the spare. The jack is there too. No rally wheel for a spare. That makes me wonder if this car came with the standard steel wheels and dog dishes which were quickly replaced by a set of custom wheels like Keystones or Cragers.
The seller doesn’t say how many miles are showing on the odometer, but it must not be a lot. The seats, dash and carpet look like they could be cleaned up and used as-is. It would be really cool if all of the original interior could be retained. A little re-dyeing would work wonders. Fabric dye like Rit works on carpet. Spray-on dye for vinyl is readily available.
Other than being grimy, it looks all original and in good condition under the hood. There’s none of the usual goofy stuff like aftermarket valve covers or breather. The owner reports that he has had the engine running. This is the standard 400 cu. in. engine. Even though compression this year was decreased to 8.2:1, these engines still had plenty of get up and go. I know because I once owned one.
1971 GTO’s are pretty scarce. There were only 10,532 produced, down from 40,149 the previous model year. This is a car that needs to be saved. Who out there is handy with a MIG welder?
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Comments
Not a bad entry level GTO for ambitious youngster to start off with. That hood rust is very common on this generation of GTO a bodies unfortunately . Heck clean it up a bit throw some primer on that hood & drive the wheels off of it.
I really like the SS Cragars with the snow tires. One of the best cars I ever had was a 1970 GTO.
This one is going to need a lot of T.L.C. but, I think it could be returned to it’s former glory.
When I first saw this my heart skipped. Could it be my brother’s old GTO, sold here in the Philly suburbs(to a NJ buyer I think) in 1987? His car was also a Lucerne Blue ’71 hardtop with 400, blue bucket seat interior with console-shifted automatic, and vinyl top as well.
But my brother’s car had the custom sport steering wheel and dual body-color sport mirrors, and did not have this car’s A/C, power windows, cruise control, 8-track, or Safe-T-Track limited slip diff. Additionally, my brother’s car’s vinyl top was a non-factory blue, likely a dealer add-on.
Oh well, maybe someday it will pop up. I hope someone rescues this old girl and gives her a happy home.
Great project to start with, manageable rust. I think the money is about right to be in a good position after a resto. I like it.
honest used muscle car at a buy in that won’t break the bank.
pre-smog motor with low compression ratio for today’s crappy fuel.
nice color, not a total rust bucket.
i’d put some decent wheels & tires on it, make sure the brakes & suspension are up to snuff & drive it with pride
Growing up in the seventies, “goofy” aftermarket stuff was a day two modification. The old adage “chrome don’t get you home” is true, but it sure looks good on just about anything!
I am the original owner of 71 gto,bought it when I got out of service fully restored(frame off)
I’m working in Iowa right now,spotted this on CL 9 days ago made a decent cash offer he declined ,to me it’s complete but with what it needs I don’t think it’s going to fetch $8500.
No title? No thanks.
I think that this body style is so ugly! 60 models are the one’s to get ahold of! Just sayin
Ugly? Have you looked in the mirror lately?
A GTO is a GTO no matter what as long as it’s ’72 or older. This car here was ordered for driving in style, just a nice running cruiser with all those comfy options, nothing about it would’ve scared off any would be street racers by ’71, a real cool spectator’s ride maybe. Could be real nice again.
You must be a young man? I am a ol’man and I prefer pre 70’s any day!
Yeah, I’m pretty young at 51, thanks.
1968 GTO, like those for personal reasons, ’69 goat with the ram air IV, on a lower note the ’71 GT-37, like those a tad more than all the other great Pontiac middleweights, I won’t waste anymore of your time.
I’d happily own a ’73 or ’74 as well. Some prefer the classic lines of the ’64-’67, others prefer the ’68-’72 models. All are welcome to their opinions, but there is only one authority as to what is a “real” GTO, and that is Pontiac/GM, and that means ’64-74 and ’04-’06 are all real GTOs. I have driven a number of them and liked them all. The real surprises to me were how much funt he ’74 was and the ride and solidity of the ’73.
If I had the money and space, I’d love to have 14 of them, one from each year. I do hope to have at least one some day. Number one choice would be the actual ’71 GTO hardtop that my brother owned when I was 8-18. Second choice would be a base ’68 Tempest Sports Coupe as a project car, and third would be a ’70 GTO convertible in Atoll Blue with a Sandalwood interior, my personal pick for the most handsome Goat ever made. But what’s great about our hobby is we each get to have our favorites; just remember that denigrating some does nothing to elevate yours. Peace.
Nice it survived….someone get it back on the road !
Kickass!! I want it!
Troy S. , you are not wasting anyone’s time, I am 72 and that’s all I was trying to say to you! You see there is 20 years difference between us and that’s certainly if not more a generation between us! LOL
Have to check with PHS documents being an optioned out ’71 there’s a chance the car came with honeycomb wheels i wouldn’t be to quick to toss that spare it might be correct. Nice find
I “inherited” a 71 Le Mans Sport convertible that my brother was building into a Judge clone when he passed away a couple of years ago. (His 69 Camaro Indy Pace Car was featured on here shortly before his death. My other brother has it now.) He located a GTO front clip including the unique hood, fenders and endura bumper (two bumpers, actually!). The hood had the same rust and the under structure was toast. He rebuilt the front edge, but I am at a loss as far as what to do about under bracing. (No metal repros available, fiberglass, with “iffy” fitment only, and used one bring $1k+.) The passenger front fender he found was pretty rough, and I cam across a nice one for $600 (!). (Considering that’s all I hae in the car, not too bad, I guess…) The car currently has an LS1 and 4L60e out of an 01 Trans Am. He replaced the inner and outer quarters, as well as the floor pans. All it needs is everything…
My condolences on the loss of your brother.
The ’71 LeMans Sport convertible is a great machine. I for one would be 10x more interested in owning a “real” ’71 LeMans Sport convertible than a “fake” GTO or GTO Judge clone.
And please, though the GM LS is a great motor, there is no substitute for the rumble of a real Pontiac V8. A 400 or 455 would be the way to go here IMHO.
Good luck with your project.
my junk
Explain? Why is this a show stopper? Can you not get one from the last titled state or commonweatlh?
Alabama will issue a tag with out title for cars 35+ years. Just need a bill of sale!
i love the 71 gto it looks mean going down the road .. iv got a black 71 ht.. got in 74, and a orange 72 lemans sport convertable …never will sell them.. my son will get them when im gone. i drive the 72 every day in the summer ..when i do, i get thumbs up alot .
So my dad told me today the he found an article on our gto but he couldnt remember where or how he found it so I thought well I’ll just google 1971 gto keokuk iowa and I found this article. And I honestly couldnt believe it we are the ones who bought this car and i cant thank the writer enough for the article so we got the car home unloaded and she fired right up as of now the car is 95% as it is in these pictures with the addition of the factory wheels we sourced and refurbished it is our father son project the car will eventually be restored back to factory original condition after a lot of long discussions between us and plan on never letting her go