Barn Stored For 30 Years: 1977 Pontiac Grand Prix
This 1977 Pontiac Grand Prix had been left to languish in a dry barn for 30 years. Up until that point the car had been a daily driver, but the car got to the point where it needed wheel-bearings and tie rod ends, so the owner put it in the “too hard basket,” and parked it in the shed in 1988. The current owner has brought it out of storage and has now placed the car on the market. You will find it listed for sale here on eBay. It is located in DeKalb, Illinois, and comes with a clear title. At the time of writing, bidding has reached $1,025 in what is a No Reserve auction.
The owner provides a number of shots of the underside of the car, and while it isn’t the cleanest that I’ve seen, it only appears to have a light coating of surface corrosion. There doesn’t appear to be any major rust issues, and what you see in the lower edges of the quarter panels and rear wheel arches looks to be about as bad as it gets, but it looks like it is a fairly easy repair job. The car is also fitted with a T Top, and this operates as it should.
The interior of the Pontiac looks quite good. There is a seam separation on the driver’s headrest, but the rest of it looks like it will respond well to a serious clean. The car has come fitted with some nice comfort features like power windows, air conditioning, tilt wheel, and cruise control.
Under the hood is the 350ci engine, hooked to an automatic transmission. The owner has not attempted to start the engine and is leaving that task to the new owner. Hopefully, this won’t be a major job, but as well as breathing life into the engine, there will still be those tie rods and wheel bearings to replace. The car is also fitted with power steering and power brakes.
Since this Pontiac was pulled out of hiding, all the current owner has done is to hose it off, and fit a new tire so that it rolls freely. It will be up to the new owner to bring it back to life. For me, the big attraction of this car are the facts that it appears to be solid, and that it is being offered in a No Reserve auction. This is a car where the owner doesn’t have unrealistic price expectations, and that has the potential to make this quite a good buy.
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Comments
While I wouldn’t want the owner to try to start it, I would ask him to stick a wrench on the crankshaft bolt and see if it will turn. An engine not started for 30 years could easily be locked up, and that makes a night and day difference.
Who writes this stuff? Someone who has never worked on cars? 12 year olds?
Rust like this is not minor nor easy to fix.
He is a flipper, stumbled upon it for a deal, rented a trailer, and brought home, listed it. I am sure the title it NOT in his name. It is a common thing now….thanks to the TV shows.
I think he was commenting on the author of the write-up, not the seller.
Basic wheel covers, bench seat, and t-tops. A la carte ordering created some unusual combinations. Too bad it’s a thing of the past.
Have to agree that whoever optioned this car out didn’t do it justice. This car needs bucket seats and the console on the interior and the 400 for the motor. The red and black show poorly on this one too. It looks like a misfit and I personally like this year Grand Prix. This is the last year I liked them as they and a lot of other models went south with their design. This car has potential as it looks to be in decent shape if the price is right.
This is probably why this GP was ordered this way. I’ve seen it a few times before. Basic wheel covers, he has mags and white letters already picked out. Bench seat, so the special lady can sit close. T-tops? Yes, everybody likes those. Power windows because window cranks aren’t sexy. Cruise control because she lives out of town. Aftermarket radio and back speakers with the red shag in the back window (faded now) for the latest tunes! Welcome to 1977, small(ish)ville in the Midwest!
Way too gone. Also, the interior mold, critter evidence in the engine bay…nah.
The option selection is definitely a mixture of basic…..350 v8, bench seat and std wpplheel trim and luxury exemplified by the selection of power windows, T-top, tilt and cruise.
My 12 year old really takes offence to that remark Greg.
Used to seeing way worse for way more. At least around the vinyl top and the trunk lid isn’t all rusty like most of these. The left side is kinda scabby, the rear frame looked a little spooky and that’s a real free flow muffler. Hope it gets a sympathetic recommissioning, a thorough detailing and a set WS6 snowflakes with white letter tires!