OFF MARKET DUE TO COVID
WELL-CARED FOR MODERN CLASSIC, ALL-ORIGINAL, 3.8 V6, A/C, CLEAN
If you're a fan of the late, great Pontiac, then perhaps this affordable piece of luxury coupe will appeal to you. Offering full-sized comfort and rear-wheel-drive stability, this 1986 Pontiac Grand Prix was the top-of-the-line machine that's just a little different from your garden-variety Monte Carlo.
These cars practically defined the '80s with their long hood and short deck styling, and it has never gone out of style. Popular when new, you just don't see many these days and certainly not one this clean. Pontiac seemed to use the two-tone color combinations more often than the other GM divisions, and it looks great on the big coupe. It appears to be original paint, with dark gray over light gray being a combination that'll never go out of style. It's also nice that they skipped the padded roof, so it doesn't look stuffy or too formal; perfect for the excitement division! Up front there's a familiar split grille, which is a Pontiac tradition going back decades, and a touch of formality comes from the stand-up hood ornament and chrome bumpers. Proper Grand Prix script, nice tail-lights, and even well-preserved bumper fillers suggest that this car has led an easy life.
The interior is the kind of plush environment that was a GM specialty, with a split bench seat, gray velour upholstery, and every luxury feature they could come up with in the mid-80s. It's all very nicely maintained, with only modest signs of wear and age, which is rather remarkable given that this car is now 30 years old. Amenities include A/C, power windows and locks, a tilt steering column, and a rear defroster. Pontiac put a full set of gauges into the dash, holding on to a sporty vibe even in a luxury car, and we love the way the small dial theme continues into the A/C vents. A Delco AM/FM stereo radio is still in the dash, another throwback to a simpler time, and it still works! The headliner is still securely attached to the roof, another notorious weak spot on these cars, and there's a rather large trunk out back that reminds you what "full sized" really means.
The engine is GM's 3.8 liter V6 with a 3-speed automatic transmission and a hushed single exhaust with aftermarket catalytic converter, so it should be legal in any state. The car is completely stock, of course, from the air cleaner to the exhaust manifolds, and runs with the buttery smoothness that only luxury cars from the '80s seem to master. Updates in the past 2 years include a rebuilt carburetor, new engine seals, new shocks, new 205/70/14 whitewall radials (on Pontiac Rally II wheels), new catalytic converter, new smog pump, new oxygen sensor, new EVAP, new water pump, new thermostat including coolant flush and fill. Currently, the A/C compressor is froze up but was converted to R134a refrigerant by the previous owner (and will need a recharge). The gas gauge also is not working but is my next project!
Is it collectable yet? Maybe, but if you remember cars like this, you'll be instantly transported back in time when you slide behind the wheel. Rides like a dream and so much fun to drive!
