Value of 79 GP SJ 4 speed
 

I went to look at a 79 Grand Prix SJ with a 301 4bbl, 4 speed with buckets, A/C , posi rear and a lot of other options.
Has all it's original documentation including dealer sales slip, build sheet, etc

Complete, running car, with all it's original equipment still with but I only moved it due to the water pump ready to self-destruct. Trans shifts into all gears, and motor feels like it's running on all 8 ! ;)
Floors and trunk appear to be very solid
It's advertised as one of 241 4 speed cars for 79

The bad:
rusty rear frame back by the bumper absorbers.
Someone added a pop-up sunroof at some point.
Needs a total restoration.
It would definitely be a fun summer driver, just don't know if the investment would be too high to justify the limited (IMHO) appeal of this car

79 Grand Prix
 

A few more photos

1979 Grand Prix 4 spd
 

Last ones for now
Asking price is reasonable, just curious what a project like this would be worth as-is?

800-1200 in the way it sits...really cool, really rare..but like you know not a high demand...id buy it, look for a nice clean one and swap the 4 speed in it....

grand prix 79
 

What was the original paint color? Have any interest in selling it or passing on info of person selling it now?

Looks like original color was 2-tone black over silver, with black lower body accent.
There was another one (or same one?) on eBay 1-2 years ago that would not sell.
It was same color, but with light blue interior.

Can't tell what color the seats are supposed to be on this one. Black or gray maybe? What's that red tint in the photos? Rotting seat foam?
It sucks that some douche felt the need to cut a hole in the roof.:attention
Thankfully, current owner has the decency to try to sheild it from the rain.

That car brings back memories!!!! My Mother put 150,000 miles on a Brown one that had alot fewer options. Hers had no A/C, no sport steering wheel or pwr locks. It is a shame about the sunroof, but they were very populer in the 80's

I agree on the $1000-$1500 as it sits price, and would be very interested if it was closer to me. But restored I do not think you could get more than around $5000 for it, definatly not a money maker if that is what you are looking for.

The best part of the car is it looks like all the parts are still there.

Nice find.

It's on south Jersey cragslist. But there is no title also u forgot to mention. In Jersey u will never get a title for that car. I think he is asking 1200

Here is the thread about the one last year on eBay. It turns out it was a black factory T-top car. As I recall, it was in much better shape than the one in Jersey. I think it was in the Carolinas. Perhaps can be found if you search completed listings?
http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...83#post4828483

The other one I was thinking of with blue interior was out west somewhere.
That was probably 4-5 years ago.

OHCSprint67, You did good to get all those pics for brevity. Can you please get a good photo of the body trim tag if you go back to that yard. Also take down the VIN. I'd appreciate it.

I tried to post this & the link to the eBay car last night but my laptop went extremely haywire after I posted reply #6, and I could not get logged back in.

Crimes against humanity :mad:

Nice rare find though -

79 GP 4 speed
 

I spoke to the owner today, he will be getting the VIN for me tonight.

Don, I called Trenton MVC today.
I need the names and addresses of the past 2 owners (both in NJ), a notarized receipt from a licensed PIC, photos of the front, back & both sides of the car, a photo of the vin and a pencil tracing of the VIN.
The Vin tracing might prove difficult.

Since the last titled owner was in NJ, for me, getting a duplicate title wasn't an issue.
Did I forget to mention it, YEP! Is it an issue for me, NOPE! ;)

I saw an earlier post about another 79 4 speed GP where they questioned the lack of a tilt wheel option.
From what I've read in the brief time I've known about this car, it wasn't an option when the car was ordered with the 4 speed.
WHY??? Don't know.

Ron

Good luck with that if u buy it. I bought a car off a guy in Jersey who owned it for 20 years and he lost the title he had for it and nobody in Jersey would help me get a new title.

Though it might be cool....and rare...and really neat....it's a slug that will cost $20k to do right and be worth $5k when done.

SO then you're driving a 301 4 sp car...I suggest any 350 4sp car like a lemans or tempest...Lot more fun to drive costs the same $20k to restore and you can actually sell it one day rather than give it away like just about any GP.

Just talking experience here, not trying to rain on the parade...You can't make any money on this car except to part it out then you might make a grand or two max. If you do the car as a labor of love and to satisfy only you, fine go ahead. Nobody will notice it as much more than a curious afterthought at any local show. At poci you might get three guys to compliment you about it.

And I've taken SSJs to local shows with the same result. It's a rare GP...but ya gotta remember its a GP.

Maybe someone should buy this car, restore it, and then put it on the market. Ill pay 10 - 12 grand for it after someone restores it for 20. See folks, thats the problem here. By the way still looking for a 78-80 GP in great shape! Must have bucket seats.

HEYYYY that was my plan....

Most of us are well aware these are not valuable, so enough raining on parades.
I'd buy it just to preserve it from the crusher, ala Steve Barcak.

I hadn't clicked on all the thumbnails the other night because my computer was debilitated to the point of uselessness. It is evident this car has seen better days.
Body damage combined with frame rot makes this a driver only, IMO. It would still be a fun car to drive and appreciate the rarity for a while.
It could always donate it's 4-speed parts to a worthy recipient after the 301 dies.
CL link http://jerseyshore.craigslist.org/cto/4038248208.html

http://images.craigslist.org/00V0V_1...Ra_600x450.jpg

http://images.craigslist.org/00s0s_d...48_600x450.jpg

http://images.craigslist.org/00E0E_3...eE_600x450.jpg

I couldn't tell it had a red interior from OHCS pictures:confused2

Can this car be titled? What about Broadway Title {where they title a car in Alabama and then you "transfer" the title to your state. My buddy tdid it and it seemed to work out OK {I believe}. The value here seems in keeping the car vin correct.

Rain in the sunroof?

For those that think these cars are a waste of money, not true performance cars, cost to much to restore, blah blah blah. You all are sadly mistaken. They easily take a pontiac motor, handle like a champ with little work, plenty of NOS/oem parts to be had, the aftermarket is HUGE for these cara due to the use in circle track racing.
Yes the value of these cars is jack shiz compared to any "classic" but that's because there are no "rare" options, no "rare" color combos, and they made about a billion g-bodies from 78-88. Eventually after these cars start to dry up and my generation starts to buy the cars that they grew up with (just like the older generations with the GTO's, firebirds, etc) these cars will increase in value. And all the price jackers like red75pacer will put these cars out out of reach. They don't want to pay jack for the car but want a small fortune for it when they go to sell it.
This car in question could be fully restored for under 10k to show room status. If you don't believe me do some price and parts searching. I have a complete rust free frame that could fix this car that I bought for under 75 and repop rear rails are available for (i think) 50 a side. The seats could be replaced with perfect seats from a doner car for 250-350 the carpet 150, the dash 100-350, replace the passenger door 30-100, new bushings 500, weatherstripping 150-450, body work and paint 2000-4000, the rest is labor and know how.

Dont know if being called "a price jacker" is good or bad. All I know is that Im looking for a good 78-80 Gp in the 10000 price range for a loaded up car. What I like about 78-80's are the two tone paint combos and fancy "Visconcy" interiors. Plus the fact that nobody restores or really shows them in mass {like GTO's. Anybody looking to sell a loaded up car, in any condition, maybe should contact me. I played the GTO game, investing alot of money in a car, and ive maintained a 2000 WS6 Conv with 10000 miles {Im original owner} I just want something different, like a Black and gold two tone SJ or Lj. ANY condition considered!!! And by the way, can the Jersy car be titled through Broadway Title out of Alabama? If so, maybe 80 GP 400 should restore it "for under 10k like you said" and sell it for 10 12 k and still make a profit.

I had a '78 that originally had an odd fire 231 V6 with a bench seat and a 3 spd manual. No power brakes either. My car did not have a tilt column. Matter of fact, I still have the column, pedals, bellhousing, and linkage from the car. My GP ended up with a SBC (don't hate me), a T56, and a ford 9" rear with 3.89s. The car wasn't all that nice, and I decided to part it out. I sold the shell to a guy who made a dirt track car out of it. That was about 13-14 years ago. I may still have the VIN # around somewhere.

I knew of a '79 301/4 spd car without a/c. His mother bought it new in 1979 and ordered it. He had all documentation for the last I spoke to him. I haven't seen hominy ears and the last I saw the car it was in pieces and pretty rough.

I knew both of these cars were very rare back in the day. Back when I owned my GP, I was keeping an eye on any manual trans G-body cars around the area. There were many Malibus/elcaminos/wagons and even a four door Malibu. I saw one Buick, a few Cutlasses, and only these two GPs. A friend of mine still has his '79 W30 4 spd cutlass.

I've got nothing against restoring this car.:)
If that's what someone wants to do, God love ya.

I don't know a whole lot about the 79-80 Hurst W30 Cutlass but I would have presumed that option would only be available with an automatic transmission. Was it down graded from a 350 to a 260 by any chance (per factory mandate)?
If your friend's W30 is factory stick, it must be close to a 0ne of One.

I kept tabs on any factory stick cars from that era also, and remember one '78 Cutlass, maybe one Monte Carlo, and no GPs or Regals

Well...
 

I had a Cutlass Calais 260 5-speed loaded! Tilt, cruise, air, power moonroof, reclining seats. Can't recall for sure but think it was a '79. Folks called me a liar until I found a factory broshure which pictured the exact same car! I think I still have that somewhere. Also know of a '77 442 w/260 5-speed. Big car for such an anemic engine. Ron

Never heard of a 79 Hurst W30 4 speed car. I thought they all came with Hurst Automatics

Friend had a mint condition 76 (442) in high school with that combo; I think the 5 speed must have been weak and although he was rough on it (side stepping the clutch a lot) he went through three of trannys in just a couple semesters.

After nobody could locate another tranny when he blew the third, he offered it to me. I wish I had grabbed it and dropped a 455/4 speed in it; the salvage yards around 1990 had plenty of 455 Olds.

Even more rare than your '79 is a 4.3 V8 diesel with that combo; they did make a few -

Same guy above replaced his '76 with a 78 or 79 Olds 442 with a 305 / 4 speed combo , but it was the ugly body. Surprisingly, it ran pretty strong for a late 70s car.

305 {OLDS} 301 {PONTIAC} 305 {CHEVY} all could come with 3 or 4 Speed {not positive about 3 speed in all} But never have I heard about Hurst Olds 350 motor being teamed with any Stick in 1979

According to "The Hurst Heritage" by Lichty and Boyce, copyright 1983 no Hurst Olds was built with Manual except in 1968, that one car for Hurst's son...

That being said, Supposedly SSJ could be had with manual trans. But none have been documented.

Passed on a rust bucket GMC sprint clutch pedal car, 79 I think....Neat truck.

That's where I think the confusion could be (all the engines); I know a guy who's a freak on those 79-80 W-30 cars and he's never mentioned a 4 speed one. Weren't all those Hurst ones of that era 350 Olds ?

83 and 84 Hurst Olds had 307 engines


The first question asked in the thread was of value to restore the listed car, not if it was a neat, rare or fun car...Which to me it is all that.

But it is only for the guy that wants that car to keep, because restoration cost will certainly be higher than value of a restored car. Now you can do a $50k restoration on it and it will be a $20k car. Or you can do a $10k restoration on it and it will be a $7k car. It is easy to tell the difference of those two paths too.

Or you could just put it on the road as a fix up. That MAY break even.

Hard torestore it for $10k, paint packages alone run at least $4k for good stuff. 301 still will cost $2500 to rebuild. ac still costs $1500 to fix etc.

PacerDude has the right idea,, find the nicest one he can for a premium price and just detail it bit by bit. As long as no major issue come up with a car like that, usually you can break even. (BTW how can call a guy who has a Pacer a price jacker? We should GIVE him a GP just because he is man enough to admit to having a Pacer to a bunch of Pontiac guys....THAT takes a pair! :)

Fun yes. BUT, you will lose $$ on a restoration of it.

this was for sale recently


RARE 1of 2 - 1978 Pontiac Grand Am CA - Factory ... - Craigslist



dallas.craigslist.org/dal/cto/3902009868.html‎





Jun 28, 2013 - For more details, please phone 520-798-3200 (private party) Ever want to own a genuine factory concept car? 1978 Pontiac Grand Am CA, ...

Larry Parks shared a link.

July 11.


http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/cto/3902009868.html






RARE 1of 2 - 1978 Pontiac Grand Am CA - Factory Concept Car - '78 GTO

dallas.craigslist.org

0 favorites∨∧CLdallasdallasall for sale / wantedcars & trucks - by ownerReply to:[email protected] [?] flag [?] :

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RARE 1of 2 - 1978 Pontiac Grand Am CA - Factory ... - Craigslist

Phone for more details: 520-798-3200 Tucson, AZ (private party) Ever want to own a genuine factory concept car? Here is the 1978 Pontiac ...

got the phone via google cache

What is that car Larry? got a pic? Just curious, not interested.

http://www.oldcarmemories.com/content/view/92/113/

they were special 190 hp 301 4 barrel 4 speed cars 3.23 posi, fake shaker scoop, 15x8 snowflakes with 235/60-15's 4 wheel disc brakes, read article if that add is legit its a super rare beautiful car

Thanks. When shown next to my 68 GTO, at shows, the Pacer believe it or not grabs all the attention. I guess its better to be laughed at then ignored.

good reading on the special 301 for the 78 GA CA , different camshaft used (W72 ?), modified TA exhasut W72 I presume and 1.65 rockers ! big jump from 150 hp to 190 hp

so who is gonna call and see if its really for sale or was? 520-798-3200

Geez, I asked a question about the 79-80 Hurst W30 and this thread gets sidetracked from 78-80 G-bodies to mid seventies A-bodies and Grand Am prototypes (another A body). :confused:

There was a long discussion about that Grand Am CA in another thread here about two years ago. Hows about resurrecting that if you want to mention it's back on craigslist.

Its all in fun.

yeah and all the other G bodies mention are more attractive cars than the OP..sorry cant make a 79 GP look good just cant.. 301 4 speed is cool, i would have one for a daily mpg cruiser work car but i would still want to upgrade to a GA like a GA CA on looks alone!

That '78 A-body 442 was a whole different animal than the Hurst W30 that came out in 1979. I've seen plenty of manual trans examples of the former.
As you mentioned in reply #30 there is no documentation (outside of 6 Grrrs claim) of any 79-80 W30 Hurst 4-speed cars. And yes, they were 350 Olds powered. The only non-station wagon, non diesel A/G body from 78-80 to get more than 305 cubic inches.

Love this car
http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...5&d=1379035579

I found a thread about a different '79 GP 4-spd that was for sale five years ago in Saskatchewan. This dude came up with a production number of 239.

http://www.turbobuicks.com/forums/pa...speed-car.html

Another related link ('79 4-spd GP)
 

OK, this was posted in 2006, so evidently that is where the Saskatchewan seller got his "research" in the 2008 'for sale' post.

http://www.pontiactalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=327

Post number 4 in the above thread contains the phone number of last year's eBay car (the black one with T-tops) which may still be in his posession.

I'm told there were 350 (Chevy ?) powered ones for police car use and some might have been made for high altitude areas.
The guy who owned that 442 drove it to our 10 yr anniversary (2000) and it had been very nicely restored ; I suspect he still has it. I remember him saying it was just as quick in stock form as his 80 W-30 he also owned -

Never heard that, but I suspect it is misinformation that has been repeated. Example; a Z-28 squad car becomes a 442.
If there were any police forces that wanted a '78 mid-size GM, I can't see why they would overlook the Malibu/Lemans, which were the least expensive.
Maine State Police had some '81 Malibus in their fleet but I'm 99% sure those were 305 4bbl equipped.

About 5-6 years ago there was a '78 Cutlass 442 4spd at a classic car dealer in Illinois. (internet)
It was advertised as a 350 (SBC), but no factory documentation, and no mention of the VIN to show proof of such.
The engine photo looked suspicious to me.

The guy with the 78 442 said the 305 was the biggest offered for his car, he had a fetish for the 78 & up Cutlasses.
I had a cop car book and it mentions the 78 or 79 9C1 being offered with the same LM1 (350) as the Impala/Caprice/Nova.
Makes sense, since the Nova was on it's way out by 79 and it was a successful cop car and the Malibu would be the replacement.

how come all the Grand prix's 4 speeds need to be restored. Some body must have a picture of one done. All of these raged out GP's are making my Pacer look like a Pebble Beach show winner

red75pacer, keep trying, there's bound to be a nice one out there.
That black T-top GP in NC was in fairly good shape. I seem to recall it needed a clutch, but was otherwise in dependable condition. Plastic bumper fillers were decayed or missing, but that was one of the few cosmetic issues. That's a southern car nuance, so I would expect it to be solid.

It started out listed at $12,000 IIRC. I don't think it sold even after he dropped the Buy-It-Now to $7500.