1974 Pontiac Grand Am 4-door

[GMTruckGuy74]

http://southjersey.craigslist.org/cto/1242147336.html

[balthazar]

Force-fit the nose onto a period ElCamino, mod the tailgate/taillights, swap the powertrain over, and Camino is happily occupied for the next 12 months or so.

I remember a buddy test-driving one of this powertrain at a classic used car lot, but turned it down as 'too much car'. He had been driving an ancient VW Dasher at the time....

[Robert Hall]

There is/was one of these in Denver I used to see often..dark blue w/ a white top. Same house had a white '71-72 LeMans 2dr ht as well. The manual in a 4dr had to have been pretty low production.

[Camino LS6]

Force-fit the nose onto a period ElCamino, mod the tailgate/taillights, swap the powertrain over, and Camino is happily occupied for the next 12 months or so.

I remember a buddy test-driving one of this powertrain at a classic used car lot, but turned it down as 'too much car'. He had been driving an ancient VW Dasher at the time....

I'd feel bad about cutting this one up though...

Sort of a proto- G8 GXP, isn't it?

[Robert Hall]

I'd feel bad about cutting this one up though...

Sort of a proto- G8 GXP, isn't it?

Yeah... the '70s Grand Ams are the G8's ancestor, really the only overtly sporty RWD 4drs Pontiac had in their past.

Rob

[A Horse With No Name]

That is a very rare car...in 74 I was in the 4th grade and my teacher was going to order a 4 speed two door Grand Am manual shift from Pontiac. Pontiac called the dealer back and said that he couldn't get cruise control with a manual, so he switrched to auto.

I probably have the wrong stat, but I remember reading somehwere that less than 200 Grand Am's were built with a manual in 1974.

Wish that car was in better condition, ti would make a nice family hauler.

Chris

[ocnblu]

Man, what a cool car. I really hope it can be saved!

[Robert Hall]

Makes me wonder--did Chevy build any 4dr Lagunas with 4spds? I'm pretty sure in at least '73 that the Laguna was available in a 4dr and a wagon..

[balthazar]

>>"Yeah... the '70s Grand Ams are the G8's ancestor, really the only overtly sporty RWD 4drs Pontiac had in their past."<<

Agreed, tho I kinda liked the '78-80 GA, too, but no motor underhood.

I looked for numbers from Pontiac thru numerous sources- could not find a manual trans installation # for the GA.

>>"...did Chevy build any 4dr Lagunas with 4spds? I'm pretty sure in at least '73 that the Laguna was available in a 4dr and a wagon.."<<

There was a 2-dr, 4-dr and (4!!) Laguna Wagons in '73, but was only a 2-dr in '74-75. "Hi-Po" Laguna S-3 came online for '74.

Without a doubt Chevy built Laguna 4-dr manuals, but I can't find quantites there, either.

[Robert Hall]

>>"Yeah... the '70s Grand Ams are the G8's ancestor, really the only overtly sporty RWD 4drs Pontiac had in their past."<<

Agreed, tho I kinda liked the '78-80 GA, too, but no motor underhood.

Too bad they didn't build a version w/ the Trans Am's 6.6 in '78-79. The '78-80 GA 2dr was a pretty sweet looking car, IMHO.

[balthazar]

That would've been pretty cool, but all the '79 400s were stockpiled from '78 production; I doubt the supply was available since the T/A was selling monsterously well in this era.

[Robert Hall]

I think I've seen pics of this car before--a search turned up this one--a '78 w/ a '78 T/A 400 & T/A hoodscoop that someone built..very nicely done.

Hot Rod mag Reader's ride '78 Grand Am w/ 400

[balthazar]

Very nice (for a late '70s). So's the '80 under 'similar cars'.

And that's the way Pontiac would've done it up; tasteful yet beefy.

These cars are NOWHERE these days- can't remember when I've last seen one.

[Robert Hall]

Very nice (for a late '70s). So's the '80 under 'similar cars'.

And that's the way Pontiac would've done it up; tasteful yet beefy.

These cars are NOWHERE these days- can't remember when I've last seen one.

Yeah, I don't think I've seen one in years. Or the wierd fastback Cutlass and Centurys. Everything except the occasional Malibu, Monte Carlo or Cutlass Supreme seems quite scarce from that era. One of my favorites that I haven't seen in years was the '78-80 Grand Prix, had a buddy in high school that had a dark blue one, no vinyl top..cleanly styled for the era.

[Camino LS6]

That '78 is quite nice!

[XP715]

There was a guy around here on craigslist that had I think either a '74 or '75 Luxury LeMans four door (same basic car) with a three on the tree that he couldn't give away. It had like 35K on it and the lowest I saw it get down to was $800. In retrospect, I should have probably gone for it.

[Sixty8panther]

Very cool. Too bad these A-bodies never came in 2 & 4 door hardtop variety.

[ocnblu]

Beautiful '78. I just love the A/G bodies '78-'88. They are the perfect size and they still had that old time GM style, so "right".

[A Horse With No Name]

I still miss my 78 Cutlass...a local classic car dealer has one with 20K on it, if I had cash for it it would be in my garage.

A 73-77 Cutlass or Grand Am would be cool to own, IMHO.

Chris