78 Pontiac Grand Prix Project worth?

[ck80]

I have to agree with sentiments so far.

I get rust is a reality where you are. But it also sounds like there isn't much salvageable on this car.

One thing that wasn't mentioned, the sunroof. If it's taped shut you have 3 choices: 1) replace the entire roof skin; 2) weld a patch into the sheetmetal that doesn't look like crap requiring skills; 3) keep having water leak, rust out floors, mold the interior, and mess with dash wiring.

Seals/gaskets that actually fit worth a damn aren't being reproduced. If yours leaks, it's shot. And if it's an aftermarket/conversion roof it's even worse than factory for availability because even poor fitting repops don't exist.

Other than being cheap it doesn't sound like there's much usable there?

 

[naminator]

Sorry, but everything about your story SCREAMS run away

Rusty, hacked, non-running....that's a no

ALWAYS buy the best car you can afford, even if you have to save a little while. Better to buy a $4000 car for $3500 than a $2000car for $800 IMO

The rust isn't the worst. I am over selling it a bit. I have seen worse for a higher price. All said, she looks remarkably solid. The engine was the wild card. With a non running, potentially swapped engine, I have no idea what amount of hacking has been done. However, it could be that the person that swapped the motor was shooting for Hurst/4-4-2 tribute and put in an HO 307 with some actually decent parts and did a good job, but I don't know. The outside, other than the small rust holes, looks great from 10-15 feet. No oxidization, lots of shine.

As the owner of the 78 I'd like to warn you that some parts are harder to come by. Basically body stuff. I prefer the early body to the Euro body but most people are the opposite. If you need body panels expect to work hard salvaging what you have.

I figured they would be. Thankfully all the existing panels look decent. The rear quarter is crusty, but rusted through in a palm sized spot and bubbling in a slightly smaller spot.

I have to agree with sentiments so far.

I get rust is a reality where you are. But it also sounds like there isn't much salvageable on this car.

One thing that wasn't mentioned, the sunroof. If it's taped shut you have 3 choices: 1) replace the entire roof skin; 2) weld a patch into the sheetmetal that doesn't look like crap requiring skills; 3) keep having water leak, rust out floors, mold the interior, and mess with dash wiring.

Seals/gaskets that actually fit worth a damn aren't being reproduced. If yours leaks, it's shot. And if it's an aftermarket/conversion roof it's even worse than factory for availability because even poor fitting repops don't exist.

Other than being cheap it doesn't sound like there's much usable there?

I don't know why the sunroof it taped. Could be leaking, could have been preventative. I know the seals around the doors are thrashed. Honestly with the sunroof this is never going to be a show car. I would probably pop rivet in a sheet of metal, seal it as best I could and paint it body color or something. I would rather delete it and do a good enough job than struggle with fixing a leaking gasket.

As for salvaging, I am not 100% sold on a 78 Grand Prix. I live the A/G body cars, I love the idea of a Buick Regal, Cutlass or GP, but finding a reasonable car, even for 4 grand, is tough. If the car was running, it would be significantly more (Canadian prices of course).


Here is the GP I am looking at:

Kijiji - Buy, Sell & Save with Canada's #1 Local Classifieds

Visit Kijiji Classifieds to buy, sell, or trade almost anything! New and used items, cars, real estate, jobs, services, vacation rentals and more virtually anywhere.

www.kijiji.ca

And here is another GP, 3 hours away:

Kijiji - Buy, Sell & Save with Canada's #1 Local Classifieds

Visit Kijiji Classifieds to buy, sell, or trade almost anything! New and used items, cars, real estate, jobs, services, vacation rentals and more virtually anywhere.

www.kijiji.ca

Here is what you get for about $800:

Kijiji - Buy, Sell & Save with Canada's #1 Local Classifieds

Visit Kijiji Classifieds to buy, sell, or trade almost anything! New and used items, cars, real estate, jobs, services, vacation rentals and more virtually anywhere.

www.kijiji.ca

Or this:

Kijiji - Buy, Sell & Save with Canada's #1 Local Classifieds

Visit Kijiji Classifieds to buy, sell, or trade almost anything! New and used items, cars, real estate, jobs, services, vacation rentals and more virtually anywhere.

www.kijiji.ca

 

[pontiac guy]

I would buy that car just for the parts. I need all the bumper fillers, lower body trim and probably the interior including the dash and belts. Shipping to TX might be prohibitive, but if you buy it and decide to part it, let me know. Fastenal is a great way to ship.

 

[g0thiac]

The rust isn't the worst. I am over selling it a bit. I have seen worse for a higher price. All said, she looks remarkably solid. The engine was the wild card. With a non running, potentially swapped engine, I have no idea what amount of hacking has been done. However, it could be that the person that swapped the motor was shooting for Hurst/4-4-2 tribute and put in an HO 307 with some actually decent parts and did a good job, but I don't know. The outside, other than the small rust holes, looks great from 10-15 feet. No oxidization, lots of shine.





I figured they would be. Thankfully all the existing panels look decent. The rear quarter is crusty, but rusted through in a palm sized spot and bubbling in a slightly smaller spot.




I don't know why the sunroof it taped. Could be leaking, could have been preventative. I know the seals around the doors are thrashed. Honestly with the sunroof this is never going to be a show car. I would probably pop rivet in a sheet of metal, seal it as best I could and paint it body color or something. I would rather delete it and do a good enough job than struggle with fixing a leaking gasket.

As for salvaging, I am not 100% sold on a 78 Grand Prix. I live the A/G body cars, I love the idea of a Buick Regal, Cutlass or GP, but finding a reasonable car, even for 4 grand, is tough. If the car was running, it would be significantly more (Canadian prices of course).


Here is the GP I am looking at:

Kijiji - Buy, Sell & Save with Canada's #1 Local Classifieds

Visit Kijiji Classifieds to buy, sell, or trade almost anything! New and used items, cars, real estate, jobs, services, vacation rentals and more virtually anywhere.

www.kijiji.ca

And here is another GP, 3 hours away:

Kijiji - Buy, Sell & Save with Canada's #1 Local Classifieds

Visit Kijiji Classifieds to buy, sell, or trade almost anything! New and used items, cars, real estate, jobs, services, vacation rentals and more virtually anywhere.

www.kijiji.ca

Here is what you get for about $800:

Kijiji - Buy, Sell & Save with Canada's #1 Local Classifieds

Visit Kijiji Classifieds to buy, sell, or trade almost anything! New and used items, cars, real estate, jobs, services, vacation rentals and more virtually anywhere.

www.kijiji.ca

Or this:

Kijiji - Buy, Sell & Save with Canada's #1 Local Classifieds

Visit Kijiji Classifieds to buy, sell, or trade almost anything! New and used items, cars, real estate, jobs, services, vacation rentals and more virtually anywhere.

www.kijiji.ca

I just noticed it’s an Alberta car.

That does change a few things, since rust isn’t as bad on the prairies.

However that quarter I am VERY suspect on. It probably will need to be removed, cut and re welded.

My Delta 88 was sitting in a barn for nearly 20 years, near Rich Valley which is about an hr from Edmonton- but because where it was stored had leaks, it rusted the quarters and the trunk floor.

My concern is since this was stored outside, and they said tools were stolen, a window could have been smashed and rain or snow could have gotten in- which means the floors would rot from the inside. You can’t see that damage, until the carpet is pulled.

And I wouldn’t pop rivet metal, unless you plan to have it welded soon after. I get Alberta doesn’t do inspections like we have here in Ont, but if the body is good except for the sunroof and a very tiny amount of surface on the q panel then do it right and preserve it.

But before you decide to buy, check that engine thoroughly!

 

[naminator]

I just noticed it’s an Alberta car.

That does change a few things, since rust isn’t as bad on the prairies.

However that quarter I am VERY suspect on. It probably will need to be removed, cut and re welded.

My Delta 88 was sitting in a barn for nearly 20 years, near Rich Valley which is about an hr from Edmonton- but because where it was stored had leaks, it rusted the quarters and the trunk floor.

My concern is since this was stored outside, and they said tools were stolen, a window could have been smashed and rain or snow could have gotten in- which means the floors would rot from the inside. You can’t see that damage, until the carpet is pulled.

And I wouldn’t pop rivet metal, unless you plan to have it welded soon after. I get Alberta doesn’t do inspections like we have here in Ont, but if the body is good except for the sunroof and a very tiny amount of surface on the q panel then do it right and preserve it.

But before you decide to buy, check that engine thoroughly!

Can't check the engine as is, since the hood latch cable is snapped. So I am left fighting to open it prior to buying. As for the tools, that was from an offsite garage (that is his story). The glass is immaculate, the trunk is real solid but that deep well on the driver side has a few holes in it, the other side is decent. I did check several trunk areas and saw some surface rust, but nothing rotten through that I could tell except that one spot. That quarter is crusty but not the worst, it is that one spot and another spot further back on the quarter. I could probably batch those spots but who knows what is hiding. It looks just as good in photos as in person. The interior was a smoking interior and has some rust under carpet spots, but unless I ripped it all out I wouldn't be able to tell the damage. I did pull up some spots and the back was dry and rust free as far as I pulled, I saw no major rust underneath on visual inspection, seller claims a mechanic said the frame was real solid while changing the breaks. The driver/passenger footwell carpets had just the slightest amount of dampness in the padding, but the carpet itself felt dry. Still a concerning thing of course.

 

[naminator]

Well. We talked, he accepted an offer, I am picking it up tonight apparently? I kept my wife informed and she didn't bat an eye.... Something is horribly wrong but I don't know what it is.

 

[naminator]

So I got the thing unloaded last night and the hood popped open which was a nice surprise. I assume an engine was present under all the filth. It has new distributor, new plugs/wires and an Edelbrock AVS2 carb. It was late, getting dark and I wanted a beer, so I closed it up. I did however investigate more of the body. The rust is of course present but not the worst, I noticed the windshield has a chick on the passenger side and a crack in the passenger side in the top tint. The trim is all present, except for the plate on the passenger door sill. The door seals are totally shot, the driver door lock doesn't actuate with the key, but she shifts into neutral and has something approximating brakes.

As for fluid she is dribbling some transmission fluid, which I knew but I didn't check the level. I will probably drain it anyways. Of course she has brake fluid, but didn't look into the radiator. The accessory belt for the AC is missing so that is something that probably doesn't work. I did check the oil and she has some gas in her. I am guessing the carb is just dumping way too much fuel into the system. I found out the throttle cable is hanging on valiantly with 1 out of 20 of the little steel cables (probably why it quit). The fuel gauge is making various claims about a quarter tank.

The plan I have is to:

1. Figure out what engine this is 100%. I am 85% sure it is some flavor of Olds 307, but what flavor, I do not know. The Edelbrock carb is throwing me off a bit.
2. Take extensive pictures, inside and outside for posting a project thread in 4 different forums that I rarely update.
3. Clean out the engine bay of various leaves/easily accessed grease, see if she spins a full 360.
4. Pull the spark plugs, check those, check compression etc.
5. Start it?
6. Probably have to rebuild the carb...
7. Assuming it runs and drives, fix belts/wiring/change fluid
8. Clean out interior and do rust repairs


Who knows. Maybe she is a keeper. If I get it running/patched/cleaned, I bet I can make a decent enough profit. I am keeping a details log of costs.