Shed-Stored 1966 Pontiac Grand Prix Reveals Surprising Engine Performance After 31 Years

 When it comes to 1960s Pontiacs, it's the GTO that gets all the attention in the classic car market. But that's not surprising, given its status as the nameplate that popularized the muscle car market. However, Pontiac produced a long list of cool vehicles around the same time. The Grand Prix is one of them.

Introduced in 1962, about a year before the GTO, the Grand Prix was Pontiac's answer to the emerging "personal luxury car" segment. Established in the 1950s by cars like the Cadillac Eldorado, Ford Thunderbird, and Packard Carribean, the niche was joined by several manufacturers in the 1960s. Examples include the Buick Riviera, Mercury Marauder, and AMC Marlin.

Pontiac was one of the first carmakers to jump on the bandwagon in the early years of the decade. Marketed as a grand tourer and restricted to a two-door coupe layout, the Grand Prix used the Catalina coupe platform and was equipped with luxury features usually available in the longer, top-of-the-line Bonneville.

Power came from Pontiac's V8 engine lineup, but the grand tourer featured a unique grille and taillights.

One of the company's longest-running nameplates, the Grand Prix remained in continuous production until 2008. However, Pontiac moved the car into the midsize market in 1988. The first two generations are among the most desirable iterations of the Grand Prix.

Because they're not as sought-after as the GTOs from the same era, many of these coupes spend their retirement years in junkyards and barns.

The 1966 variant you see here was last driven in 1992 and left neglected in a shed. Fortunately, the car got lucky and was rescued in 2023 after a whopping 31 years off the road.

But what's even more impressive is that this Grand Prix is still in one piece, with no visible rust issues and complete apart from the missing front bumper. What's more, it still packs the 389-cubic-inch (6.4-liter) V8 engine it got from the factory back in 1966.

Not quite as spectacular as the 421-cubic-inch (6.9-liter) option available in 1966, but not the base version either.

Specifically, this Grand Prix left the assembly line with the four-barrel version of the 389 V8. Rated at 333 horsepower, it delivered an extra 67 horses over the base two-barrel variant. Options included a four-barrel 421 with 338 horsepower, a 421 "Tri-Power" with 356 horses, and a 421 HO mill with 375 horsepower on tap.

Since the latter is quite rare, a four-barrel 389 V8 of the numbers-matching variety is spectacular, to say the least.

And besides, this Grand Prix is far from common thanks to its color combo, which brings together a white exterior and a "parchment" upholstery. Unfortunately, there's no production breakdown based on powerplant and colors, but we're probably looking at one of only a few hundred units made.

The even better news is that our host managed to get the V8 running again, and he's planning on getting the Grand Prix back on the road. It might not get a restoration anytime soon, but hey, it's a far better fate than rotting away in a shed. And I think all 1960s Ponchos are worth saving.

The Alluring Discovery of a 1960 Chevrolet Bel Air in a Barn

 A 1960 Chevrolet Bel Air that has recently waved goodbye to the barn where it's been sitting for way too many years is ready for an easy restoration.

The car seems to tick all the boxes, at least based on the images provided by its new owner, so turning it into a collector's dream shouldn’t be such a challenging job.

Chevrolet's late '50s and early '60s came down to two big names: Bel Air and Impala. The first was the one that gave birth to the latter, donating most of the parts and engines to eventually turn it into an automotive sensation in the United States.

Impala's popularity skyrocketed overnight, more or less turning the Bel Air into a second-class citizen of Chevy's lineup. Of course, the two cars continued to share almost everything, so while everybody loved the Impala, the Bel Air was still as intriguing as ever.

The 1960 example pulled from a barn recently not only comes in an impressive shape but also sports the essential features of the perfect restoration candidate. Despite a long time in hiding, the rust isn't a problem – I can see a spot or two in the provided photos, but everything looks fixable; you should still inspect the undersides thoroughly, but I don't expect massive rust in there.

For example, the trunk pan is rust-free, which suggests the car has been sleeping in very good conditions. The owner has already installed new brakes and a new gas tank.

The engine is the part that'll probably make you even more intrigued. This Bel Air is powered by a 348 (5.7-liter) that still stars and runs beautifully. The owner says there's a small exhaust leak, but fixing it should be as easy as 1-2-3.

The 348 was the icing on the cake in 1960, so if you wanted the most powerful Bel Air without losing the original wow factor, this example right here could be the one.

As if the overall package wasn’t already solid enough to allow for easy restoration to a perfect-10 condition, this Bel Air also comes alongside a parts car. eBay seller steve61corvette says it sports good quarters and other parts, so in theory, you have everything you need to put together a mesmerizing Bel Air that can be proudly parked alongside other classics in mint condition.

The pricing seems reasonable, though I still believe that seeing the car in person is essential for a potential purchase. The owner is willing to let the Bel Air go for at least $12,000 – this is the starting bid, and given a reserve hasn't been configured, whoever is willing to pay at least this much can take the beautiful Bel Air home.

Surprise Find: The 1958 Pontiac Parisienne Resurfaces from 30 Years of Obscurity

 While many people believe that the Parisienne is the Canadian version of the Bonneville, this Pontiac model is actually more related to the American Impala.

The two cars are virtually identical from a mechanical perspective, with even the marketing strategy embraced by Chevrolet replicating the one it used in the United States for the Impala.

Launched in 1958, the Parisienne was originally offered as the top version of the Laurentian – in the American market, the Impala debuted the same year as a high-end configuration in the Bel Air family.

At the same time, the GM brand used pretty much the same engines that were available on Impala in its home market.

As a result, the Parisienne could be ordered with the same mix of six-cylinder units and V8 powerplants, as the engine lineups offered to Canadian and American customers were always in sync.

The 1958 Parisienne that you see in these pics is here to remind us of those great times, though it goes without saying its current condition isn’t that great.

Last on the road back in the ‘90s, this Parisienne is now nothing more than a restoration candidate, and a closer inspection should be enough to understand the project isn’t aimed at the faint of heart.

Not only that the metal comes in a rough shape, but many parts are also missing, beginning with the engine and the transmission. This Parisienne was born with a six-cylinder under the hood, but that unit is long gone, so if anything, the car is now ready for a restomod as well.

But at the end of the day, this is one of the most solid Parisienne examples still known to be in existence, so fingers crossed for someone to give it a second chance. eBay seller harv34 is ready to let the car go for at least $2,500. Needless to say, it’s located in Winnipeg, Canada.

Immaculate 1969 Chevrolet Impala Custom Coupe with Remarkably Low Mileage

 It took me less than 18 months to reach 15,000 miles (24,140.1 km) in my 2021 Mitsubishi. On average, Americans reach that mileage in even less time. So when we find a classic 1969 Chevrolet Impala rocking less mileage than most 2021 models, you know we had to check it out.

Granted, not every nut and bolt of this classic eBay find out of Mundelein, Illinois, is original hardware. But people who perseverate on such matters are hardly ever fun to be around.

To the average gearhead, there are lots of things to like about this late 60s family coupe. For one thing, we don't think anyone but a snob would quip about this Impala's shiny light-green paint not being OEM.

Most unrestored 1969 Impalas are sporting colors that only resemble rust-orange at this point. To see an example in the complete opposite state is nothing short of a breath of fresh air.

Though this Impala left the factory with a Chevy V8, the owner states items like the intake, headers, and exhaust system are radically different than what was on offer back in the late 60s.

Also, we don't know, and the seller doesn't say if it's the car's original heart or not. But it says that's a 350 underneath that shining hood of this 2-door Custom Coupe.

Power is fed to a modern GM 700R4 four-speed transmission, and through its driveshaft is met at the rear by a Positraction limited-slip differential.

With a stunning black-vinyl interior accented by wood grain trim pieces on the door cards, steering wheel, and instrument cluster, this is a package that screams the early 70s more so than it does the late 60s.

Essentially, that's where the divide between people who might want to buy this car and those who walk away will be drawn. Is non-numbers matching hardware really that big a deal?

It's not like we're dealing with a limited-run vehicle, fourth-generation impalas sold in relatively huge numbers for seven model years. Well, though it might not bother most people, that aftermarket hardware may as well be money down the drain to some folks.

That's why an asking price of $24,900 sounds more than fair for what you're getting

1959 Pontiac Bonneville in Porsche Riviera Blue Sets the Perfect Tone for an Incredible Week

 New week starting today, and even if it’s one of just three left in the year, we still need some sort of stimulus to get stuff going. And what better push in the right direction than a beautifully sculpted 1959 Pontiac Bonneville?

This thing will be one of the head turners of the mammoth auction Barrett-Jackson is hosting at the end of January 2023 in Scottsdale, Arizona. Some of you might be familiar with it, as it’s been featured during the 2018 SEMA show, but as far as we know, this is the first time it is going under the hammer.

The Bonneville was put together as a full restoration by a Scottsdale-based crew called Airpark Motorsports. It took these guys two years to have it ready, but the result is truly spectacular.

Unseen to the naked eye, the Bonneville rocks an Art Morrison chassis complete with rack & pinion power steering and Wilwood disc brakes. Strange 9-inch rear differential and four-corner coilover suspension complete the underpinnings of the vehicle.

The chassis supports the iconic body of the machine, wrapped in beautiful Porsche Riviera Blue, and shining light on the road ahead by means of LED headlights. The connection to the ground is made by means of American Racing wheels shod in Michelin tires.

Under the hood the car packs a 6.2-liter V8 engine, which in this application develops 495 hp. The entire troop is kept in check by means of a 4-speed automatic transmission.

Inside, the power of the engine and the elegance of the body are perfectly matched by tan leather spread throughout, but especially on the bucket seats and center console that runs the length of the car. Modern touches come in the form of a Kenwood sound system and power windows and seats.

The former SEMA star 1959 Pontiac Bonneville is going under the hammer with no reserve, and no mention of how much the owner expects to get for it is made.

Rare 1955 Chevrolet Corvette Gleams in Harvest Gold, an Exquisite Museum-Grade Classic

 With more than 250,000 units sold over the last decade, the Chevrolet Corvette is one of the most popular sports cars out there. But it wasn't always like that. In its early years, sales were so poor that Chevrolet briefly considered discontinuing the nameplate.

The Corvette arrived in 1953, when the American sports car market was still in its infancy. First-year production began in late June and only 300 cars were built by the end of 1953.

Output grew to 3,640 examples in 1954, but sales were still far off GM's projections of nearly 10,000 units per year. The body's tendency to leak during rainstorms and the low output of the Blue Flame inline-six were to blame, according to potential buyers.

Chevrolet was almost ready to axe the Corvette, when Zora Arkus-Duntov stepped in and added a V8 engine and a three-speed manual transmission to the lineup in 1955. Even though sales dropped to 700 units that year, the move saved the nameplate, and the Corvette went on to become one of America's most legendary.

Come 2022, and these low-production years are among the most sought-after. First-year Corvettes fetch six-figure sums at public auctions, while 1955 examples are just as valuable when fitted with V8 engines.

Add in a numbers-matching drivetrain, a comprehensive restoration, and a wild color, and you get a fabulous classic that will turn heads no matter the event. The Harvest Gold example you see here is one of those cars.

And this color makes it quite special because only 120 units were finished in this lovely hue that year. Granted, it's not the rarest 1955 'Vette you can buy today, but it's a museum-grade restoration that still has its numbers-matching V8 and Powerglide gearbox, and a long list of factory-correct components.

On top of that, this Corvette became the first car to cross the new Mario Cuomo Bridge in August 2017 with former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo behind the steering wheel. It hasn't been driven much since then, though, with only 166 miles (267 km) recorded on the odometer since the restoration was completed.

Overhauled by Vette Dreams in Long Island, New York, the Corvette boasts a two-tone, yellow-and-green interior and a Dark Green soft top, just like it did when it left the assembly line.

And I think it's the best color combo for the 1955 Corvette. Yes, it's even better than Roman Red with red/white upholstery.

If you fancy this rare and gorgeous drop-top, it's scheduled to go under the hammer at Mecum's Kissimmee 2023 event between January 4-15.

There's no pricing estimate for the sports car, but Concours-ready examples are valued at more than $160,000. Will it go for more than $200,000?

1959 Chevy Impala Convertible became the first car in the States to sell more than 1 million units in a single year

 

The 1959 Impala, therefore, gave birth to a model whose sales just kept growing year after year until eventually setting a new record in its domestic market.

In 1965, the Chevrolet Impala became the first car in the States to sell more than 1 million units in a single year. As a result, the 1958 and the 1959 models are a great opportunity to see where it all started.

This absolutely breath-taking 1959 Impala that eBay seller 1958stevea has recently posted online (the car is actually being sold by S&S Classic Cars) doesn’t necessarily look like a new car but even better than one.

It’s a perfect 10 no matter the angle, as it exhibits flawless condition outside, inside, and under the hood.

Powered by a 350 (5.7-liter) small-block V8 paired with a 350 Turbo transmission, this Impala is ready for anything you’re up to, though it’s pretty clear its place is rather in a garage alongside other mint classics.

The seller has provided a long list of improvements this Impala has received, starting with a chrome alternator and power steering pump and ending with MagnaFlow mufflers and an HEI ignition system.

The video shared by the seller gives us the immortals the chance of admiring this Impala in all its glory, so it’s no surprise so many people are ready to spend quite a fortune on the car. At the time of writing, the bidding on eBay has already surpassed $110,000, and the reserve isn’t even unlocked.

More surprising is the Impala has received no less than 35 bids, so it’s pretty clear it has caught the attention of many wealthy collectors out there.