To Start, this car is very special to me and has been treated as such. This
was the first and only new car my grandmother ever purchased. She
bought it brand new in May of 1978. My grandparents lived in town and
the Grand Prix would be used for longer drives due to its comfort and in
town my grandfather drove my grandmother everywhere in his truck. The
Grand Prix has 67,848 original miles on it. It was also kept in a garage
and probably never driven in the rain. My grandfather was borderline
obsessive in his mission to maintain every part to its original working
order. That being said, everything on this car works. It has a power
driver seat, power windows, power door locks, cruise control, cold air
conditioning, warm heat… all of this works just as it should. He kept the
oil changed and the car maintained until his passing in 2014. A few
months before he died, he made sure my grandmother had new tires put
on as well as a full size spare (tires probablly don't have more than 1,000 miles on them). He was good to her and to her car. When
he died, she didn’t drive it much. It sat in the garage. I began driving it
before I took it just to keep it moving and kept the oil changed. She
loved that car and I know she didn’t want it to sit. She passed away a
year later an I have had it since.
I only drive it once or twice a week only because I don’t want it to sit.
My family loves taking it on a country drive. It drives better than
anything I’ve driven an I own a new Cadillac. It can sit for two weeks in
the cold and still fire right up after a few pumps of the gas. After its warm
it first right up like a new car. Driving the car I have no complaints what
so ever (and I intend to be completely honest to all the pros and cons) It
drives so smooth and straight. I’ve never sat in a seat so comfortable.
The car doesn’t smoke, leak anything, get hot when driving and
the transmission is smooth..., it just seems extremely reliable!
The exterior overall is in pretty good shape. The paint is original as it
most everything I’d imagine. The paint on the sides is shiny and in great
shape, no rust at, chrome bottom trim on sides is in great shape. There
are a few dings you can see in the pictures but nothing big. No rust to be
seen under at all. The hood paint is oxidized and has dulled out quite a
bit, so has the roof and the trunk lid. The trunk lid looks the worst and It
is really my fault. I took it to a car wash soon after I took it and used
high pressure some small spots on the back and they quickly turned to
LARGE spots. I suck, I know. I did that day spray a clear coat of the
newly exposed metal just to prevent rust. It needs new paint really and I
almost did the cheaper MACCO paint, but I didn’t want to do something
that would make it worse. The Landau top needs the vinyl replaced for
sure. Some people just remove it, but again, a decision I didn’t want to
make. I’m guessing its original as well and just ready to have a new one
put on. The rear bumper filler was cracked so I removed it. They sell for
130 on ebay. The front bumper as surface rust on it. This also was
replaced when My grandma, about 1 and ½ years ago saw a big dent in the
original bumper and needed it fixed. This took and act of God an about
$2000 to track down that part and to find someone willing to put it on.
Not the best investment for her but she wanted it fixed and wasn’t about
to get a new car. So the new part came with a little rust but it isn’t on
the body. (see pics)
Now the interior,.. man oh man, you won't find a better interior in one of these
cars. It is really clost to mint condition. No visible wear on the seats.
She was about 90 pounds and didn’t add that much wear and I’m not sure
if anyone ever sat in the back seats. Even the green shag carpet is
looking like it just came out of the 70’s. No tears, great shape, it's never been smoked in, and so very
comfortable.. just look at the pics.
Again, all electronics work, so I’m assuming the sweet 8track player
works, just don’t have anything to test it out with. |
| |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
