1973 Pontiac Grand Ville: The Supersized Car That Broke My Heart

[@richard169]

Those 1970's Pontiacs aged incredibly well, style-wise.

[@fearsomebeard4290]

It was a Grand Ville in which two of my friends (brothers actually) died in a car accident in 1981. I cannot see those cars without thinking of my good friend Andy. Andy I’ll never forget you, loved you my friend.

[@Decanochev]

What a jaw-dropping interior! Beautiful car.

[@EdwardHerman-j4h]

This is my favorite KZbin channel. Always a great and informative video. Thanks Adam.

[@RareClassicCars]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@Johnnycdrums]

I come her to calm my nerves in respite of the horrible news of the world.

[@Richard4point6]

Adam, another excellent presentation...you are the best!

[@bobbyjohnson6355]

There’s a 73 convertible sitting in my garage right now, same color. I’ve loved these since my sisters boyfriend had a 75 convertible back in the day, it’s my 5th Grandville convertible 😊

[@bobpierce115]

What happened to your other or previous 4 Grandville convertibles, if you don't mind my asking?

[@bobbyjohnson6355]

Got em,loved em,sold em 😊

[@kellygross5687]

My parents surprised me with a car identical to this for my high school/college car. I LOVED it and would have purchased this one with out a doubt!

[@jonathanspohrer381]

My 1975 Grand Ville convertible begs to differ with your reference to Grand Villes ended with the 1974 model year. It was 1975. You’ve still got the best KZbin channel by far. Keep up the great work.

[@RareClassicCars]

Oops! Haha. My memory served me wrong

[@Ebenoozen]

I believe the 1975 Gran Ville models (icl. wagons) we're the only full-size model '75 Pontiacs that came standard with square headlights

[@tyler2610]

I thought when he said that that they made them up until ‘75. I had already forgotten to check by the end of the video though LOL.

[@TonyM132]

Yep, yep. 1974 was the final year the model was called just "Grand Ville." It became "Grand Ville Brougham" for 1975 and then "Bonneville Brougham" for 1976.

[@TonyM132]

@@Ebenoozen 1975 Bonnevilles also had rectangular headlights. '75 Catalinas had round headlights.

[@brianhdueck3372]

I remember the smell of these cars when new. Very distinctive and pleasant. Keep up the great work Adam

[@F9FCJ429]

Nevada, Missouri was home to the 3M division responsible for cranking out faux wood products, and in August 1973 my parents moved to a new house. The next door neighbor worked in QC at that 3M plant and I remember several times he’d bring my dad giant 36 inch wide QC fail rolls of petrochemical forests from both Ford and GM models which dad used on some of his custom bar furniture projects: Ford was going for burled elm at that time, while I’d swear the GM rolls looked a lot like what was in this Pontiac. At that time the plant was running wide open with three shifts and the whole town carried the faint whiff of Post-It note adhesive. Then came oil crisis version 1.0 and these cars were put on notice. They don’t write ‘em like that anymore.

[@billeldon]

“Petrochemical forests” lol. When I was training insurance estimators, we also called the cheap vinyl appliqué in American car interiors “pictures of wood” ;-)

[@carlweitzel1753]

I admire your tenacity and restraint. Good call, Adam. Hard, but good, decision.

[@andoletube]

Nah, bad call. This car didn't need much to be a real peach. I suspect Adam will regret this decision at some point. There aren't that many of these around, practically none as nice as this one. You can't expect the zero miles barn finds forever.

[@WinterInTheForest]

@@andoletube I agree. 4k isn't really a lot to spend to make it right. You can tell how much he wanted this car.

[@rmick66]

@@WinterInTheForest Especially with all the $$$ he appears to have to be able to afford all these cars.

[@Ksoism]

Carb is gunked because of low mileage. Ignition isn't heavily expensive to just replace if in doubt. Front suspension can't be rocket science or cost fortunes, and at this point, it would be wise to replace everything in there. If doors line up well and don't feel loose when yanking them up and down when open, it means the strikers are misplaced. If they move, hinges. But since it is repainted, I think it might be just striker adjustment. That's free. New exhaust or maybe just tying up the one already in there isn't hard or expensive. This was a mistake. The paint, body, undercarriage, transmission, rear end were good, glass and lights, interior... Engine is probably good, AC-heater is the only possible hard thing in this, but you really can't fear a heater core failure on a car of this age, it'll pop sooner rather than later if not already taken care of. Obviously if this was very expensive, it doesn't make sense, but it is a really, really nice car. And if those were all the faults, most of them could be elbow greased away, you don't need to know a lot about cars to take care of them.

[@buzzwaldron6195]

Make a low ball offer... either you get it at a price where you can have it fixed... or you don't...

[@anthonyangeli256]

I had a '73 Bonneville 4-door hardtop. 400 c.i. V-8 Wonderful car. Loved it. Wish I still had it

[@larrykudla4701]

In 1976 I bought a 1973 black with red interior accent stripes convertible Grandville. Loved that car. Great ride and performance. Family members would often trade off cars to drive this super smooth stylish car. Thanks for posting this video. You did a great job describing the '73 Grandville.

[@bradleydunigan6861]

What a gorgeous Pontiac!

[@bradleydunigan6861]

To bad it had so many mechanical issues? Still a nice ride.

[@Johnfisher12345]

@bradleydunigan6861 Show me a 51 year old car that has not just had a high-dollar restoration that doesn’t have a few mechanical issues and I will happily show you this nice bridge I have for sale. It’s meaningless to talk about minor mechanical issues on a FIFTY ONE YEAR old car. If you can’t handle minor issues on a 51 year old car, old cars are definitely not for you.

[@EmmyPierz-ek7hi]

@@Johnfisher12345for sure! What a nit-picker. Some are just NEVER Satisfied 😳😠. CB

[@jacobnewkirk3385]

Love the "carved" wood. Truly showed the effort Pontiac went to in order to deliver a richer looking interior!

[@Primus54]

I admire your self-discipline to not take on expensive issues, Adam. A potential $4,000 repair bill might be an acceptable risk if that vehicle was a highly sought after classic. If certainly is a beautiful car.

[@2packs4sure]

Reminds me of my 66' Bonneville,, the dash was rattling,, the doors were rattling,, on glassy smooth roads it was majestic and on less than perfect surfaces it was a cacophony and at a minty 74000 miles yet....

[@misterwhipple2870]

The problem is, 74K was not "minty" for Detroit models of sixty years ago . . . but hey, for a sixty-six-foot-long car, that's not bad . . .

[@2packs4sure]

@@misterwhipple2870 Well, this was the 90's and it was VERY nice.. I had a clapped out 120000 mile 67' Galaxie at the time that was MUCH tighter..

[@tombrown1898]

Ah, memories of Professor Bob Deets. In fall, 1972, he got the new car bug and ended up at the local Buick/Pontiac dealer. The salesman kept steering him to a light green 2-door Grand Ville. Bob told me that he said "Who wants a green car?". And the salesman said, "Just drive it.". And he did. When he returned, he just said, "Sold." I've told this story before, but it bears repeating, because it illustrates how casual it was in 1972 for a man of average means to buy a very nice car.

[@Johnnycdrums]

Green got popular, and I don't know why. Show up in one of those almost endless two-tone job combinations from the 50's nowadays. Everybody, and espessially, girls love the look, if the right combo. They look like completely different versions within the same product line. There is something to be said for that. Sort of like the WWII saying, "Quantity is a quality of it's own."

[@stormythelowcountrykitty7147]

For the algorithm

[@2259r3z]

Green (in various shades) is one of those automotive colors that run in cycles. Greens were very big in the late '60s and early '70s and again in the '90s. Various shades of copper is another example of cyclic new car colors. Tons of cars in brown/copper/etc in the '70s and early '80s, and I recently saw a new car in copper for the first times in years. Is copper coming back?

[@zekemercado3403]

It's crazy how I saw this exact car on Facebook and was thinking about test driving and purchasing it myself. Although I could already tell the car had been repainted but after seeing this video it's no go. Also I'm a proud owner of a 1972 Oldsmobile Ninety Eight 4dr. But anyways love the videos Adam. Keep up the amazing work and passion!

[@AliciaM1864]

A 72 - 98 IS A VERY NICE RELIABLE CAR

[@MostlyBuicks]

Love those cloth seats. GM had some of the best cloth seats in the 60s and early 70s.

[@stebo-pv2hq]

my favorite gm car from the era.The great Bill Hickman was the driver of the Grand Ville in the Seven Up's.He also drove the Dodge Charger in Bullitt

[@poseyhollow]

I predict Adam will be licking his wounds for allowing this beauty slip through his hands. A truly beautiful, well-equipped Pontiac, for sure. Love the Pontiac's of the 60's & 70's...

[@skinnerhound2660]

Saw the Seven Ups in the theater in '73. IMHO the best chase scene ever through NYC and beyond . I've watched it dozens of times. The driver of the Grand Ville was Bill Hickman who also drove the black Dodge Charger in Bullitt. Bill was one of the top stunt car drivers of that time and also had his hand in the famous French Connection chase. Bill was close friends with James Dean who he was teaching how to race his Porsche. Bill was following Dean in his Ford Station Wagon towing a trailer and witnessed the crash that killed Dean. One of the last living cast members of the Seven Ups, Tony Lo Bianco died this past June. He played Vito Lucia, the undertaker who drove one bad ass 1973 Grand Safari in the movie.

[@edwinmassie]

The interior fabric reminds me of what Buick called Bravo cloth in the 73 Riviera custom interior option. My Riviera was so equipped and I can tell you it was a very comfortable fabric. The seats in that Riviera were among the most comfortable of any car I have owned.

[@allenwiddows7631]

My first car was a close less affluent relative, a 1973 Pontiac Catalina, almost a twin in many respects-taupe silver metallic paint, black vinyl roof, 400 cubic inch V-8 (4-bbl carburetor), and the good-ol’ Frigidaire AC that would cool down a hot black interior in the middle of the Southern California summer to see-your-breath in less than 5 minutes. Good memories!

[@h-waytwan1257]

This is a good reminder of my parents 1981 Pontiac Bonnievile 2 door it was two tone paint honestly if I was to post a picture on here we all would be up here going through memories.

[@SuperCommando60]

my 1975 Grand Ville convertible would like to speak to the comment about 1974 being the last year! I love my 75...the top goes down in spring and then it's my daily for the summer. Top goes back up in the fall. They are amazing drivers...huge of course but the RTS really keeps it under control. Great presence. One of my favs of the scissor tops...Adam you should get a convertible

[@michaelmullard4292]

To me, the hood and grille evokes some the 1940s and 1950s GM cars, especially Cadillac. Perhaps a nod to an historic era. Just a beautiful design. Would love a see a video on Blaine Jenkins and the history of his designs. Thanks for highlighting this Grand Ville, Adam! Your videos always make me smile. Love your channel.

[@jjojo2004]

When I was in high school in 1986, a friend’s Mom had a blue Grand Ville Station Wagon with woodgrain and a 455!! It had that clamshell rear tailgate and Rally II rims.

[@invisableobserver]

impressive, I prefer wagons, especially with that tailgate.

[@Strathobbiesandknickknacks]

Little-known fact about the "Seven Ups" car chase: At least SIX different 1973 dark blue Grandvilles were destroyed in filming the chase. Not one, but six destroyed Grandvilles. How's that for a heartbreaker?

[@LongIslandMopars]

Did not know that. I thought they used one car like in the original Gone in 60 Seconds. I did notice that after the Pontiac crashed through the police cars at the GW bridge that they seemed to do some work on the front end based on the way the bumper was bent. My favorite scene is when Hickman gets it sideways on the city streets and lays two patches of rubber.

[@jamesfrench7299]

Film productions are obcenely wasteful.

[@misterwhipple2870]

What do you expect from those Hollywood director types? They destroyed more than a hundred Mopars in The Blues Brothers, and Steven Spielberg destroyed TWO, not one but TWO ORIGINAL FIGHTER PLANES for "1941"!

[@robertcalderone5998]

Such a waste of automobiles made in a limited supply! Why didn't they use a Ford Chevy or Dodge that they made thousands of.

[@jamesfrench7299]

I heard a story of a director who destroyed a few examples of a rare classic model despite the protestations of enthusiasts of the model. They offered to make replicas for him but he repeatedly refused to even consider. The oxygen sponge should be in jail.

[@chuckymurlo5654]

My uncle owned a 73 Grandville convertible in the same color. It was a fun torque y car, but it just kept breaking down on him. Fuel pump, water pump, starter, ignition switch, timing chain( nylon gear). Some of the gear material got caught up in the oil pickup tube, causing low oil pressure. I was his cheap shade tree mechanic back in the day. He'd yell out "how many pumps does this car have for God sakes"!

[@markcassle3828]

Because of the cleanliness of the car, the options, and the year that you wanted, I’m surprised you passed. I know it would have been $4-5 to fix, but we are talking about a rare car now. I would have strongly considered it. GM hit their stride in ‘73. It’s the best of all six model years.

[@RareClassicCars]

The door closing bothered me. I wondered if it was hit at one point.

[@Johnfisher12345]

@RareClassicCars You don’t have to wonder. One of two things is guaranteed to be true: A) it was hit and so expertly repaired that you can’t tell, or B) a quick inspection will reveal obvious body damage or shoddy repairs. There is no in between to anyone knowledgable. You’re not going to like this, but honestly you don’t sound very knowledgeable about the mechanical aspects of these old cars is minor issues are enough to scare you away. And make no mistake, these are minor issues. These cars love to wear out door hinge pins and bushings, as well as lock strikers and latches. Very easy fixes, regardless. It’s not rocket science.

[@ThomasHill-q3c]

It's quite possible that the car was hit and repaired at some point. Judging by the nearly-pristine condition of the interior, one would wonder how the paint would have simply faded or dulled to the point that it needed refinishing.​@@RareClassicCars

[@philip4193]

That's absolutely the hardest thing to do Adam; fall in love with a classic vehicle and then have the discipline to walk away from the purchase in the end because while although the heart say's Yes, the head says a resolute NO. I currently own a couple of vehicles where I wish I'd listened to my head at the time instead of my heart; expensive lesson learnt...

[@EricResnick]

My uncle bought one exactly like this one except all black new in 1973. It's a shame you didn't find this one up to snuff. These cars are much more delightful now than I remember them new.

[@chrisjohnston4400]

It’s so good that Adam looks at all the cars made on those years. Some people love the Rivs and the225s and all the big cars . A lot of these were cars we had family’s with or we grew up riding in. I’ve got a Charger and Cuda. The web is over loaded with a mass of information on those.

[@tvelis513]

Really nice looking car. I probably would have rolled the dice with the purchase because of its option list and presentation.

[@scottolisar456]

Beautiful car , all EASY problems to fix. The expensive repairs ,rust,interior, chrome ,were all great. You missed out….

[@natanbarz8010]

Indeed, I just paid over 9 grand for a rusty Mitsubishi L300 camper from 86 because i have no house. I am so not happy with this crapy house on wheels, But at least I have movable bed that is not raining soaking wet. And it looks a bit cute. You missed out on this stunning looking red car.

[@ButterfatFarms]

The guy knows his 60s and 70s cars, owns or has owned a ridiculous number of them, and if he loved the car and passed on it he had good reasons to. But hey if anybody thinks it's a good deal that you can't pass up at $15K it's for sale at GPS Motors in Defiance Ohio. Pretty sure that's it right down to the scratches around the door handle. It's a bit of a project with engine issues, exhaust issues, climate control issues, suspension issues, and door issues that need to be addressed for it to be the car you'll want it to be. As he said his rough ballpark on that not knowing any more about it would be about $4k to get it there.

[@invisableobserver]

you can never tell until you own a car for a while, it's unpredictable, they can often be like opening a can of worms and a money pit.

[@I-Libertine]

good Lord, this is gorgeous.

[@wotan20]

The high tide of baroque styled cars of gargantuan proportion. "A cathedral on wheels", on which the front end got the "battering ram treatment". Although the color is more adventurous than nowadays, when it appears that modern cars are mainly Black or White, and any Gray shade, or silver in between. This darker red, or oxblood color is unique, beautiful and exciting too.

[@doug-Go]

This reminded me of an ad in the Denver Post when I was a kid for new 1973 Grand Ville that a dealer in Texas hoped to sell in Colorado that had been ordered with nearly every option available, but they forgot to check the box for air conditioning. As for this car, they are rare so if you could have gotten a good price for the condition you probably should have bought it. All the problems could be dealt with over time.

[@Mikes84Corvette]

In 1982 I looked at a 74 Grand Ville convertible for my first car. On the test drive it had the same off-idle stumble as you described. For me, it happened as I was pulling out into traffic. The owner of the car, sitting in the back seat, very calmy stated that I better get going as her insurance wasn't that good. I too passed on the car.

[@EmmyPierz-ek7hi]

Thank the EPA and our meddling government for emmision controls and lack of hp.😳😬. CB

[@NorthernChev]

Man, I remember just how super smooth those Pontiac 455s were back in the day. In stock form they were absolutely smooth as ice.

[@edwardpate6128]

Those full sized Pontiacs of those years were very nice! My dad had a 1973 Grand Safari wagon with a 455 and pretty loaded. It was an amazing car and great highway cruiser. Love those GM clamshell wagons but you hardly ever see one today.

[@donmoore7785]

Great review, and you made the right difficult call.

[@johndelgreco5702]

I had an almost identical 1973 Grand Ville in high school way back in 1984. It was such a gorgeous car and I was so proud to own it. Although you passed on this one I hope it finds a good owner.

[@EmmyPierz-ek7hi]

He needs to shop Generic cookie cutter Toyota Camrys.CB

[@gordtulk]

That hood stamping - wow.

[@radggs6961]

If I decide to make a classic car purchase I've got to call you. Being a Pontiac fan, those tail lights are really great at night as they wrap around the deck lid and reflect off the backup lamps. The interior door panels are shared with Chevy, but Pontiac added lower perimeter trim. My 66 Caprice had Comfortron Air, and it had similar problem. The Brain was huge and by 71, it was primarily circuit boards. Resolution was found in vacuum connections. Sounds like it has F41. Tidbit, those tail lights were Ed Welburn's first design that made it to the street. 👍🏽🏁

[@Sheisthedevilyouknowwho-ft9we]

We had a maroon(or that's what we called that color) 1973 Pontiac Grand Ville in the '80s. Lot of good memories. My mom drove it to nursing school 50 miles away every day.

[@Reaganpopperno1]

The quality of these videos are amazing Adam, to this day my father and I love your channel because we always learn something we didn’t know before, I just wish you included more video content, I realize it’s difficult to do but it would be awesome. Keep it up!

[@christianobrien4465]

Love this car and it reminds me so much of my 1973 Cadillac Coupe deVille

[@magnetar2008]

Great channel! Keep up the super detailed content!

[@oakleaves8370]

You're doing great with these classic car reviews Adam. Your voice for some reason reminds me of a NPR report.

[@HelpingHand-ic4wt]

Hunting idle, I had a '72 440 that did that before it's nylon cam sprocket let go, that was at about 125k miles, 25 years ago. I had replaced all the typical parts. The hunting turned into a varying surge at speed as the cam/distributor/crank fought it out between themselves.

[@lonesomecowboy4659]

Love it , when I was growing up my mom had a four-door 73 Catalina and as I grew up I ended up driving it a lot even raced it in high school. That 400 would go. Would love to find a 73 2-door. Thanks for your vid

[@jordanschooley7836]

My parents had a 73 LAURENTIAN station wagon - banana yellow (Sahara something was the actual paint color) with a milk chocolate brown vinyl interior. Not sure if it was same issue you found here, but I remember if you were inside the car having to pound repeatedly on the inside of the door to get it to open. It was easier to get them open from the outside because you have leverage from the door handle. And BTW - I agree the clamshell was a wonder to behold, but a tailgate like Ford’s would have been far easier to live with. Twist a latch and it opens, whichever way you want - no standing around, waiting for it to slowly sink into the floor.

[@AliciaM1864]

71 - 76 GM FULL SIZE CARS HAD TERRIBLE DOOR SAG , USUALLY ONLY IN FRONT , JUST ADD A SMALL SHIM UNDER THE BOTTOM HINGE WILL DO WELL

[@jackreacher.]

Fewer of us are able to perform these necessary refurbishing tasks except that immediate retirement opens avenues of potential for eager hobbyists. What wonderful mechanical challenges await us.

[@johnosullivan8680]

A beautiful car. It all depends on how much you want the car. If I were reasonably assured that the mechanical issues could be corrected I would buy it as nothing you described seems outrageously expensive. As far as the doors, they were never the best during this generation of full sized hardtops as many well know. I don't mind overpaying a few "g"'s if it is what I really want as I ask myself when will another come up and I certainly don't want to take on a restoration. Thanks for the video!

[@danmarley2926]

I completely agree with you. The AC and suspension components that need replacement should be less than the amount mentioned. I don't know if the owner of this channel is mechanically inclined, but it would save him a lot of money if he did the changes himself.

[@jefweb5043]

When you start getting into the dashboards, it's rough. Dashboards never go back together perfectly. I think what sets the car off are the Pontiac Rally wheels!

[@johnverlautz6025]

A while back I was aching for a used Mercedes 300E. I found one locally at a reasonable price, moderate miles and looked fair to good condition. When I test drove it ran poorly, brakes weren't safe, and front suspension was clunky. On that day, I began to understand that I would never own classic cars. So not for me, but I really enjoy hearing from Adam. Keep it up!

[@douglasthrelfall5318]

The climate control issue alone would have sent me running away, far away. I owned a ‘73 Grand Am with the ATC and it didn’t function that it was supposed to when purchased in 1978. Only a 5 year old vehicle with multiple problems. I decided to restore it back in 1981 (while GM still stocked most parts) and the ATC programmer (same as in the GrandVille) was replaced as well as the ambient sensor (screws to the back of the cylinder head to stop the blower motor from operating until the coolant was 120 degrees) the in car sensor (the little vent on the top of the dash you mentioned) and rebuilt the entire refrigeration system. The unusual thing about my Grand Am that it was also a very highly optioned car, but with a four speed manual transmission (which in 1973 required the four barrel, dual exhaust and a 3.23 limited slip differential (Safe-T-Track). I just discovered after nearly 30 years the production figures for ‘73/‘74 Grand Ams with the four speeds both 2 & 4 doors was only in the hundreds. Sadly, I sold it in 1995 despite it being featured in the April, 1989 issue of High Performance Pontiac magazine.

[@EvanBarr-uk3vk]

Thats is one of the greatest car chases!

[@johnde2754]

PALES in comparison to McQueen's chase through San Francisco in Bullett. 🚘. 🎬. 🎥. - 👏

[@EvanBarr-uk3vk]

@@johnde2754 Bill Hickman is the driver of the hemi in Bullit and drove the pontiac grand ville in the 7- ups .Their both pretty good scenes with same drivers

[@sidefx996]

Thank you for the Seven-Ups reference. It was the first thing I thought of as soon as I saw it.

[@harrycallahan9518]

Shoulda , coulda, woulda. A missed opportunity for sure but there will be others. Love your work mate.

[@anthonyvee]

I really like the way you explain things. I love old Pontiacs!

[@GoodbyeKamala2024]

Damn, my car exactly as I owned back in the 80's. Loved that car.

[@josephpiskac2781]

I recently had thoughts that these big old cars must perform like this one. I hope your collection is perfect. 😊

[@bendeleted9155]

Best looking GV I've ever seen. Yes, definitely a heartbreaker, but I think you made the right call. Too many suspicious problems.

[@danmarley2926]

Suspicious problems that can be fixed if you're mechanically inclined my brother 😅

[@davidlehner6094]

Very interesting, Adam! My Dad used to work for a company in Alpena that issued him Pontiac Catalina station wagons beginning with a 1969 Midnight Green/Cameo White roof, then a 1970 Baja Gold/Polar White roof, a 1972 Adriatic Blue/White Vinyl roof, a 1973 I believe, Burma Brown/some Off-White vinyl roof, a 1975 (don’t remember the color as I had graduated from high school by then), then finally a 1980-81 Medium Maroon. Aside from a sticky TH 400 kick down switch, and a water pump at around 80k miles, the ‘69, was great! It had posi-traction and newly available Bridgestone Radial snow tires and would go through any snow we had! The ‘70 was very reliable as well except for a broken axle c-ring retainer. But, interestingly the ‘72 was the worst of all of the Catalina’s we had! It rattled, creaked, and seemed to flex going over any road undulations. However, the ‘73 was as solid as a rock, as were all the subsequent Catalinas we had! Thanks for bringing my past car memories to the forefront!! Would love to meet you sometime!

[@scottwinkates1987]

I love your comment about the ashtrays! Every passenger had access to an ashtray. And yes, they did smoke themselves into some sort of illness.

[@jdwxflyer]

Good call Adam. I totally understand where you’re coming from. Someone will get a great car, and be happy to do the work required to make her the best she can be!

[@rightlanehog3151]

Adam, Discretion is the better part of valour. I am confident the person who ends up with this king-sized Pontiac will be glad you made this decision. As a footnote, I have never been a fan of automatic climate control.

[@craigtittsworth9440]

Always love your videos & your insight & expertise.

[@markbehr88]

Agree. Great car chase in the Seven Ups. First showing of a Ventura convertible 😂 Re the door closing issues, this is often the case when new door rubbers are fitted after repainting. They do settle down after a while.

[@randyedwards3244]

Since you can live with yourself and don't mind sharing that you passed on it (and why), you made the correct choice. It's painful passing on a dream anything, even worse to "Pull the trigger" to get involved with a "Money Pit ". I assume it had the "AM-FM 4 speaker" sound system. Thanks again, Adam. Great videos!

[@Greg-ly2rz]

The ‘71-‘76 GM full size cars had issues with the doors working smoothly. The doors on the Fords and Mercury’s of this era just worked better. It is a good looking, rare car, but I think you made the right choice.

[@texanfournow]

The hardest part of shopping for a used car is knowing when to walk away. I think you made the right decision. Many times sellers spend a small amount of $$ to clean up the appearance but leave the mechanicals as-is, only to find out it is, as another KZbinr would say, an "endless money pit."

[@lrich8181]

My friend had a new '74 Grand Ville in copper w/ white top.Gorgeous car!

[@markdc1145]

Adam, happy to know that you're looking for some new wheels lately. We look forward to exciting additions!

[@ForbinColossus]

Keep doing these *Cars you looked at but didnt buy* --->great topic

[@SpookyEng1]

My cousin had a 74 Grandville, white with burgundy top and interior. Rally wheels and 455. I loved that car!

[@rickc303]

The Seven Ups made this car cool

[@Napier363]

Back when these were new I thought Pontiacs had an ugly frontend with the new 1973 bumper design but now they’ve really grown on me. Our neighbor had a new 1973 Pontiac Grand Safari in this same burgundy color; It had wood grain & the rally wheels.

[@johnrand93]

Although I personally love the 74 best of all, the 73 was beautiful still spectacular. The 71-72, no thank you but this car depending on what they wanted for it, is definitely the one. The color is stunning , the condition is great and for me, who loves to fix his own car, I would have bought it and done all the work myself. The AC is probably a disconnected vacuum line and also a defective plenum door actuator. As for the hard to close doors, my best guess is the rubber was replaced with Steele Rubber products and they always cause the kick back and hard close issue. I know Metro uses a much softer, compressible material. This car will probably be the only example with all the options and in the right color. If I were you, I’d buy it, fix it, or have it fixed and have one of the most beautiful examples there is. Just my two cents. The exhaust is an easy fix, probably needs adjustment and possible some new hangers. A carb rebuild is simple, especially with my guy who does show quality for beer pocket change. Personally, I think you’ll regret letting this one go, it’s extremely special!!

[@danmarley2926]

This is the comment I've been looking for YES!!!!!!!! I would've brought the car and did everything you stated! He should've checked the hinge pins, strikers and lock claws at that time as well. Beautiful car all around

[@ithurtsDecth]

...BRAVO !!!...hvac blend & mode are vacuum powered and a vacuum leak could also cause lean mixture drivability complaint, replacing all vac-hoses at fifty years is not un-reasonable...l've had several cases where this was the solution...

[@ctg6734]

I think those '73 Grand Villes are one on the best looking Pontiacs. Wouldn't mind having one myself!

[@HelpingHand-ic4wt]

The 'my life in a terrarium" greenhouse is accentuated with the more doors these cars got, wagons included. Even the sedans evoke that terrarium feel.

[@gtowrx2001]

Bummer that it had so many mechanical issues, beautiful looking car! I just bought a 41k mile 74 Bonneville last week. These Pontiacs drive great, and handle well for as huge as they are.

[@Ctrl-XYZ]

The white nylon bushings on the door strikers on 1970s GM cars have usually disintegrated and fallen off by now. Which makes the doors really hard to close. Easy to replace though.

[@RareClassicCars]

When were those introduced? My 71 Pontiac doesn’t seem to have them, but the doors close beautifully.

[@carloscarpinteyro332]

There was a game show hosted by Tom Kennedy on ABC TV, where there were five Pontiacs, One that the winning contestant could win if the key started it up. One of the five Pontiacs was the majestic Grand Ville. That game show "Split Second" ended in 1975.

[@Napier363]

I loved that show as a kid. Winner would get the car that started!

[@carloscarpinteyro332]

@@Napier363 Yes, I really liked it as well, when I was 16, I went to a live taping of the show, two episodes, with a group of other teenagers at ABC's Hollywood Studios, back in late 1972. A great memorable event for me!

[@arevee9429]

I normally do not like >= '73, but this one does look good in red.

[@mikepotter6426]

1973, graduated high school, started first full time job. McNamara Pontiac, downtown Orlando. McNamara was the classic, full on conservative, super high level deal ship. Mr McNamara, always nice, dark suit. Portly, very distinguished gentleman. So, stage is set. I was new car service. On the tiny, cobblestone back streets behind the service garage we did our test drives. Narrow streets, old homes, high curbed dividers between lanes, lots of old growth oaks. Highlight of the Orlando Christmas parade was Mr. McNamara sitting on the rear deck of his always newly arrived, ordered for the parade, maxed out Grandville. He would toss out candy and things to the throngs of kids lining the streets of Orlando. It really was a great event and related to such a simpler, more innocent time. Then I arrived…All I cared about was horsepower, 12 bolt real axles and boiling tires. I seem to recall some hesitation amongst the old guard mechanics when they saw me snatch this car to give it its new car service. The car was only a few hours old. Parade was the weekend at end of workweek. The city and dealership were looking forward to settling in and peacefully celebrating the birth of Our Savior. Then I entered….This years 73 arrived just in time. It was extraordinary. Black on black with black interior, convertible, 455, m40 turbo. Honeycomb wheels. Not one available option was left off. I figured may as well have the top down while enjoying sitting in the car. On the cobblestone streets. Not moving just sitting. And accelerating the two hour old 455 to ceiling r.p.m. Letting it settle in nice to ensure there was not a few more turns. Then happily dropping the gear into low. As could be imagined, Mr. McNamara’s new limo boiled 1000’s of miles off the tires then when it finally caught, it quite fantastically launched. It was a torque monster. After a number of these neutral drives, I guess the tires were hot. I lost control and this monster jumped one of the described curbs. Completely exploding the 15 inch honey comb wheel. Interesting that with the Honeycomb rim option, spares did not come equipped as such. The bright spot of the 1973 Orlando Christmas parade was fading fast. This was not something that would go unnoticed for the dealership, the citizens, local news teams. I mean I was in deep doo doo. It was like Friday afternoon. The parts guys were making supposed phone calls all the way up to Georgia. There was not a wheel in existence. All eyes were on me and they were not friendly. I mean, I had turned myself into a real time grinch. They all knew what a useless screw up I was and were quite tired of me. It went all through the shop and up to the sales team. I was gonna have to tell Mr. McNamara what I had done to him and the city. As I was at my last desperate gasp, uttered the last stupid lie I could conjure, the parts manager produced a new wheel he had been holding. They took their opportunity to teach me a serious lesson. Christmas came and went. Mr. McNamara tossed buckets of goodies to anxious kiddies. Moms waved. Dads drooled over the Grandville, that still pulled a little to one side but who notices at 2 miles per hour, Christmas music and flying candy. I still got fired and should have been. Sorry Mr. McNamara. You were the best.

[@marymarzulli7895]

Thank you Adam, the production quality and information in your videos is 1st rate!! 1973 was the introduction of the "Battering Ram Bumpers" on full sized GM cars. IMO The Oldsmobile Delta 88 was the most tasteful front end, while the Pontiac Grand Ville had the most tasteful rear end styling. Was it possible to buy a Grand Ville without the "Bumperette tusks" on the front and rear bumpers?

[@marko7843]

Adam, I have a comment & a question: 1. I, too, noticed our favorite option right off the bat, the cornering lights. 🙂 And while this is a fully loaded car it does give an important lesson - that a car can look this beautiful, honestly have the low mileage indicated, and still have "walk-away" problems... On one hand, YOU have a unique advantage in storage space, any exhaust shop can easily tighten up that system, and those doors might just need the Big Torx (or pipe wrench) to adjust the door jam posts. Hell, the engine AND the climate control might just be vacuum routing or leaks! On the other hand, removing & pressing those front bushings is a PITA, and if you think the dash HAS been opened up, then that & the climate problem could well be Pandora's Box... Will the seller let you take it to a mechanic to check under the hood and the front end? 2. Are you sure this is not a '74? That rear bumper at 2:40 sure looks like a 5MPH unit, and my '73 Grand AM still had a solid hunk of steel back there that totaled a Toyota that rear-ended me...

[@wiiambarnarx8485]

It's just so Pontiac!! I love any Pontiacs of this era. They were all beautiful with a brand new GTO. The big bumper era redesigned GTO was AWESOME. They should have continued the GTO all throughout the 70s at least, but at least they kept the LeMans and Grand Am. Looked better than Oldsmobile and Chevy during that era. My parents bought a 1973 Pontiac Luxury LeMans and it was awesome and lasted a long time. I drove it when I turned 16 in 76.

[@NateEll]

We had a 73 Grand Prix in that precise color- a beautiful color

[@rickadkins3371]

Yep heartbreaker. Obviously, after watching and enjoying your channel as long as I have, I get what you like in a vintage auto. You’ve show us too many cherries to pick this one. I know it must have been a tough one to walk away from but I understand the fickle, fiddley nature of trying to bring an old gem back to full health. Close call but sometimes it’s just not worth it. Thanks for your insightful, interesting channel. Cheers to the quirky, crazy, over the top engineering efforts of the American auto industry. It’s entertained me all my life

[@RobertKinchen]

Wish you would sell me your 68 mercury with those spinners when you’re ready to move on. You have the best collection…..great videos.

[@I-Libertine]

i asked him first.(just kidding)

[@RobertKinchen]

@@I-Libertine he has the nicest collection…..hope you find what you’re looking for

[@truckerkevthepaidtourist]

Congratulations Adam this got you an article on Auto evolution

[@billeldon]

My grandfather had a series of Catalinas when I was young, I remember a 1956, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1964 and 1971. The last one went to my baby brother when he was going to college, it was gold with a black vinyl top that had suffered from years of sun exposure, but the car at 11 years old still only had 17k on the odometer. My brother had it painted and the top replaced-and then it was totaled in a parking lot t-bone collision on his first day of school.

[@kevinhaymon522]

I owned a 76 Buick LeSabre (not hardtop) bought from grand parents in 1984 for college. The 350 in it would hesitate at red lights, etc. later someone said it was the 10% ethanol I had run through it. The door issue happened and it turned out to be the bushing on the striker. Would love to drive it again!!

[@m1greg125]

Nice looking car. Miss those early 70's GM cars. I wonder if during painting the shop removed the strikers to paint the jams and didn't re-align them putting them back in.

[@discerningmind]

Thanks, Adam. With this car having had a repaint, and the front-end needing attention at only 40K, when you talked about the doors, all I could think of was that this car had been in a substantial crash. Answering your question, I would have done the same as you. Walk.