Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution/eBay seller mashanley
A 1976 Pontiac Grand LeMans that just won't give up is ready to return to the road if it can convince someone online to give it another chance. The car has survived nearly everything, as it was already saved once, then lost its engine, and was eventually abandoned in a barn with a blown V8 under the hood.
The Grand LeMans wasn't Pontiac's superstar, but it still managed to build a solid fanbase in the United States.
The 1976 model year introduced a modest facelift with rectangular headlights and restyled grilles for what Pontiac believed was a more modern look.
The engine lineup was also updated, so the Grand LeMans now came standard with a 250 straight-six. It wasn't the best choice for someone particularly interested in performance, but the year was 1976, so offering economical options was a must.
However, Pontiac also included more powerful alternatives, including the 260 borrowed from Oldsmobile and its own 350 and 400 V8 units. The icing on the cake in 1976 was the 455 four-barrel that returned to the Grand LeMans lineup after previously waving goodbye to the series.
The Grand LeMans, posted on eBay by seller mashanley, lost its engine twice and is now ready for another transplant if it can find a true hero who can save it.
First, the Grand LeMans somehow ended up using a 455 Oldsmobile unit under the hood (the seller does not reveal what happened with the original engine) when the current owner's friend purchased it in 1990. They somehow managed to blow up the engine in 1996, so the car was abandoned in a barn with no powerplant under the hood. The vehicle was pulled from storage two years ago when the current owner decided to take it home, so it's now selling with a 350 V8 unit from a Grand Prix.
The engine is not installed but only sitting in the car, so the buyer must put everything together to get the Grand LeMans moving.
The mechanical part isn't the only concern on this Pontiac, as the car also exhibits typical rust problems, including surface damage that you'll probably want to resolve before turning it into a daily driver. It's the only option anyway, as bringing the Grand LeMans back to factory specifications is almost impossible, considering the missing engine and probably the other parts that are no longer original or in the car.
It makes for a solid project saved from a barn, so if you don't want to spend a small fortune on a classic Pontiac to use for occasional drives, this Grand LeMans could be worth a chance. The owner will let the car go for at least $2,000, and you can see it in person in Holden, Missouri.
The 1976 model year introduced a modest facelift with rectangular headlights and restyled grilles for what Pontiac believed was a more modern look.
The engine lineup was also updated, so the Grand LeMans now came standard with a 250 straight-six. It wasn't the best choice for someone particularly interested in performance, but the year was 1976, so offering economical options was a must.
However, Pontiac also included more powerful alternatives, including the 260 borrowed from Oldsmobile and its own 350 and 400 V8 units. The icing on the cake in 1976 was the 455 four-barrel that returned to the Grand LeMans lineup after previously waving goodbye to the series.
The Grand LeMans, posted on eBay by seller mashanley, lost its engine twice and is now ready for another transplant if it can find a true hero who can save it.
First, the Grand LeMans somehow ended up using a 455 Oldsmobile unit under the hood (the seller does not reveal what happened with the original engine) when the current owner's friend purchased it in 1990. They somehow managed to blow up the engine in 1996, so the car was abandoned in a barn with no powerplant under the hood. The vehicle was pulled from storage two years ago when the current owner decided to take it home, so it's now selling with a 350 V8 unit from a Grand Prix.
The engine is not installed but only sitting in the car, so the buyer must put everything together to get the Grand LeMans moving.
The mechanical part isn't the only concern on this Pontiac, as the car also exhibits typical rust problems, including surface damage that you'll probably want to resolve before turning it into a daily driver. It's the only option anyway, as bringing the Grand LeMans back to factory specifications is almost impossible, considering the missing engine and probably the other parts that are no longer original or in the car.
It makes for a solid project saved from a barn, so if you don't want to spend a small fortune on a classic Pontiac to use for occasional drives, this Grand LeMans could be worth a chance. The owner will let the car go for at least $2,000, and you can see it in person in Holden, Missouri.
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