1974 Pontiac Grand Am

Sedan

400 4bbl

Manual

2H29T4P191336

Clear

Gasoline

Here is a chance to own a very cool, unique, collectible car at a very affordable price. Remember when you could go into the dealership and order a car optioned just the way you wanted? Well, if not, here is rolling proof from that era. A little history: On November 5th, 1973, Lt Colonel William B. Daum went into Culliver Motors, a Buick, Oldsmobile, Pontiac and GMC dealer in Sierra Vista, AZ and ordered a brand new 1974 Grand Am 4 door Colonnade hardtop. He ordered it with some very unusual and very specific options as follows: 400 4bbl (the standard engine was a 400 2bbl, the upgrade was a $46.00 option) 4 speed transmission (a $46.00 credit and only available with the 400 4bbl, so it was more or less a free upgrade) Honeycomb wheels Tilt wheel AM radio Cornering lamps Dual exhaust Unitized ignition Sport mirrors, LH remote Lamp group Tachometer H/D cooling H/D air cleaner Space-saver spare Undercoat No A/C, and non-tinted windows (not even the windshield) on a car in Arizona! The color he chose was Limefire Green with a green interior (career Army), so it is possibly a one-of-one Grand Am with these particular options and colors. Rare doesn’t necessarily make valuable, but it does make unique The car was delivered without the HEI (unitized, perhaps not available at the time?) ignition and the space-saver spare, but with all other specified options. It spent it’s whole life in AZ/NM until I bought it in August, 2012 and had it shipped to Shelbyville, IN. The G/A is complete and running, the only non-original parts on the car are the carburetor, distributor (now an HEI), and the AM radio (and the dash panel was cut for an AM/FM CD radio). There were only 3122 Grand Am 4dr sedans built in 1974, and only 833 A-bodies (LeMans, Luxury LeMans and Grand Ams) were built with manual transmissions (which, by the way, was the last year you could order a 400 4spd in a Pontiac A-body), so there can’t be many 4dr 4spds.. Speculation is less than 50, maybe fewer than 25, so how many could have survived? I have seen 2 other 1974 4 door 4 speeds, both were Ascot Silver. One was very rusty, and it’s manual transmission parts (pedals, trans., console, shifter) were used on Imran Chaudary’s beautiful 1973 GTO SD-455 “if only” car. Pontiac did offer a 5spd in 1976 in the LeMans Sport Coupe, available only with the Olds 260 V-8 (I used to own one), and the 4spd was again available in1979 on LeMans and Grand Am, but that was the downsized body and was only available with the 301. All in all, this is a very low-production Grand Am. Being an early production car, it has the Muncie M20 4spd and correct Inland shifter. The original owner, who passed away in 2011 at the age of 91, kept the car for most of it’s life before giving it to his long-time mechanic. Yes, he gave it to him. A coworker bought the car from him, and that is the name on the title. Technically, I am the 4th owner. I purchased the car from a frequent seller of vehicles on eBay with an open and signed title. I have spoken to the 3rd owner (who had it repainted and the interior work done) and he assured me that it is free and clear. I was hoping to get in touch with the 2nd owner to learn more about the G/A’s history but haven't been able to as yet. Perhaps it was used at Fort Huachuca, where the original owner was based? The car: I purchased it off eBay in August 2012, some of you may even remember it, it is now a MUCH better car than it was then. When I bought it, it wasn't totally mis-represented, but a lot of details were omitted. The car is rust-free as stated but does have a small (about 1"x2") spot in the driver's floorboard from, probably from the fried windshield seal. There is NO rust in either the front or rear window channels. The only other rust I have found on the car is some scale at the windshield/dash area and it doesn’t look significant to me. I tried to get all of this in the new pics, as well as pics of the engine block code and VIN stampings. I have a photobucket album of the car with 151 photos and counting: http://s1098.beta.photobucket.com/user/Cmdr5/library/#/user/Cmdr5/library/74%20GA%204dr%204spd?&_suid=1363576737603013368849712399577. I have replaced the water pump, P/S pressure hose, repaired the radiator (all were leaking, not disclosed to me when I bought it), added the correct power leads for the HEI and tachometer (tach is not currently working), resealed both the windshield and rear window, put on a usable set of 225/70 tires (again, not disclosed, the tires on it were so bad, the transport company had to keep adding air while in transit), replaced the leaky Holley 650 spreadbore with a rebuilt 78 Quadrajet with electric choke, gave the car a thorough cleaning and put a later, but nicer, dash faceplate on it (original included), replaced the headlight switch and it comes with a nice set of black seatbelts too (the originals were so fried from the AZ sun. they were in tatters and most of the buckles were broken too. The black seatbelts are correct even though the interior is green, color keyed belts were an extra cost option. Included with the car is the written order sheet from Culliver Motors, the window sticker, owners manuals and warranty folders. Just got a set of NOS green GM floormats for the car. The numbers match, and aside from the original carb, distributor, and radio, which are no longer with the car, is complete. Finding a good, original, unrestored 1974 Grand Am is difficult enough, but a 4 speed 4 door with documentation and original paperwork would be something like finding a needle in a haystack. I hate to sell this car, it is just the perfect ‘unique’ Pontiac I was looking for. I am offering it at a reasonable, realistic price, I just want to get out of it what I have in it (purchase price, shipping, parts and repairs to date). The car is now located more centrally, so getting the car will be easier and less costly for many people. Why am I selling it so soon after buying it? I had hoped the clutch wouldn't aggravate my lower back and left leg (hadn't driven one since 2005), but I am in so much pain daily from the deterioration of the 5 lowermost discs, that I really have no choice. I won't consider changing it to an AT or altering it by figuring out how I could make it hydraulic because the car is too original to do something like that. That said, I am currently in the beginning stages of applying for permanent disability. Adding to this is the realization that due to other circumstances in my life, I don't have a garage to store the G/A, and because of the back and neck issues I have, I can hardly do even routine maintenance. This car deserves to be restored! The Grand Am runs and drives well, is 99% complete, the only panel that will need replaced is the urethane nose (no sheetmetal is needed), and is a great restoration candidate. It is rare and very unique, and has all the documentation you could ask for. It is now in much better condition that it was when I got it and my reserve price, considering what you are getting, is a much better buy. The good: The body, top to bottom, aside from the previously mentioned spot on the floor, is rust-free. The chrome (bumpers, headlight bezels, etc.) is in excellent condition. It is in very good original condition for a 39 year old car and is 98% complete. All 4 Honeycomb wheels are there with all trim rings and caps. The original WT code 400 shows it's original VIN stamping. The glass is good. The lights, gauges, and fan work, although the oil pressure and fuel gauges are sometimes intermittent (probably a ground). The 225hp 400 runs well, holds good oil pressure, no noises or smoke. It shifts, as well as drives, well. It is a great restoration candidate, and you would definitely have the only one at even an all Pontiac show (I have been going to the Tri-power Nationals in Norwalk, OH for the last 7 years and have never seen a 4dr Grand Am, let alone a 4spd, there yet). It is a very unique color, which will look amazing with a proper paint job and an Indesign (Motorrealm) fiberglass replacement nose. It comes with nice documentation, including the window sticker, original written order sheet, owners manuals, and some receipts. The bad: Being in original condition is both a blessing and a curse for a 39yr old car, as things are starting to show their age. The previously mentioned ground issue with the gauges is one. The articulated turn signal lever (has a 'hinge' to activate the dimmer switch) is gone and has been replaced with a regular type lever. The turn signals and cornering lights work, but the dimmer doesn't. I have, included with the car, an unbroken lever with lousy chrome and a nice dimmer switch cover (also missing on the car). I do have a line on an NOS lever which I can put the winning bidder in contact with (not included in the sale). The car shows 59K miles, but I can't verify if it is 59K or 159K. The interior is usable but the dash, seats, headliner, and carpet have been redone or replaced so there are several different shades of green in the interior. It doesn't look horrible, just not correct. The exterior was painted, and the prep work done was lousy, you can see where painted has come off the passenger front door bottom. The AM/FM CD player that replaced the AM radio doesn't work and I haven't done anything with it. The tach isn't working because the point-type distributor was changed to an HEI. The emergency brake pedal is broken off but the cables are all still present. The radiator was leaking, so I patched it, but is weak in general and needs replaced. The tires are fair. I have driven the car less than 200 miles since I got it, so I wouldn't recommend flying in and driving home (I have, in my younger days, driven cars home that were in much more sketchy condition though). The fine print: Being a 39yr old car, it is sold as-is, where-is, with no warranty expressed or implied. It will be the winning bidder's responsibility to pick up, or arrange to have picked up, the car where it is located at my house. I will require a $200 non-refundable deposit immediately after the auction ends, the balance within 2 weeks and before the car can be picked up. I will work with the buyer's transport company to get the car picked up. We can work together on how long the car can sit before being picked up but it will need to be paid in full within 2 weeks of the auction close. If you have any questions, or need to see something I didn't get in pics, please let me know through the auction. I will give serious buyers my number so we can discuss the car. Arrangements can be made to see the car while it is listed, if you like. I want you to be sure of what you're getting, and to be satisfied that the car is as I have represented it. I reserve the right to cancel the auction at any time, as I have it listed on a couple of other websites. This is a opportunity to own a very unique (possibly the only one) Pontiac at a reasonable price (the reserve is below what it was listed for when I bought it). Thanks for looking, Dave