Let’s get the bad out of the way right off the bat: The price is higher than I’d pay, the paint is rough, there’s rust around the vinyl top, and there’s signs of past bodywork cracking through on the fender. But since the car is a 1973 Pontiac Grand Am Sport Coupe that has all of the chrome, a reasonably straight body, a new nosecone, excellent-looking honeycomb wheels, a decent interior, a 400ci Pontiac under hood and a Hurst Lightning Rods shifting the TH400, I can overlook a lot of issues.

The Shaker scoop that Pontiac used looks good on a lot of their vehicles, and on this Grand Am it gives off a hint of the rare Pontiac Can-Am. Most of the paint appears to be either original or an older paint job, except around the nose where cone, hood and Shaker are primered black. The engine bay appears stock and could use a detailing, but there isn’t anything that should worry a prospective buyer. The interior has a couple of modifications beyond the shifter, mostly for the stereo system, but nothing appears to be seriously hacked and overall the red gut looks pretty good. Unseen modifications include stiffer springs and a steering box from a 1996 Impala SS, and the TH400 has a mild shift kit.

I’m not convinced that parting with $8,000 for this car is a good idea, but you don’t see these everyday, and it appears that the owner has tried to keep this car streetworthy and stout. If you want a show car, this isn’t it, but if you want a driver or a project car, you could do a lot worse. A torquey Colonnade A-body with the right looks and attitude that you could drive anywhere? Sign me up.

CLICK HERE to see the eBay listing for this 1973 Pontiac!