You may remember my “Rough Start” posts from a while back. The basic sentiment was that for $5,000, you could find an interesting, worthy project that would run, drive and had the potential to be something more. Prior to the pandemic, that plan worked well. From budget-minded Fox-bodies, to cheap trucks, and even some admittedly unorthodox options, you could take five big bills and be driving something a lot more interesting than a 2004 Camry in short order.
That was then. In today’s market, you’re damn lucky if you can find anything for five grand that you’d be willing to be seen in, let alone take on as a project. And you’d better believe that if you attempt this plan, that you will be putting in some strong work on your part if you have any intention of daily-driving the rig. And yes, daily operation was in consideration for past Rough Start cars. It wasn’t like you were going to find an Olds 442 or anything like that for that kind of money. (OK, maybe one of the “butt-less Cutlass” era 442s, but whatever.)
Dalton recently picked up yet another late-Seventies Pontiac Grand Prix. Aside from bringing back fond memories of the ass-chewing my dad gave me for doing absolutely riotous burnouts in his ’77 when I was a teenager, this is the perfect example of how far you’ll be stretching to make something out of nearly nothing. At first glance it’s bad. At second glance, it’s bad after the booze wore off and your vision returned to normal. The “before” shot of this Pontiac is the automotive equivalent of the worst one-night stand you could imagine. But Dalton also has patience, a vision, the ability to paint and when it comes to fiberglass body filler, he’s damn near Michelangelo. Don’t buy that? Look at the final product and judge for yourself.
