1973 Pontiac Grand Prix Redesign - Gambling On A Grand Scale

Our Feature GP
Don Miller's '73 is a pristine, all-original example of the first year, Third-Generation Grand Prix. Its 8.0:1 compression, 400ci Pontiac V-8 features a cast bottom end and an 066 cam with 273/282 degrees duration and 0.410/0.415 lift with stamped-steel 1.50:1 rockers. The 4X-code heads are equipped with 2.11/1.66 valves. Fuel and air are mixed by a Q-jet, distributed by a cast-iron dual-plane intake, fired by a Delco points distributor, and evacuated by log-type manifolds and dual exhaust.

A smooth-shifting Turbo 400 transmission chooses the gears, and a 3.08-geared rear puts down the power.

Don came across the Starlight Black Pontiac when he was a car salesman and went to a customer's house in Kirtland, Ohio, to pick up a title for a trade-in. While there, he was shown the Grand Prix, which was in outstanding condition. The owner initially wouldn't sell, but Don eventually convinced him to, four months later in October 2003.

"The first owner ordered the GP from Milt Miller Pontiac in Euclid, Ohio, on April 9, 1973," Don says. "He kept it until 1984 and only put 15,300 miles on it. The gentleman I bought it from added 2,374 miles, so the Pontiac only had 17,674 miles on it when I bought it." It has remained in Ohio its entire life, and that tradition continues with Don, an Eastlake native.

The interior features the original red carpeting with black seats and optional floor mats. The glass was factory tinted, A/C was ordered, and an electric defroster is out back. Rally gauges with a clock and an AM/FM stereo are housed in the dash. Power windows add convenience to this Pontiac.

The outside also received a handful of options, including red striping, body-side moldings, sport mirrors, bumper guards, and a Cordova roof. A set of 15x7 Honeycomb wheels and radial tires were checked off as well.

Even with the overwhelming sales of the Third Generation, you'd be hard-pressed to find one in this shape. With just 21,700 miles showing on the odometer, great care was taken to maintain a show-worthy condition by the previous owners and Don. "I keep it in a heated garage, and it wears a car jacket in the winter," he says. The routine maintenance and care have paid off as he has received First-, Second-, and Third-Place trophies at various events.

Conclusion
Pontiac's '73 GP was the right car for its time. The musclecar market, already on the decline, succumbed to wounds inflicted by insurance surcharges, emissions controls, and crash regs. Yet the GP and the other non-musclecar versions of GM's A- and G-bodies flourished. While musclecars were known solely for performance, the Grand Prix was a personal luxury/performance line that simply shifted emphasis to the luxury side to keep the government and its customers happy.

Though it had gained weight and lost some of its exclusive features due to the homogenization of the A- and G-bodies across the Divisions in 1973, it was still a less expensive, better performing, and more economical alternative to the fullsize luxury models of the day. Let's not forget the incredible styling, the competitive pricing, and competent handling for its class. The latter two were both byproducts of the shared and more modern 116-inch wheelbase chassis with the four-door Grand Am and LeMans.

The '73 model like Don's marks a milestone for the GP, as this redesign proved highly successful, breaking all previous sales records. Sometimes gambling does pay off.