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New one, 76 Astre

PostPosted: Tue Mar 07, 2017 10:14 am
by Bullet
After several years of searching, I finally found my unicorn, a 76 Pontiac Astre. I had one 20+ years ago but it met an untimely death. I haven't even seen one locally for 18 years that I can remember. Usually what I saw for sale on the rare occasion I did see one for sale, was rotted parts cars missing a lot of Pontiac only stuff like tail lights, grills, etc. I found this one on CL in Murphy NC, about 3.5 hours away but close enough. It is complete except motor, still has its 4 speed trans. Black on black car with some interesting options. Rallye gauges, tilt wheel, PS, sway bars at both ends, yet AM radio still in it, manual brakes and no air. Currently has an interesting set of wheels on it with Shelby center caps. I think Montgomery Wards and Sears used to sell them, similar to a Western. It's complete and with only minor rust. The really cool part of the day came after I got the car loaded when I walked back to his garage, "Grumpy's Toy" XIII Monza, not a copy or tribute, the real deal. I got pics and will load soon. I have an Impala I have to finish up before the Astre get's its place in line but the plan is as it was 20 years ago, Pontiac 455/4spd combo, Pontiac Rallye wheels in 15x6 and 15x8, an all Pontiac answer to Baldwin's Super Vega.

Re: New one, 76 Astre

PostPosted: Tue Mar 07, 2017 11:49 am
by cammerjeff
Congrat's looking forward to seeing pic's of both!

Re: New one, 76 Astre

PostPosted: Tue Mar 07, 2017 12:32 pm
by dindin
Sounds nice..have fun with it!

Al

Re: New one, 76 Astre

PostPosted: Tue Mar 07, 2017 3:36 pm
by avewhtboy
viewtopic.php?f=52&t=45129

Congratulations on the purchase I had posted that car here, looked like a clean car

Looking forward to the build log here!

Re: New one, 76 Astre

PostPosted: Tue Mar 07, 2017 6:26 pm
by Bullet
Thanks, I had missed that posting somehow. It's had a repaint so it is possible it's a GT but I thought they typically had the headlight rings and grills trimmed in black. I know those weren't visible in the ad but they have no black accents. I'm going to order the papers from Pontiac Historical so I can verify what it came with. May have just been an oddball or had the guages and such checked on the order form. You still had a little freedom on buying a car then, not as much as the 60's and early 70's when you could get anything added or deleted you wanted, even if it wasn't on the standard order form. Today you have to select packages and none of them are very exciting.

Re: New one, 76 Astre

PostPosted: Fri Mar 10, 2017 1:01 pm
by cammerjeff
You are correct that the GT's would have the blacked out head light bezel's but I do not think the grills were blacked out on the GT's. But as you already stated each of the options on the GT were available as stand alone options. And the fact the car is 40 years old, unless it is in unmolested original condition you don't know what previous owners may have done to it.

The PHS will tell you how it came out of the factory.

Re: New one, 76 Astre

PostPosted: Sat Mar 11, 2017 8:47 pm
by RedFiveKBS
Sweet! I'd love to see an ALL Pontiac Astre done. :th:

Re: New one, 76 Astre

PostPosted: Sun Mar 12, 2017 1:27 am
by Bullet
This would be ideal, but.....
https://tricities.craigslist.org/pts/6020400637.html
Actually I plan on aluminum heads to lighten the load so it wouldn't be a great engine for my purpose. The HO's didn't have the beefed up block so the main parts I would use are no different than a "garden variety" 455.