Some of the best car deals seem to pop up when you least expect them. This morning, I was lying in bed, not feeling particularly motivated to do anything. But as any car enthusiast knows, even on a slow day, there’s always time to check Facebook Marketplace. I figured I’d scroll through and see what was new. I wasn’t expecting much—maybe a few overpriced listings or cars too far away to consider. But then, I got hit with a surprise.
A new listing popped up: a 1995 Pontiac Grand Prix Special Edition, white-on-white, with the signature matching wheels that make these cars stand out. My heart skipped a beat. It had been a long time since I’d seen one in this kind of shape, and I knew I had to act fast.
Chasing the Deal
I immediately reached out to the seller, expecting to hear that the car was at least two hours away—because let’s be honest, the best deals always seem to be out of reach. But this time, luck was on my side. The car was just 45 minutes away. That was all the push I needed.
Without wasting a second, I jumped out of bed, got dressed, and prepped the trailer. After a quick stop at the bank, I was on my way to check out the car in person.
When I arrived and laid eyes on it, I knew this Grand Prix was coming home with me. I’ve seen plenty of these cars over the years, and finding one in decent shape is rare—finding one without rust is nearly unheard of. Yet, somehow, this one had a clean body. No bubbling around the rockers, no crusty wheel wells, and no telltale signs of Midwest winters eating it alive. Honestly, I was shocked. Every other early W-body I’ve come across was already well on its way to returning to the earth.
I didn’t even bother checking the mileage or diving too deep into the details. I knew this car was a score, so I fired it up, got it loaded onto the trailer, and headed home.
So, What’s Wrong With It?
No used car purchase is ever perfect, and this one is no exception. As I dug into its history, I found out it had overheated at some point. The previous owner had already replaced the head gaskets, hoping to fix the issue, but the car is still drinking coolant. That’s a pretty good indicator that the heads are done for.
Luckily, I have a 3400 sitting in my garage, just waiting for a project like this. My plan is to bolt the 3400 top end onto the 3100 bottom end and call it a day. It’s a simple and effective upgrade that should wake the car up a bit while resolving the overheating issue for good.
What’s Next?
Of course, my mind is already racing with future possibilities. Right now, the car is just a clean, stock example of a rare W-body, but that won’t last long. There are a couple of directions I could take it.
•A supercharged L67 swap would give it a serious power boost while keeping it true to its front-wheel-drive roots.
•On the other hand, an LS4 swap would bring in V8 power and make it a real sleeper.
Only time will tell which way this build goes, but one thing is for sure—this ‘95 Grand Prix Special Edition is officially saved and back in good hands. I haven’t been this excited about a W-body since I got my 1990 McLaren Grand Prix, and I can’t wait to see where this project takes me.
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