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Junkyard Gem: 1996 Pontiac Grand Am SE Coupe

The Grand Am was the best-selling Pontiac model in the United States for every year of the 1990s, and it outsold most of its N-Body platform-mates (including the Chevrolet Corsica/Beretta) during nearly all of that decade. A sporty-looking compact with two or four doors, the Grand Am offered true 1990s radness—and, in some cases, respectable performance — at a good price. Today's Junkyard Gem is a nicely preserved example of the facelifted 1996 Grand Am, found in a Denver-area car graveyard. This is an SE Coupe with base engine and transmission, the most affordable Grand Am available in 1996. List price was $13,499, or about $26,523 in 2023 dollars. The factory-issued Monroney sheet for this car was still inside, so we can see that the original buyer got the car at Bob Ruwart Motors in Wheatland, Wyoming (about 175 miles up I-25 from this Pontiac's final parking spot), and paid a total of $16,054 ($31,543 in today's money) after the cost of options and the destination charge. The '96 Grand AM SE buyer had to pay extra for cruise control, air conditioning, power windows, rear glass defogger and other features we now take for granted on new cars. The base engine was the 2.4-liter Twin Cam four cylinder, a member of the screaming Oldsmobile Quad 4 family. This one was rated at 150 horsepower and 155 pound-feet. A 3.1-liter V6 with 155 horses and 185 pound-feet was an option. If you got the V6 in your '96 Grand Am, however, you couldn't get a manual transmission. This car has a proper five-speed manual, which made for fun driving with the high-revving Twin Cam engine in a machine weighing just 2,802 pounds (which is quite a bit less than what the current Honda Civic weighs). It traveled just over 160,000 miles during its 27 years on the road. The body and interior were still in fairly good condition when the car arrived here, so we can assume that some expensive mechanical problem doomed this car. Perhaps the original clutch wore out and the owner didn't consider it worth replacing. After all, a mid-1990s Detroit two-door with a transmission most people can't drive isn't worth much these days. Though nobody knew it when this car was new, the Grand Am would be gone in nine years and Pontiac itself would get the axe five years after that. It makes the ordinary extraordinary. Husbands and wives would argue for 12 hours over who got to drive the Grand Am, if we are to believe this ad. Proud sponsor of the 1996 Olympic team.

Enter now to win this impeccably restored 1969 Pontiac GTO

Autoblog may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Pricing and availability are subject to change. No donation or payment necessary to enter or win this sweepstakes. See official rules on Omaze.  Normally when we post about Omaze, it is about some kind of incredible car sweepstakes. Today, well, to be honest, it is more of the same, but in the case of this tastefully done 1969 Pontiac GTO, we don’t even care if you head over to the sweepstakes page to enter, just do it for the photos. ThatÂ’s right. As a self-described automotive photography snob myself, I have to say that the photos of this GTO are far and away the best IÂ’ve ever seen on Omaze. And while youÂ’re over there, might as well enter the drawing. Who doesnÂ’t want that lean, green, muscle machine in their driveway? IÂ’m more of a fastback Mustang guy, and even I was drooling over that GTO.  Win a Restored 1969 Pontiac GTO - Enter at Omaze Here are the specs of the restored 1969 Pontiac GTO in question, according to Omaze: Maximum Seating: 5 Engine: 461 ci fuel-injected V8 Transmission: Tremec TKO600 5-speed manual Drivetrain: RWD  Exterior Color: Verdero Green Interior Color: Black Maximum Horsepower: 575 hp Maximum Torque: 620 lb-ft Approximate Retail Value: $100,000  Cash Alt: $75,000 Special Features: Butler Performance-built EFI 461, Fast EFI v2.1, 3.73 Gears with Eaton Posi Traction, Wilwood 6-piston brakes with hydroboost, Ridetech Coilovers and muscle bars, Chassis Works billet drop spindles, staggered 18” Budnik billet wheels, Budnik steering wheel IÂ’m not the only one on the Autoblog staff who thinks this restoration is worthy of a little praise. News Editor Joel Stocksdale picked it above all the other current Omaze offerings for our holiday staff picks post. HereÂ’s what he had to say: “There are an awful lot of ways to build a restomod. And a lot of those ways can be boring or tasteless. This one is neither. This is a seriously classy Pontiac GTO. Under the hood is a 461 cu. in. V8 from Butler Performance that's based on an actual Pontiac V8, not just another Chevy engine. The whole thing is subtle with a low-key metallic green and clean gray wheels. There isn't any overly flashy chrome or decals. And the interior is the same with just an upgraded steering wheel, shifter and pedals in an otherwise stock cabin. Oh, and it has a manual.

This 1927 Oakland is a minimalist hot rod

There are hundreds of American automakers that sprung up during the dawn of the automotive era, only to fold into obscurity or get gobbled up by what would eventually become the Big Four (yes, we're counting AMC here). Oakland is one such company, which was the forbearer for General Motors' Pontiac division. Sold until 1931, you simply don't see Oakland-badged cars anymore. Unless, that is, you know Brian Bent.
Bent drives a 1927 Oakland that still rides on wooden wheels. Its original wooden wheels, from the sound of it. That makes this anachronist and his Oakland the perfect subject for a Petrolicious video. Like many of the cars highlighted by Petrolicious, this old Oakland has had some work done to it, featuring a Pontiac flathead engine that's been pushed forward and a clutch pack built by Bent.
Take a look below for a closer look at this rare and fascinating Oakland.