1973 · Pontiac · United States
1973 Pontiac Grand Prix: The Colonnade Body Arrives
The Colonnade-body Grand Prix arrives, with the 400 standard and the 455 in the SJ.
United States · researched through 2026-09-23
This record's own dek states that the Colonnade-body Grand Prix arrives for 1973, with the 400 standard and the 455 in the SJ. This record's own overview states that MuscleCarClub, crediting the Standard Catalog of Pontiac, gives 1973 Grand Prix production as 153,899, split between a base "J" hardtop at 133,150 and an "SJ" hardtop at 20,749, and that the compiled engine tables list a 400 cid V8 at 250 hp and 325 lb-ft and a 455 cid V8 at 250 hp and 370 lb-ft, both SAE net as compiled with no rpm given.1
This record's own production section carries these same three rows, the 133,150-unit base "J" hardtop, the 20,749-unit "SJ" hardtop, and the 153,899 total, with a note that the figures come from the Standard Catalog of Pontiac lineage, that the SJ was an option on the K57 hardtop with the source presenting the base and SJ rows as summing to the total, and that no engine, transmission, paint or trim counts were found. This record's own keyFacts section gives factory prices of $4,583 for the Grand Prix hardtop and $4,962 with SJ equipment, with shipping weights of 4,025 lb and 4,400 lb respectively, and states that Pontiac's 1973 full-line brochure listed three Grand Prix engines, all with standard Turbo Hydra-matic: the 400 four-barrel standard, the 455 four-barrel, and the SD 455 four-barrel.1,2
This record's own engines section carries these same three entries: the 400 cid V8, code T, at 250 hp and 325 lb-ft net; the 455 cid V8, code Y, at 250 hp and 370 lb-ft net; and the SD 455 four-barrel, listed as available on the Grand Prix in the 1973 full-line brochure, with this record's own availability note stating no evidence was found that any were built. This record's own transmissions section lists a single entry, Turbo Hydra-matic, standard with every engine. This record's own unpublishedLeads section flags a claim not carried into the engines table: MuscleCarClub's own 1973 engine table also lists a 455 cid "X" V8 at 310 hp and 390 lb-ft for the Grand Prix, left untabled because a single compiled source is not enough to confirm Grand Prix applicability of that Super Duty variant without a Pontiac specification document.1
This record's own options section is empty for the year. This record's own interiors section carries three entries: front bucket seats with console and floor shift or a notch-back bench, in cloth-and-vinyl or all-vinyl trim with all-foam front and rear seats; a second entry describing bucket seats upholstered in cloth and Morrokide shown in burgundy and also available in beige and black; and a third describing instrument and door panel trim of genuine African crossfire mahogany inlay with nylon-blend loop-pile carpeting.
This record's own specifications section gives a 116.0-inch wheelbase, 216.6-inch overall length, 78.3-inch overall width, 52.9-inch overall height, front/rear track of 61.9/61.1 inches, front/rear head room of 37.6/37.3 inches, front/rear leg room of 42.4/33.5 inches, front/rear shoulder room of 58.8/57.1 inches, and 14.3 cubic feet of trunk capacity for the hardtop coupe, plus shipping weights of 4,025 pounds for the hardtop and 4,400 pounds for the SJ hardtop. It also gives axle ratios by engine, 2.93:1 standard (3.08 available) for the 400, 3.08:1 standard (3.23 available) for the 455, and 3.42:1 for the SD 455, along with G78-15 blackwall standard tires.2
This record's own performance and conflicts sections are both empty for the year, leaving no period road test and no disputed figure on record for the 1973 Grand Prix, despite the production, price and specification detail this record's own sections otherwise carry. This record's own identification section gives series 2K with body style K57, a two-door hardtop coupe shared by both the Grand Prix and the SJ, sourced to the same Standard Catalog table as the production and price rows.2
Fact sheet · 1973 · United States
The numbers
1973 Pontiac Grand Prix — The Colonnade-body Grand Prix arrives, with the 400 standard and the 455 in the SJ.
Coverage: Partial — researched sections are shown; missing ones are not yet sourced. Researched through 2026-09-23.
Every figure is labeled with how sure we are. Reported means a manufacturer, registry, or reference figure we cite but have not reconciled against factory records ourselves. Disputed means credible sources disagree and both are shown. Rows are separately scoped; don't add them together unless the note says they make up a total.
Key facts
- Factory prices: $4,583 for the Grand Prix hardtop and $4,962 with the SJ equipment; shipping weights 4,025 lb and 4,400 lb.2
- Pontiac's 1973 full-line brochure listed three Grand Prix engines, all with standard Turbo Hydra-matic: the 400 4-bbl (standard), the 455 4-bbl and the SD 455 4-bbl.
Production
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base "J" Hardtop1,2 Base "J" Hardtop · 2-door · not stated by source | 133,150 | built, model-year | Reported |
| "SJ" Hardtop1,2 "SJ" Hardtop · 2-door · not stated by source | 20,749 | built, model-year | Reported |
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Prix total1 not stated by source | 153,899 | built, model-year | Reported |
Production rows are the Standard Catalog of Pontiac lineage (read directly from the Standard Catalog of Pontiac, 2002, and as compiled by MuscleCarClub, which credits that book); the two are one lineage. The SJ was an option on the K57 hardtop, and the source presents the base and SJ rows as summing to its total. No engine, transmission, paint or trim counts were found.
Prices when new
| Model | Price | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Prix hardtop coupe (K57)2 | $4,583 | factory price as listed by the Standard Catalog, 1973 model year |
| Grand Prix SJ hardtop coupe (K57 with SJ)2 | $4,962 | factory price as listed by the Standard Catalog, 1973 model year |
Prices are the nominal dollars of the day, not adjusted for inflation.
Engines
| Engine | Factory rating | Availability | Built |
|---|---|---|---|
| T · 400 cid V81 400 cu in · 4-barrel | 250 hp, 325 lb-ft (SAE net (per source's note that post-1972 ratings are net)) | Not yet sourced | |
| Y · 455 cid V81 455 cu in · 4-barrel | 250 hp, 370 lb-ft (SAE net (per source's note that post-1972 ratings are net)) | Not yet sourced | |
| SD 455 4-bbl V-8 (Super Duty) 455 cu in · 4-barrel | listed as available on the Grand Prix in the 1973 full-line brochure; no evidence found that any were built | Not yet sourced |
Ratings are the manufacturer's advertised figures under the standard shown (SAE gross before 1972, SAE net after). They are not dyno results, and gross and net ratings can't be compared directly.
Transmissions
| Transmission | Availability | Built |
|---|---|---|
| Turbo Hydra-matic | standard with every engine | Not yet sourced |
Paint
| Code | Color | Built |
|---|---|---|
|
Starlight Black | Not yet sourced |
|
Mesa Tan | Not yet sourced |
|
Burnished Umber | Not yet sourced |
|
Cameo White | Not yet sourced |
|
Porcelain Blue | Not yet sourced |
|
Admiralty Blue | Not yet sourced |
|
Regatta Blue | Not yet sourced |
|
Desert Sand | Not yet sourced |
|
Golden Olive | Not yet sourced |
|
Verdant Green | Not yet sourced |
|
Slate Green | Not yet sourced |
|
Brewster Green | Not yet sourced |
|
Florentine Red | Not yet sourced |
|
Ascot Silver | Not yet sourced |
|
Valencia Gold | Not yet sourced |
|
Burma Brown | Not yet sourced |
Color names are the factory's. We don't show color swatches, because a screen color is no guide for a restoration.
Interiors
| Code | Trim | Built |
|---|---|---|
|
Front bucket seats with console and floor shift, or notch-back bench seat; cloth-and-vinyl or all-vinyl trim; all-foam front and rear seats | Not yet sourced |
|
Bucket seats upholstered in cloth and Morrokide, shown in burgundy; also available in beige and black | Not yet sourced |
|
Instrument and door panel trim of genuine African crossfire mahogany inlay; nylon-blend loop-pile carpeting | Not yet sourced |
Specifications
| Measure | Value | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Shipping weight2 | 4,025 lb | Grand Prix hardtop |
| Shipping weight2 | 4,400 lb | Grand Prix SJ hardtop |
| Wheelbase | 116 in | Grand Prix hardtop coupe |
| Overall length | 216.6 in | Grand Prix hardtop coupe |
| Overall width | 78.3 in | Grand Prix hardtop coupe |
| Overall height | 52.9 in | Grand Prix hardtop coupe |
| Track, front/rear | 61.9/61.1 in | Grand Prix hardtop coupe |
| Head room, front/rear | 37.6/37.3 in | Grand Prix hardtop coupe |
| Leg room, front/rear | 42.4/33.5 in | Grand Prix hardtop coupe |
| Shoulder room, front/rear | 58.8/57.1 in | Grand Prix hardtop coupe |
| Trunk capacity | 14.3 cu ft | Grand Prix hardtop coupe |
| Axle ratios by engine (standard; available) | 400 4-bbl: 2.93 (3.08); 455 4-bbl: 3.08 (3.23); SD 455 4-bbl: 3.42 :1 | Grand Prix |
| Standard tyres | G78-15 blackwall | Grand Prix hardtop coupe |
Identification
- Series and body
- Series 2K; body style K57 two-door hardtop coupe for both the Grand Prix and the SJ.2
Identification
Read a 1973 Pontiac VIN
The VIN decoder runs in your browser and never sends the VIN anywhere. How the factory numbered this year's cars:
Same model year
Also in 1973
- AMC AMX The Javelin AMX's best year. 5,707 were built, a quarter of them with the 401, alongside the Trans Am Victory decal and the Pierre Cardin interior.
- AMC Gremlin X and Spirit AMX The V8 Gremlin X continued, with new stripes and an available Levi's denim-look interior. No production split has been found.
- AMC Javelin The SST name dropped away and new twin 'TV-screen' taillights arrived. Javelin production reached 25,195, alongside the Trans Am Victory decal package.
- Buick Riviera Stage One (260 hp net) joined a separate GS handling package; 1,234 Stage Ones and 3,933 GS cars of 34,080.
- Buick Skylark Gran Sport, GS and GSX On the new Colonnade A-body the GS became a Century Gran Sport package; 6,637 were built, 728 with the 455 Stage 1.
- Chevrolet Chevelle and Malibu SS The Colonnade Chevelle's only SS year: RPO Z15 on the Malibu coupe and, for the first and only time, the station wagon, with a 245 net hp 454 available.
- Chevrolet Chevy II and Nova Hatchback appears in the source body table; SS offered with any engine per the source. Enthusiast-compiled production: 369,509 cars; Super Sport 35,542.
- Chevrolet El Camino SS The new Colonnade El Camino could still be ordered with RPO Z15 SS equipment; no El Camino SS count was found.
- Dodge Challenger The six was gone: every 1973 Challenger hardtop had a V8, the 318 standard and the 340 optional, with the Rallye now sold as a package.
- Dodge Charger The Charger's best-selling year of the original era, 119,318 cars, came as the 440 lost its Magnum name and the car moved toward personal luxury.
- Dodge Dart GTS, Swinger and Demon Renamed Dart Sport, the fastback's 340 model sold 11,315 in the 340's final year.
- Ford Maverick Grabber The 200 six became standard as the 170 was dropped; Classic Industries counts 32,350 Grabbers.
- Ford Ranchero GT The Ranchero GT continued on the 1972-76 Ranchero; 15,320 GTs were built, per reference-site counts in the Standard Catalog lineage.
- Ford Thunderbird The 429 4V was standard and the 460 4V optional in the sixth generation's best-selling year.
- Ford Torino The 1973 Torino kept the 1972 body behind a heavier bumper; the Gran Torino Sport fell to 51,853 SportsRoofs and 17,090 hardtops while the 351 Cobra Jet remained the performance engine.
- Mercury Cougar The last Cougar convertible and the last 351 Cobra Jet year, with production up to 60,629 as buyers shifted to the XR-7.
- Mercury Montego GT The Montego GT fastback's second and last year; a vehicle profile reports 4,464 built.
- Oldsmobile Cutlass, 4-4-2 and Hurst/Olds On the new Colonnade Cutlass the 4-4-2 was a W-29 appearance and handling option, and the Hurst/Olds came in white or, for the first time, black: 1,097 built.
- Plymouth Barracuda and 'Cuda V8 only: the 318 became standard on both Barracuda and 'Cuda, the 340 moved to the option list, and production rose for the only time after 1970.
- Plymouth Duster 340 and 360 The 340's last year in the Duster produced 15,731 cars with power front disc brakes now standard, and the Spacemaker Pak fold-down rear seat joined the line.
- Plymouth GTX, Belvedere and Satellite For 1973 the GTX name survived only through the Road Runner's optional 440 four-barrel, which came with TorqueFlite only; Mueller's Muscle Car Source Book counts 749 of them.
- Plymouth Road Runner A secondary count puts production back up to 19,056, the highest of the 1971-1974 Satellite-based years.
- Pontiac Firebird and Trans Am The Super Duty year: 4,802 Trans Ams, 252 of them SD-455s.
- Pontiac GTO A GTO option on the new Colonnade LeMans, with the 400 standard and a 455 optional; 4,806 built.
- Pontiac Grand Am Pontiac's Colonnade GT with an Endura nose and a 400 or 455; 43,137 built, the Grand Am's best year, with 1,058 four-speeds.
- Pontiac Tempest and LeMans The Colonnade LeMans arrives, with GTO and GT options for the two-door models and a Super Duty 455 listed for the LeMans in Pontiac's dealer book.