Almost Forgotten: 1977 Pontiac Astre Safari Wagon

A Pontiac dealer in 1977 must have been a very confusing place to visit. On the fancy side of the dealership you could get a full sized Bonneville, Safari, Grand Prix, and the recently downsized Catalina..which was now on par in size with a LeMans. One your way past the performance oriented Firebird you would find smaller cars like the Phoenix and the Ventura…but eventually you’d stumble upon a few unloved things in the corner including a subcompact Sunbird and the Astre. Where did all of these cars fit in the realm of GM’s Chevy, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, GMC, Buick, Cadillac brands?…I think you’d need a pivot table to properly understand it. But here is what you need to understand — this is a Vega powered by Pontiac’s iron duke 4-cylinder…which is the only reason it is still on the road because those alloy block engines in the Vega were dreadful. Find this 1977 Pontiac Astre Safari Wagon offered for $6,500 in Lucerne Valley, CA via eBay.

From the seller:

1977 PONTIAC ASTRE Astre Wagon Rare! Just Like the CHEVY VEGA!
Stock #:2099
Exterior Color:ORANGE
Interior Color:BLACK
Transmission:Automatic
Engine:151 CI 4 CYL
Title Condition:Clear
Vehicle Description

1977 Pontiac Astre Wagon Rare! Just Like the Chevy Vega! Clean West Coast car! Clean body and floors. Strong original 4 cylinder 151ci. Engine with automatic transmission. Air conditioning and heat! Power Steering and front power disc brakes! All new brakes just done. New tires 175-70-13. New shocks and belts included. Older paint but still shines, does have some small flaws. Nice interior! Everything seems to be in good working order. New battery. No leaks, smoke or noises. Runs and drives excellent! Dash vin plate and data plate match clean title.

See a better way to drive a Vega? tips@dailyturismo.com