Posted on 05/11/2009 9:07:29 AM PDT by yankeedame
If you haven't heard, Pontiac is no more. In an exclusive story for PM, Jay Leno looks back at the 83-year-old brand, focusing on Pontiac’s historic muscle cars and surprisingly innovative technology.
By Jay Leno
Published on: April 28, 2009
I was always a fan of those "Wide Track" Pontiacs of the '60s. When I was a little kid there was no sexier wheel—either in the aftermarket or in regular production—than the 8-lug Pontiac wheel. I remember first seeing them around 1962 on some of the big Bonnevilles. My mom’s Falcon had four lug nuts, the bigger cars on the road had five lug nuts—these Pontiacs had 8.
Eight!
And the wheels fit onto those beautiful finned brake drums. I thought—that’s just the coolest wheel I’ve ever seen. So I really liked those big Pontiacs. And, of course, what kid didn’t go crazy for the GTO—the car that started the whole muscle car craze. The first few years of the GTO were great. Pontiac went from being the old salesman’s car in the 1940s to the hip cool car of the 1960s. And John DeLorean was a hero of mine when I was a kid. Then he was the center of scandal in the '80s—and I lost interest in everything he did.
(Eight Lug Nuts)
My favorite period for GM was when each division had its own V8s. Oldsmobile had its own engine for the 442, Pontiac had its 389 and 421 and Chevrolet had the 396 and 427. Then of course in the late '70s and early '80s, they all switched to the same 350 cubic-inch Chevy V8. That was okay, but I liked the brands when they all competed against one-another. Sometimes Olds would be up, and Pontiac would be down. Then Pontiac would win and Buick would come back strong too. It was a much more competitive time between the divisions.
Pontiac had some very innovative technology back then, like the overhead cam six cylinder engine. At the time, overhead cams were unheard of on American cars. The early Tempest used a 195 cid four-cylinder that was basically one half of the 389 cubic-inch V8 block. It had a "rope drive" transaxle—essentially it was a flexible driveshaft. That was pretty cool. Of course there were the Firebird and Trans Am—those were great cars. To me the '69 Firebird with the 400 was the one. Obviously the Firebird was based on the Camaro body. But still, it was unique enough in its own right. I was never a big fan of the Smokey and the Bandit, big-chicken-on-the-hood Trans Am. I understood why they were popular but I liked the more technically innovative cars, like that early Tempest.
Pontiac was a great brand.
I think GM brought back some performance in the last couple years with the Pontiac G8—its a real sport sedan. I liked the last re-incarnation of the GTO too. I thought it was smart, powerful and a grownup driver's car. Unfortunately it didn’t have a lot of the hood scoops and racing stripes some might have wanted. It didn't look enough like a GTO and it was probably priced a little too high. They let me borrow one when it first came out—it was a terrific car.
But I guess if a brand had to go, it probably had to be Pontiac. I understand why they have to do it. You take your biggest divisions and you keep those. These days there are just too many car companies chasing too few customers and not enough to differentiate between the marques. GM already has a very exciting car—the Chevrolet Corvette. And if you need another one, you've got the Camaro. So really, GM was just competing against itself. I’m not an accountant or an automotive executive, but I’d guess if GM built another Firebird they’d only take sales away from the Camaro. Its just redundancy.
But I’d like to see the Pontiac Solstice get saved and brought back as a Chevy. It's fast, comfortable, fun and affordable. I think GM is taking the right steps now so I think they’ll come out of this in good shape. Cadillac is making world-class cars and Buick has become the number one brand in the 2009 JD Power Dependability Study. I think GM has the quality product. It’s just a matter of getting the word out.
Jay,
Releasing the stranglehold of legacy costs and union wages and benefits would help, too.
1976 Pontiac Sunbird was my first car - my parents stuck me with it. 140 cu. in. with a 1 barrel carb vibrated like it was about to explode. Clutch was too small for its weight. What a horrible car. I will never own a Pontiac as a result.
My ‘68 was Agenta Teal (a purdy blue), with the tac out on the hood.
I loved the firebird that Jim Rockford drove....
Little GTO, you’re really lookin’ fine
Three deuces and a four-speed and a 389
Listen to her tachin’ up now, listen to her why-ee-eye-ine
C’mon and turn it on, wind it up, blow it out GTO
You oughta see her on a road course or a quarter mile
This little modified Pon-Pon has got plenty of style
She beats the gassers and the rail jobs, really drives ‘em why-ee-eye-ild
C’mon and turn it on, wind it up, blow it out GTO
Gonna save all my money (turnin’ it on, blowin’ it out) and buy a GTO (turnin’ it on, blowin’ it out)
Get a helmet and a roll bar (turnin’ it on, blowin’ it out) and I’ll be ready to go (turnin’ it on, blowin’ it out)
Take it out to Pomona (turnin’ it on, blowin’ it out) and let ‘em know (turnin’ it on, blowin’ it out), yeah, yeah
That I’m the coolest thing around
Little buddy, gonna shut you down
When I turn it on, wind it up, blow it out GTO
Written by John Wilkin
Performed by Ronny and the Daytonas
Peak chart position # 4 in 1964
Roger and Tony drove Pontiacs on I Dream of Jeannie. It would have been a better show if it just had Jeannie and the Pontiacs.
Pontiacs varied all over the place. Introduced as the “cheap line” Oakland back at the beginning of the Great Depression, it managed to hold onto a market share all through the down years, just a little better built than the Chevrolet, but definitely cheaper than a Buick or Oldsmobile. The early models were all adorned with a nickel-plated or chromed set of stripes down the center of the hood and down the trunk. When the 1949 models were introduced, they had to make a last-minute change to the grille, which was originally nearly identical to that of the recently introduced 1949 Ford, with the center ball and the little loop up in the center of the front of the hood. The customizers caught on to this pretty quick, and a favorite trick for years was to substitute the Pontiac center bar for the Ford center bar, which surprisingly enough, was almost exactly of the same dimensions.
So to not only differentiate from Chevrolet, but Ford too, when the 1955 Pontiac was introduced, there were very few parts of the skin interchangable with competitors. The silver streaks were still there, but now they were parallel stripes, separated to the sides of the hood, no longer running down the center line. The stripes were mutated and almost gone by the time the 1959 models were introduced, and I believe they disappeared altogether after that.
One of the models was even called the “Silver Streak”, and another, in honor of Chief Pontiac, was called the “Chieftain”
I’m still rollin’ in my ‘99 Bird at about 150,000 miles.
Sad to see Pontiac go. I have a 1989 GTA and I really like the style. I think this is a chance for Buick to step up to the plate seeing as GM will keep the model. They should expand their line and make some performance models. Maybe even go so far as to make a Buick version of the Camaro.
Seems the 98/99 were good years on the FBody. I just rolled over 140k on my 98 Z28. Still purrs.
Buicks are old people cars!
Grandma buys the Buick name and does 15 in the left lane in a V8 with 450HP haha
My grandad says bring back the Oldsmobile 442 .... other than Pontiac and Oldsmobile what other muscle car did GM build? Was there a Buick muscle car?
My first car was a 1969 Bonneville two door hardtop with a 400. Bought it in ‘81 and drove it regularly until about 1992. Still my favorite car...
My old man was a Pontiac guy. He had a ‘52, ‘55, ‘65 and a ‘68. My first one was a 1965 Catalina 2+2 convertible that I bought in 1969. It had a 4-speed gearbox and the 356 h.p. tri-power 421. The thing weighed at least 2 tons so it wasn’t much of threat to the Goats and 396 Camaros and Chevelles but it sure could lay a patch of rubber. All that torque and those relatively skinny G-70 tires meant the tires would scream as long as you wanted to keep in in 1st gear. God I wished I had that car back!
GM became worried many years later that parts of it would subject then to punitive damages for injuries to pedestrians
Buicks made the Gran Sports based on their Skylark model.
The GS 400.
...ps. Forgot about Chevrolet .... didn’t they have a fuel injected model at one time?
I was designated driver for my friends who wanted to drink and I charged for gas. Used the money to take my date to the drive-in.
Would pick up 5-6 girls to take to dances. Always careful whom to take home last.
I could do more, but why brag. Loved that car.
Yep. 283 and 327 corvettes up through 1965 I believe and the 57 Chevy full sized car had the 283 Rochester fuel injection set-up as well.
I would die if I saw that on the road. Nice!
Skylark GS, 1968 to 1971. Best Bucik ever built.
How could I forget the Corvette? So it’s the only muscle car that GM is making? I guess it’s put up against the Ford Mustang ....
My parents bought three consecutive new Bonnevilles... the last being an 1976 version with a 455 engine! I lost my viginity in that car. :-) (Still, a personal favorite).
My wife and I bought a ‘89 Bonneville from National Rental car.. it was probably the best deal we ever made any car. Later, we bought a loaded down ‘94 Bonneville. This car was also phenomemal. I just sold it last November. It has 160,000+ miles, and still running strong.
Sadly, in 2000 when we went to look at a new car, the Bonnevilles had become so SMALL, they no longer fit my family. We bought a Toyota Avalon instead, and WOW,what a difference....
GM’s demise has been no surpise to me.
Having such similar cars can cause mistaken identity and get you tried for murder too.
Luckily a 1963 Pontiac Tempest has a limited-slip differential and an independent rear suspension, while a 1964 Buick Skylark doesn’t. Saved by the Tempest’s innovative features!
Click on #32
Hell yes !
The GS 455 (with a Buick 455) would run in the 12 second range in the Stage 1 version with just a set of headers. Stage 2s and 3s were correspondingly more performance for more dough.
Muscle galore compared to its competitors.
I have a ‘57 Chieftain. It’s in pieces in the garage.
I may get busy and get it rolling / running as a tribute to the division.
My Grandmother LOVED Pontiacs. She had a ‘50, a ‘56, and a ‘60.
Her ‘60 Ventura was one of my all-time favorites. My Dad “helped” her order it. It was a black two-door hardtop, with the 389, a four barrel carb, and dual exhausts. It was a total sleeper, and it FLEW. I’ve always thought it was our family’s own precursor to the GTO. he he
I cried my eyes out when my Grandmother sold the ‘60 to buy my Uncle’s BORING ‘65 Oldsmobile Dynamic 88. Ecch!
my dream car.
Shoot y'self now and get it over with ...
I bought the demo with 51 miles in Oct. '67 .... put it on the rd Jan '68 ...
are'y sittin' down?
$3,050.00 ... out the door.
I permanantly broke it in '69 ... Let's just say God kept me alive.
LOVED that "Wide trackin', Pontiacin', M*********in' FIREbirdin'"
I remember those days. 5$ a tankful, but who cared?
Babe(s) magnet (another story, another time)
Actually the 2009 Pontiac G8GXP is a pretty potent ride. It has the same LS-3 engine as the Corvette (detuned to 402 h.p.) and you can get the 6-speed Tremec manual transmission. Pontiac says 0-60 in 4.7 seconds and 13 seconds at a hundred and eight in the quarter. Not bad for a 2-ton 4-door.
Oh man there was a guy in my home town that had a Stage III Buick and that thing was BAAAD. Still has the thing.
Too bad. Pontiac was the only GM brand I consistently liked. Never owned one, but always like the Firebird over the Camaro, and the old GTOs were the objects of teenage envy.
I love my ‘98 Firebird T/A. It’s at around 67k miles now. My hubby wanted me to trade it in on something more “practical” until he had to drive it one day when his car was in the shop. At the gas station, he got some attention from Firebird admirers and he was convinced that perhaps it’d be a classic some day and we should hang on to it. LOL.
Until recently, I held out hope they’d bring the Firebird back and give it the retro treatment like the new Camaro and the Mustang. But alas, Pontiac is no more. :(
Gee, Jay, if you’re such a fan of Pontiacs, maybe you shouldn’t be such a big supporter of Zero.
Beautiful, isn’t it, even more so in ‘person’, so to speak.
The one I just looked at was a deep ruby red and just glowed.
Bet it becomes a collector’s item.
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