Another Pontiac! And whatever happened to the Complete Cutlass Chronicles? They’re coming, I promise, but I’ve had a bit of a problem with the very earliest ones. But having repeatedly been confronted with the picture of the 1963 Grand Prix in other articles the last couple of days made me think: when exactly did the GP really start its final descent? And then a mental image of this picture of a 1978 GP popped up. I shot this in San Mateo quite a while back, sitting there so modestly with its dog dish hubcaps and all. The question was answered. The sin of name debasement was rampant in Detroit, but here’s an example as deadly as any.
Let’s bring it out one more time: the ’63 was a stunner, and undoubtedly Pontiac had its work cut out for it in trying to sustain the GP’s halo car image.
By 1967, the GP was getting a bit hippy, and not in the usual sense of the word for that year. But it still managed to convey a certain exclusivity, especially in the ads of the times.
The GP had been downsized before, in 1969, when it rode on a 118″ version of the new mid-sized GM frames. It was a bold step to inject new life into the personal luxury coupe, and ignited that mammoth American love affair with that segment, especially now that it was a bit more affordable. Although now not quite as exclusive, the GP’s stunning good lines (here in what may be my best photo ever, thanks to a setting sun) managed to keep its reputation largely intact.
The 1973 – 1977 Grand Prix was more than a bit challenged to keep up appearances, but its dramatic lines, sculptured beak and very distinctive tail allowed it to hang on, just barely. In this piece we won’t go much into GM’s quality issues of the seventies, and focus more on the styling, and the image the GP exuded, or didn’t. Regardless of how one feels about this generation, it did draw looks, if not always the most admiring ones. The field was now very crowded, and the Cutlass Supreme had somehow captured America’s attention in a way the GP didn’t anymore. Perhaps this GP is too masculine or slightly threatening looking compared to the Cutlass, which exuded a more benign image of gentle middle-class luxury coupe aspirations.
I apologize for the lack of proper front-quarter and rear-quarter shots of this car, which was one of the first I ever shot. What struck me was the side view (top), and how remarkably plain and un-eyecatching it was. This was a Grand Prix? GM’s only effort in trying to maintain any sense of ties to the GP’s heritage was in the beak, but it now too was only a pathetic little caricature of the dramatic 1971 GP beak (below).
I understand that GM’s first wave of downsizing presented challenges in the effort to shed weight, but really…how about going against the grain and bringing back the round headlights? Anything to get away from that profoundly generic front end.
I suppose it still beats the tail, which has now been utterly plucked of any plumage. How the mighty have fallen.
The GP’s dash is the only bit of attempted flair in this otherwise utterly undistinguished interior. I won’t even bother to show you the ’63′s sacred space.
At least Pontiac acknowledged the GP’s decline with a modest price reduction, from the 1977′s base of $5120 to the 1978′s 4880. But that doesn’t begin to reflect the drastic decontenting that occurred in that transition. The 1978′s standard engine was now the 231 (3.8 L) V6, which brought 105 (net) hp to the non-party. A 301 (5.0 L) V8 version with 140 hp was available, as well as a 150 hp version for the GP SJ. At least the V8′s had a half-way reasonable power-to-weight ratio with the new lighter body. But what about the vaunted GP glamor?
I’m going to do something I usually don’t, and repeat the top picture again, because it tells the sad story of the once Grand Prix better than any more of my words can ever do.
Man, I love any Grand Prix. My Dad had a ’72 Model J with 400 cubic inch V8, dual exhaust and Rallye wheels. What a great car! Only problem was that it was a medium bronze with a lighter tannish half-vinyl roof…. Very 70′s for sure.
In CC’s damning this car and praising the Simca, all I can think of is how much I hated my mother’s ’86 Horizon and how much I loved my father’s ’84 Grand Prix.
It’s an upside world sometimes, eh? But your point is taken. Anyway,I never said the GP was a bad car per se; just that its once proud name had been debased.
Take that lock bar off of the steering wheel, who wants that thing?
In all fairness, this a bare-bones dog-dish model. I’ve never seen one adorned with those before.
Yeah as “low rent” as those wheels are I’m amazed this example isn’t one of the rare ones with a 4 speed MANUAL transmission. (The rareness of that would almost make it “lust worthy.”)
This definitely isn’t such a ‘grand’ prix, but this generation looked pretty good in black with the snowflake alloy wheels-I’m thinking of the picture in the 1978 Pontiac brochure. The ’81 facelift was actually an improvement.
Here’s a 78 Chevrolet Monte Carlo project car for sale with one:
http://www.ctcautoranch.com/Cars/Car%20Sub-Pages/Cars%20Chevrolet%20Cars.html
Although I’d rather have the 4 speed 79 GA seen here:
http://www.grandamman.com/contact.html
Back in the mid 80′s, my best friend, let’s call him ‘Jake’ had a 71 GP through our high school years. IIRC, it was a crappy golden brown w/ peeling landau’ roof (barf) — most bleak, but in spite of the livery, it was a thorobred to me!
By the time Jake purchased that (<$500) car it was already a goner but he made up for it by putting very little work or money (for that matter) into it. Fact is i doubt he even cleaned when he took possesion. That car rewarded us with many, many 90 mile Jersey shore (round trip) runs with trunkfulls of Red Whitle and Blue beer ($4.99/case). Wasn't good, just cheap.
Towards the end of our time in paradise (high school) — prom night to be exact, he ferried a car full of dopes and his equally libertine date on an overnight shore run. Gladly, I missed that one because on the way back ol' sleep deprived Jake nod off and swerved onto the shoulder and BARELY missed a State trooper ticketing another motorist. Well, that was the last time I saw that 71 GP as ol' Jake didn't need his drivers' license for the next 12 monthes~ I wonder what ever happened to that car……..
Yeah, it’s a bit on the bland side, but I still kind of like it. Maybe for it’s simplicity. However, the 1981 restyle totally turned this car into a looker IMO…
Yup, just like the rest of the G cars 81 was when they came into their own. The GP and Regal especially!
I’ll take mine in 87 GP 2+2 form please.
I agree with supremebrougham about the 1981 restyle. I think it improved the looks of the Monte Carlo and Regal as well. I always found the styling of the 1978-80 models to be a bit awkward. The Cutlass Supreme is a different story. Somehow the styling of the original downsized Cutlass just seemed to flow better… maybe that’s why it sold so well. Of course, the 1981-88 Cutlass Supreme was a handsome car, as well. For some reason, it seems like the downsized Grand Prix just never caught on as well as its siblings. I don’t have any evidence to back this up, but I have a feeling that’s still true today. Special editions aside, I bet a well-kept Monte Carlo, Cutlass Supreme or Regal could fetch more money on eBay than a comparable Grand Prix.
Having spent a lot of time in 78-80 Cutlass-GP-Monte-Regals, one thing that always stood out to me was that although the dash design was different in each model, the radio and climate controls were in the exact same place, and was of the exact same design.
The Cutlass was my favorite of this time period, probably because I owned a 7 year old model ( lime-green, buckets, floor shift w/ console, and the oh-so powerful 260 V-8 ), and as a 23 year old kid, I thought it was pretty cool.
To my eyes, the 2nd Gen Regal was the best looking of the G-bodies………
To riff off of a recent posting at the other site, I think the downsized GMs of the late 70′s was Detroit’s tutelage in how to deal with CAFE and unstable fuel prices. Granted, the Grand Prix in this posting is nothing like the 78 that I took to my high school prom, or even remotely like one of 60′s GP’s, but it was how we dealt with the realities of the situation in the late 70′s. Until electronics became our car’s saviours, instead of our enemies as it was back then, what else could they do to meet the requirements of the buying public? Today we have direct injection for power and torque we couldn’t imagine, six speed automatic trannies that get much better fuel mileage than manuals, and tires and suspension systems that can react faster than we can blink our eyes.
Who would have imagined back when this car was contemporary, I’d be driving a four cylinder 6 speed automatic 4 door sedan that has more horsepower, much better fuel mileage and much better space utilization (2009 Pontiac G6) and inflation adjusted, be a less expensive car to purchase and operate? If you would have said that was coming I would have asked to have a hit off of your bong. We live in the golden age of automobiles, really. I’m glad I was around to witness the malaise era, because as evidenced by the Gremlin review, younger readers can’t seem to wrap their heads around what was happening back then. I guess it’s up to us old farts to get the point across…
When I was a (little – younger than my daughter is now) kid my grandfather had a 78 Grand Prix. Though I’m pretty sure it was a V6, it was clearly more upscale than the vehicle pictured here. It had blue metal-flake paint and a white vinyl top with white vinyl seating and blue carpet. He tried to sell it himself after buying a brand-new 1984 Honda Accord and couldn’t give it away. Wound up driving it to the scrapyard.
These were the “slab side” years, which, with much relief, I breathed easier when these went away. The 80′s versions – especially the Buick Regal were almost back to what GM did best, minus pillarless, roll-down rear window styling, but those days, I’m afraid, are gone for good. (sob)
I think the Grand Am of those years looked better. The Grand Prix/Monte Carlo styling of that A-body downsize was awkward to be kind. Both improved with the 1981 facelift as they became known as G-bodies (The “A” designation went to the regrettable FWD mid-size series that began in ’82).
That metric TH200(?) trans was a real loser too, my in-laws had a ’78 Grand Am that went to AMMCO for a transectomy circa ’82. Came back with a TH350, end of problem.
They should have put a 4 speed stick in it (grumble grumble grumble…)
Here’s a picture of my 1978 Granprix, I’ve modified the engine to a 350, new enterior, suspention and paint job. What do you think?
Another picture
I like the color, although those wheels don’t work for me. On its own these aren’t bad looking cars but if you compare them to the ’63 above…you definitely get a sense of “How the mighty have fallen.”
As mentioned above these cars didn’t come into their own until the mid-life restyle. I have a deep love and respect for the G-bodies, as they are the last true GM muscle cars. Unfortunately I feel the Grand Prix is the least attractive. The Cutlass and Regal look relatively elegant and understated. For me the Monte Carlo is fine in base trim, but most of them in the South have been tarted up with SS front ends.
A Cutlass or Regal with T-tops with a high compression Olds or Buick 350 (hold the SBC) gets a slot in my Dream Garage.
I know a guy who drives one of these still. ’78 Grand Prix in faded blue with a saggin’ headliner. Car kinda makes me queasy when I look at it…..it seems so……unfinished.
Between 1981-84, the Oldsmobile 5.7L (LF9) diesel V8 was made available for the Grand Prix series. For 1982 only, it was the only V8 engine ever, between the discontinuation of the Pontiac 4.9L after 1981 and the 1983 model-year introduction of the Chevy 5.0L (305) V8.
During these four model years, though, the diesel, despite its problems associated with the 1978-80 units used in related GM products, had been rejuvenated in a few spots (hence the change of block code from “D” to “DX,” for example).
Still, how many of you here still own, or have once owned, a 1981 to ’84 Grand Prix diesel?
I owned three of this generation car. Have never seen one this stripped. Mine all had the upgraded exterior with bodyside moldings, rally wheels on two and snowflakes with red centers on the others, bucket seats and floor shifter on the 80 SJ car and all 3 had 301 Pontiac engines, the 79 was 2BBL and the 80′s were 4. My favorite was the 80 SJ which also came with dual exhaust, full gauge cluster, F-41 suspension, W72 version of the 301 which added 30 HP, 2.93:1 rear gears instead of the horrible 2.14′s in the other two cars and larger 205/70-14 tires mounted on those snazzy snow flake wheels. It was a fun car at the time and would easily beat 305 Monte’s, 302 Birds and 318 Cordoba’s of the same time era. Not a deadly sin in my book. No A-G body car should be on this list!