pictures by Triborough
Let’s take a quick look at the final-year big GPs, before it was reconstituted in 1969 as a mid-plus sized coupe (CC here). That rather brilliant move by John DeLorean solved the GP’s decline into irrelevancy, and sales almost quadrupled. The GP was one of the pioneers of the big sporty-luxury coupe market, and as such, it was fitting to see it re-define the class a second time, especially so since this last (big) year GP was looking a bit lost.
DeLorean had growing doubts about the relevance of ever-bigger full-size American cars, and that obviously applied to the coupe version more than the sedans and wagons. He was of course right on the money, as the mid-sized personal coupes, typified by the Cutlass Supreme, would soon dominate the sales charts for two decades. Cars like this GP just weren’t inspiring either the stylists or the buying public.
The world had changed drastically and quickly in the mere five years since the superb ’63 GP first graced the streets. And the results weren’t exactly always pretty.
Within a few short years, the GP lost any sense of stylistic leadership, and it appeared that the designers were just re-arranging details one more time for a new model year. Well, they obviously knew a fresh one was on the way by this time. It looks like their main efforts went into trying hard to make it look like the smaller A-Body LeMans.
Note: a rerun of an older post.
While the original was a strikingly handsome man in his 40s sporting a Tom Ford tuxedo, the ’68 was the ’63 gone to seed after too many years of too many Manhattans wearing a polyester leisure suit, having become a rather louche lounge lizard. Sad finale to a very elegant automobile.
I’m never going to unsee the resemblance between that halo vinyl top and a receding hairline now.
I always saw the 63-68 Grand Prix as a way to spend too much on a Catalina. You could option up a Catalina with all the same goodies. The base interiors on the big Pontiacs were NICE, it wasnt like a Chevrolet where there was a BIG difference in going from a Biscayne to an Impala and a Caprice.
Yeah the exterior styling was a wee bit different except for 68 and the flip up lights. Once again both beautiful cars but I think Id rather use my $$$ for a 421 tri-power v8 or air conditioning than the fancier Grand Prix trim.
As a 60’s Pontiac fan, make mine a 64. They started to add visual weight starting in 65, which favored the full size 4 door hardtops nicely, but the GP started to lose its athleticism. The 67 had lost the mojo, and this 68 is worse to my eyes, just a sad and charmless effort.
My dad had a ’68 Le Mans A body. At the time I was a kid and I didn’t like it. It was gold exterior, gold interior with that shiny pointy beak. Over the decades, it has aged better… but this Grand Prix is big. I saw on the street a ’67 Pontiac Executive coupe in pretty ragged shape. It is a HUGE car.
Kind of a butter body.
The grill is tight, but that
body has TOO MANY weird lines, and weird tail lights going on.
(Ironically, the 69’/ 70′ G.P.
were butter FACES! )
What were they smoking back then??? 😜 🚬
Something that I always find striking about the 1968 GP is how the sheetmetal is virtually unchanged from the prior year. Yet, the dramatic departure in the front and rear end treatments make it look like a completely different car.
With that said, the ’68 Grand Prix has a pretty sizable role in ‘Goodfellas’. Certainly not as memorable as the car casting in other famous movies, but for CC aficionados, still pretty cool.
Other cars in the movie included a 1st generation Riviera and a 1966 Chrysler Newport convertible.
Don’t ask me to ride in the trunk. (Although it undoubtedly has a lot of room.)
I remember the very first time I saw a 1963 Grand Prix .
I still think it’s lovely .
-Nate
The ’68 pics are stirring up some ghosts for this newcomer to CC. I grew up ( and partied) in Milwaukee. The 1st pic is taken on the east side of Milwaukee, in fact I stumbled out of Hooligans more than once. Right in the heart of Milwaukees lower east side, and “Hooligans” only scratches the surface. Farewell, Prospect, North Ave, Brady St, the old Oriental Theater( don’t ask what went on there) all old hippie district. The sunny image with windows down is during the short time called summer, usually, July 4th to Labor Day.( cough) I thought the ’68 was a wonderful car, very clear it was a GP in every way.
Now, as the new guy, I have a question, if I become a member, is the commenting easier. Right now, the comments are shoved to the left, AND, it takes forever for a comment to register, in fact, I have to get off the site or my computer shuts down due to too much time. Any advice? CC has some really cool topics I’d like to be part of, I’m not a spammer, just have a tough time finding vintage pictures and topics. I do recognize some folks from other sites in the past. Thanks.
It’s the vulgarly protruding rear wheel arches and fenders that ruin the whole line.
They had fender skirts as standard equipment and look better with them on in my opinion. The car pictured here has them off.
The 68 is definitely not my cup of tea.
I have never been able to warm up to the “Bunkie Beak” on the 1967-up Pontiac cars, This questionable styling feature, in my opinion, ruined some otherwise attractive bodies.
Site is slow to post the letters and keeps refreshing before I can finish: I give up!
I’ve always liked most American full-]size Pontiacs and in particular the 63 Grand Prix.
This 68 GP doesn’t do it for me, just a little too much sheet metal in places. And then the 69 hit the market. Wow, what a come back.
I enjoy Pontiacs. And 60’s Big Pontiacs, naturally the Grand Prix too.
The 68 while I’d still drive one, and I do like it. It just seems that the front and rear don’t exactly match. Front is Perfect for a Big Pontiac, but the rear looks too ‘similar’ to how the 70-72 GTO/Lemans Taillights/Bumper look. Clearly, the GP had it first, but it fits so much better on the “smaller” midsize car. Feels (well, looks) so out of place on the big car. All of this is not helped by the profile from the rear roof to the back, again, kinda awkward.
So, I don’t know if it was the People so much, but the designers that “gave up” on the ole girl, and THEN, the people didn’t like the designs.
I’ll still take one though… (for the right price).
My mom’s cousin had a brand new 69 GP SJ. FAST! I was 9. Bought a 67 GP in 1979. Loved it. Had to sell it while In my 2nd year of college. Cost to much to drive every day. Still kicking myself!
My great-uncle drove a ’68 Grand Prix. He looked like Don Knotts as Mr. Furley in the TV show “Three’s Company” — an aging dandy wearing polyester leisure suits, white bucks, silk scarf, and a toupee. Always driving around in this this car with one of his various middle-aged “lady friends.” For me, this car -like its driver and his passengers- exemplified the term “gone to seed.”
The 1968 model year is my second favorite after the 1962. Especially in dark or jewel tone colors. Referring to the caption in the photo above, I think it may be the resemblance to the smaller LeMans that hits me. I like the look of the LeMans but I prefer the size of the Grand Prix. When I was in my 20s my pop had a 66 Riveria, I had a 68 Gran Sport, and my cousin had a 70 Gran Prix. My pops Riveria was my favorite because of the size (as well as the 46f Wildcat engine)..