CC Fever can run in families. My brother, Peter, spotted and photographed this beautiful, ’74 Grand Prix on the bricks of Hendry Street in downtown Fort Myers, Florida, about a year ago. In the background is the historic Edison Theatre Building, which originally opened in 1941 and was converted to law offices at some point during the 1980’s. It’s doubtful that a car as nice as this ‘Prix would have been parked downtown when new in ’74 for a first-run film at this older theater. However, the reflections of the streetlights and that glorious, neon marquee gleaming off the sculpted, neoclassic sheetmetal and chrome of our subject car makes me believe it happened. C’est si bon!
Peter’s shot brought to my mind the moody, nocturnal feel of the photography featured in Pontiac sales brochures of the 1970’s. It wasn’t wasted on me that the GP on the ’74 brochure cover was sitting on brick pavement, as was our featured car. My siblings and I may have differing perspectives on what it was like to grow up in our GM factory town in the 70’s and 80’s. All the same, my brother’s clear appreciation of this beautiful Grand Prix finished in spicy Fire Coral Bronze shows it’s likely our love of cars was heavily influenced by the environment in which we grew up.
Downtown Ft. Myers, Florida.
Friday, January 16, 2015.
Related reading:
- From Aaron65: Brochure Classic: The “Why Do I Like This?” File, Part I: 1975 Pontiac Grand Prix; and
- From Paul Niedermeyer: Curbside Classic: 1976 Pontiac Grand Prix – Grand Size, Medium Prize.
I’m not a fan of GM Colonnade cars, but the GP in my opinion is the best of a bad bunch. I prefer the frontal styling of the 1977 model even though the 455 was no longer available by then. I wouldn’t mind a ’77 SJ with an Astroroof.
A 1977 SJ with 400 Poncho mill and snow flake alloys in black with maroon interior would be my pick.
A buddy of mine had a 77 GP just like above with red vinyl interior. This was the quietest car I have ever ridden in even with the speedometer pegged past the 85 MPH mark!!
My buddy’s 75′ Grand Prix was quiet at 80 plus mph, but my Granny’s 77′ LTD was MUCH quieter and almost as slow even with a 460 4bbl.
I later learned that the 460 had 7.5:1 compression, retarded cam timing, and something like a 2.28 rear axle ratio so THAT kept it sluggish AND quiet.
It was still quicker than the 400 in that Grand Prix…….. Barely.
I would say they both did 0-60 in the 14 second range.
That LTD was super reliable, one water pump and one fuel filter in 12 years and 150000 miles.
I too prefer the square headlight update, in particular that 77 arrangement with the middle parking light(despite kinda being an Oldsmobile thing). Really these and the 77 trans am were the only “old” bodied cars that were improved from ditching the rounds. I can’t say the same for a lot of other cars GM made that transition with, including it’s Chevy cousin.
I appreciate these so much more now than I did then. Back when new, these were really common, seen everywhere, including next door where Mrs. Bordner finally acknowledged middle age and traded the 71 GTO in on one. She had at least two of these. The only one I can readily ID is the 76 because of the grille eerily similar to the 41 Continental.
I think I like the 73-74 (with its big neoclassical round headlights) the best. Very nice picture!
This generation of Grand Prix was one of my favorite cars at that time. I would have loved it if my parents had driven home in something like this (or a Grand Am or Cutlass).
I’m with you, JPC – I prefer the 1973 – ’75 models. I used to like the ’73 the best, but I think the front of the ’74 – even in spite of its 5 mph bumpers – has a slightly more “finished” look. Like you, I like all Colonnade GP’s now more than ever.
Geeber, these GP’s were also some of my favorites. I love how the doors had that dip at the window-line like on the Corvette.
Really love this! I think the 73-77 GPs are the best looking cars of the 70s. But, of course I am biased because my first car was a 1977 GP that I got as a hand me down from my brother in 1989 (which I still have btw) They are the last of the great-looking, highly styled Pontiacs and with the RTS suspensions, they actually handle pretty well for such a big car and were pretty well-built too; mine has over 300K miles on it now. Truly the last of the great cars from GM. The 78’s lost all of their character with boxy bland styling and corporate engines and the later FWD GM10-based GPs aren’t even worth mentioning.
I was 16 when I got mine in the late 80s but I always thought that Molly Hatchet, ELP and Styx sounded better in the Grand Prix!
oops I meant ELO, not ELP! I think ELO is more appropriate for the Collanade cars and maybe ELP for a 69-72 GP
ELO sounds best on a 8-track!!!
I was all set to write “Joseph, you’ve done it again” when I saw that the photo was his brother’s.
Well, the Dennis Brother shave done it again! What a photo.
My buddy had a white 75′ with red interior, the slowest but toughest thing i’ve ever been in.
He beat the hell out of it and it just took it and took it.
I’d love to go back in time and find out what was wrong with that thing because NOTHING is that slow…………
The mid to late 70’s Grand Prix and Grand LeMans had the best interiors, dash, and instrument cluster in the entire GM line.
Those Collonade cars were very tough and strong, and very over-built, like a truck. The frames, suspension, and bodies were very durable, much more so than the cars that came before them, and the downsized models that came later. Very solid, albeit heavy.
I had a 73 Century, and a friend had a 74 Regal, both got beaten a lot and never failed.
Beautiful pic. And the GP wore those safety bumpers better than most in 1974.
I just rewatched Michael Mann’s Thief this last week, that photo looks like it could be a still from the movie, great shot.
I’ve said it before, but those mid-’70s Pontiac brochures were atmospheric in just the right way. Your brother’s picture itself could have come right out of the 1970s.
Among the GM personal Broughams, this was pretty good. The Cutlass was classier, the Monte Carlo was uncharacteristically ugly for a Chevrolet with fenders that were sadly over-styled, and the Gran Prix had all the Pontiac looks that worked in a Brougham package.
I favor the 1973 for most attractive of this generation. The bumpers were slightly smaller and actually added to overall Baroque styling.
That is a fantastic shot! Captures the essence of the car–exactly what personal luxury was all about. Kudos to your brother, I hope he’ll give us more.
I prefer the models with the big 7 inch headlights, like this one. That is a great street photo! The ad photos that display the car on the brick surface especially the past ads that featured a pre war Classic in the background were fantastic. These were cars for people (mostly men) that wanted to project a classy,stylish, rakish Image. Sure, imaged trumped reality but how I miss these kind of cars!
Jose, I completely agree – the round-headlight versions were the best. I don’t hate the 1976 – ’77 versions, but the 1973 – ’75 just seem “right” and truest to the GP’s neoclassic mission. I, too, miss cars like this that were as much sculptural art as transportation. (Thanks also, RE: my brother’s photo. 🙂 )
Great photo! These cars, along with the Firebird, kept Pontiac afloat during the mid- and late 1970s. One question – didn’t these sport REAL wood on the dashboard?
Thanks, Geeber. 1974 was the last year for real wood (mahogany) trim in the dashboard. For ’75, it was replaced with plasti-wood.
Thank you, Joseph Dennis. I guess GM had to make up the cost of the new-for-1975 catalytic converter somewhere.
I always liked the colonnade cars, but I prefer the Buick and the Olds to the Chevy and the Pontiac.
Had a friend in high school in the 1980’s who had one of these and my other buddies and I were so into imports that we thought it was the cheesiest car we could imagine. Just looked like they copied the styling from a pimp-mobile.
Case in point: 1969 Stutz Blackhawk Prototype
Of all the 1973-77 GP’s I consider 1974 to be my favorite year, I’ve always thought the rounded headlights of the GP’s were the best looking of the GM Colonnade personal luxury coupe’s although a 1976-77 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme and 1976-77 Chevy Monte Carlo (I actually prefer the squared headlights on these cars more) are close behind.
One big problem with Lincolns idea to go with the split grill from their past was that they last used it in 1941 and in the meantime Pontiac made that look their own. When Lincoln brought it back in recent years everyone was thinking it looked like a Pontiac. Deadly sin.
Thanks, everyone, RE: my brother’s photo. He and I have definitely had our “Ray and Robert Barone” moments of one-upmanship, but there was no denying this shot was golden. #everybodylovesraymond
I remember reading descriptions of this car as “neo-classical” or something like that. I couldn’t see the connection back then. Your brother’s picture brings it out. With the deco theater in the background and the perfect lighting, this could be a scene from Gangbusters. ’32 Caddy pulls up in front of the theater, target walks by with his blond dame, six wise guys pour out of the Caddy and ventilate the target. Dame shrugs and hops in the Caddy with the wise guys.
The early downsized Grand Prix’s had Duesenberg inspired model names of J and SSJ so they were definitely thinking in a “neo classical” sort of way. The 71 and 72 looked like a Duesenberg with a 70’s vibe going on , even doing without the Pontiac split grille to capture the look. By 73 the look was evolving towards the 41 Lincoln, with the 76 removing any doubt where the styling inspiration was coming from. The 78 to 87 to me evoked the 48 to 50 Packard. After 87 the Grand Prix became an invisible blob to me.
I’ve always thought the GP was much better looking than its Monte Carlo cousin. My folks best friends had a 75 in white they bought new. Black does look better though. They kept theirs until the late 80’s. It did start to rust out at the base of the rear window probably after 8 years or so. But still a gorgeous car.
IMO I prefer the 1976-77 Chevy Monte Carlo over the 1976-77 Pontiac Grand Prix yet I MUCH prefer the 1973-75 Pontiac Grand Prix over the 1973-75 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, I’ve thought the headlights looked ugly on the earlier Colonnade Monte Carlo’s.
No. That thing is awful and not even the best of the various essentially identical GM cars.
This is a Gran Prix.
Or this.
Did the 60’s Grand Prix’s start off as a full sized car before switching to midsize? I’ve always liked the 60’s Grand Prix’s a lot (especially the 1965-66’s) and never understood why they weren’t a big seller until the downsized 1969 models.
It started out as FS in ’62. By ’68, the concept was getting tired and bloat had set in.
Hey listen! Is that someone beating on the inside of the trunk?
It must be generational. I was born in the mid-70’s, and the Colonnade and next-generation of downsized Grand Prix came to define (in my mind) what a GP was. Your two examples are beautiful cars, but if shown a picture of one when I was maybe ten, I’d have thought they were just nice, old full-sized Ponchos. Of course, as an adult, I have come to appreciate the earlier, full-sized Grand Prixes, especially the masterful ’63.
By the late 1960s, full-size cars – even Pontiacs – were rapidly becoming “mom and dad” cars. Pontiac, under John DeLorean, read the tea leaves correctly, and remade the Grand Prix into a specialized, rebodied intermediate. It was a huge sales success. If the Grand Prix had continued on the full-size platform after 1968, it probably would have been gone by 1972.
According to his book, JD wanted enough funding to base the whole ’69 Pontiac on the G-body. He, and others in his circle, felt that the the B-bodies were becoming too large and bloated.
Top execs liked the designs (imagine a G-body 4-door HT Bonneville, for example). But in the end. he got funding only for the GP.
The 74 isn’t my favorite year for the GP but It definitely stands out in a very positive way from the other Collonades to my eyes, but inside I just love these. Easily the best American car dashboard of the era, it still looks modern.
Interior looks copied from a ’69 or ’70 Mopar to me.
While I’m not a colonnade fan in general, I do think these Grand Prixs are by far the best of the bunch. The baroque but elegant styling of the ’69-’72 models translated extremely well to the new ’73, large round lamps and all. Compared to the change in the Monte Carlo (which saw an elegant design go bizarre baroque overnight) the GP executed a masterful transition.
The later quad-lamp cars are lookers in their own way, but these looked better in the beginning. Especially the ’73 models, as the later 5 MPH bumpers blunted the sculpturing of the tail.
I hope you don’t mind, but I did a quick retouch in Photoshop to bring a little more out of the shadows. I do like your brother’s moody shot but I wanted to see a little more of the car. The downside is that there is a lot more noise visible. As a former 1977 GP owner, I am a big fan of these cars! They were the richest and most upscale-looking of the Colonnades, in my opinion.
Very cool. I liked the nighttime theme in the 1972-75 Pontiac brochures. Always thought this one was a little odd, parked on the dock at 3 AM? “And no one ever saw Big Tone again…” 🙂
Hi Tom,
I guess this post qualifies as Tom Klockau click bait 🙂