Sunday, September 13, 2015

1967 Pontiac Grand Prix - Stab It And Steer

 
While the advancement in automobiles over the twenty or thirty years makes cars of this vintage  seem quite crude, by the time that I became of driving age in 1981, new cars had become so bad that I believed that "older" cars like this were considered to be superior to them. The whimsical design of this 1967 Pontiac Grand Prix only adding to the mystery of older cars for me.  
 
 
I've never been the biggest fan of these bulky, big Grand Prix' but I have to admit there is a certain elan to them that makes them oddly appealing. It could certainly have a place in my fantasy garage although I can't say that it would get that much use. There's a fine line between ugly and cool and this old beast really (fender) skirts it.
 
 
The nothing if sporty looking sporty interior hides a GM B body frame and everything good and bad that went along with that. Loosey goosey, over boosted steering, under boosted brakes and unsupportive seats. Note that lack of seat belts. Optional still in 1967. That's not two radios, incidentally, the one in the center of the dash controls HVAC.
 
 
The new for 1967 400 cubic inch V-8 with a nary an emissions control device at the ready. Stab it, hold on and steer best you could; this thing can move.
 
 
Unlike chocolate and peanut butter, some things do not go well together. Like sweet, alcoholic drinks, sexy cheerleaders at football games and a luxury car with sporting pretensions. Mag wheels with white walls and fender skirts? Seriously? Not to mention the wretchedness of vinyl tops. The color of this car screams "old man" as well.
 
 
The asking price for this well preserved "big GP" is near $15,000 and I find that money to be extraordinarily high for a car with very limited appeal. That's almost GTO money, not mint condition GTO but still GTO money,  for a car that many would scratch their head and go, "what is that?" If you're into collector cars that's one question you hear at car shows that really means, "nice car...hope you didn't spend too much on it."
 
 
 
 
 

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