1961.E2.80.931970 Pontiac

1964 pontiac bonneville brougham



full size pontiacs 1960 1968 featured these unique, finned, 8 bolt rims, aided in cooling of drum brakes

the 1961 models reworked. split grille returned, all-new bodies , new design of perimeter-frame chassis full-size models (something adopted of gm s intermediate-sized cars in 1964, , full-sized cars in 1965). these new chassis allowed reduced weight , smaller body sizes. interesting note styled chevrolet still used radically different x frame in 1960s.

but complete departure in 1961 new tempest, 1 of 3 bop (buick-olds-pontiac) compacts introduced year, others being buick special , skylark , oldsmobile f-85 , cutlass. toward end of 1961 model year upscale version of tempest called lemans introduced, named after famous 24 hours of le mans auto race in france.

all 3 uni-body cars, dubbed y-body platform, combining frame , body single construction, making them comparatively lighter , smaller. 3 put production new technology pushed john delorean gm had been working on several years prior, tempest far radical. flexible steel shaft rotating @ speed of engine delivered power front-mounted engine through torque tube rear-mounted trans-axle. innovation not delivered close 50/50 front-rear weight distribution drastically improved handling, enabled four-wheel independent suspension enhanced more. eliminated large floor hump common front-engined rear-drive cars.

though tempest s transaxle similar 1 in corvair, introduced year before, shared virtually no common parts. gm had planned launch pontiac version of corvair (dubbed polaris ), bunkie knudsen—whose niece had been injured in corvair crash—successfully argued against idea. polaris design apparently made full-scale clay before cancelled. instead, delorean s rope-shaft design green-lighted.

contemporary rumors of rope-shaft s demise due reliability problems unfounded; rope-shaft s durability , performance had been proven in tests in full-size pontiacs , cadillacs in 1959, , adapted smaller car in 1960. tempest won motor trend car of year award in 1961—for pontiac, second time in 3 years. delorean s vision has been further vindicated adoption of similar designs in slew of modern high-performance cars, including porsche 928, 924, , 944, corvette c5, , aston martin db9.

unless customers checked option, tempest s power-plant 194.5 ci inline-slant-four-cylinder motor, derived right bank of venerable pontiac 389 v8, enabling run down same production line 389, saving costs both car s customers , pontiac. pontiac engineers ran tests of motor literally cutting off left bank of pistons , adding counterweights crankshaft, , surprised find maintained heaviest pontiacs @ on 90 miles per hour (140 km/h). in production, engine received crankshaft designed 4 cylinders, didn t solve balance issues. engine gained nickname hay baler because of tendency kick violently, farm machine, when timing off.

the aforementioned buick 215 v8, ordered less 2 percent of customers in 2 years available, 1961 , 1962. today, 215 cars among sought-after of tempests. in 1963, pontiac replaced 215 new 326 336 bore of 3.78 , stroke of 3.75 ( same stroke 389 ), iron block mill had same external dimensions , shared parts 389, altered, reduced bore. car s body , suspension changed lower, longer , wider. response more half of 1963 tempests , lemans (separate lines 1 year only) ordered v8, trend did not go unnoticed management. next year, 326 become true 326 new bore size of 3.72. tempest s popularity helped move pontiac third place among american car brands in 1962, position pontiac hold through 1970. buick 215 v8 remain in production more thirty 5 years, being used britain s rover group after had bought rights it. gm attempted buy rights back, however, rover wished, instead, sell engines directly.

in november 1961, knudsen had moved chevrolet. pete estes became general manager of pontiac , delorean promoted pontiac chief engineer. both continued knudsen s work of making pontiac performance-car brand. pontiac capitalized on emerging trend toward sportier bucket-seat coupes in 1962 introducing grand prix, taking place of ventura became trim option on catalina. although gm officially ended factory support racing activities across of brands in january 1963, pontiac continued cater performance car enthusiasts making larger engines more power available across model lines. 1963, grand prix received same styling changes other full-sized pontiacs such vertical headlights , crisper body lines, received own squared-off roof-line concave rear window, along less chrome. concave rear window duplicated on tempest/lemans four-door intermediates in 1964-1965.

for 1964, tempest , lemans trans-axle design dropped , cars redesigned under gm s new body platform; frame cars conventional front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout. important of these gto, short gran turismo omologato, italian grand touring, homologated used ferrari badge announce car s official qualification racing. in spite of gm unwritten edict against engines larger 330 ci in intermediate cars, delorean (with support jim wangers pontiac s ad agency), came idea offer gto option package included 389 ci engine rated @ 325 or 348 horsepower (260 kw).

the entire pontiac lineup honored motor trend s car of year 1965, third time pontiac receive such honors. february, 1965 issue of motor trend entirely devoted pontiac s car of year award , included feature stories on division s marketing, styling, engineering , performance efforts along road tests of several models.

1969 pontiac gto convertible

due popularity of gto option, split being option on tempest lemans series become separate gto series. on technology front, 1966 saw introduction of new overhead camshaft 6-cylinder engine in tempest, , in industry first, plastic grilles used on several models.

the 1967 model year saw introduction pontiac firebird pony car, variant of chevrolet camaro brand s answer hot-selling ford mustang. intermediate sized cars (tempest, lemans, gto) mildly face-lifted full size cars , gto lost tri-power engine option though did larger 400 cubic-inch v8 replaced previous 389. full-sized cars got major facelift rounder wasp-waisted body lines, name change mid-line series star chief executive , one-year-only grand prix convertible. 1968 introduced endura rubber front bumper on gto, precursor modern cars integrated bumpers, , first of series ram air engines, featured induction of cold air carburetor(s) more power, , took away of sting deleting famous tri-power multiple carburetion option engine line up. tri carburetor deletion came 14th floor of gm banning multiple carburetion , headed gm president ed cole. ram air v garnered auto press publicity, relative few made available sale. full-sized cars , intermediates reverted vertical horizontal headlights while sporty/performance 2+2 dropped lineup.

for 1969, pontiac moved grand prix full-sized lineup g-body model of own based on a-body intermediate four-door modified 116 inches 118 inches wheelbase chassis, distinctive styling , long hood/short deck proportions create yet niche product - intermediate-sized personal-luxury car offered luxury , styling of higher priced personal cars such buick riviera , ford thunderbird , old grand prix , olds starfire lower price tag. development of car has interesting twist. pete estes knudsen had moved gm of chevrolet in 1966 , delorean general manager of pontiac division needed car take place of sagging sales of full size grand prix, development cost of car of burden pontiac division alone, delorean went old boss @ chevrolet gather support development cost of new g body grand prix. estes agreed share in cost , allow pontiac have one-year exclusivity on new car, next year chevy follow version called chevrolet monte carlo. new grand prix such sales success in 1969 dealers moved 112,000 units - more 4 times number of grand prixs sold in 1968. full-sized pontiacs substantially restyled retained same basic under-body structure , chassis debuted 1965 model - in fact roof-lines four-door pillared sedans , safari wagons same 1965 models, while two-door semi-fastback design gave way squared-off notch-back style , four-door hardtop sedans more squared off 1967-68 models. gtos , firebirds received ram air options, gto saw addition of judge performance/appearance package, , firebird got trans package. although conceived 303 cubic inch model compete directly in trans racing series, in cost-saving move pontiac trans debuted standard 400-cubic-inch performance engines. year saw de lorean leaving post of general manager accept similar position @ gm s chevrolet division. replacement f. james mcdonald.

pontiacs built in late 1960s conformed new u.s. federal motor vehicle safety standards. these included energy-absorbing interior parts such steering columns, steering wheels, knobs , handles, dual-circuit hydraulic brake systems, shoulder belts, side marker lights, , headrests.

the 1969 firebirds. received heavy facelift otherwise continued same original 1967 model. final year overhead cam six-cylinder engine in firebirds , intermediates, , firebird convertible (until 1991). production of 1969 firebirds extended first 3 months of 1970 model year (all other 1970 pontiacs debuted sept. 18, 1969) due decision delay introduction of all-new 1970 firebird (and chevrolet camaro) until feb. 26, 1970.

in addition in late-1960s, gm directed gm , pontiac divisions develop concept mini-cars called commuter car urban drivers. gm developed gasoline-electric drive hybrid xp-833 , pontiac x-4 rear-wheel drive mid-engine car powered radical x-shaped aircraft type air-cooled two-stroke radial engine standard crankshaft replaced unit called scotch yoke. while gm car tested pontiac concept not. neither placed in production.