When I was a kid I didn’t know how to pronounce “Grand Prix” until I saw it advertised on tv. I also didn’t know that Grand Prix was named for a car race. I thought “Prix” was pronounced “Pricks” 😢
About 20 yrs ago, I parted out a 68 GP, lots of rust, pulled engine and transmission, scrapped the rest. It had bucket seats, center console with floor shift and 8 lug wheels. I'm a idiot, btw it was black on black on black too. 400 4 barrel carb, no brakes, no title.
This was peak GM & peak Pontiac under John DeLorean. The average buyer of this car in 1968 was not really concerned with how much room there was in the back seat----GPs were not marketed as a "family car." Rode in a college roommate's '68 Grand Prix and he easily "buried the needle" at 120 on the Ohio Turnpike (at 2am one morning in 1972). So yes, it might have topped out close to 130 mph...his GP had the 428 4-bbl. with Turbo Hydra-Matic.
@@What.its.like. My roomie's GP was a very stable & smooth riding car which I got to drive a few times. When he punched that 428 it would push us back against the seat.
Hey Jay, I absolutely love these big boats, the hidden headlights are stunning, I especially like the models with the bucket seats with center console & those fantastic 8 lug wheels!!!! Thanks for sharing this gorgeous classic!!! 👍👍🎃
I love the 68. Fewer than the 67, and overshadowed by the new 69. Big bold massive presence. When optioned with buckets and floor shift they are super sporty. Awesome
I am not a fan of the AI narrator I totally know what you mean welcome to the channel if you’re new this channel we are going to cover all of the cars that are off the beaten path/orphans =)
I totally forgot to edit that out sometimes the words are just really hard to come up with on the spot I suck at talking on the spot it’s something I need to work on
@@What.its.like. It's O K. Just remember, courtesy lights are to help you get in and out, as a courtesy. Vanity mirrors are to check your hair and makeup. You can use it to see if your lipstick is smeared. LOL.
These are some of my favorite models of Pontiacs of that era. They're so huge and beautiful! 🤩 The lines are are so elegant on such a large vehicle I think, and I love the interiors and the incredible color options!
The Pontiac, was great looking machine, I loved the front end. My cousin had a 68 Road Runner, when I had the GP, the Road Runner couldn’t keep up with the Pontiac. I loved Pontiacs, I had a 60 Catalina, a 65 Lemans, and the 68 GP.
The Grand Prix had a standard 350 hp 400 cubic inch engine, the 265 hp engine was a no charge option, the 290hp engine was standard on Catalina models because my folks 69 Catalina had that engine, it ran on premium fuel
A lot of people think that grill between the seats was the speaker, and Pontiacs the speaker was always in the rear package shelf that was just a trim piece
There were no GM cars Which used the Hydramatic after the 1964 model year. If 3-speed, They were the Turbo Hydramatic 400 automatic. Other automatics in 1968 were the ST300 and Powerglide, both 2-speeds. Buick-imported Opels used the Holden Tri-matic, later known as the TH180. Rolls-Royce was the last to use the Hydramatic and they manufactured it in-house. The A/C part you didn't know what it was is a muffler to smooth out the pulses. Most cars had them back then and for years later.
I showed the keys because I thought it was funny that Edsel had different blanks in 58 somebody was telling me that those aren’t the right keys in a comment.. That is the same key for Ford use the 1958 as well as 59 I guess I haven’t done a 59 Ford yet but I’ve done a 58 I’m pretty sure the 57 key was very similar as well
GM really cheapened up the interiors in everything they produced in 1968... The 67s we're still pretty nice, but as far as the Pontiac line went, the 65-66 cars were probably the pinnacle of interior quality. That vinyl top design with the paint running up off of the A Pillar all the way to the rear quarter, is called a "Halo Top"... Incidentally, the vinyl that was used on this particular car's roof isn't what it originally had. The original material had more of a pebble grain to it and was of a more matte finish. But yes! Those GPs still ran like scalded dogs, even in '68... And in fact, up until the 1972 models. They were great cars for the money.
I loved all three, but If I could choose which one I’d love to still have, it would be the 65 Lemans. I loved the staked headlights, and the car was yellow, with a black vinyl top. The interior, was the same as the GTO, with bucket seats, and console. I should have kept the car, and made a GTO clone.
IMOP the worst looking of the older GPs - up through post 1980, culminating iwth the grotesque Areocoupe mid-80s. Oh, those fender skirts, fat rear end, halo vinyl roof and cutting edge molded door panels with 'rich 'burl wood' trim and a completely unresolved forward section. The 69 came along just in time, and sales soared.
1976 Pontiac Grand Prix finest? You're kidding, right? Those were bloated, overweight and underpowered. Maybe that's your thing ? Any Grand Prix prior to 1972 was superior. Superior in performanc, superior in styling, and superior in materials up through 1968.
One of my favourite designs - I prefer it to the '69. The back lights are fantastic, as they curve in three dimensions. Too bad we didn't get to see them.
100% aftermarket wheel. They were quite popular in the day. The horn button rarely works. My '62 Impala has a real walnut wood wheel. Horn button under dash
Hi Justin, as we got into the late 60s, the big three automakers started to delete the vent windows because air conditioning became more popular and more so to save money per car. Automobile glass became thinner to save money and save weight. No window frame(s) means that the car is a "hardtop" and not a "sedan" The transmission shift indicator; P-park, R-revers, N-neutral, D-drive, S-second, L-low. The large aluminum cylinder you see next to the air conditioning compressor is a muffler to dampen noise and vibration when the air conditioning is on. By the way the conditioning compressor you see on the car at this time is not GM-Frigidaire, it's aftermarket. Please reply. Dave...
I was wondering if someone can reply to this question. I have seen 1965-68 Pontiac Grand Prix's at car shows. I have seen 1964-67 Pontiac 2+2's at car shows, they are both ride on the GM "B" platform, they both have the same 121" wheelbase and they are both full size performance personal luxury cars. But what was the cost difference and/or the mechanical difference between the two? It's as if Pontiac Motor Division had two cars competing with each other. Is there anyone who can answer my question? Please reply. Dave...
I've actually never liked the way pontiac designed the temp gauge identical to the radio. I dont like that look on a dashboard. But Pontiac was always my favorite. They had some beautiful cars and I've had 3 of them. Pontiac LeMans, Pontiac Firebird, and a Pontiac Grand Prix. My Grand Prix was a 1985. With T Tops. I loved that car. Oh, also a fourth one as well. A 1984 Pontiac Sunbird.
I don't know if you ever did a video on one of these but how bout a 1965 to 67 AMC/Rambler Marlin?.and if you want to try and stump us with one of your 🎶 how bout something from the Yardbirds?. They only had one, first Eric Clapton, two, Jeff Beck, and three, Jimmy Paige as 🎸.
I did a rambler marlin I think it was a 66 is either 65 or 66 because 67 is totally different.. but I’d love to do another one I’m gonna hit the car again because the last one I didn’t get to drive and I really like to drive it and see what that is like.. But definitely start hitting some Yardbirds for sure I’m a huge Jimmy page fan I think he’s one of the best guitarist of all time
You screwed up a lot about the first engine. First, the 290 HP engine was not available on a '68 Grand Prix. Second, the 400 2-bbl with 8.6:1 compression was rated at 265 HP, not 290. Third, a buyer did not "bump it up" to the 350 HP engine because that was the standard engine on '68 Grand Prix. He could "bump it down" to the low compression, regular fuel 265 HP engine for no cost, but the premium fuel 350 HP 4-bbl was standard. There was never a standard engine with 2-bbl carb on any Grand Prix until 1976.
Thank you so much for those corrections I think I got all the information from concept cars but they took down their post because they gave carburetor information and a lot of times is wrong on information..
I had one, but the dash was slightly different. There was s map light where the center vent is at and I am sure the climate control was the common GM climate control of the time. Probably because mine didn't have air conditioning. It is the only car I wished I kept.
@@What.its.like. It was the hidden headlights that first caught my attention. The rear body styling, especially the taillights were also eye catching. One thing I didn't like was the bench seat. Most GPs have a center console. It was long and low, and look cool going done the street. When I got the chance to buy it, I jumped on it.
Grand Prix switched from the GM B-body in '69 to the original G-body [a modified A-body, different wheelbase and no body panels interchanged] and stayed there till the end of '87 when it switched to the FWD W-body. Grand Am was built on the A-body 1973-75 and was advertised as the luxury/touring of the GP and the driving dynamics of the Trans Am. The name came back 1978-80, again on the A-body. It returned again in '85 on the FWD N-body and remained thru the early 2000s. SIDEBAR.....1967-68 were the only year for hidden headlamps and 1967 was the only year for the convertible. Great video, Jay. If you get a chance, do a review on a '77 CanAm.
What do you mean "from 1962 to 2008 with break periods in between. In other words, it was a non-consecutive run"?? What model years do you think were a "break" or non-consecutive? 👎 There aren't any. There were Grand Prixs offered in every model year between 1962 and 2008.
Optional vs standard equipment on the 5 GM divisions confuses me. For example if you got a Chevy with options that got you to a base level Buick would the cost be similar?
@Michael Long Yeah... You could theoretically "tart up" a Chevy and pay just about what you'd get a loaded Bonneville for... Say you bought an Impala convertible, but ordered the deluxe interior with all of the power options, a/c, a special paint code and the 427 four speed... You'd be up there in Bonnie territory.
It’s confusing today, but not back then. Choosing options could actually run your final MSRP to be higher on a base model than on the top of the line model fully equipped. The sales strategy was to upsell via options and customer psychology never really questioned it.
Let’s hang on by the Four Seasons!
When I was a kid I didn’t know how to pronounce “Grand Prix” until I saw it advertised on tv. I also didn’t know that Grand Prix was named for a car race. I thought “Prix” was pronounced “Pricks” 😢
Same lol =)
My favorite Four Season song was “December 1963 (Oh, What A Night!)”
@@glennso47 hahaha... Didn't we ALL?🤣
I love the four seasons I like under my skin but not sure what my favorite song is.. just like the Beatles and The Beach Boys I like a lot of music =)
That bad boy is what I took to learn in drivers training in high school.
About 20 yrs ago, I parted out a 68 GP, lots of rust, pulled engine and transmission, scrapped the rest. It had bucket seats, center console with floor shift and 8 lug wheels. I'm a idiot, btw it was black on black on black too. 400 4 barrel carb, no brakes, no title.
This was peak GM & peak Pontiac under John DeLorean. The average buyer of this car in 1968 was not really concerned with how much room there was in the back seat----GPs were not marketed as a "family car." Rode in a college roommate's '68 Grand Prix and he easily "buried the needle" at 120 on the Ohio Turnpike (at 2am one morning in 1972). So yes, it might have topped out close to 130 mph...his GP had the 428 4-bbl. with Turbo Hydra-Matic.
Great story thank you so much for sharing that memory was it super stable at speed
@@What.its.like. My roomie's GP was a very stable & smooth riding car which I got to drive a few times. When he punched that 428 it would push us back against the seat.
I know it is debatable, but I believe 60's era Pontiacs were the high point of American automotive design. Great video Jay (as always).
My favorite era of Pontiac is 1947 through 1954 the silver streak era or straight 8 era
But 60s was prime time for Pontiac Courtesy of John DeLorean
These were nice cars, and darn fast! Joe Pesci drove one of these in "Goodfellas".
Hey Jay, I absolutely love these big boats, the hidden headlights are stunning, I especially like the models with the bucket seats with center console & those fantastic 8 lug wheels!!!! Thanks for sharing this gorgeous classic!!! 👍👍🎃
I love the 68. Fewer than the 67, and overshadowed by the new 69. Big bold massive presence. When optioned with buckets and floor shift they are super sporty. Awesome
Aside from the car, I really appreciate the fact that this video features non-Ai narration... thank you!
I am not a fan of the AI narrator I totally know what you mean welcome to the channel if you’re new this channel we are going to cover all of the cars that are off the beaten path/orphans =)
@@What.its.like. Thank you for the warm welcome! Loving the content 😀
For the love of Henry Ford, the visor mounted mirrors are VANITY mirrors, not courtesy mirrors.
I totally forgot to edit that out sometimes the words are just really hard to come up with on the spot I suck at talking on the spot it’s something I need to work on
@@What.its.like. It's O K. Just remember, courtesy lights are to help you get in and out, as a courtesy. Vanity mirrors are to check your hair and makeup. You can use it to see if your lipstick is smeared. LOL.
Lovely car, btw the roof is called a halo vinyl roof. I think it was an option.
Awesome information =)
These are some of my favorite models of Pontiacs of that era. They're so huge and beautiful! 🤩 The lines are are so elegant on such a large vehicle I think, and I love the interiors and the incredible color options!
The Pontiac, was great looking machine, I loved the front end. My cousin had a 68 Road Runner, when I had the GP, the Road Runner couldn’t keep up with the Pontiac. I loved Pontiacs, I had a 60 Catalina, a 65 Lemans, and the 68 GP.
Awesome out of all of those Pontiacs which one was your favorite and why?
The Grand Prix had a standard 350 hp 400 cubic inch engine, the 265 hp engine was a no charge option, the 290hp engine was standard on Catalina models because my folks 69 Catalina had that engine, it ran on premium fuel
Awesome thank you for the correction =)
Love those old body styles!
Thank you for sharing this 😊🐿
Thank you so much for watching
The '67 GP was the only year of the convertible.
A lot of people think that grill between the seats was the speaker, and Pontiacs the speaker was always in the rear package shelf that was just a trim piece
Thank you so much for that correction
Man thats one beautiful 68 Pontiac Grand Prix brother.
There were no GM cars Which used the Hydramatic after the 1964 model year. If 3-speed, They were the Turbo Hydramatic 400 automatic. Other automatics in 1968 were the ST300 and Powerglide, both 2-speeds. Buick-imported Opels used the Holden Tri-matic, later known as the TH180.
Rolls-Royce was the last to use the Hydramatic and they manufactured it in-house.
The A/C part you didn't know what it was is a muffler to smooth out the pulses. Most cars had them back then and for years later.
Thank you so much for those corrections =) and added information
Fascinating how the key went into the trunk lock upside-down and came out right side up. GM definitely had some alien space age tech back then...
I showed the keys because I thought it was funny that Edsel had different blanks in 58 somebody was telling me that those aren’t the right keys in a comment.. That is the same key for Ford use the 1958 as well as 59 I guess I haven’t done a 59 Ford yet but I’ve done a 58 I’m pretty sure the 57 key was very similar as well
Hey GM
Love the ❤️
That piece that you didn't know about is a muffler part of ac system
Thank you so much =)
Adam from Rare Classic Cars discussed gas and brake pedal sizes recently. Olds Toronado had the biggest. I have 2 '66s
GM really cheapened up the interiors in everything they produced in 1968... The 67s we're still pretty nice, but as far as the Pontiac line went, the 65-66 cars were probably the pinnacle of interior quality.
That vinyl top design with the paint running up off of the A Pillar all the way to the rear quarter, is called a "Halo Top"... Incidentally, the vinyl that was used on this particular car's roof isn't what it originally had. The original material had more of a pebble grain to it and was of a more matte finish.
But yes! Those GPs still ran like scalded dogs, even in '68... And in fact, up until the 1972 models.
They were great cars for the money.
Thank you so much for all the added information =)
Thanks for this doing this car.
Thank you for watching plan on doing them all =)
Frankie valley and the 4 seasons let's hang on 1965
Very quick car for that time.
Yeah it was it was a different car very big car
I loved all three, but If I could choose which one I’d love to still have, it would be the 65 Lemans. I loved the staked headlights, and the car was yellow, with a black vinyl top. The interior, was the same as the GTO, with bucket seats, and console. I should have kept the car, and made a GTO clone.
Sweet =)
That AC compressor has to be after market.
Let’s hang on to what we’ve got, Four Seasons!
You got it a great song for a great car =)
I had a 68 GP it was green!
Sweet what do you think of the car?
Had 68 429/390hp with a Hurst 4 spd installed factory. Traveling Agent RR , paid good mileage, but later with the gas lines too to long.
That cars sounds awesome =)
what a real car looks like. not todays little plastic toys
Totally agree =)
NICE JOB!
Thank you =)
IMOP the worst looking of the older GPs - up through post 1980, culminating iwth the grotesque Areocoupe mid-80s. Oh, those fender skirts, fat rear end, halo vinyl roof and cutting edge molded door panels with 'rich 'burl wood' trim and a completely unresolved forward section. The 69 came along just in time, and sales soared.
Cool😀
Nice….please do a report on the finest Grand Prix model year….1976. That was Pontiacs finest ever.
I’ll look for a 1976 thank you so much for the request =)
1976 Pontiac Grand Prix finest? You're kidding, right? Those were bloated, overweight and underpowered. Maybe that's your thing ? Any Grand Prix prior to 1972 was superior. Superior in performanc, superior in styling, and superior in materials up through 1968.
One of my favourite designs - I prefer it to the '69. The back lights are fantastic, as they curve in three dimensions. Too bad we didn't get to see them.
=)
100% aftermarket wheel. They were quite popular in the day. The horn button rarely works. My '62 Impala has a real walnut wood wheel. Horn button under dash
It was super quiet in there I did not want to beep the horn lol that’s why I was talking more quiet than I normally do
Four seasons
Hi Justin, as we got into the late 60s, the big three automakers started to delete the vent windows because air conditioning became more popular and more so to save money per car. Automobile glass became thinner to save money and save weight. No window frame(s) means that the car is a "hardtop" and not a "sedan" The transmission shift indicator; P-park, R-revers, N-neutral, D-drive, S-second, L-low. The large aluminum cylinder you see next to the air conditioning compressor is a muffler to dampen noise and vibration when the air conditioning is on. By the way the conditioning compressor you see on the car at this time is not GM-Frigidaire, it's aftermarket. Please reply. Dave...
I thought the S stood for super..
Thank you so much for all of that information I really appreciate it =)
'S' on Pontiac stood for 'SUPER', not 'second'. You must not be a Pontiac guy.
@@MarinCipollina Thank you for the correction! Dave...
You gave the pros and cons for the 65 & 66 Grand Prix however, you showed a 68 Grand Prix. There is a difference.
Because it said it was the same as the 68
I was wondering if someone can reply to this question. I have seen 1965-68 Pontiac Grand Prix's at car shows. I have seen 1964-67 Pontiac 2+2's at car shows, they are both ride on the GM "B" platform, they both have the same 121" wheelbase and they are both full size performance personal luxury cars. But what was the cost difference and/or the mechanical difference between the two? It's as if Pontiac Motor Division had two cars competing with each other. Is there anyone who can answer my question? Please reply. Dave...
I've actually never liked the way pontiac designed the temp gauge identical to the radio. I dont like that look on a dashboard. But Pontiac was always my favorite. They had some beautiful cars and I've had 3 of them. Pontiac LeMans, Pontiac Firebird, and a Pontiac Grand Prix. My Grand Prix was a 1985. With T Tops. I loved that car. Oh, also a fourth one as well. A 1984 Pontiac Sunbird.
It was an interesting design choice that’s for sure
It's the HVAC system. not the temperature gauge.
Four Seasons let’s hold on
=) great song and band
Just American cars ♥
There is some foreign cars peppered in
I don't know if you ever did a video on one of these but how bout a 1965 to 67 AMC/Rambler Marlin?.and if you want to try and stump us with one of your 🎶 how bout something from the Yardbirds?. They only had one, first Eric Clapton, two, Jeff Beck, and three, Jimmy Paige as 🎸.
I did a rambler marlin I think it was a 66 is either 65 or 66 because 67 is totally different.. but I’d love to do another one I’m gonna hit the car again because the last one I didn’t get to drive and I really like to drive it and see what that is like.. But definitely start hitting some Yardbirds for sure I’m a huge Jimmy page fan I think he’s one of the best guitarist of all time
You screwed up a lot about the first engine. First, the 290 HP engine was not available on a '68 Grand Prix. Second, the 400 2-bbl with 8.6:1 compression was rated at 265 HP, not 290. Third, a buyer did not "bump it up" to the 350 HP engine because that was the standard engine on '68 Grand Prix. He could "bump it down" to the low compression, regular fuel 265 HP engine for no cost, but the premium fuel 350 HP 4-bbl was standard. There was never a standard engine with 2-bbl carb on any Grand Prix until 1976.
Thank you so much for those corrections I think I got all the information from concept cars but they took down their post because they gave carburetor information and a lot of times is wrong on information..
Don't take everything for truth on the internet. Check at least 3 sources. No one likes a liar.
I had one, but the dash was slightly different. There was s map light where the center vent is at and I am sure the climate control was the common GM climate control of the time. Probably because mine didn't have air conditioning. It is the only car I wished I kept.
Awesome thank you so much for sharing your experience with your car on here.. =) what did you like the most about your car
@@What.its.like. It was the hidden headlights that first caught my attention. The rear body styling, especially the taillights were also eye catching. One thing I didn't like was the bench seat. Most GPs have a center console. It was long and low, and look cool going done the street. When I got the chance to buy it, I jumped on it.
What about the2+2
What is the difference between the Grand Prix and Grand Am?
Grand Prix switched from the GM B-body in '69 to the original G-body [a modified A-body, different wheelbase and no body panels interchanged] and stayed there till the end of '87 when it switched to the FWD W-body.
Grand Am was built on the A-body 1973-75 and was advertised as the luxury/touring of the GP and the driving dynamics of the Trans Am. The name came back 1978-80, again on the A-body. It returned again in '85 on the FWD N-body and remained thru the early 2000s.
SIDEBAR.....1967-68 were the only year for hidden headlamps and 1967 was the only year for the convertible.
Great video, Jay. If you get a chance, do a review on a '77 CanAm.
So the 350 HP engine was 1.1 seconds faster to 60 than the 375 HP?
I got those specs from this site
www.automobile-catalog.com/car/1968/2792180/pontiac_grand_prix_hardtop_coupe_428_v-8_4-bbl_hydra-matic.html#gsc.tab=0
What do you mean "from 1962 to 2008 with break periods in between. In other words, it was a non-consecutive run"??
What model years do you think were a "break" or non-consecutive? 👎 There aren't any. There were Grand Prixs offered in every model year between 1962 and 2008.
.
Optional vs standard equipment on the 5 GM divisions confuses me. For example if you got a Chevy with options that got you to a base level Buick would the cost be similar?
Super confusing I totally agree
Yes, they could be similar. However, driving dynamics were vastly different.
GM was five little kingdoms under one umbrella back then.
@Michael Long
Yeah... You could theoretically "tart up" a Chevy and pay just about what you'd get a loaded Bonneville for... Say you bought an Impala convertible, but ordered the deluxe interior with all of the power options, a/c, a special paint code and the 427 four speed... You'd be up there in Bonnie territory.
It’s confusing today, but not back then. Choosing options could actually run your final MSRP to be higher on a base model than on the top of the line model fully equipped. The sales strategy was to upsell via options and customer psychology never really questioned it.