In July of 1983 Clark Griswold (played by Chevy Chase) decided to take his family out west on vacation in a brand new (light green) station wagon. The car had been cosmetically altered to mask the brand’s identity. However, with my x-ray vision and my in-depth knowledge of all things automotive, I was able to tell that it was either a Chevrolet or a Pontiac in disguise. Their cross-country trip was fraught with improbable calamity from start to finish. ‘Tis a very funny movie.
The first time I saw the movie it was 98 minutes of déjà vu. In July of 1960 my father Bob Utley (played by Bob Utley) decided to take his family out west on vacation in a brand new (light green) station wagon. It was a Pontiac Catalina station wagon. It did not have air-conditioning. In the month of July in the Mojave Desert, when the temperature hits 120 degrees you really, really, really need air conditioning. The locals probably thought we were visitors from the Middle East when they saw us racing down the two-lane road with water soaked towels wrapped around our heads.
We didn’t have nearly as much excitement as the Griswold’s did, but overall it was a great vacation. We all liked the new Pontiac wagon. It was big, roomy, comfy, powerful, and wasn’t bad lookin’ either. Thus began our family’s affair with Pontiacs.
In the summer of ’63 Dad came home one night with a new Pontiac Grand Prix (see photo above). In those days the Grand Prix was just about the sexiest car on the planet. To me, about to get my drivers license, this was a very big deal.
The two-door Prix was long and sleek with a Naugahyde (pleather) interior. The chrome shifter for the auto trans sat atop the console between the bucket seats. A large chrome tachometer sat up and stared back at you from the front of the console. Sporting a 389 CID-V8, a big thirsty quad carburetor, 3.90:1 rear end, and a limited slip differential this car was “street-ready” right out of the box. It was also a chick-magnet when cruising through Ted’s on Woodward.
By 1965 I had fallen madly in love with the Pontiac GTO, “The Goat”. For a year all I could think about was getting a GTO. (Just for the record, I also thought a lot about my girlfriend and future wife Christine.) My favorite song at that time was (of course) “Little GTO” by Ronny and the Daytonas. I think I sang it in my sleep.
When it was time to get my first new car in ’66, Dad and I went shopping the Pontiac stores to get me a GTO. Since I was only 19 at the time, Dad would have to sign for the loan and the car, and I would have to make the monthly payments. I was working full time as press operator at Utley Brothers and going to Macomb Community College at night.
It just so happened that the Rinke brothers in Warren, MI had exactly the GTO I had envisioned. Before hand, I had made a pact with my dad that we would not spend over $3000.00. But we couldn’t get the salesman to go below $3200.00 on this car. We left the dealership with my dream of driving a new Goat in shambles.
A few days later I found a new Chevrolet Malibu SS-396 that I liked almost as much. It had virtually the same amenities and performance as the GTO and we got the Chevy salesman down to $2900.00. On the street, the GTO and SS-396 were considered archrivals for drag racing. I had a lot of fun with that Chevy, but I’ve always had a special place in my heart for a ’66 GTO, even to this day.
Back in ’77 I bought a Pontiac Catalina station wagon to haul our three small boys around in. It was a great car and we had it for 11 years. It even had air-conditioning
Pontiac has been around since 1926, but it’s roots go back to 1893 when the Pontiac Buggy Company was building horse-drawn carriages in Pontiac, Michigan. In 1907 the Oakland Motor Car Company was formed to get in on the automobile business as the demand for carriages was decreasing.
A few years later General Motors bought Oakland and it eventually became the Pontiac division. Over the years millions of Pontiacs have been sold to the American public. Pontiacs have always been especially popular with performance enthusiasts.
It’s been painful to watch the Pontiac Motor Division decline to its present state. Now that GM has publicly gored it, let’s hope they give it a more humane death than Oldsmobile got a few years ago. It will soon be part of history like other auto brands that have been put to rest.
I think what GM has been forced to learn is something Ford has always known. If you have too many brands and too many models the view gets blurry in the eyes of the consumer. When the consumer quits buying, it’s time to go back to basics and get a new vision.
Pontiac Motor Division, …..rest in peace.
The first time I saw the movie it was 98 minutes of déjà vu. In July of 1960 my father Bob Utley (played by Bob Utley) decided to take his family out west on vacation in a brand new (light green) station wagon. It was a Pontiac Catalina station wagon. It did not have air-conditioning. In the month of July in the Mojave Desert, when the temperature hits 120 degrees you really, really, really need air conditioning. The locals probably thought we were visitors from the Middle East when they saw us racing down the two-lane road with water soaked towels wrapped around our heads.
We didn’t have nearly as much excitement as the Griswold’s did, but overall it was a great vacation. We all liked the new Pontiac wagon. It was big, roomy, comfy, powerful, and wasn’t bad lookin’ either. Thus began our family’s affair with Pontiacs.
In the summer of ’63 Dad came home one night with a new Pontiac Grand Prix (see photo above). In those days the Grand Prix was just about the sexiest car on the planet. To me, about to get my drivers license, this was a very big deal.
The two-door Prix was long and sleek with a Naugahyde (pleather) interior. The chrome shifter for the auto trans sat atop the console between the bucket seats. A large chrome tachometer sat up and stared back at you from the front of the console. Sporting a 389 CID-V8, a big thirsty quad carburetor, 3.90:1 rear end, and a limited slip differential this car was “street-ready” right out of the box. It was also a chick-magnet when cruising through Ted’s on Woodward.
By 1965 I had fallen madly in love with the Pontiac GTO, “The Goat”. For a year all I could think about was getting a GTO. (Just for the record, I also thought a lot about my girlfriend and future wife Christine.) My favorite song at that time was (of course) “Little GTO” by Ronny and the Daytonas. I think I sang it in my sleep.
When it was time to get my first new car in ’66, Dad and I went shopping the Pontiac stores to get me a GTO. Since I was only 19 at the time, Dad would have to sign for the loan and the car, and I would have to make the monthly payments. I was working full time as press operator at Utley Brothers and going to Macomb Community College at night.
It just so happened that the Rinke brothers in Warren, MI had exactly the GTO I had envisioned. Before hand, I had made a pact with my dad that we would not spend over $3000.00. But we couldn’t get the salesman to go below $3200.00 on this car. We left the dealership with my dream of driving a new Goat in shambles.
A few days later I found a new Chevrolet Malibu SS-396 that I liked almost as much. It had virtually the same amenities and performance as the GTO and we got the Chevy salesman down to $2900.00. On the street, the GTO and SS-396 were considered archrivals for drag racing. I had a lot of fun with that Chevy, but I’ve always had a special place in my heart for a ’66 GTO, even to this day.
Back in ’77 I bought a Pontiac Catalina station wagon to haul our three small boys around in. It was a great car and we had it for 11 years. It even had air-conditioning
Pontiac has been around since 1926, but it’s roots go back to 1893 when the Pontiac Buggy Company was building horse-drawn carriages in Pontiac, Michigan. In 1907 the Oakland Motor Car Company was formed to get in on the automobile business as the demand for carriages was decreasing.
A few years later General Motors bought Oakland and it eventually became the Pontiac division. Over the years millions of Pontiacs have been sold to the American public. Pontiacs have always been especially popular with performance enthusiasts.
It’s been painful to watch the Pontiac Motor Division decline to its present state. Now that GM has publicly gored it, let’s hope they give it a more humane death than Oldsmobile got a few years ago. It will soon be part of history like other auto brands that have been put to rest.
I think what GM has been forced to learn is something Ford has always known. If you have too many brands and too many models the view gets blurry in the eyes of the consumer. When the consumer quits buying, it’s time to go back to basics and get a new vision.
Pontiac Motor Division, …..rest in peace.
Little GTO, you're really lookin' fine
Three deuces and a four-speed and a 389
Listen to her tachin' up now, listen to her why-ee-eye-ine
C'mon and turn it on, wind it up, blow it out GTO
You oughta see her on a road course or a quarter mile
This little modified Pon-Pon has got plenty of style
She beats the gassers and the rail jobs, really drives 'em why-ee-eye-ild
C'mon and turn it on, wind it up, blow it out GTO
Mixture: Gonna save all my money (turnin' it on, blowin' it out)
and buy a GTO (turnin' it on, blowin' it out)
Get a helmet and a roll bar (turnin' it on, blowin' it out)
and I'll be ready to go (turnin' it on, blowin' it out)
Take it out to Pomona (turnin' it on, blowin' it out) and let 'em know
(turnin' it on, blowin' it out), yeah, yeah
That I'm the coolest thing around
Little buddy, gonna shut you down
When I turn it on, wind it up, blow it out GTO!
1 comment:
Awesome Post! I can almost smell the interior of those cars and the distinct smell of burnt rubber! Thanks.
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