I think the 70 Bonneville, especially in metallic paints, was an attractive car. My Dad owned a silver 2-door hardtop with black vinyl top. It had the HO 455 which was quite powerful. I remember him taking us out to do "0-60" tests on a straight deserted road. Runs of 6.5 to 7 seconds were common. I miss them both.
I always thought the '70 Pontiacs were beautiful and a breath of fresh air compared to the previous couple of years with the loop bumpers. I also liked the taillights of the '70, especially the Bonneville taillights with the color keyed inserts over those odd looking boomerang taillights of the previous two years.
The '65 and the '69 were the best-looking ones. I liked the '69 hockey-stick taillights. But the '65 was absolutely gorgeous. The '70 just looked front-heavy and obnoxious.
I agree with you on the '65 Bonneville, my favorite Bonneville of ALL Bonneville's in my opinion - it even had real wood trim on the dash!@@hermanschwartz2705
@@hermanschwartz2705I drove three of them that belonged to the large animal veterinary hospital I worked for owned. I also owned a firebird. They were nice inside, and easy to drive fast.
I agree! Having owned 2 '65 Bonnie convertibles, and a '67 , I was a fan. My dad had a '70 which was a beautiful car. They say beauty is in the eye of the beer holder and this guy must have drunk a lot!
As a poor 21 year old in 1982, I had a 1970 Pontiac Catalina 350 2V that had 135,000 miles. I bought it for $200, and even though it wouldn’t win any “beauty contests”, it was a reliable, great running, and smooth riding vehicle.
I was 24 in 1993 when I bought a 1976 Bonneville coup for $450.00. It had a 2 barrel on top of a Pontiac 400 cubic inch V8. It was rusty but pretty reliable.
Thanks Adam, this got me thinking. I would gladly purchase any new 1970 Pontiac Bonneville or Grand Prix over most of these overly complicated nightmares that they are producing these days. Can you imagine your $75k Limited F-150 stranding you over a pair of leaking tail lights and having to spend $5600.00 to replace them?
That frontend was also available on the LeMans and the Catalina Safari wagon. Actually it's a handsome front-end and it grows on you. You can hardly tell you hit a deer.
When I was seven years old, a brand-new 1970 Pontiac Safari station wagon appeared at our neighbors house. I was intrigued by the front-end design even as a kid. 😄
I had one of these and loved it. It was black and my friends called it the Beast. That was fifty years ago. How in the heck did I get to be this old? Greg Wyatt
@@UnionPacific1997 you're right, we do sell these cheap. Cause back in their days, we didn't look twice at them. Unless we could get them for nothing, pull out the 455, and junk the rest. When you could get GTOs and firebirds for reasonable prices, who wants a boat like this? Course, now-a-days, you can't get a goat, or FB, W/O being ripped off. And by the way, your name wouldn't be Logan, would it? A young guy I work with just bought a 1975 big barge like you mentioned. Take notice of the ride quality your tank has. Nothing these days compares.
Not to me. I always loved that antique look to that nose of the car. even the tailights are cool. this video makes me wanna get one now...THANKS A LOT!
I may be the only person that has always thought that the 1970 Pontiac's were some of the best looking cars made that year. Kudos to the stylists and the rest of the team for recognizing that "4 headlights in a full-width grille" theme was pretty much played out, while not looking at all like an Edsel! Thanks Adam, a '70 Bonnie 4dr hardtop has long been on my list of "highly desirables"!😊
"the 1970 Pontiac's were some of the best looking cars made that year. Kudos to the stylists...for recognizing that "4 headlights in a full-width grille" theme was...played out" I suggest you're falsely equating being in fashion, with majority human aesthetic preferences (MHAP).
@@antera77 I know nothing about fashion or MHAP, but I always liked the looks of the big Pontiac's for 1970, while the majority of humans I know (including Adam) think it's an ugly duckling. Ditto the new Camaro for 1970: I liked it, most liked the earlier styling. I hope you're right though, I'd like to be in the majority crowd at least once 😁
My dad had a 1968 Catalina 4 door hardtop with a 400 cubic inch engine. The car had great torque and power. The dash had the unique climate control which looked like a radio. As you turned the control more and more red appeared. This showed the increased amount of heat. Very interesting set up.
that was the mercury turning red in the heater control! As my moms friend got a new 59 Buick and her boys told me it was mercury that made the rolling speedometer bar turn red like a thermometer
Do you also remember that great 60s and early 79s Pontiac “feature”…the headlight high beam switch was on the floor (like many cars back then) but the high beam indicator was a red Pontiac Indian profile logo
Me and friends used to ride our bicycles over to the car dealers on the weekends to look at all the cars. We were taken back by the 1970 Pontiacs sitting on the lot. At first glance it was kind of shocking to see the unusual front and back styling, but I always thought it looked great. The tail lights always reminded me of the mid 60s Imperial. We waited all of autumn of 1970 to see what the 1971 Pontiac would look like. Needless to say, we were disappointed they restyled the car completely.
Mom had a 68 Bonneville Brougham and even though they had gone to faux wood veneer by then, the interior was much more special than in the following years. You still got that cool Lucite wheel and real metal on the IP. Also in the Brougham you got front and rear fold down armrests and the fantastic Strato-bench front seat. I think these are some of the best bench seats ever offered, with their bucket style back rests.
My parents had a '71 Bonneville and I loved it. It was the family sedan version, 455 with a 2 barrel, burned regular gas, but it had lots of power and was fabulous on the freeway. That big engine hardly made an effort at freeway speeds. It had the same PMD hubcaps as the one pictured here.
Mom drove one of these ('70 Catalina) for several years in the early '80's. Got it from my paternal grandparents, who bought it new. That beak nearly ended up piercing the wall in our family room through the front of the garage once...
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I think they're great, especially now looking back with a nostalgic tint. As we used to say at the time; with that nose, there was no mistaking it for anything but a Pontiac.
My mom's brother had a 1970 Pontiac Executive with a 400 2bbl. He was an Army Major at the time he owned the car and a World War II Battle of the Bulge vet. He was a character! I remember going to see him and his family in Augusta GA in 1979. He took my dad and I out for a ride around Augusta in the Executive. I was always a mechanically minded kid and I asked if he would show me what the car had...did it have "smoke" as my dad would say. He floored it up a long grade in passing gear and it was pinging in protest. My dad said..."she's pinging Ky". He laughed and said..."the damn thing needs a tune up or the gas is shit". I'll never forget that. Always a kind of odd looking front end, but I will forever identify them with my Uncle.
I agree with you @anthonypowell6234, I like the styling of the 1970 Bonneville. I thought it an attractive vehicle. The interior was cheap in appearance, but they were smooth, powerful and very comfortable. Just great cars.
Back in 2002 I bought a 1970 Executive at an estate sale for $400. It was all original with all paperwork from the day the old lady bought it. Even had her canceled checks. It had just over 70k miles on it. It looked exactly the same as the Bonneville in this video. Same colors. My wifes face was priceless when I drove up to our house in it😂 I couldn't pass up the deal. I occasionally drove it around for a couple years and sold it for $1200. That thing was like riding on a cloud...
Adam, I had to smile at your comments concerning the looks of the 70 "bonny." This was our family car growing up (ours was yellow with the 5 spoke wheels) and I thought, and continue to think, it is one of the coolest looking 4 door family cars. Thanks for the memories.
@@GregZentTrumpetManI used to drive my aunt’s X car Omega Brougham and actually thought it was pretty cool (compared to the VW Bug and Rabbit that my family had at the time).
Great video, Adam! I have to laugh at this. I was 9 or 10 years old in 1970. I remember seeing one of these Pontiacs in the parking lot at church. My dad (a guy who thought of cars as nothing more than an appliance) pointed at it and said “There’s a face only a mother’s could love”. I guess there’s a reason that whoever decided on what car fit Ron Burgundy’s personality in “The Anchorman”, chose a 70 Pontiac. I can imagine the director telling them, “Go out and find me the tackiest car of the era”! That said, I kinda like these cars now. Probably just me pining for the days when makes and models had personality. Not like today’s bland, indistinguishable road blobs.
My best friend in high school had this exact car, even the same color. It was a sled that hauled!! The factory carb was replaced with a larger Rochester QuadraJet. It didn’t get mpg, it got gpm! He went thru 2 sets of BFG T/A radials cause he kept burning the rears off of it. It had a factory posi rear which made for some exciting donuts & drifting in the empty strip mall parking lots in the early morning hours, and that was back in the late ‘80’s by the way. PS - none of us gearheads back then thought it was ugly🤣.
Adam, you're right, the 70 Bonneville was a bit homely. For me the 63's and 64's are still the best looking full sized Pontiacs and the 68 and 69 for the GTO. Always wanted a 63 Pontiac Catalina 421 Super Duty ‘Swiss Cheese.’ Thanks to Adam for posting.
Pontiac should have advertised this as “If you hate this look, just wait until next year !” because 1971’s were even more hideous. It’s difficult to understand what Mitchell was going for but thankfully the grille isn’t completely vertical-it still has a look of power and movement. Afterwards-not. I tend to think that the peak of GM’s habit of 3 year planned obsolescence started hear-in the ‘70’s-hence the need for companies like Ziebart that attempted to delay the process of instantaneous rusting of US vehicles once off the factory floor. it’s why thesThat’s a conversation for another day.
The first car I ever had was a 1970 Pontiac Catalina station wagon with the 400 engine. Loved it! Yes, it did not look great but it was a great car regardless. Had lots of power.
The full size wagons of the ‘60s when equipped with the large, high-torque V-8s were the “SUV” towing vehicles of the era. Many a pop-up camper, small travel-trailer, or boat could be seen during the summer months behind those behemoth land yachts.
@@Primus54 Excellent point. A friend's parents had a dark metallic green '69 Pontiac Catalina wagon - and a pop-up camper they towed for their mountain vacations. But the biggest memory I have of that combo was my friend at like eight years old pointed out the "wings" of the wagon's tail where the vertical taillights were set would occasionally punch out one of the red plastic lights on the camper when their father would be turning it hard when attempting to park it.
I would say the 1970 Bonneville, Executive, Catalina and full size Safaris were very good looking cars. The front end was appropriate for that time. The styling theme was in line with the previous year 1969 Grand Prix and gave those car buyers from that generation an opportunity to have a modern car with styling cues going back to the fabulous 1930s and 1940s Duesenbergs and Packards. Bill Mitchell and the Pontiac stylist hit it right on for model year 1970. My car enthusiast Grandfather traded in his ‘67 Bonneville for a Pepper Green ‘70 Bonneville. The following year the ‘70 Bonneville was traded in for a ‘71 Grandville. Of those three cars my Grandfather liked the ‘70 Bonneville the best and regretted trading in the ‘70 Bonneville for the ‘71 Grandville.
"1970 Bonneville...very good looking...front end was appropriate for that time...in line with the previous year 1969 Grand Prix...styling cues going back to the fabulous 1930s and 1940s Duesenbergs and Packards" Like jefffixesit60 above, I suggest you're falsely equating "appropriateness" and/or resembling fashion from 40 years earlier, with majority human aesthetic preferences (MHAP).
They're a bit of an acquired taste, but I think the 70 is a perfectly fine looking car overall. The front is awkward, but still distinct. I personally feel the 70 is much more attractive than the 71. I know you have your rather nice 71 but I just prefer the 70...I'm probably alone.
When my parents went looking for a replacement for their '65, we chose between a lightly used 69 Bonneville and a new'70 Cayalina, optioned close to the '69 Bonneville. Dad and I agreed that the '69 looked much better, the '70 kind of homely in the front. He bought the'69
I love the styling of the '70 Pontiac full size cars. The front is something you either love or hate. The ambulances are really cool with this front end.
Uh, NO, it is NOT the ugliest Pontiac ever made, thank you very much! In fact, the 1970 Pontiac happens to be one of my favorites they ever produced. Hellwrongwitcha, askin' a question like that? Heeeeeheeeeeee! 😂😂😂
I had a 1970 Executive 400 as my first car. Then in 2001 I found a 1970 Bonneville 455. It was Palisade Green with a cream interior with 56,000 miles. I drove it as a sometimes weekend cruiser until 2008. That thing would turn heads and pass everything but a gas station!
A person has to wonder where all the automotive designers have gone. There was a time when you could tell what brand the car was from a block away. Now you need a magnifying glass to search for model clues.
The federal safety standards are responsible. Cars are infinitely safer yet infinitely uglier now. You choose what you want. I choose safer because of all the a$$holes out there driving.
As an influencer, you know that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, yet to degrade styling with such a calm and soothing tone is an awkward prejudice that you impose toward your audience base. Of course, no one will love everything, but there are followers that own cars like this '70 Pontiac and cherish them as much as you enjoy the many cars you own. I have not yet read anyone commenting on any of your automobiles with the glazing harshness that you seem so free to deliver.
The problem in my mind was that the front bumper was too low, making the front end overly massive. The Grand Prix has a higher bumper with basically the same grille shape and it looks good. Pontiac did move the higher bumper in 72 and it looks better. OTOH massive can sometimes be a good thing! I had a 69 Cat 400 coupe and a 69 Bonnie 428 brougham, basically the same cars as this 70, and man they were road warriors, esp that 428…amazingly fast and handled very well
A friend of mine had a 1970 Pontiac Executive for a couple of years (in the early 90's), that had somehow found its way to Canada. Same front end as this car, and just as homely.
I was a kid in the 70s and the neighbor girls across the streets dad has this car. I loved the looks of it then and now. Seeing this brings back good memories. Nostalgia.
Any car that I made love to a girl in the back seat of while I was in high school is a beautiful car ,what I have trouble with is now I am old enough to retire . I think that the high prices these old cars command is strongly related to peoples memories of their youth and people wanting little reminders to hold on to . Also on it`s own I don`t think the car is ugly .
A lot of cars today have front ends that look more angry than I thought these Pontiacs did. I agree with several who commented that the separated headlights and that "shnoz" plus those spiral vent things sure made them distinctive. And at least in 1970 the GM full-size lineup's bodies overall weren't as bulky as they appeared in the 1971 remodel. By the way, finally seeing the back end it struck me one of my neighbors on a nearby street had one of the Pontiacs of this vintage when I was a kid. It, too, was distinctive. I saw that rear taillight setup every time I passed their house, I guess - the front end less often when these cars were parked in the driveway.
I’m just amazed at how different the cars of the various divisions looked from one another back then. By the late 1980s and 1990’s they were little more than different grilles and taillights.
My family owned a 1970 Laurentian with the 350 ci. We had to sell it in 73 when my dad suddenly passed away.I don't think it's homely. I have fond memories of our car though I was only 7 at the time.
I was really surprised to see this title. This is my all time favourite looking car of all cars ever made just behind the 73 Centurion. A kid in high school had one and I could not take my eyes off it.
I had a green 1970 Catalina 4 door hardtop (350 c.i.d.) when I was in grad school in the late '70s - wonderful car, and one of my favorites. Courted my wife in it. Spotted it in '82 in a parking lot in Raleigh, North Carolina (I know it was the same car because of the front seat upholstery, which I had had redone) and learned from the teenaged driver that it had had its drivetrain replaced with a 301 c.i.d. engine and transmission from a new '78 Catalina that had been damaged in transit. Wish I had kept it - loved the "in your face" styling of the front end.
2:30 With the upright grille and the horn-grilles, I'd say it evokes a Rolls Royce Silver Cloud or a Jaguar Mk II more than any Deusenberg I've seen. The horn grilles also call to mind various early postwar cars from Checker Marathon to the VW Beetle. Interestingly, they were used for various functions like intake air, and interior ventilation (which risked exposing the driver to the exhaust from the car ahead) in those days, but probably did little on the '70 Pontiac. On modern cars, similar but more subtle vents are sometimes used to cool the front brakes. I don't know why the '70 was so controversial; it struck me as "retro" when I was in 3rd grade in 1969, but by the mid 1970s, similar grilles had become a fixture on most full sized Pontiacs. Maybe with the pre-5MPH bumpers, the grille on the '70 seemed to protrude more and might have reminded some of the '58 Edsel. Personally, I love the car and the only thing I find off-putting is the contrast between the retro front end and the plain-Jane dashboard and interior. PS: On the aforementioned English cars, the horn grilles were used when fog lights were not ordered. Does anyone know if Pontiac had a fog light option on these cars, and whether the lights took the place of the grilles when included?
The second car I ever owned was a 1970 Catalina in the same gold color as shown in your video. Unfortunately it had a bad carb so I got 8 MPG but it was a roomy, solid dependable car for a persson in his first year of college. Brings back a flood of memories...
What's really impressive to me is how perfectly they anticipate the way _everything_ ended up looking worse in the 1970s. Clothes, household appliances, production design in movies, the works. It all fell off an aesthetic cliff in about 1972 and the 1970 Pontiacs, designed in the late '60s, were there to light the way. :)
Thanks for this video, Adam .. And I always enjoy your channel .. I've always wondered what in the world those things were to either side of the grille .. Never once did I think "must be like horns .. like from a Duesenberg".. lol
It's right behind the Aztek. At least they were 36 years or so apart. It's strange how well the large, prominent grille worked so well on the '69 Grand Prix. Having said all of that, this is one of the best examples of a '70 Bonneville I've seen in quite a while.
In 1970 the city that I lived in at the time purchased '70 full-size Pontiacs for their police cars. They then painted them the city colours; light green and white. So, for a few years, we had these '70 Pontiacs with a light green front and rear and white doors and roofs running around town. Man, they were fugly! Around the same time, I had a neighbour who owned a '70 Bonneville or Catalina with a white body and a red vinyl roof, and a 455. One winter day he got it stuck in the snow on the street. He enlisted the help of all the 6 graders who were walking to school that morning. We had to push that very heavy and very ugly Pontiac out of the snow. I'll never forget that day!
I always liked this model. I thought it was stylish and a bit up scale. My dad drove Pontiacs from 1964 until 1977 so the brand was always one of my favorites.
My dad was a salesman at Bradley lawless Pontiac in Scranton Pennsylvania and I remember as a kid they had a bumper setup on a stand and a sledgehammer to show the durability of the new Pontiac bumpers really kind of a theatrical way of showing the durability
As you have stressed many times, the car world changed greatly from 1965 to 1970. In 1965 it was predominately styling and power with basically little competition. By 1970 there were many more factors in the car world besides style and power that now included higher insurance, emissions, safety and later miles per gallon in addition to more competition. Next to the 67 full size I thought that the 68 was a horrible looking car with the point dropping down (same issue with the 69 Le Mans vs the 68 Le Mans). Although the basic body was better overall, the 69 full size was also horrible looking to me. When the 70 full size came out I loved that front end from day one (and still do today). The 70 even had a better rear look than the 69. I get that the interiors got cheaper than 1965 however I really liked the overall dash design in the 70 full size. The 70 full size still had one of my favorite features with Chief Pontiac still being the bright light indicator in red which went away after 1970. My family bought two 1970 Catalina's. The 400 was a great motor, the cars were great cars. Back in 1970 I really did not even like the looks of the 65-67 Pontiac full size cars. I have grown to appreciate now the "coke bottle" look. We had a 62 Catalina and I really liked the more square 62-64 full size cars back then. Just checking some of the other comments and apparently many people also thought the 70 was good looking. There are a lot of things to like about the 70 full size Pontiac and to me the No 1 thing on the list is that great front end on that car. PONTIAC will always be my favorite car. I have had 17 and I may not be done yet and yes if a very nice 70 full size comes up in my part of the world I will not hesitate to buy it.
Nice video. I actually have a 1970 Catalina station wagon and well- it definitely stands out, gets heads turning -unless that's because my exhaust is shot and it sounds like a tank. Fun to drive for sure.
When I was a kid, I loved the 70 Pontiac front end. I thought it was retro (I wouldn't have known that term) and 'classy' - look Dad, it's a Jaguar. Or maybe a Packard, though I wouldn't have know that either. It was probably the little horn grilles that did it. Still, I missed the Pontiac fron at the back - the 69 was more interesting to me, and loved the series differentiation. In retrospect, well...... not so much, though with skirts and in a 4dr hardtop, it does look solid middle class luxury. The interior on the 70 was pretty uninspired however, (Vega door handles) - it had lost much of what made a Bonneville special by then.
I'm with you...I loved it too. Dad brought home a 2 door loaner before he picked up his 71 Catalina and I thought we were living large wiht that front end. In retrospect, I don't know what I was thinking...today it looks like a pasted on mess. The 69 is so much more coherent,
Excellent presentation Mr. Adam, I was in agreement with all your analysis and opinions of styling on this Pontiac, but what's funny is, the more you critiqued the noise ( justifiably)..... the more I liked it!... well as your other viewer mentioned, it's an acquired taste.
Wow, did this review catch my eye! I grew up with a 1970 Catalina Station Wagon that my parents bought new in the spring of '70. I agree with you that this was not the best design but my memory of the car was that is was a great family car. Our fairly basic model had the 400 V8 with 2 barrel carburetor. I know my mom thought it had plenty of power and she drove the car until 1985! The car was passed on to a family member in '85 and then a few years later sold to a painter who wanted it for his business. As I recall, it had over 200,000 miles when it finally went to the painter and never had any major mechanical work. It may have been ugly but it was a heck of a car!
Carried some of the Grand Prix look, and you can see the vertical rectangle look in all subsequent full-size Pontiacs for the rest of the marques history. The look grows on you.
I think it was one of the most attractive. Ironic it was in an ad in a 1970 National Geographic with the the caption "Pontiac. This is the way it's going to be" Then came the gas shortage. Lol.
Compaired to the Pontiacs of the '60's I would agree but I don't find the '70 full size line as unappealing as the Aztec. A coworker had an Aztec and raved about how comfortable it was on long trips. I guess if you can get past the exterior styling!
I remember when I first saw a 1970 Bonneville. It was tan and looked just like the one in this video. The front end of it really impressed me and I thought it was striking and beautiful. My Dad always bought Pontiacs. When I saw that '70 Bonnie at 10 years of age, I then knew Pontiacs were something special. I have owned GTOs, Grand Prix's , Catalinas, and Firebirds in my life and have loved them all. My G8 GT turns tires and heads, and it is hard to get the keys away from my wife. My 15 year old daughter wants a G6 Convertible. They still can bring on the passion.
No way, that car is gorgeous! Was cool to see this style featured in “The Last Action Hero”. And besides AZTEK shall always prevail as the ugliest of them all!
One of my sisters had one back in the 80s with the 455 two barrel. Hideous! It was extremely roomy and comfortable, though. The back seat was enormous and had incredible leg room. Power delivery was almost diesel like.
So I was 9 years old in 1970. My father ordered a 1970 Pontiac " executive " as his company car. Same color as in this video. As a kid, I was so excited in my opinion it was very close the front end of'course to the grand Prix. His other choices were Delta 88 Lesabre. Both I thought were boring. I remember the Pontiac had a 400 2bbl he was not happy with the performance coming out of a 68 Newport with a 383 4bbl. That car flew! I remember he would say son, hold on I'm going to blow out the carbon! Great childhood memories
I have one it was my grandmas, my dad, and mom went on their first date in it. Grandma never drove it much she always drove her pickup, but she would take it to church and to town now and then, and she loved it
In my opinion it seemed Cadillac adopted the front end style for the 71-72 model year. Those are my favorite years for Cadillac, Pontiac has been my favorite nameplate since I knew what a car was, and the only year for a high compression 455. What’s not to love?
My first car at 16 was a 76 Pontiac Grand Le Man's. Had the Grand Prix dashboard. I think the best looking mid size of any GM brand. I have all kinds of Pontiac material, 1/18 scale models. I have been in love with Pontiacs since our neighbor would let me sit in his new 69 Grand Prix. I was 9. My favorite brand by far. Pontiac, A Cut Above. I hope to find a classic Grand Prix some day. Thanks to all for sharing.
I agree! Upon seeing the '71 Cadillac when they came out, my very first thought was that the front end looked very similar to the '70 Pontiac and the taillights looked like '67-68 Mercury Marquis. The '71 is my favorite year style wise for Cadillac, in '72 they spaced the headlights even further apart for the parking lights which gave the front end an awkward look in my opinion.
@@TomSnyder-gx5ru I have to say I like the 72 Cadillac a little better. I like the parking lights between the headlights. I’d take either one but prefer the 72.
@@mikee2923 Agree my mother had a 72 Sedan Deville in aqua with a matching cloth and leather interior and a white vinyl top. I prefer the 72s out of any other Cadillacs of that generation (71-76).
When you drove one you wore burgundy plaid nylon slacks, a thick stretchy polyester shirt, 4" wide paisley tie, and tried to put the selector on Drive without sprinkling too many ashes from your unfiltered Pallmall cigarette at the tip of your middle and index fingers. Perry Como on FM radio. Good times.
Sounds like an uncle of mine except it was a Winston 100s and he was wearing his lap belt and the separate shoulder belt from the headliner over the driver's door. With the seat belts and the filtered Winston 100s, he was being "safety conscious ". LOL
That big chrome grille with horn ports integrated in the front facia looks very commanding. Has a lot of Stutz Bearcat styling in it IMO. Very Superflyesque.
Just no accounting for tastes in this case. I think the front end is classic, the ornamental horns harken back to the classic era. The individual headlights with chrome escutions are tastefully done. Echoes of the new Grand Prix are also well integrated and establish some family resemblance. The rear end looks unfinished somehow but it is simple and inoffensive.🎉
My uncle had a 1970 Bonnie the same color when I was a teenager in the 80s. He let someone change the valve pan gaskets and it had a horrible miss after that. At 15 taking an auto tech course found out that the person that changed the gaskets moved the distributor enough to cause the miss. Ran like a top after that and was very easy to drive considering the size.
We Build Ugly- PONTIAC! But I cant believe they made something so good looking at the same time, ie the 1970 Firebird/Trans Am, One of the best looking cars of all time!
Some younger automotive enthusiasts may not be aware of one of the greatest entertainers that ever lived. Jimmy Durante :-) The 70' Pontiac full size cars look fantastic!
I can’t really call the 1970 facelift of these Pontiacs ugly….whimsical perhaps but with a certain appeal. Pontiac succeeded in displaying a design language all it’s own in the in the GM family that sometimes tested the limits.
I used to own a 1967 Pontiac Grand Parisian two door hardtop with a 327 V8 .Headlights behind the grill.I owned this car in the mid seventies.I still regret selling that car to this day.
My great uncle had a 70 Bonneville Safari with the 455/4. I remember he sold/gave it to my Dad in the early 80s. It had been slightly vandalized as someone knocked out the rear glass with a hammer. Dad debated on whether to keep it or pull the drivetrain to go into a Firebird. Ended up pulling the drivetrain but I still have good memories of that car.
I found the horn vents hokey at the time, but didn't think of the car as remotely homely. And the interior looks plush enough, with generously padded door panels, full length armrests and lovely brocade. The period-expected explosion of fake wood is what it is, and the steering wheel an obvious safety concession. The sliding temperature selector for the automatic control I had not previously seen, and illustrates the many divisional distinctions still on display in General Motors products.
No, by No means or measure. Judging by the styles of it's time, it is an absolutely beautiful piece of American excellence. Every part of it is. This lady would fly in the highway comfortably driven by the V8 mechanics installed in it's hood.👍
Had a late 60s dark blue Bonneville convertible that used to park next to my 65 LeMans conv. in college. It was a "factory executive" car ( I lived in Mi. at the time )with some extra goodies on it. Beautiful ! Also on the lot was a 70 340 Cuda auto , a 64 Lemans conv. and a 442.
I think the 70 Bonneville, especially in metallic paints, was an attractive car. My Dad owned a silver 2-door hardtop with black vinyl top. It had the HO 455 which was quite powerful. I remember him taking us out to do "0-60" tests on a straight deserted road. Runs of 6.5 to 7 seconds were common. I miss them both.
Mine is non-metallic dark burgundy/wine, with the black vinyl roof.
I think that honor goes to the Pontiac Aztek.
Correct!
Hands down!
True!
Ranks right up there with the late 80s LeMans made in South Korea. The Aztek looked like the LeMans on steroids. lol
I was gonna qualify this video with that same statement...I almost bought one though... They were good cars in their thought process...
I concur with Mark and Neo
Pontiac made some of the most beautiful cars ever made. Hands down
At least before they introduced the Aztec. 🤮
I will say I’d rather have a 1970 Chevy than this. In fact I did have a Chevy 1970.
1970 Chevy had 2 or 3 vertical taillights on each side of the bumper depending on the model
455 Rocket by KATHY MATTEA.
Exactly I always loved the Pontiacs of the sixties, and 1970 and 1971.
I always thought the '70 Pontiacs were beautiful and a breath of fresh air compared to the previous couple of years with the loop bumpers. I also liked the taillights of the '70, especially the Bonneville taillights with the color keyed inserts over those odd looking boomerang taillights of the previous two years.
The '65 and the '69 were the best-looking ones. I liked the '69 hockey-stick taillights. But the '65 was absolutely gorgeous. The '70 just looked front-heavy and obnoxious.
I agree with you on the '65 Bonneville, my favorite Bonneville of ALL Bonneville's in my opinion - it even had real wood trim on the dash!@@hermanschwartz2705
The true Jimmy Durante of cars! lol @@hermanschwartz2705
@@hermanschwartz2705I drove three of them that belonged to the large animal veterinary hospital I worked for owned. I also owned a firebird. They were nice inside, and easy to drive fast.
Those boomerang taillights, {also shaped like hockey sticks}, were used from '67 to '69. Although different designs for each year.
Stacked headlights had come and gone, the loop bumper had run its course…I always thought this design was fresh, new and strong. I loved it.
I agree!
I agree! Having owned 2 '65 Bonnie convertibles, and a '67 , I was a fan. My dad had a '70 which was a beautiful car. They say beauty is in the eye of the beer holder and this guy must have drunk a lot!
I was not a fan of the front ends of the 1970 year Pontiacs. I thought 1969 and earlier were much better done.
I always liked the design of the 1970 Pontiacs. Fresh new design always liked the front. Didn't like the next generation of Pontiac as well.
I would say the Aztek took the honor of that title.
She is a beautiful, proud card carrying "land yacht ". 🎉
WIDE TRACK!
Amen!!
I guess you just had to live through it to understand you can never have too much chrome.
@@casamequite
Like everything..chrome will come back!
👍👍
I love these Pontiacs. I had a 70 Bonneville convertible. Still my all time favorite of all the cars I've been blessed to own.
As a poor 21 year old in 1982, I had a 1970 Pontiac Catalina 350 2V that had 135,000 miles. I bought it for $200, and even though it wouldn’t win any “beauty contests”, it was a reliable, great running, and smooth riding vehicle.
I was 24 in 1993 when I bought a 1976 Bonneville coup for $450.00. It had a 2 barrel on top of a Pontiac 400 cubic inch V8. It was rusty but pretty reliable.
Sounds like you bought my first car from me…
Thanks Adam, this got me thinking. I would gladly purchase any new 1970 Pontiac Bonneville or Grand Prix over most of these overly complicated nightmares that they are producing these days. Can you imagine your $75k Limited F-150 stranding you over a pair of leaking tail lights and having to spend $5600.00 to replace them?
That frontend was also available on the LeMans and the Catalina Safari wagon. Actually it's a handsome front-end and it grows on you.
You can hardly tell you hit a deer.
LMAO!!!!
😅
Quite a contrast to the ‘67 Plymouth Belvedere convertible, which got tore up from the floor up by a deer on at least one occasion.
When I was seven years old, a brand-new 1970 Pontiac Safari station wagon appeared at our neighbors house. I was intrigued by the front-end design even as a kid. 😄
I was seven when I first noticed the rear on a 68 skylark. I remember being fascinated even as a little kid
Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, so I will say that I always loved these old Pontiacs. 1950s, 1960s, and 1970, 1971, 1972.
I had one of these and loved it. It was black and my friends called it the Beast. That was fifty years ago. How in the heck did I get to be this old? Greg Wyatt
Get another one
I'll tell ya how you got there, Gregg. You blinked. Amazing how cruel father time is.
I'm 25 I got Lincoln mark VI because old guys like you let these cars go for nothing. Get you one man there all over the internet for next to nothing
@@UnionPacific1997 you're right, we do sell these cheap. Cause back in their days, we didn't look twice at them. Unless we could get them for nothing, pull out the 455, and junk the rest. When you could get GTOs and firebirds for reasonable prices, who wants a boat like this? Course, now-a-days, you can't get a goat, or FB, W/O being ripped off. And by the way, your name wouldn't be Logan, would it? A young guy I work with just bought a 1975 big barge like you mentioned. Take notice of the ride quality your tank has. Nothing these days compares.
You kept waking up. So far, you've survived 100% of your bad days. Keep going.. you're blessed.
Not to me. I always loved that antique look to that nose of the car. even the tailights are cool. this video makes me wanna get one now...THANKS A LOT!
I bought my 70 Bonneville 2 dr htp in 2018, and have no regrets.
I may be the only person that has always thought that the 1970 Pontiac's were some of the best looking cars made that year. Kudos to the stylists and the rest of the team for recognizing that "4 headlights in a full-width grille" theme was pretty much played out, while not looking at all like an Edsel! Thanks Adam, a '70 Bonnie 4dr hardtop has long been on my list of "highly desirables"!😊
I agree with you; I love the 1970 Ponitacs.
Me too. I don't know where this guy is coming from. 🧐
Yuck
"the 1970 Pontiac's were some of the best looking cars made that year. Kudos to the stylists...for recognizing that "4 headlights in a full-width grille" theme was...played out"
I suggest you're falsely equating being in fashion, with majority human aesthetic preferences (MHAP).
@@antera77 I know nothing about fashion or MHAP, but I always liked the looks of the big Pontiac's for 1970, while the majority of humans I know (including Adam) think it's an ugly duckling. Ditto the new Camaro for 1970: I liked it, most liked the earlier styling. I hope you're right though, I'd like to be in the majority crowd at least once 😁
My dad had a 1968 Catalina 4 door hardtop with a 400 cubic inch engine. The car had great torque and power. The dash had the unique climate control which looked like a radio. As you turned the control more and more red appeared. This showed the increased amount of heat. Very interesting set up.
If you had air conditioning, blue bars chased the red for cooler temperatures.. We had a 1967 Grand Prix with that.
that was the mercury turning red in the heater control! As my moms friend got a new 59 Buick and her boys told me it was mercury that made the rolling speedometer bar turn red like a thermometer
Do you also remember that great 60s and early 79s Pontiac “feature”…the headlight high beam switch was on the floor (like many cars back then) but the high beam indicator was a red Pontiac Indian profile logo
Me and friends used to ride our bicycles over to the car dealers on the weekends to look at all the cars. We were taken back by the 1970 Pontiacs sitting on the lot. At first glance it was kind of shocking to see the unusual front and back styling, but I always thought it looked great. The tail lights always reminded me of the mid 60s Imperial. We waited all of autumn of 1970 to see what the 1971 Pontiac would look like. Needless to say, we were disappointed they restyled the car completely.
71 on they were hugely boxy like a Caprice...ugh..
Mom had a 68 Bonneville Brougham and even though they had gone to faux wood veneer by then, the interior was much more special than in the following years. You still got that cool Lucite wheel and real metal on the IP. Also in the Brougham you got front and rear fold down armrests and the fantastic Strato-bench front seat. I think these are some of the best bench seats ever offered, with their bucket style back rests.
My parents had a '71 Bonneville and I loved it. It was the family sedan version, 455 with a 2 barrel, burned regular gas, but it had lots of power and was fabulous on the freeway. That big engine hardly made an effort at freeway speeds. It had the same PMD hubcaps as the one pictured here.
My parents had the '71 Grand Safari with the same power train. Gobbled up interstate even though the speed limit got reduced to 55.
Mom drove one of these ('70 Catalina) for several years in the early '80's. Got it from my paternal grandparents, who bought it new. That beak nearly ended up piercing the wall in our family room through the front of the garage once...
Beautiful car, very well built. I collect Pontiacs and own, and enjoy, both a 70 Executive Safari and a Bonneville. Super nice cars.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I think they're great, especially now looking back with a nostalgic tint. As we used to say at the time; with that nose, there was no mistaking it for anything but a Pontiac.
My mom's brother had a 1970 Pontiac Executive with a 400 2bbl. He was an Army Major at the time he owned the car and a World War II Battle of the Bulge vet. He was a character! I remember going to see him and his family in Augusta GA in 1979. He took my dad and I out for a ride around Augusta in the Executive. I was always a mechanically minded kid and I asked if he would show me what the car had...did it have "smoke" as my dad would say. He floored it up a long grade in passing gear and it was pinging in protest. My dad said..."she's pinging Ky". He laughed and said..."the damn thing needs a tune up or the gas is shit". I'll never forget that. Always a kind of odd looking front end, but I will forever identify them with my Uncle.
That’s a phenomenal memory!!
@@mrdiplomat9018 thanks sir! Can’t remember what I did yesterday…but the VIN of my dads 78 Dodge…WH46K8A159330…doesn’t make sense lol.
I had an uncle that bought a '70 Executive. I was 12 years old and was mesmerized by the look of that front end! Loved it!
The odd baroque styling of the 1970 Bonneville front end made it one of my favorites, but certainly less sleek than other previous issues.
I agree with you @anthonypowell6234, I like the styling of the 1970 Bonneville. I thought it an attractive vehicle. The interior was cheap in appearance, but they were smooth, powerful and very comfortable. Just great cars.
Back in 2002 I bought a 1970 Executive at an estate sale for $400. It was all original with all paperwork from the day the old lady bought it. Even had her canceled checks. It had just over 70k miles on it. It looked exactly the same as the Bonneville in this video. Same colors. My wifes face was priceless when I drove up to our house in it😂 I couldn't pass up the deal. I occasionally drove it around for a couple years and sold it for $1200. That thing was like riding on a cloud...
Adam, I had to smile at your comments concerning the looks of the 70 "bonny." This was our family car growing up (ours was yellow with the 5 spoke wheels) and I thought, and continue to think, it is one of the coolest looking 4 door family cars. Thanks for the memories.
It may have been the ugliest Pontiac at its time, but then eventually the Aztec happened.
Yeah, the Aztec was an abomination.
The Aztec was lame as can be, but in term of outright ugliness these 70s one have it by a nose... 😏
Guys, let's not forget that GM branding. Took 300 humans to make it AZTEK
The aztec, the x-cars, the 78 anything….
@@GregZentTrumpetManI used to drive my aunt’s X car Omega Brougham and actually thought it was pretty cool (compared to the VW Bug and Rabbit that my family had at the time).
Great video, Adam!
I have to laugh at this. I was 9 or 10 years old in 1970. I remember seeing one of these Pontiacs in the parking lot at church. My dad (a guy who thought of cars as nothing more than an appliance) pointed at it and said “There’s a face only a mother’s could love”.
I guess there’s a reason that whoever decided on what car fit Ron Burgundy’s personality in “The Anchorman”, chose a 70 Pontiac. I can imagine the director telling them, “Go out and find me the tackiest car of the era”!
That said, I kinda like these cars now. Probably just me pining for the days when makes and models had personality. Not like today’s bland, indistinguishable road blobs.
It’s beautiful. We had one. A 1970 Bonneville Wagon with the 455! Loves it!
We had one as well. White with black vinyl top! I LOVED IT! Beautiful!!
Actually, one of my favorite front ends! I like the headlamp, horn grilles and turn signals treatment. I don't pay much attention to the nose.
It would have been better if instead of the non-functional horn outlets they had put fog lights there.
My best friend in high school had this exact car, even the same color. It was a sled that hauled!! The factory carb was replaced with a larger Rochester QuadraJet. It didn’t get mpg, it got gpm! He went thru 2 sets of BFG T/A radials cause he kept burning the rears off of it. It had a factory posi rear which made for some exciting donuts & drifting in the empty strip mall parking lots in the early morning hours, and that was back in the late ‘80’s by the way.
PS - none of us gearheads back then thought it was ugly🤣.
Adam, you're right, the 70 Bonneville was a bit homely. For me the 63's and 64's are still the best looking full sized Pontiacs and the 68 and 69 for the GTO. Always wanted a 63 Pontiac Catalina 421 Super Duty ‘Swiss Cheese.’ Thanks to Adam for posting.
Not even close. The Aztek wins that competition, hands down!
Truth.
I was going to make the same (painfully obvious) point.
I agree, but what does 'hands down' mean ?
I have a 1970 Pontiac Bonneville 2 door hardtop in my collection.
Pontiac should have advertised this as “If you hate this look, just wait until next year !” because 1971’s were even more hideous. It’s difficult to understand what Mitchell was going for but thankfully the grille isn’t completely vertical-it still has a look of power and movement. Afterwards-not. I tend to think that the peak of GM’s habit of 3 year planned obsolescence started hear-in the ‘70’s-hence the need for companies like Ziebart that attempted to delay the process of instantaneous rusting of US vehicles once off the factory floor. it’s why thesThat’s a conversation for another day.
The first car I ever had was a 1970 Pontiac Catalina station wagon with the 400 engine. Loved it! Yes, it did not look great but it was a great car regardless. Had lots of power.
Piles of torque!
I learned on a 1969 Bonneville Wagon! 428 cid!
Converted to Michelin Radials!
Yeehaw! She went good!
The full size wagons of the ‘60s when equipped with the large, high-torque V-8s were the “SUV” towing vehicles of the era. Many a pop-up camper, small travel-trailer, or boat could be seen during the summer months behind those behemoth land yachts.
@@Primus54 Excellent point. A friend's parents had a dark metallic green '69 Pontiac Catalina wagon - and a pop-up camper they towed for their mountain vacations. But the biggest memory I have of that combo was my friend at like eight years old pointed out the "wings" of the wagon's tail where the vertical taillights were set would occasionally punch out one of the red plastic lights on the camper when their father would be turning it hard when attempting to park it.
@@70sleftover 🤣 That’s a great memory. Maneuvering a pop-up can be challenging for drivers who don’t regularly pull trailers. Cheers!
I always liked the 70 Pontiac front end.
I would say the 1970 Bonneville, Executive, Catalina and full size Safaris were very good looking cars. The front end was appropriate for that time. The styling theme was in line with the previous year 1969 Grand Prix and gave those car buyers from that generation an opportunity to have a modern car with styling cues going back to the fabulous 1930s and 1940s Duesenbergs and Packards. Bill Mitchell and the Pontiac stylist hit it right on for model year 1970. My car enthusiast Grandfather traded in his ‘67 Bonneville for a Pepper Green ‘70 Bonneville. The following year the ‘70 Bonneville was traded in for a ‘71 Grandville. Of those three cars my Grandfather liked the ‘70 Bonneville the best and regretted trading in the ‘70 Bonneville for the ‘71 Grandville.
"1970 Bonneville...very good looking...front end was appropriate for that time...in line with the previous year 1969 Grand Prix...styling cues going back to the fabulous 1930s and 1940s Duesenbergs and Packards"
Like jefffixesit60 above, I suggest you're falsely equating "appropriateness" and/or resembling fashion from 40 years earlier, with majority human aesthetic preferences (MHAP).
They're a bit of an acquired taste, but I think the 70 is a perfectly fine looking car overall. The front is awkward, but still distinct. I personally feel the 70 is much more attractive than the 71. I know you have your rather nice 71 but I just prefer the 70...I'm probably alone.
Not alone at all. To me, Pontiac had probably a dozen worse looking vehicles than this including 69 and 71.
I think most of us agree with you more than Adam.
No you absolutely right the full-size 71 cars were kind of ugly
The headlights on the 71 were too small and the effects were strange
My vote for an awkward-looking car is a 1961 DeSoto. The grill is terrible-looking
When my parents went looking for a replacement for their '65, we chose between a lightly used 69 Bonneville and a new'70 Cayalina, optioned close to the '69 Bonneville. Dad and I agreed that the '69 looked much better, the '70 kind of homely in the front. He bought the'69
I love the styling of the '70 Pontiac full size cars. The front is something you either love or hate. The ambulances are really cool with this front end.
Uh, NO, it is NOT the ugliest Pontiac ever made, thank you very much! In fact, the 1970 Pontiac happens to be one of my favorites they ever produced. Hellwrongwitcha, askin' a question like that? Heeeeeheeeeeee! 😂😂😂
I had a 1970 Executive 400 as my first car. Then in 2001 I found a 1970 Bonneville 455. It was Palisade Green with a cream interior with 56,000 miles. I drove it as a sometimes weekend cruiser until 2008. That thing would turn heads and pass everything but a gas station!
A person has to wonder where all the automotive designers have gone. There was a time when you could tell what brand the car was from a block away. Now you need a magnifying glass to search for model clues.
I BELIEVE THAT THERE'S ONE DESIGN SCHOOL LEFT AND ALL THE DESIGNERS CUT & PASTE EACH OTHERS DESIGNS.
The federal safety standards are responsible. Cars are infinitely safer yet infinitely uglier now. You choose what you want. I choose safer because of all the a$$holes out there driving.
Plus the need for aerodynamic design to aid fuel economy. @@FYMASMD
As an influencer, you know that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, yet to degrade styling with such a calm and soothing tone is an awkward prejudice that you impose toward your audience base. Of course, no one will love everything, but there are followers that own cars like this '70 Pontiac and cherish them as much as you enjoy the many cars you own. I have not yet read anyone commenting on any of your automobiles with the glazing harshness that you seem so free to deliver.
The problem in my mind was that the front bumper was too low, making the front end overly massive. The Grand Prix has a higher bumper with basically the same grille shape and it looks good. Pontiac did move the higher bumper in 72 and it looks better. OTOH massive can sometimes be a good thing!
I had a 69 Cat 400 coupe and a 69 Bonnie 428 brougham, basically the same cars as this 70, and man they were road warriors, esp that 428…amazingly fast and handled very well
I am a gearhead,but your knowledge of cars is remarkable. I learn do much from your videos.Thank you.
A friend of mine had a 1970 Pontiac Executive for a couple of years (in the early 90's), that had somehow found its way to Canada. Same front end as this car, and just as homely.
I was a kid in the 70s and the neighbor girls across the streets dad has this car. I loved the looks of it then and now. Seeing this brings back good memories. Nostalgia.
Yes !
Any car that I made love to a girl in the back seat of while I was in high school is a beautiful car ,what I have trouble with is now I am old enough to retire . I think that the high prices these old cars command is strongly related to peoples memories of their youth and people wanting little reminders to hold on to . Also on it`s own I don`t think the car is ugly .
Regardless, it's still far better than almost anything produced today.
A lot of cars today have front ends that look more angry than I thought these Pontiacs did. I agree with several who commented that the separated headlights and that "shnoz" plus those spiral vent things sure made them distinctive. And at least in 1970 the GM full-size lineup's bodies overall weren't as bulky as they appeared in the 1971 remodel. By the way, finally seeing the back end it struck me one of my neighbors on a nearby street had one of the Pontiacs of this vintage when I was a kid. It, too, was distinctive. I saw that rear taillight setup every time I passed their house, I guess - the front end less often when these cars were parked in the driveway.
I love the info that these videos provide. The word play and made up words made this video pure gold .
I’m just amazed at how different the cars of the various divisions looked from one another back then. By the late 1980s and 1990’s they were little more than different grilles and taillights.
My family owned a 1970 Laurentian with the 350 ci. We had to sell it in 73 when my dad suddenly passed away.I don't think it's homely. I have fond memories of our car though I was only 7 at the time.
I think it looks like a classic with the grille and headlight design. A beautiful land yacht. 😎😎
The 1970 Pontiac's were an experience of great beauty for some folks. They seem remembered well as a family car.
I was really surprised to see this title. This is my all time favourite looking car of all cars ever made just behind the 73 Centurion. A kid in high school had one and I could not take my eyes off it.
I had a green 1970 Catalina 4 door hardtop (350 c.i.d.) when I was in grad school in the late '70s - wonderful car, and one of my favorites. Courted my wife in it. Spotted it in '82 in a parking lot in Raleigh, North Carolina (I know it was the same car because of the front seat upholstery, which I had had redone) and learned from the teenaged driver that it had had its drivetrain replaced with a 301 c.i.d. engine and transmission from a new '78 Catalina that had been damaged in transit. Wish I had kept it - loved the "in your face" styling of the front end.
2:30 With the upright grille and the horn-grilles, I'd say it evokes a Rolls Royce Silver Cloud or a Jaguar Mk II more than any Deusenberg I've seen. The horn grilles also call to mind various early postwar cars from Checker Marathon to the VW Beetle. Interestingly, they were used for various functions like intake air, and interior ventilation (which risked exposing the driver to the exhaust from the car ahead) in those days, but probably did little on the '70 Pontiac. On modern cars, similar but more subtle vents are sometimes used to cool the front brakes. I don't know why the '70 was so controversial; it struck me as "retro" when I was in 3rd grade in 1969, but by the mid 1970s, similar grilles had become a fixture on most full sized Pontiacs. Maybe with the pre-5MPH bumpers, the grille on the '70 seemed to protrude more and might have reminded some of the '58 Edsel. Personally, I love the car and the only thing I find off-putting is the contrast between the retro front end and the plain-Jane dashboard and interior.
PS: On the aforementioned English cars, the horn grilles were used when fog lights were not ordered. Does anyone know if Pontiac had a fog light option on these cars, and whether the lights took the place of the grilles when included?
The second car I ever owned was a 1970 Catalina in the same gold color as shown in your video. Unfortunately it had a bad carb so I got 8 MPG but it was a roomy, solid dependable car for a persson in his first year of college. Brings back a flood of memories...
It's always amazed me how a car company's lineup could go from looking so good to looking so bad in 2 years flat. Simply astounding.
What's really impressive to me is how perfectly they anticipate the way _everything_ ended up looking worse in the 1970s. Clothes, household appliances, production design in movies, the works. It all fell off an aesthetic cliff in about 1972 and the 1970 Pontiacs, designed in the late '60s, were there to light the way. :)
Thanks for this video, Adam .. And I always enjoy your channel .. I've always wondered what in the world those things were to either side of the grille .. Never once did I think "must be like horns .. like from a Duesenberg".. lol
I like the 70. Especially the round grills between headlights and grills. The convertibles are beautiful.
I didn't realize till years later that those "round gills' was for the horns that sat right behind the gills.
I remember when these cars were new, although I was only five years old when they debuted. I liked them back then, and I still find them attractive.
It's right behind the Aztek. At least they were 36 years or so apart. It's strange how well the large, prominent grille worked so well on the '69 Grand Prix. Having said all of that, this is one of the best examples of a '70 Bonneville I've seen in quite a while.
In 1970 the city that I lived in at the time purchased '70 full-size Pontiacs for their police cars. They then painted them the city colours; light green and white. So, for a few years, we had these '70 Pontiacs with a light green front and rear and white doors and roofs running around town. Man, they were fugly!
Around the same time, I had a neighbour who owned a '70 Bonneville or Catalina with a white body and a red vinyl roof, and a 455. One winter day he got it stuck in the snow on the street. He enlisted the help of all the 6 graders who were walking to school that morning. We had to push that very heavy and very ugly Pontiac out of the snow. I'll never forget that day!
I always liked this model. I thought it was stylish and a bit up scale. My dad drove Pontiacs from 1964 until 1977 so the brand was always one of my favorites.
My dad was a salesman at Bradley lawless Pontiac in Scranton Pennsylvania and I remember as a kid they had a bumper setup on a stand and a sledgehammer to show the durability of the new Pontiac bumpers really kind of a theatrical way of showing the durability
As you have stressed many times, the car world changed greatly from 1965 to 1970. In 1965 it was predominately styling and power with basically little competition. By 1970 there were many more factors in the car world besides style and power that now included higher insurance, emissions, safety and later miles per gallon in addition to more competition. Next to the 67 full size I thought that the 68 was a horrible looking car with the point dropping down (same issue with the 69 Le Mans vs the 68 Le Mans). Although the basic body was better overall, the 69 full size was also horrible looking to me. When the 70 full size came out I loved that front end from day one (and still do today). The 70 even had a better rear look than the 69. I get that the interiors got cheaper than 1965 however I really liked the overall dash design in the 70 full size. The 70 full size still had one of my favorite features with Chief Pontiac still being the bright light indicator in red which went away after 1970. My family bought two 1970 Catalina's. The 400 was a great motor, the cars were great cars. Back in 1970 I really did not even like the looks of the 65-67 Pontiac full size cars. I have grown to appreciate now the "coke bottle" look. We had a 62 Catalina and I really liked the more square 62-64 full size cars back then. Just checking some of the other comments and apparently many people also thought the 70 was good looking. There are a lot of things to like about the 70 full size Pontiac and to me the No 1 thing on the list is that great front end on that car. PONTIAC will always be my favorite car. I have had 17 and I may not be done yet and yes if a very nice 70 full size comes up in my part of the world I will not hesitate to buy it.
Nice video. I actually have a 1970 Catalina station wagon and well- it definitely stands out, gets heads turning -unless that's because my exhaust is shot and it sounds like a tank. Fun to drive for sure.
When I was a kid, I loved the 70 Pontiac front end. I thought it was retro (I wouldn't have known that term) and 'classy' - look Dad, it's a Jaguar. Or maybe a Packard, though I wouldn't have know that either. It was probably the little horn grilles that did it. Still, I missed the Pontiac fron at the back - the 69 was more interesting to me, and loved the series differentiation. In retrospect, well...... not so much, though with skirts and in a 4dr hardtop, it does look solid middle class luxury. The interior on the 70 was pretty uninspired however, (Vega door handles) - it had lost much of what made a Bonneville special by then.
I'm with you...I loved it too. Dad brought home a 2 door loaner before he picked up his 71 Catalina and I thought we were living large wiht that front end. In retrospect, I don't know what I was thinking...today it looks like a pasted on mess. The 69 is so much more coherent,
Excellent presentation Mr. Adam, I was in agreement with all your analysis and opinions of styling on this Pontiac, but what's funny is, the more you critiqued the noise ( justifiably)..... the more I liked it!... well as your other viewer mentioned, it's an acquired taste.
Wow, did this review catch my eye! I grew up with a 1970 Catalina Station Wagon that my parents bought new in the spring of '70. I agree with you that this was not the best design but my memory of the car was that is was a great family car. Our fairly basic model had the 400 V8 with 2 barrel carburetor. I know my mom thought it had plenty of power and she drove the car until 1985! The car was passed on to a family member in '85 and then a few years later sold to a painter who wanted it for his business. As I recall, it had over 200,000 miles when it finally went to the painter and never had any major mechanical work. It may have been ugly but it was a heck of a car!
Carried some of the Grand Prix look, and you can see the vertical rectangle look in all subsequent full-size Pontiacs for the rest of the marques history.
The look grows on you.
I think it was one of the most attractive. Ironic it was in an ad in a 1970 National Geographic with the the caption "Pontiac. This is the way it's going to be" Then came the gas shortage. Lol.
Compaired to the Pontiacs of the '60's I would agree but I don't find the '70 full size line as unappealing as the Aztec. A coworker had an Aztec and raved about how comfortable it was on long trips. I guess if you can get past the exterior styling!
I remember when I first saw a 1970 Bonneville. It was tan and looked just like the one in this video. The front end of it really impressed me and I thought it was striking and beautiful. My Dad always bought Pontiacs. When I saw that '70 Bonnie at 10 years of age, I then knew Pontiacs were something special. I have owned GTOs, Grand Prix's , Catalinas, and Firebirds in my life and have loved them all. My G8 GT turns tires and heads, and it is hard to get the keys away from my wife. My 15 year old daughter wants a G6 Convertible. They still can bring on the passion.
No way, that car is gorgeous! Was cool to see this style featured in “The Last Action Hero”. And besides AZTEK shall always prevail as the ugliest of them all!
One of my sisters had one back in the 80s with the 455 two barrel. Hideous! It was extremely roomy and comfortable, though. The back seat was enormous and had incredible leg room. Power delivery was almost diesel like.
They are beautifully styled in my opinion.
So I was 9 years old in 1970. My father ordered a 1970 Pontiac
" executive " as his company car. Same color as in this video. As a kid, I was so excited in my opinion it was very close the front end of'course to the grand Prix. His other choices were Delta 88 Lesabre. Both I thought were boring. I remember the Pontiac had a 400 2bbl he was not happy with the performance coming out of a 68 Newport with a 383 4bbl. That car flew! I remember he would say son, hold on I'm going to blow out the carbon!
Great childhood memories
I don't think the car is ugly. It's just unique. Pontiac always had the most talented designers and engineers IMO.
I have one it was my grandmas, my dad, and mom went on their first date in it. Grandma never drove it much she always drove her pickup, but she would take it to church and to town now and then, and she loved it
In my opinion it seemed Cadillac adopted the front end style for the 71-72 model year. Those are my favorite years for Cadillac, Pontiac has been my favorite nameplate since I knew what a car was, and the only year for a high compression 455. What’s not to love?
My first car at 16 was a 76 Pontiac Grand Le Man's. Had the Grand Prix dashboard. I think the best looking mid size of any GM brand. I have all kinds of Pontiac material, 1/18 scale models. I have been in love with Pontiacs since our neighbor would let me sit in his new 69 Grand Prix. I was 9. My favorite brand by far. Pontiac, A Cut Above. I hope to find a classic Grand Prix some day. Thanks to all for sharing.
I agree! Upon seeing the '71 Cadillac when they came out, my very first thought was that the front end looked very similar to the '70 Pontiac and the taillights looked like '67-68 Mercury Marquis. The '71 is my favorite year style wise for Cadillac, in '72 they spaced the headlights even further apart for the parking lights which gave the front end an awkward look in my opinion.
@@TomSnyder-gx5ru I have to say I like the 72 Cadillac a little better. I like the parking lights between the headlights. I’d take either one but prefer the 72.
@@mikee2923 Agree my mother had a 72 Sedan Deville in aqua with a matching cloth and leather interior and a white vinyl top. I prefer the 72s out of any other Cadillacs of that generation (71-76).
When you drove one you wore burgundy plaid nylon slacks, a thick stretchy polyester shirt, 4" wide paisley tie, and tried to put the selector on Drive without sprinkling too many ashes from your unfiltered Pallmall cigarette at the tip of your middle and index fingers. Perry Como on FM radio. Good times.
Sounds like an uncle of mine except it was a Winston 100s and he was wearing his lap belt and the separate shoulder belt from the headliner over the driver's door. With the seat belts and the filtered Winston 100s, he was being "safety conscious ". LOL
It's not ugly but very unique.
That big chrome grille with horn ports integrated in the front facia looks very commanding. Has a lot of Stutz Bearcat styling in it IMO. Very Superflyesque.
Just no accounting for tastes in this case. I think the front end is classic, the ornamental horns harken back to the classic era. The individual headlights with chrome escutions are tastefully done. Echoes of the new Grand Prix are also well integrated and establish some family resemblance. The rear end looks unfinished somehow but it is simple and inoffensive.🎉
My uncle had a 1970 Bonnie the same color when I was a teenager in the 80s. He let someone change the valve pan gaskets and it had a horrible miss after that. At 15 taking an auto tech course found out that the person that changed the gaskets moved the distributor enough to cause the miss. Ran like a top after that and was very easy to drive considering the size.
We Build Ugly- PONTIAC!
But I cant believe they made something so good looking at the same time, ie the 1970 Firebird/Trans Am, One of the best looking cars of all time!
Some younger automotive enthusiasts may not be aware of one of the greatest entertainers that ever lived. Jimmy Durante :-) The 70' Pontiac full size cars look fantastic!
I can’t really call the 1970 facelift of these Pontiacs ugly….whimsical perhaps but with a certain appeal. Pontiac succeeded in displaying a design language all it’s own in the in the GM family that sometimes tested the limits.
I used to own a 1967 Pontiac Grand Parisian two door hardtop with a 327 V8 .Headlights behind the grill.I owned this car in the mid seventies.I still regret selling that car to this day.
I actually really like the 1970 full size Pontiacs. I would have one over a 71 model.
My great uncle had a 70 Bonneville Safari with the 455/4. I remember he sold/gave it to my Dad in the early 80s. It had been slightly vandalized as someone knocked out the rear glass with a hammer. Dad debated on whether to keep it or pull the drivetrain to go into a Firebird. Ended up pulling the drivetrain but I still have good memories of that car.
Nice video, as always, but the car is not that bad!
I found the horn vents hokey at the time, but didn't think of the car as remotely homely. And the interior looks plush enough, with generously padded door panels, full length armrests and lovely brocade. The period-expected explosion of fake wood is what it is, and the steering wheel an obvious safety concession. The sliding temperature selector for the automatic control I had not previously seen, and illustrates the many divisional distinctions still on display in General Motors products.
It’s gorgeous styling compared the the 73…74 Nader 5mph front ends.
I'll second that Anthony.
No, by No means or measure. Judging by the styles of it's time, it is an absolutely beautiful piece of American excellence. Every part of it is. This lady would fly in the highway comfortably driven by the V8 mechanics installed in it's hood.👍
My 1970 Pontiac Bonneville 2 door hardtop wants to smash you in the face ! 😢
Had a late 60s dark blue Bonneville convertible that used to park next to my 65 LeMans conv. in college. It was a "factory executive" car ( I lived in Mi. at the time )with some extra goodies on it. Beautiful ! Also on the lot was a 70 340 Cuda auto , a 64 Lemans conv. and a 442.