There was a political science professor at my alma mater who went looking for a new car in fall, 1972, and wandered into the Pontiac dealer. The salesman kept trying to steer him toward a Grand Ville coupe'. The professor said, "Who wants a green car?" The salesman just handed him the keys and said, "Go drive it.". And he did. He took it out on the Interstate, and when he returned, he bought it on the spot.
Great flick the Seven-Ups! Terrific video showcasing this gorgeous Grand Ville!!! The terrified look on Moon’s face was very persuasive as Bill Hickman pushed that 73 beyond its limits in that movie!
A little known fact is Bill Hickman was driving a the Ford station wagon and trailer following James Dean on the day of Dean's fatal accident and was the first person on the scene.
I started my career in Service in early November 1972. The dealer was still driving his 1971 triple black GV 4 door hardtop demo with almost 5,000miles on it. He had it hand washed twice a week and waxed monthly. He loved it so much he didn't want to sell it. Finally his son insisted he park it and he was to start driving the special order triple black 1973 GV that had just arrived. The 71 sold within a week. I was lucky enough to drive both of them as well as new Grand Prixs and those cool 73 Grand Am coupes and sedans. Spent 6 years at that Pontiac store and owned some classic Tin Indians though they were just nice used cars back then. 1963 GP, 1968 GTO, 1966 Catalina 2 door hardtop (twin to Adam's except white exterior), and a new1978 Bonneville Brougham coupe with the last 400 V8. Loved them all! Thanks Adam, your videos often bring back great memories of the automotive past.
My parents bought a 73 Grand Ville. It was a pale yellow with white interior. We had many memorable road trips in "Old Yeller." All three of us kids learned how to drive in that car. Thanks for the video, Adam. Keep up the good work.
My best friend from high school had a '73 Grand Ville. I was in college in Florida at the time, and he and some friends from Michigan came down in the car and crashed at my place for a week of spring break. This was 1987. Matt was driving through Tennessee north of Knoxville on I-75 and gets pulled over by Sheriff Buford T. Justice. Buford and his enormous beer belly come up to the window and Matt hands him his license/registration/insurance. Buford looks at the items for a few moments, leans down and looks into the car and says to Matt: "Well, this awl looks purty sus-picious. What are boys that look like you fellers doing in a big expensive car like this? Hmm?" It was all Matt could do to keep a straight face, since the officer was apparently SERIOUS and car had several rust spots.... Great video! [PS: Buford let Matt off with a "warning"....]
I had a manager at the time, a very calm and refined POC, who still had the window sticker on his GV. One option was, literally, “Extra-Quiet Insulation Package”. It was the quietest car I’ve ever ridden in
My parents had a '71 Bonneville, beautiful road car. Although my dad said his '66 Bonneville might have been the best car he ever had. The fit and finish of the dash and the interior were terrific.
I remember watching one of these beasts tearing up the streets of NY in a neat little flick called 'The Seven Ups'. It was driven by Bill Hickman, the same actor/stuntman who drove the Charger in 'Bullitt'.
Always had a soft spot for '73 Pontiacs... because I owned one. Not anything as fancy as a Grand Ville, mind you. No, mine was just a plain old Laurentian (Canada) but it was a great car that served me well as it did at least 2 owners after me. Also... I couldn't help but chuckle at the interior of that red Grand Ville covered in that plastic wrapping. I had an aunt whose house was covered top to bottom in that stuff. Never understood paying for nice stuff only to cover it up and preserve it for the next person to enjoy.
In the 80s my mother had a 76 Pontiac Bonneville burgundy with black vinyl top, black velvet interior and a 400 cu. It was a super nice car to take a date out in. roomy backseat.
My boss had a '73 Gran Ville coupe and I remain impressed 50 years later on the power and handling that car had. Seems like it had a suspension above standard. It did have dual exhaust, which I'm not sure was standard. The only downside were the Firestone 500 radials. Those were replaced as soon as we saw all the sidewall bulges. Just before they were recalled. After that, the car was a dream to drive. And that's all I remember as a 17 year old kid! 🙂
I'm intrigued by this model and the Buick Centurion, another short -lived GM offering, especially the convertible option of both. I think they have aged well, styling-wise.
Centurion was a case of slicing the segment too finely, in my opinion. It attempted to create a market space between the Electra 225 Limited and Le Sabre.
I had a '73, 455 powered Grand Ville convertible. Beautiful car with white exterior and burgundy vinyl interior. You point out that the horsepower was low, but the torque was incredible! Almost impossible to not spin the tires while accelerating, especially while turning.
I have a '75 GV convert. It is enormous. People are amazed how big these final B and C bodies were in this last gen. I love my 75 - its my daily driver in the summer - but I think the 72 and 73 are really cleanly styled and more harmonious. The button tufting is super attractive, but I've driven mid 60's full size Pontiacs and the newer ones cannot hold a candle against the interior detailing of the earlier ones
We also have a ‘75 Grandville convertible-triple white with 69,000 miles on it. We’ve owned it for 26 years and as much as I enjoy the car, I simply do not drive it as much as I use to and probably will be selling it in the not to distant future. I also agree regarding the materials used and fit and finish are definitely not in the same league as the mid 60s Pontiacs.
Interior quality went downhill on all GM full sized cars in 71. Then 73 for the intermediates. I’ve had Buicks of many year models and there is a definite difference before and after those years. They still drive really well though.
@@tholmes2169 Agreed. Although I'd take it another step back and say the first real downgrade was 1967 when vacuum formed plastics really came online...the interior quality between a 66 Cadillac and a 67 is dramatic. The new plastics did provide for a lot of shapes and forms over the relatively flat metal from before. ("One word for you. Are you listening? Plastics") Then as you say in 71 it dropped again for the full size cars. Although there were some pretty wild fabrics used in upholstery in the 70's, most everything else was stamped and formed vinyl and plastic. The interior of my GV has lots of interesting coves and surface variations but feels pretty cheap. Interestingly the exterior still has some chromed pot metal, not plastic...the grill and headlight surrounds are metal as are the taillight bezels.
The GrandVille is a classic Pontiac model, but eventually there was no more room for it. The Bonneville and Catalina remained the top models. Also yeah that chase scene in the Seven-Ups is intense for sure.
Adam, Although I drive a Pontiac to this day, in 1973 I would have probably ranked the Oldsmobile 98 and Buick Electra over the Grand Ville when considering the GM full size lineup. 😉
When I got my first big job after college, I had to drive from Sioux Falls, SD to Houston, TX. So, Dad gave took my little Dodge Dart to one of my brothers gifted me with a massive 1971 Pontiac two door with strange houndstooth upholstery. It was cloth and very comfortable. The car was a metallic copper color with black vinyl roof. Wonderful car! I enjoyed it until a woman T-boned me while she was on prescription drugs. I mourned that car and would love to have it now! Our family always drove Pontiacs.
Finally!! Glad you did get around to the car our family owned from the 70s to the early 80s while I went from Middle School to High School. I had relatives with Olds and Buicks in their driveways but I loved Pontiacs and I really was impressed with our Red on Red Grand Ville Coupe! It looked luxurious and the Rally Wheels made it look a little sporty and seemed to add a European flare.. Great video, friend!
I drove a 68 Buick LeSabre to high school while a classmate drove a 66 Bonneville. People made fun of mine while they thought hers was the shiznit, so the Pontiacs were definitely cooler. They did like mine after I painted it red, but still liked hers better with its horrible paint. 🤣
The big Pontiac were awesome cars back then, today is such a disappointment! To have grown up during the time of the production of all these great American cars, I so looked forward when I was older to purchase the latest model only to now have it all gone and the American car destroyed. So much of my America is gone and I don't recognize this country in a bad way.
My Mom owned a ‘72 coupe at one time. It that heavy brocade type cloth upholstery that was so beautiful. I loved driving that big Pontiac, so comfortable.
Another great video. I think the '73 was the best looking year for the Grand Ville. I also liked the Luxury Lemans - when I was a kid I mowed the yard of an elderly widow who lived down the street and she traded in her husbands '66 Cadillac sedan de Ville for a white/white/white Luxury Lemans coupe shortly after he passed away and she absolutely loved it and kept it spotless until the day she died some twenty years later. Whoever was lucky enough to have bought that car from her estate basically got a brand new 20yo Luxury Lemans.
The 1971-76 Pontiac Bonneville Catalina Grandville and Parisienne (Canadian) look great just like the Chevrolet Bel Air Biscayne Caprice and the Impala
Just purchased a 73 convertible last week, my fifth (two 73’s, two 75’s all convertibles). I love the styling of these, they really do “float like a boat “!
We had one as well, also a 73. My mom couldn’t manage all that torque in city driving and made us kids car sick with her jerky driving. To a little kid, that car was HUGE. A beast of a car.
Drove a 1973 Catalina 4door with a 400cu it belonged to a friends grandparents and had 27,000 miles on it in 1977 , loved the car , as a Brit on holiday it was so comfortable and a lot of fun , loved pulling backwards 180s as long as the street was wide . 🤪👍🇬🇧🇺🇸 Another great video Adam 👍 brings back many memories of mis spent youth .
I had a ‘73, black over brown, four door Grand Ville that was passed down to me from my mom in the early ‘80s. Monster car but really drove well. I was living in Palm Springs at the time and my Dad was living in East county San Diego and often drove this quite speedily on the Palms to Pines scenic Byway. If you flipped over the air cleaner cover the engine created an awesome whooshing sound when the four barrels and passing gear kicked in.
I guess this was the time of the 'return of the Fender Skirt". I worked in a tire shop in the late 1970's and hated those things, especially when the snow was on the roads. I was tired of frozen fingers trying to get those things off.
My first new car was a 71 Bonneville 2 dr ht, with 455CID, 385 HP high output, single 4bbl, auto trans, dual exaust, resonators, positraction, power windows, seats driver only, pwr antenna but only AM radio. I remember paying around $5100 for the beast, made about 18 miles per gallon but premium was 25 cents then, loved that car was my girl magnet!
Thank you Adam. I enjoyed this video about "Grand Bonneville". I always knew this was supposed to be connected to the Oldsmobile Ninety Eight and the Buick Electra/Park Avenue. I knew about the Grand Prix connection too. This was to be Pontiac's C Body. I like the 1975 Grand Ville. That became as you know Bonneville Brougham in 1976. Not much different than was Chrysler did with the Imperial turning it to New Yorker Brougham in 1976. I often wondered if Pontiac had got a C Body what would have looked like. I think we saw that with the Parisienne Brougham in 1985-1986. The interesting thing was in that time Bonneville was moved down to the G Body as a intermediate. Then Bonneville became flagship again in 1987. I think the Bonneville SSE and GXP is what Grand Ville would have become. Performance was king again starting in the 1980's. Thank you again Adam.
I've owned 5 "73" Grandvilles , 2 - 2dr coupes, 2 - 4dr sedans, 1 - conv, 2 "75" Grandvilles, 1 - conv, and 1 Grand Safari Wagon. These obviously were my all time favorite vehicles, while styling goes they are considerably the same I did prefer the tail-lights on the 73's. Until yours I had never seen a Grandville without AC nor PWindows. Mine were all fully loaded some with Auto-temp AC, 2 with the electric grid rear defog, some with and without PPassenger Seat. Never even seen one without Tilt/Cruise, AC. Great Video Adam for the Grandville shout out most people now never even heard of them. Sold my last Convertible 12 years ago to my best friend as I no longer could stand the sun on me, as a rather strange aside every one of mine had front cornering lights.
Does anyone remember that the recirculation AC mode on these was on when the temperature control was in the coldest position, with no other markings except the control went from bright green to dark red (for maximum heat). In a humid climate most people left it in recirculation mode because they never bothered to read the manual or understand the system. The Buicks had the label “recirc” with an arrow in the left position. In the hot south people mostly regulated the AC by adjusting the fan switch. Those were such powerful systems with POA valves that they got the car cold no matter that most users didn’t know how to operate the controls. The redesign came when they reworked the system to have an “economy” setting which deactivated the compressor. People who were still driving these about 1980 were really suffering with having to fill up every other day at $1.40 a gallon which was much higher than today, adjusted for inflation, and 8 - 12 mpg was much different than 20 - 30 most people get in a comparably prestigious car today. One of the raw memories I have of everyday life that no one talks about anymore simply because everyone old enough to remember it is senile or expired. I always thought the Grand Ville’s cigarette lighters on the ends of the front seat back were tacky. The Buicks concealed the lighters in the ash tray. For us, the back seat was the province of the children who could easily play with the lighters and hurt themselves.
My first car was a 75 Grand Prix. The A/C in max was high blower speed recirculating air. When switched to normal you could then control the blower speed and it brought in outside air. So if it got too cold on max I just slid it to normal. Wasn’t hard for 17 year old me to figure out. I also remember at night on occasion it would actually blow fog out the vents if you had the A/C on. But the coolest thing was if it was in Bi level it would blow cold air out of all the vents. The console had a vent from the floor and was big enough to fit a six pack behind it. A/C was cold enough to keep the beers cold while cruising around and out of sight from the cops. Mid 80s. Good times.
I still notice today, when it’s raining/wet and humid, the cars where people have the hvac set on re circulate because the windows are all fogged up…hard to believe so many people go all their lives, completely oblivious to the proper and safe operation of such an important and basic system.
My favorite car I've ever owned was a 73 Grandville, my great grandparents bought it brand new and opted for the dual exhaust option as well as the Pontiac rally wheels. It was burgundy with a brown/tan interior. I added a jet performance tuned Rochester Quadrajet and an HEI distributor and that was about all I ever did to that car, I wish I'd never sold it but I do see it ripping around town sometimes.
It didn't do too bad as the "bad guys' car" in the 1973 movie, "The Seven Ups" good luck doing a chase scene like that in a modern car of today! You gotta give Bill Hickman credit for handling a whale of a car like that on New York City streets, even in busy traffic! The best Pontiac vs. Pontiac car chase scene of all time!
My grandmother had a 74 Bonneville hardtop coupe which looked like the Grandville coupe @8:05. From the looks of it the GV got you rims instead of hubcaps, a vinyl roof and different turn signal lamps over the Bonneville. Hers had the 400ci 2bbl. That big boat was a dream on the interstate and even for as big and heavy as it was, it would get you into the triple digits without breaking a sweat. Long gone are the days when a coupe could easily fit 6 adults. lol
I was in high school in 1971 when my parents bought a Grand Ville, that first year. I agree with Adam, it certainly did not exude workmanship and luxury like their '66 Bonneville 4-door. Very, very plastic interior. Plus, the trunk seemed much smaller, I guess to make room for that extra-long hood. It was a joy to drive, I got my driver's license in it, and it was very comfortable on the highway even with all that interior plastic. Unfortunately, 1971 was the year of the air vents in the trunk lid and yes, theirs would leak under certain conditions. It ended a 25 year romance between them and Pontiac--they traded that Grand Ville in for a Peugeot 504 sedan for her and a wagon for him, and yes, they loved those cars.
I put 100,000 on a 73 Catalina. Everything fell apart, window and vinyl top stater alternator compressor fan clutch, but, it ran until the master cylinder went. I threw the title in the glove compartment and left the keys in it with a note about the brakes. Had so much fun in that old beast
In the late 70s my grandparents gave my parents their 1974 Luxury LeMans. They didn't have it for very long. I remember that it was a kind of bright green color, with a white vinyl roof. I also remember that when they drove it in the rain it got water in the trunk! I think that was the only Pontiac my parents ever owned. Speaking of that car chase, there are a few movies I've never seen, but I have seen their car chases- The Seven Ups, Strange Shadows in an Empty Room, and Gone in 60 Seconds are favorites of mine. I love those chases.
Thanks for mentioning The Seven Ups and French Connection movie chase scenes. Both have been shared and viewed many times and both movies used then new Pontiacs.
Yeah that bumper is big, but look at the LeMans it’s even worse in 1973 Surprising considering how graceful the solution was on the Grand Am that year I had a 75 Firebird Formula and you have to get rid of those restrictive manifolds and go w tube headers, it makes a world of difference on the Pontiac But you mentioned here of ‘big block’ 455s, yet all Pontiacs are the same block as I understand it, even 301. I know 350 same as 455 they look nearly identical
Love the plastic seat covers... my father had those on his 74 Mercury Montego! Lol.. Summer time was ruff when wearing shorts and sticking to those seats! Ouch!!!😂
Peak malaise era cars, although 70-76 full sized Pontiacs could be easily referred to as their schnoz era. One thing that rarely gets mentioned with the schnoz cars is the detail of the sheet metal of the hoods. They had beautiful sculpture because of their front ends.
I had a 2 door, '73 Grandville. Comfortable, and with a little engine work, and dual exhaust, you could get 350hp out of it, so it was pretty fast too.
IMO, the Granville styling went in a downward direction after 1972 - especially the front end. Loved the original's headlights that didn't sit in chrome baskets and had paint all the way around. First gen Monte Carlo also did this to good effect.
Not to rain on the Grand Ville's parade, Adam, but the 1972 Luxury LeMans had the personnel from the nearby Naval Air Station in my hometown form a line at the Pontiac dealership. The overwhelming acceptance of the Luxury LeMans proved Ford Motor Company correct when the Gran Torino/Montego MX Brougham platform was expanded for the 1972 Thunderbird/Continental Mark IV - these cars all share a similar "market theme", distinct from full-sized 2-door hardtops. By 1973, the Luxury Fad was on, remember the '73 Dodge Charger Special Edition?
I absolutely love the big American cars of the 60's to 80's. I don't care about the unnecessary technology in modern vehicles. I want style and comfort.
Great segment, but it's helpful to point out non-stock features for those who might not be aware, in this case the aftermarket fender-mounted manual antenna on the red car.
Thanks Adam for another great watch. For me, 1963 to 1966 are the best years for Pontiac. One car my dad had, wish I could find one on eBay, was a 63 Oldsmobile Starfire. It was a great car, a bit boxy, a "Starfire Coupe" that was a bronze/hint of gold color.
I remember, having heard that these new bumpers were designed to rebound after a crash, trying to push a Pontiac bumper in with my foot, grossly underestimating how stiff its shock-absorbing struts had to be to protect a 2.5 ton car. The wheelbase stretch of the '71 and '72 didn't add anything to the rear legroom, so the '73 had the same interior space, but none of them were really competition for the Cadillac-sized 98.
Those big cubic displacement Pontiac engines started using oil like crazy after about 60,000 miles because the long crank stroke and relatively short connecting rods caused high piston wall side forces that wore out the cylinders.
Oh come on, the master crafstman 'carving' on the door wood was a treat :) Agree about the 73 upgrade; the base Grandville interior in 71-72 was really a Caprice; they needed to bump it up. Seems like the only GV I see on offer are convertibles which, given climate and other practical considerations, are not my pick for this line.
I had a '73. It was maybe the most ho-hum car I ever owned. The worst thing was the horribly designed gauge cluster pod that featured all the engine gauges surrounding the clock (you can see most of it at the 5:45 mark of this video). Especially at night, you'd glance down and just see needles going every-which direction. Very hard to read. It was an okay cruiser but was such a dog when you wanted to get up to speed. It was a single exhaust setup - duals would have no doubt helped. I was glad to see it go down the road ...
I drag raced a 72 Grand Ville for 2 of my high school years. I'd drive it to the track, crawl under the car and disconnect the exhaust at the Y pipe for the races then reconnect it for a very comfy ride home. Won $50 in bracket racing a few nights. Good times!
Great video Adam.My parents had a 71 Grand ville with the 455.My 1 st car was a 67 G.T.O. convertible.The Grand Ville was close as far as speed.I agree with you the fake wood was tacky.And you put in faux wood with roll up windows,that's gaudy.All in all they were good cars.Keep up the great work and Cheers from Eulethra.
Great video. Love the cold start. Like many others, I went to a mini starter out of a Dodge Dakota for my 413. But I do a little drag racing. 😉 You’ve got me thinking I should give the original style a try for the sweet sound…
I love the Grandville. I see them alot at car shows with the aftermarket 26"-28" wheels on them but beautiful paint jobs. Some of them be in their original factory paint
A great overview, Adam. I've not seen too many of these, especially the '73 4-door hardtop. I do like the upholstery -- it's really on the mark for the day and price point. The dash also looks really good. But, as (almost) always in this era of B/C bodies, the interior is marred by really tacky looking fake wood and those hard lower door panels.
When I was 14 my friends parents bought a new 74 GrandVille 4 door ht, burgundy with white top and burgundy cloth seats, they had learned somehow about flipping the breather lid, we had so much fun in that car, i was shocked at how fast that car was! it had 120 on the speedometer but i will never forget seeing that speedometer completely vertical and it ( the speedometer)was still moving and about to get back to 0! I think we were going about 130 with the a/c on! It road like a cloud too!
Great vid .i had 73 pont lemans in early 80,s...until parked in street n guy wrapped me round tree overnite...good ol bench seats ..still my fav seats ..but nomore...i ms b old
I appreciate your doing this video on Pontiac. Adam the design for the 71’ Pontiac was a tragedy. It’s Edsel front end and boring/staid design makes me wonder if style was a second thought - or even a thought at all. How do they go from 1960s excellence to this daudy walrus ? Anyway, the 75’ with the square headlights was a nice looking car. As far as the other divisions go (beauty is in the eyes of the beholder) Buick had them all beat. BTW - I really enjoy reading the comments on your videos. There’s some really great stories there !
The 1971 was preferable, it looked much cleaner without the obnoxious bumpers. 1973 was probably the most extreme example, and was thankfully toned down visually in subsequent years.@@bobjohnson205
Mine was white over black 73 coupe, I got it around 77-78 . It was a land yacht, but that plastic fake wood interior trim was chessy as hell. I had it about a year and was doing doughnuts in a parking lot. I hit the corner of a particularly high curb, It missed the bumper by a fraction, but pushed everything below it back to the motor...including snapping the pulley off the crank. Believe it or not, my insurance didn't total it. They fixed it and I drove it another two years.
Авто/Мото
There was a political science professor at my alma mater who went looking for a new car in fall, 1972, and wandered into the Pontiac dealer. The salesman kept trying to steer him toward a Grand Ville coupe'. The professor said, "Who wants a green car?" The salesman just handed him the keys and said, "Go drive it.". And he did. He took it out on the Interstate, and when he returned, he bought it on the spot.
Who wouldn't want a green car? Green was one of the most popular car colors in 1972 😉
@@rightlanehog3151 Good point! You'd have to have known Bob. Unconventional, to say the least.
Yes, I always picture Pontiacs from that era as being green. They must have pushed that color disproportionately in their ads.
Cool story bro.
"Going Green" had a different meaning back then.
I’m so very glad this is here… long live 7 UPS and Bill Hickman
Pontiac was the last holdout of hot rod big block power with the 1974 SD455 rated @ 290 net horsepower.
The Seven-Ups chase is one of the best ever filmed. Love that movie.
Just saw that for the first time this week. Fantastic film, and I had no idea a Grand Ville could perform like that!
@@oriontaylor Those full-size American boats are ALL driver.
Oh, how I miss the '60s and early '70s Pontiacs.
As a lifelong resident of Pontiac ❤ Michigan, you're welcome 😅
Not to mention just the ‘60s and early ‘70s.
The chase from 7 ups is brutal and very well done
Ever since i watched the Seven Ups with Roy Scheider, I have greatly admired the '73 GrandVille. Thanks for highlighting this car!
Great flick the Seven-Ups! Terrific video showcasing this gorgeous Grand Ville!!!
The terrified look on Moon’s face was very persuasive as Bill Hickman pushed that 73 beyond its limits in that movie!
A little known fact is Bill Hickman was driving a the Ford station wagon and trailer following James Dean on the day of Dean's fatal accident and was the first person on the scene.
73 Grandville was my first car. Would love to have another.
I started my career in Service in early November 1972. The dealer was still driving his 1971 triple black GV 4 door hardtop demo with almost 5,000miles on it. He had it hand washed twice a week and waxed monthly. He loved it so much he didn't want to sell it. Finally his son insisted he park it and he was to start driving the special order triple black 1973 GV that had just arrived. The 71 sold within a week. I was lucky enough to drive both of them as well as new Grand Prixs and those cool 73 Grand Am coupes and sedans. Spent 6 years at that Pontiac store and owned some classic Tin Indians though they were just nice used cars back then. 1963 GP, 1968 GTO, 1966 Catalina 2 door hardtop (twin to Adam's except white exterior), and a new1978 Bonneville Brougham coupe with the last 400 V8. Loved them all! Thanks Adam, your videos often bring back great memories of the automotive past.
Love these big Pontiacs. That 72 Luxury Lemanns is sweet 💚
My parents bought a 73 Grand Ville. It was a pale yellow with white interior. We had many memorable road trips in "Old Yeller." All three of us kids learned how to drive in that car. Thanks for the video, Adam. Keep up the good work.
I knew you were gonna mention the 7 Ups. Good movie! I’ve watched the RUclips clip of the car chase probably about 100 times.
My best friend from high school had a '73 Grand Ville. I was in college in Florida at the time, and he and some friends from Michigan came down in the car and crashed at my place for a week of spring break. This was 1987.
Matt was driving through Tennessee north of Knoxville on I-75 and gets pulled over by Sheriff Buford T. Justice. Buford and his enormous beer belly come up to the window and Matt hands him his license/registration/insurance. Buford looks at the items for a few moments, leans down and looks into the car and says to Matt:
"Well, this awl looks purty sus-picious. What are boys that look like you fellers doing in a big expensive car like this? Hmm?"
It was all Matt could do to keep a straight face, since the officer was apparently SERIOUS and car had several rust spots....
Great video!
[PS: Buford let Matt off with a "warning"....]
Let me guess, your friend was black?
We had 2 1973 Grand Villes😊what a smooth, quiet ride
Ahhh the Grandville, I had a 73 hearse , wonderful car the 455 ran beautifully.
I had a manager at the time, a very calm and refined POC, who still had the window sticker on his GV.
One option was, literally,
“Extra-Quiet Insulation Package”.
It was the quietest car I’ve ever ridden in
My parents had a '71 Bonneville, beautiful road car. Although my dad said his '66 Bonneville might have been the best car he ever had. The fit and finish of the dash and the interior were terrific.
I remember watching one of these beasts tearing up the streets of NY in a neat little flick called 'The Seven Ups'. It was driven by Bill Hickman, the same actor/stuntman who drove the Charger in 'Bullitt'.
The convertibles are beautiful. Especially in metallic red and white and black and white.
I knew two different guys who graduated from Corvettes into Grand Ville convertibles.
Always had a soft spot for '73 Pontiacs... because I owned one. Not anything as fancy as a Grand Ville, mind you. No, mine was just a plain old Laurentian (Canada) but it was a great car that served me well as it did at least 2 owners after me.
Also... I couldn't help but chuckle at the interior of that red Grand Ville covered in that plastic wrapping. I had an aunt whose house was covered top to bottom in that stuff. Never understood paying for nice stuff only to cover it up and preserve it for the next person to enjoy.
That stuff is ultra tacky.. IF you want protection, at least use lambskin covers.
In the 80s my mother had a 76 Pontiac Bonneville burgundy with black vinyl top, black velvet interior and a 400 cu. It was a super nice car to take a date out in.
roomy backseat.
My boss had a '73 Gran Ville coupe and I remain impressed 50 years later on the power and handling that car had. Seems like it had a suspension above standard. It did have dual exhaust, which I'm not sure was standard. The only downside were the Firestone 500 radials. Those were replaced as soon as we saw all the sidewall bulges. Just before they were recalled. After that, the car was a dream to drive. And that's all I remember as a 17 year old kid! 🙂
Your boss probably owned a Grand Ville. 😉
I'm intrigued by this model and the Buick Centurion, another short -lived GM offering, especially the convertible option of both. I think they have aged well, styling-wise.
Centurion was a case of slicing the segment too finely, in my opinion. It attempted to create a market space between the Electra 225 Limited and Le Sabre.
These videos need to be on the History Channel! Well Done 👍🏻
I had a '73, 455 powered Grand Ville convertible. Beautiful car with white exterior and burgundy vinyl interior. You point out that the horsepower was low, but the torque was incredible! Almost impossible to not spin the tires while accelerating, especially while turning.
I have a '75 GV convert. It is enormous. People are amazed how big these final B and C bodies were in this last gen. I love my 75 - its my daily driver in the summer - but I think the 72 and 73 are really cleanly styled and more harmonious. The button tufting is super attractive, but I've driven mid 60's full size Pontiacs and the newer ones cannot hold a candle against the interior detailing of the earlier ones
my favourite GV is the 1974. I don't own one, at least not yet.
We also have a ‘75 Grandville convertible-triple white with 69,000 miles on it. We’ve owned it for 26 years and as much as I enjoy the car, I simply do not drive it as much as I use to and probably will be selling it in the not to distant future. I also agree regarding the materials used and fit and finish are definitely not in the same league as the mid 60s Pontiacs.
How do you like the ride quality?
Interior quality went downhill on all GM full sized cars in 71. Then 73 for the intermediates. I’ve had Buicks of many year models and there is a definite difference before and after those years. They still drive really well though.
@@tholmes2169 Agreed. Although I'd take it another step back and say the first real downgrade was 1967 when vacuum formed plastics really came online...the interior quality between a 66 Cadillac and a 67 is dramatic. The new plastics did provide for a lot of shapes and forms over the relatively flat metal from before. ("One word for you. Are you listening? Plastics") Then as you say in 71 it dropped again for the full size cars. Although there were some pretty wild fabrics used in upholstery in the 70's, most everything else was stamped and formed vinyl and plastic. The interior of my GV has lots of interesting coves and surface variations but feels pretty cheap. Interestingly the exterior still has some chromed pot metal, not plastic...the grill and headlight surrounds are metal as are the taillight bezels.
I remember going to the Pontiac dealership with my uncle when he bought a brand new Grand Ville 4 door hardtop!!! 👍👍🙂
The GrandVille is a classic Pontiac model, but eventually there was no more room for it. The Bonneville and Catalina remained the top models. Also yeah that chase scene in the Seven-Ups is intense for sure.
My dad bought a 1973 Pontiac Catalina, it was a luxury liner, loved driving that car.
What you called a luxury Le mans - looks pretty cool. 07:30
Adam, Although I drive a Pontiac to this day, in 1973 I would have probably ranked the Oldsmobile 98 and Buick Electra over the Grand Ville when considering the GM full size lineup. 😉
That's what I thought also - I was around in '73 and I don't think anybody thought the Grand Ville was on the same level as a 98 or an Electra 225.
When I got my first big job after college, I had to drive from Sioux Falls, SD to Houston, TX. So, Dad gave took my little Dodge Dart to one of my brothers gifted me with a massive 1971 Pontiac two door with strange houndstooth upholstery. It was cloth and very comfortable. The car was a metallic copper color with black vinyl roof. Wonderful car! I enjoyed it until a woman T-boned me while she was on prescription drugs. I mourned that car and would love to have it now! Our family always drove Pontiacs.
Finally!! Glad you did get around to the car our family owned from the 70s to the early 80s while I went from Middle School to High School. I had relatives with Olds and Buicks in their driveways but I loved Pontiacs and I really was impressed with our Red on Red Grand Ville Coupe! It looked luxurious and the Rally Wheels made it look a little sporty and seemed to add a European flare.. Great video, friend!
I drove a 68 Buick LeSabre to high school while a classmate drove a 66 Bonneville. People made fun of mine while they thought hers was the shiznit, so the Pontiacs were definitely cooler.
They did like mine after I painted it red, but still liked hers better with its horrible paint. 🤣
One of the better chases for sure. both cars sounded great.
Adam
the 7 ups chase was one of the best. Next to bullet
The big Pontiac were awesome cars back then, today is such a disappointment! To have grown up during the time of the production of all these great American cars, I so looked forward when I was older to purchase the latest model only to now have it all gone and the American car destroyed. So much of my America is gone and I don't recognize this country in a bad way.
What you don’t like electric Kias?? 🤣. I feel you friend…
My Mom owned a ‘72 coupe at one time. It that heavy brocade type cloth upholstery that was so beautiful.
I loved driving that big Pontiac, so comfortable.
Another great video. I think the '73 was the best looking year for the Grand Ville. I also liked the Luxury Lemans - when I was a kid I mowed the yard of an elderly widow who lived down the street and she traded in her husbands '66 Cadillac sedan de Ville for a white/white/white Luxury Lemans coupe shortly after he passed away and she absolutely loved it and kept it spotless until the day she died some twenty years later. Whoever was lucky enough to have bought that car from her estate basically got a brand new 20yo Luxury Lemans.
The '73 front end makes the '71 look good!
The 1971-76 Pontiac Bonneville Catalina Grandville and Parisienne (Canadian) look great just like the Chevrolet Bel Air Biscayne Caprice and the Impala
Just purchased a 73 convertible last week, my fifth (two 73’s, two 75’s all convertibles). I love the styling of these, they really do “float like a boat “!
I had completely forgotten about the Luxury LeMans.
We had one as well, also a 73. My mom couldn’t manage all that torque in city driving and made us kids car sick with her jerky driving. To a little kid, that car was HUGE. A beast of a car.
Drove a 1973 Catalina 4door with a 400cu it belonged to a friends grandparents and had 27,000 miles on it in 1977 , loved the car , as a Brit on holiday it was so comfortable and a lot of fun , loved pulling backwards 180s as long as the street was wide . 🤪👍🇬🇧🇺🇸 Another great video Adam 👍 brings back many memories of mis spent youth .
I had the 72 Grandville 2dr. It would go anywhere in the snow. A real Cruiser. Traded it in for a 75 GP, then a 84 Bonneville, then a 93 Bonneville.
I had a ‘73, black over brown, four door Grand Ville that was passed down to me from my mom in the early ‘80s. Monster car but really drove well. I was living in Palm Springs at the time and my Dad was living in East county San Diego and often drove this quite speedily on the Palms to Pines scenic Byway. If you flipped over the air cleaner cover the engine created an awesome whooshing sound when the four barrels and passing gear kicked in.
I pulled the same trick with a 1972 Cadillac with flipping the air cleaner lid. A free performance add since it was able to breathe easier.
Had a '74 with a 455. It was amazingly smooth and had all the bells and whistles. It was amazing. And the back seat had LOTS of room....(wink)
I guess this was the time of the 'return of the Fender Skirt". I worked in a tire shop in the late 1970's and hated those things, especially when the snow was on the roads. I was tired of frozen fingers trying to get those things off.
Love seeing this. My dad had a 73 maroon with black top and interior with Rally IIs. Loved that car.
Like the theme song from all in the family. “Those were the Days”
My first new car was a 71 Bonneville 2 dr ht, with 455CID, 385 HP high output, single 4bbl, auto trans, dual exaust, resonators, positraction, power windows, seats driver only, pwr antenna but only AM radio. I remember paying around $5100 for the beast, made about 18 miles per gallon but premium was 25 cents then, loved that car was my girl magnet!
Thank you Adam. I enjoyed this video about "Grand Bonneville". I always knew this was supposed to be connected to the Oldsmobile Ninety Eight and the Buick Electra/Park Avenue. I knew about the Grand Prix connection too. This was to be Pontiac's C Body. I like the 1975 Grand Ville. That became as you know Bonneville Brougham in 1976. Not much different than was Chrysler did with the Imperial turning it to New Yorker Brougham in 1976. I often wondered if Pontiac had got a C Body what would have looked like. I think we saw that with the Parisienne Brougham in 1985-1986. The interesting thing was in that time Bonneville was moved down to the G Body as a intermediate. Then Bonneville became flagship again in 1987. I think the Bonneville SSE and GXP is what Grand Ville would have become. Performance was king again starting in the 1980's. Thank you again Adam.
I've owned 5 "73" Grandvilles , 2 - 2dr coupes, 2 - 4dr sedans, 1 - conv, 2 "75" Grandvilles, 1 - conv, and 1 Grand Safari Wagon. These obviously were my all time favorite vehicles, while styling goes they are considerably the same I did prefer the tail-lights on the 73's. Until yours I had never seen a Grandville without AC nor PWindows. Mine were all fully loaded some with Auto-temp AC, 2 with the electric grid rear defog, some with and without PPassenger Seat. Never even seen one without Tilt/Cruise, AC. Great Video Adam for the Grandville shout out most people now never even heard of them. Sold my last Convertible 12 years ago to my best friend as I no longer could stand the sun on me, as a rather strange aside every one of mine had front cornering lights.
Does anyone remember that the recirculation AC mode on these was on when the temperature control was in the coldest position, with no other markings except the control went from bright green to dark red (for maximum heat). In a humid climate most people left it in recirculation mode because they never bothered to read the manual or understand the system. The Buicks had the label “recirc” with an arrow in the left position. In the hot south people mostly regulated the AC by adjusting the fan switch. Those were such powerful systems with POA valves that they got the car cold no matter that most users didn’t know how to operate the controls. The redesign came when they reworked the system to have an “economy” setting which deactivated the compressor. People who were still driving these about 1980 were really suffering with having to fill up every other day at $1.40 a gallon which was much higher than today, adjusted for inflation, and 8 - 12 mpg was much different than 20 - 30 most people get in a comparably prestigious car today. One of the raw memories I have of everyday life that no one talks about anymore simply because everyone old enough to remember it is senile or expired. I always thought the Grand Ville’s cigarette lighters on the ends of the front seat back were tacky. The Buicks concealed the lighters in the ash tray. For us, the back seat was the province of the children who could easily play with the lighters and hurt themselves.
Yes. And the fan went automatically to high in that setting.
My first car was a 75 Grand Prix. The A/C in max was high blower speed recirculating air. When switched to normal you could then control the blower speed and it brought in outside air. So if it got too cold on max I just slid it to normal. Wasn’t hard for 17 year old me to figure out. I also remember at night on occasion it would actually blow fog out the vents if you had the A/C on. But the coolest thing was if it was in Bi level it would blow cold air out of all the vents. The console had a vent from the floor and was big enough to fit a six pack behind it. A/C was cold enough to keep the beers cold while cruising around and out of sight from the cops. Mid 80s. Good times.
I still notice today, when it’s raining/wet and humid, the cars where people have the hvac set on re circulate because the windows are all fogged up…hard to believe so many people go all their lives, completely oblivious to the proper and safe operation of such an important and basic system.
I'm old enough to remember that and I'm not "senile or expired"! 😂
@@goodbonezz1289 In humid areas at night, to clear the windshield, turn the defogger on with heat. Clears the windshield in seconds.
My favorite car I've ever owned was a 73 Grandville, my great grandparents bought it brand new and opted for the dual exhaust option as well as the Pontiac rally wheels. It was burgundy with a brown/tan interior. I added a jet performance tuned Rochester Quadrajet and an HEI distributor and that was about all I ever did to that car, I wish I'd never sold it but I do see it ripping around town sometimes.
It didn't do too bad as the "bad guys' car" in the 1973 movie, "The Seven Ups" good luck doing a chase scene like that in a modern car of today! You gotta give Bill Hickman credit for handling a whale of a car like that on New York City streets, even in busy traffic! The best Pontiac vs. Pontiac car chase scene of all time!
My grandmother had a 74 Bonneville hardtop coupe which looked like the Grandville coupe @8:05. From the looks of it the GV got you rims instead of hubcaps, a vinyl roof and different turn signal lamps over the Bonneville. Hers had the 400ci 2bbl. That big boat was a dream on the interstate and even for as big and heavy as it was, it would get you into the triple digits without breaking a sweat. Long gone are the days when a coupe could easily fit 6 adults. lol
You could put 6 people in these cars & everyone was comfortable & it road like a dream.
My uncle had a Grand Ville convertible. It was a beautiful big car!
I was in high school in 1971 when my parents bought a Grand Ville, that first year. I agree with Adam, it certainly did not exude workmanship and luxury like their '66 Bonneville 4-door. Very, very plastic interior. Plus, the trunk seemed much smaller, I guess to make room for that extra-long hood. It was a joy to drive, I got my driver's license in it, and it was very comfortable on the highway even with all that interior plastic. Unfortunately, 1971 was the year of the air vents in the trunk lid and yes, theirs would leak under certain conditions. It ended a 25 year romance between them and Pontiac--they traded that Grand Ville in for a Peugeot 504 sedan for her and a wagon for him, and yes, they loved those cars.
I put 100,000 on a 73 Catalina. Everything fell apart, window and vinyl top stater alternator compressor fan clutch, but, it ran until the master cylinder went. I threw the title in the glove compartment and left the keys in it with a note about the brakes. Had so much fun in that old beast
In the late 70s my grandparents gave my parents their 1974 Luxury LeMans. They didn't have it for very long. I remember that it was a kind of bright green color, with a white vinyl roof. I also remember that when they drove it in the rain it got water in the trunk! I think that was the only Pontiac my parents ever owned. Speaking of that car chase, there are a few movies I've never seen, but I have seen their car chases- The Seven Ups, Strange Shadows in an Empty Room, and Gone in 60 Seconds are favorites of mine. I love those chases.
Thanks for mentioning The Seven Ups and French Connection movie chase scenes. Both have been shared and viewed many times and both movies used then new Pontiacs.
Yeah that bumper is big, but look at the LeMans it’s even worse in 1973
Surprising considering how graceful the solution was on the Grand Am that year
I had a 75 Firebird Formula and you have to get rid of those restrictive manifolds and go w tube headers, it makes a world of difference on the Pontiac
But you mentioned here of ‘big block’ 455s, yet all Pontiacs are the same block as I understand it, even 301. I know 350 same as 455 they look nearly identical
I am pretty sure 73 was first adjustable gas and brake pedals this option appeared on Grand Ville that year.
Love the plastic seat covers... my father had those on his 74 Mercury Montego! Lol.. Summer time was ruff when wearing shorts and sticking to those seats! Ouch!!!😂
Peak malaise era cars, although 70-76 full sized Pontiacs could be easily referred to as their schnoz era. One thing that rarely gets mentioned with the schnoz cars is the detail of the sheet metal of the hoods. They had beautiful sculpture because of their front ends.
I had a 2 door, '73 Grandville. Comfortable, and with a little engine work, and dual exhaust, you could get 350hp out of it, so it was pretty fast too.
IMO, the Granville styling went in a downward direction after 1972 - especially the front end. Loved the original's headlights that didn't sit in chrome baskets and had paint all the way around. First gen Monte Carlo also did this to good effect.
Not to rain on the Grand Ville's parade, Adam, but the 1972 Luxury LeMans had the personnel from the nearby Naval Air Station in my hometown form a line at the Pontiac dealership. The overwhelming acceptance of the Luxury LeMans proved Ford Motor Company correct when the Gran Torino/Montego MX Brougham platform was expanded for the 1972 Thunderbird/Continental Mark IV - these cars all share a similar "market theme", distinct from full-sized 2-door hardtops. By 1973, the Luxury Fad was on, remember the '73 Dodge Charger Special Edition?
I absolutely love the big American cars of the 60's to 80's. I don't care about the unnecessary technology in modern vehicles. I want style and comfort.
I see no reason why we can't have both..
Looking forward to seeing one again someday.
Great segment, but it's helpful to point out non-stock features for those who might not be aware, in this case the aftermarket fender-mounted manual antenna on the red car.
Thanks Adam for another great watch. For me, 1963 to 1966 are the best years for Pontiac. One car my dad had, wish I could find one on eBay, was a 63 Oldsmobile Starfire. It was a great car, a bit boxy, a "Starfire Coupe" that was a bronze/hint of gold color.
I would include the entire decade of the 1960s for Pontiac. Truly a great era.
I used to have a 1962 olds super 88. What a rocket! 😀👍
LOL LOL LOL@@kennethanway7979
I remember, having heard that these new bumpers were designed to rebound after a crash, trying to push a Pontiac bumper in with my foot, grossly underestimating how stiff its shock-absorbing struts had to be to protect a 2.5 ton car. The wheelbase stretch of the '71 and '72 didn't add anything to the rear legroom, so the '73 had the same interior space, but none of them were really competition for the Cadillac-sized 98.
Those big cubic displacement Pontiac engines started using oil like crazy after about 60,000 miles because the long crank stroke and relatively short connecting rods caused high piston wall side forces that wore out the cylinders.
Chevrolet's 400 small block had that same problem with short connecting rods.....
Oh come on, the master crafstman 'carving' on the door wood was a treat :) Agree about the 73 upgrade; the base Grandville interior in 71-72 was really a Caprice; they needed to bump it up. Seems like the only GV I see on offer are convertibles which, given climate and other practical considerations, are not my pick for this line.
My parents had a 73 coupe.. They are hard to find now.
My first 3 cars were green.....55 Chevy 2 door hardtop, 68 Torino and 68 Firebird 400....1970-1973.
I had a '73. It was maybe the most ho-hum car I ever owned. The worst thing was the horribly designed gauge cluster pod that featured all the engine gauges surrounding the clock (you can see most of it at the 5:45 mark of this video). Especially at night, you'd glance down and just see needles going every-which direction. Very hard to read. It was an okay cruiser but was such a dog when you wanted to get up to speed. It was a single exhaust setup - duals would have no doubt helped. I was glad to see it go down the road ...
Would love a episode like this about the 1975 LeSabre
7UPS is an Awesome Chase
I will always associate the Grandville with the car chase from The Seven Ups
Another informative and interesting video, the grill on the '71looks similar to the one Aston Martin used on their DB1 & 2.
Very popular model and a good marketing idea. I recall them. I thought you'd already done a post on the Grand Ville......?
Excellent job as always.
Adam owns one.
I drag raced a 72 Grand Ville for 2 of my high school years. I'd drive it to the track, crawl under the car and disconnect the exhaust at the Y pipe for the races then reconnect it for a very comfy ride home. Won $50 in bracket racing a few nights. Good times!
That made a huge difference in power on these
Great video Adam.My parents had a 71 Grand ville with the 455.My 1 st car was a 67 G.T.O. convertible.The Grand Ville was close as far as speed.I agree with you the fake wood was tacky.And you put in faux wood with roll up windows,that's gaudy.All in all they were good cars.Keep up the great work and Cheers from Eulethra.
Great video. Love the cold start. Like many others, I went to a mini starter out of a Dodge Dakota for my 413. But I do a little drag racing. 😉 You’ve got me thinking I should give the original style a try for the sweet sound…
I love the Grandville. I see them alot at car shows with the aftermarket 26"-28" wheels on them but beautiful paint jobs. Some of them be in their original factory paint
It's a shame Pontiac are no more they made some nice cars over the years.
I remember the small clear rear light lenses that had red bulbs behind them. This was very unusual.
1970 Buick Electra 225 also had those.
My dad had a 1974 Pontiac Grandville convertible with a 455 motor. It also had a delco am/fm 8 track/ 24 channel cb
A great overview, Adam. I've not seen too many of these, especially the '73 4-door hardtop. I do like the upholstery -- it's really on the mark for the day and price point. The dash also looks really good. But, as (almost) always in this era of B/C bodies, the interior is marred by really tacky looking fake wood and those hard lower door panels.
With the 1977 downsizing, Pontiac really really really wanted the C body for the Bonneville, but sadly, it was not to be.
When I was 14 my friends parents bought a new 74 GrandVille 4 door ht, burgundy with white top and burgundy cloth seats, they had learned somehow about flipping the breather lid, we had so much fun in that car, i was shocked at how fast that car was! it had 120 on the speedometer but i will never forget seeing that speedometer completely vertical and it ( the speedometer)was still moving and about to get back to 0! I think we were going about 130 with the a/c on! It road like a cloud too!
Great vid .i had 73 pont lemans in early 80,s...until parked in street n guy wrapped me round tree overnite...good ol bench seats ..still my fav seats ..but nomore...i ms b old
I appreciate your doing this video on Pontiac. Adam the design for the 71’ Pontiac was a tragedy. It’s Edsel front end and boring/staid design makes me wonder if style was a second thought - or even a thought at all. How do they go from 1960s excellence to this daudy walrus ? Anyway, the 75’ with the square headlights was a nice looking car. As far as the other divisions go (beauty is in the eyes of the beholder) Buick had them all beat. BTW - I really enjoy reading the comments on your videos. There’s some really great stories there !
The '71 had a front only a mother could love! And even some of them didn't like it! lol
The 1971 was preferable, it looked much cleaner without the obnoxious bumpers. 1973 was probably the most extreme example, and was thankfully toned down visually in subsequent years.@@bobjohnson205
Mine was white over black 73 coupe, I got it around 77-78 . It was a land yacht, but that plastic fake wood interior trim was chessy as hell.
I had it about a year and was doing doughnuts in a parking lot. I hit the corner of a particularly high curb, It missed the bumper by a fraction, but pushed everything below it back to the motor...including snapping the pulley off the crank. Believe it or not, my insurance didn't total it. They fixed it and I drove it another two years.
These cars made in time you enjoyed cleaning it yourself! I can see the owners taking pride in polishing them for hours 👍🏻