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We just got the fairly obvious news that the Pontiac G8 will die on the vine. Fast forward thirty years. Pontiac cars will only be a historical name, like Lagonda, or Pierce-Arrow. Imagine though, the bitchin’ 1980s-2000s collection that a retro minded old codger could have in his garage:
1. G8 GT
2. GTO (2006)
3. Solstice GXP
4. Trans AM WS6 (2002, with 325 hp LS1 V8)
5. Aztek (for historical purposes, of course).
6. Fiero V6
It could be like all the other cars (like the G5) just never happened. As if.
23 Comments on “Daily Podcast: Lieberman Edition – The Collector’s Pontiac Garage...”
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The real collector Pontiacs happened in the mid-’60s
The ’89 TA with the Buick GN 3.8 turbo also comes to mind.
If 1-3 could have made it to the 2nd generation, Pontiac would be alive and well for a while.
Pontiacs to collect?
64-70 GTO
67-69 Firebird convertible
70-73 Firebird Formula or TA
69 Trans Am
….ok, add a later 70’s Smokey & the Bandit TA
69-72 Grand Prix
73 Grand Am
83 6000 STE
84 Fiero
85-89 TA w/WS6, Tuned Port or a GTA model
88 Fiero Formula or GT V6 w/5-speed
89 Trans Am Turbo pace car
Basically, the DeLorean touch and a few briefly from the “we build excitement period”
What, no Catalina?
They build excitement, right?
–chuck
@justin
can you post a link to that car mentioned in the podcast?
@osnofla:
Absolutamente!
http://www.autoblog.com/photos/spadaconcept-codatronca/
@justin
grazie!
che strano!
What!!!! No T-1000?
The Fiero was a fun car to drive, the first-gen must be the lowest to the ground from the seat height-wise in a production car.
I agree with Justin that the 612 is a very nice looking vehicle, but Lieberman’s comments win on the Codatronca, that thing is ass horribleness.
1st gen Trans Sport
….ok, add a later 70’s Smokey & the Bandit TA
+1
Also… you gotta have a Knight Rider knock-off. Come on. Turbo Boost.
I’m glad you put the Aztek on there, because if I were a car collector, I honestly would consider getting one. It’s just so comically hideous that it’s become a legend in its own rite (last year, apparently, you could still buy 2003 Azteks new). It’ll have good kitsch value like the AMC Pacer (ala Wayne’s World), a car of arguably equal grotesque.
Kudos about the Aztek being a collector’s car. I’d love for my grandkids and great grandkids to see the ultimate ugliness from an automotive standpoint (never mind there was some practicality in the interior).
Ah well…my list:
1) 2002 Pontiac Trans Am WS6 (black)
2) 1980s Pontiac Firebird (Knight Rider-esque)
3) 2003 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP
4) 2006 Pontiac GTO
5) Pontiac Solstice GXP
Seeing as Pontiac is a dead brand walking now with GM once again wussing out of becoming anything more than mediocre, I think I know the perfect way I want to send it off: swap the 3.6L V6 from my GTP into a Solstice, grab the stick from a CTS, fit a turbocharger, and drive it up to Michigan to show GM what Pontiac could’ve been.
The Solstice and Fiero are key, they are the real Pontiacs. Everything else on the list, except for the horrid Aztec, is a rebadged Chevy or Holden.
The Solstice GXP Should probably be the Targa, that will be super rare. I tend to prefer the underdog Iron Duke Fieros, but whatever Fiero it is has to be a 1988, that’s when GM finally fixed all the bugs and made it good enough that they had to kill it.
(never mind there was some practicality in the interior).
That’s actually what took the Aztek from “just ugly” to “comically bad”: it wasn’t actually that practical a car.
The Aztek suffers the same problems as every crossover, despite predating the term by several years: heavy, slow, cramped, expensive.
it was based off GM’s U-Body minivan platform, which was a terrible foundation to start. It was shortened slightly and the roofline compromised interior space, yet it actually weighed more than the Montana of the time, and suffered some serious dynamic compromises.
Oh, and it cost more.
It could have been funny-looking, but performed well and was reasonable practical, like a Saab hatch or, better yet, the Honda Element. Instead, it did nothing well, suffered the same mechanical issues as most late-nineties GM products, and was ugly to boot.
No 6000STE?
Pontiac builds excrement
Don’t forget that Mr. White, the character from the show Breaking Bad drives an Aztek.
As a fan of full-sized American cars I would recommend the following collectibles:
1. 1968 Pontiac Grand Prix Hardtop Coupe
2. 1967 Pontiac Grand Prix Convertible
3. 1966 Pontiac Catalina 2+2 Fastback Hardtop Coupe
4. 1963 Pontiac Grand Prix Hardtop Coupe
5. 1959 Pontiac Bonneville Custom Hardtop Coupe
6. 1957 Pontiac Star Chief Custom Bonneville Convertible
7. 1955 Pontiac Star Chief Custom Safari 2-Door Station Wagon
I would also recommend the mid-sized 1971-72 Pontiac Grand Prix SJ.
Hello, My Name is Kristoher:
I own two 85 Pontiac 6000 STE’s which I thoroughly enjoy. When I purchased my first one, joined the Pontiac, Oakland Club International when I purcased the car in 10/88. I ended up putting a chip in it and drove the car for 177,000 miles before I blew the engine.
From there, I had the engine rebuilt and continued to drive the car. Late last year, I had the interior reupholstered.
In November, I purchased another 85 and it is my primary driver.
I really enjoy the STE for I like its combination of features that came with the car.
Problems? Yep, many over the years with my first one (r&r: steering rack, trans., wiring, distributor, rear electronic ride control, etc.).
On the car I bought in 07, I had to replace the steering gear, flush the trans, cooling system, and the brakes, clean the entire fuel injection system, and repaint the car.
Would I buy another car from GM? Yes I would
for they are currently building the best cars around.
Thanks or Listening.
Kristopher
http://www.kristopher.gerbracht@juno.com