1973 Pontiac Grand Am Dealership Sales Training Promotional Film ( Restored )

This 1973 Pontiac promotional film, titled " 1973 Pontiac Grand Am ", was sent to the Pontiac car dealerships to be used as an in-house Sales and customer training film. This film highlights technical aspects and features of the new model year. The film depicts a couple dressed in their 1970's best, awesomely funky outfits, participating in a rally race. The footage looks to be from the San Francisco Bay Area, maybe highway 1. If anyone can confirm the locations, I would love to add it to the description.
Thank you, Christopher Bostwick!!!
Christopher note, these all look to be Northwest Michigan (lower peninsula) locations, probably around the M22/Leelanau area. I think the start of the rallye is at one of the Boyne ski resorts. The boat launch ramp scene starting at 3:08 is at The public launch ramp at Northport, MI. “The Depot” is still there today. My grandfather was a producer/director for GM Photographic. I’m not sure if he was involved in this one but one of proud accomplishments was the 1969 Pontiac Great Breakaway promotional film for dealers.
If you look up a different film I posted, titled "1974 Chevy Selling Monte Carlo ", you can see a rare glimpse of the film cartridge viewer that was used at the dealership where the customers and personnel were to view these films. The machine was made by Technicolor and called the " Chevrolet Mini Theater System "
This film came from my personal collection. This film was not downloaded from any website and is not reused content. This restoration is my work. The restoration process started with removing the super8 film from the Technicolor Cartridge. After removal the film was cleaned, repaired, and spooled onto a standard film reel. This film has scratches and dust marks along some color fade. The scanning to digital process and basic color correction was performed on the Lasergraphics Scanstation motion picture film scanner system in 2k resolution. Excess film grain noise was removed and the images upscaled to 4K resolution utilizing Topaz AI software. Then in 4K, color restoration was performed in Davinci Resolve. Advanced noise removal was performed using NeatVideo. Then a second and final color restoration and Image sharpening in DaVinci Resolve. Finally, the film was downscaled back to 2k for uploading to KZbin. As I work on these films, I try to improve the process as I go along. Thanks for watching.

[@toddburgess6792]

I love how the music changes when they show the 4 door. A mournful flute while they pan the interior, then back to lively guitar at the end with the 2 door coupe. I really loved my 73 G/A 400 4bbl 4 speed way back when!! Those lumbar seats were the BOSS!!!

[@davidallen5776]

Even in those weird times, Pontiac would still build excitement!

[@TastySurrealBowl]

My first car - exact same color too (white with red & blue pinstripes), but I had a ‘74. That 400 four barrel absolutely FLEW, but it was only eight years old when I bought it at age 16 for $500 and it was so completely rusted out (we called that “Michigan Cancer”) you couldn’t put anything in the trunk without it falling out of the huge holes in the wheel wells. But that interior was so comfortable and sporty, and it was so quick I loved that car. Fun to see it again with the exact same interior and exterior colors.

[@OsbornTramain]

fantastic film!!!! Such a great find! I LOVE the part at 1.41 where the camera man's hand is accidentally filmed!!! lol classic

[@theemulsionalchemist5688]

Glad you enjoyed it. I was going over each frame while doing the restoration. I was surprised they didn't crop it out. I was hoping to find a gem like a middle finger or something.

[@chrisbostwick]

Thank you for this film! These all look to be Northwest Michigan (lower peninsula) locations, probably around the M22/Leelanau area. I think the start of the rallye is at one of the Boyne ski resorts. The boat launch ramp scene starting at 3:08 is at The public launch ramp at Northport, MI. “The Depot” is still there today. My grandfather was a producer/director for GM Photographic. I’m not sure if he was involved in this one but one of proud accomplishments was the 1969 Pontiac Great Breakaway promotional film for dealers. Thanks again, this is great!!

[@theemulsionalchemist5688]

Thank you, Christopher, I added your information to the description

[@LearnAboutFlow]

Outside of the cringeworthy clothes, this video is really good without being cheesy or overselling.

[@theemulsionalchemist5688]

I love the clothing. I miss the 1970's

[@scottschlossberg3137]

Could watch these all day!

[@theemulsionalchemist5688]

So could I. Thats why I am doing these. It's fun Restoring them to their 1970's glory

[@peterhogan9537]

73 was the best looking of the three years of the grand am.

[@grand73am]

If you freeze-frame the closeup of the clipboard that she is holding while they are riding, it shows their names. The driver is listed as C. Trombley, USA, and the co-driver is listed as B. Schnell, West Germany. So, she is apparently from West Germany. And the date, 7/4/72. Who knows whether those were their real names or not.

[@1957mrmark]

Dad took mom to get a '73 Cutlass. The Olds salespeople were to busy to talk to him, so he went down the street to Pontiac. He bought a well optioned Ascot Silver 4 door off the showroom floor. My sister and I would beg my mom to let us drive it !

[@theemulsionalchemist5688]

love the story. great memories

[@greggalletta8679]

I had a 73 Grand Am when I was in high school. It was six years old at the time and the floor was rotted out. I really loved that car. Not many people knew about them.

[@leroystover1062]

My father bought one 1973 in APRIL 1973 SAME COLOR WHITE WITH RED INTERIOR LOVE THAT CAR 🚗 MOMS HAD AN accident in 1976 truck rear-ended the back and total it GRAND AM

[@Heavenlydaz]

One of the first cars with plastic bumpers. That rear end was crazy.

[@helios1912]

Love it. So 1973. My 1973 story is not like this vid--We all recall our Driver Ed car-mine was a '73 Pontiac Ventura. Vanilla white, tan vinyl bench seats with a 6 cyl and 2 speed automatic. Perfect learner car as it could not get out of its own way. 55 MPH was asking a lot of that motor vehicle.

[@BaronVonPurp]

The American Ferrari they called'em! Man I love'em...gonna get a fibreglass nose though. Dude in Cali makes'em. Such an underrated and often forgotten car. Poor dear.

[@theemulsionalchemist5688]

a step above most of Detroit's road boats.

[@tobysbreathisverybad]

My dad had one. Love it. If I could find a blue one w a white interior…..

[@buick1955]

I remember one one block behind our house in the 70's . It was the coolest car around !

[@DSP1968]

A great video, thank you for sharing it. Of course, Pontiac got a bit carried away -- the Grand Am was not the first US four-door car with bucket seats. The '63 Galaxie 600/XL and '63 Monterey S-55 both had 4-door hardtop models with bucket seat. They were also available in the '63 Country Squire, but rarely ordered.

[@MrKrautmeister]

I am happy to own a 75 its a dreamcar

[@sodiebergh]

Another gem! Thank you, EA! Also, had no idea the Grand Am came in a sporty 4-door.....drool....

[@theemulsionalchemist5688]

Me neither, I grew up in the 1970's and have been an Automotive Mechanic since the 1980"s. Finding out about options and information on these vehicles that I never knew existed form just about every film.

[@davidallen5776]

It did!

[@normanrunge3461]

I bought the first dealer demo four door from dealer in Rock Island, Illinois. Saw the first ad in the newspaper and went to drive it. Traded in a nine month old Ford LTD (a real lumber wagon}. The first American radial tires made all the difference in the world. Loved that car!

[@AnthonyEvelyn]

This is a very good film! Didn't know Pontiac even used real wood trim in their interior. Try to find more GM promotional films from the 60's to 90's please.

[@theemulsionalchemist5688]

Glad you are enjoying them. I have about 400 of them on super8 and laserdisc that I will be uploading. It takes time to transfer them and do the restoration. Some are in decent condition but some are pretty badly deteriorated.

[@landyachtfan79]

The intro music was also used on Car & Track's road test of the 1974 Mercury Cougar XR-7.

[@theemulsionalchemist5688]

The film was probably produced by the same company.

[@dannycasler4959]

I bought my 73 Grand Am in June of 73 and it was in Admirality blue! I remember the part of the commercial where they run it into the wall or whatever and I learned to hate it! People used to pound on the front end! I would find marks on the front end from it!

[@SteezeCartel]

Man those were the grooviest striped pants.

[@theemulsionalchemist5688]

They could be the next retro hit.

[@aleksinfroid4644]

Great sound on the resto, whoever did it.

[@theemulsionalchemist5688]

It came out pretty good for being super8 optical sound. Thanks

[@metalox88]

Great looking

[@packardcaribien]

Did you ad the second background music in post? If not, man is it funny that production music that was around and being used in the 70s is still making rounds in the KZbin library. The intro song, I know is period as it was used in a 1973 Bud Lindemann road test of the Mercury Cougar.

[@Darryl6636]

It doesn't get much cooler than that

[@normanfillmore3490]

The SD455 was sitting there, begging to be put in this car and the GTO… Lost opportunity to have a truly memorable car.

[@1983jblack]

It was tested in it and for a brief period, Pontiac said it would be available in the Formula, T/A, GTO, and Grand-Am. They ultimately destroyed the test Grand-Am with the SD

[@TofersCarTales]

Thanks so much for sharing this! I also have been using Topaz Studios tools lately on old commercial VHS rips.

[@theemulsionalchemist5688]

Very cool! I haven't tried it on VHS. I have about 200 of these dealership films on super8 and about 200 on laserdiscs. Going to see how far I can get with it. Great software !!!!!

[@TofersCarTales]

@@theemulsionalchemist5688 Let me know if you ever want to feature a video you restore on my channel. I would love to spread the word about your efforts. I have binge watched your channel multiple times now lol. Keep up the amazing work.

[@theemulsionalchemist5688]

I haven't yet but need to create a video on my restoration process. I think that might generate some views. Not sure how to add one of my films to your channel to feature. Would love to add some subscribers. Thanks

[@tommyboy8524]

Another winner. Thanks for sharing

[@theemulsionalchemist5688]

Thanks for watching!

[@joekrispinsky9290]

When I was in high school a friend of mine had a brown four door 73 grand am

[@theemulsionalchemist5688]

nice. defiantly a cool car

[@dannycasler4959]

I was waiting to see if they hit the front end again! I used to get into fights over people hitting the front of my car! They used to beat the hell out of it! and I would beat the hell out of them!

[@theemulsionalchemist5688]

I wonder how many people tried this on the test drives

[@hoagie1978]

That guy in the striped pants looked like he walked off the set of The Mod Squad.

[@SpockvsMcCoy]

I only remember children and teenagers wearing those striped pants....never a man of his age (35?). Got to admit his sunglasses are very cool! My father was probably the same age as that male model...but with a greasy 1956 haircut, black framed eyeglasses from the 1960s, and NO striped pants.

[@theemulsionalchemist5688]

I am looking to see if the apparel pops up in any more of the GM films.

[@SpockvsMcCoy]

@@theemulsionalchemist5688 Trendy adult clothes for the era, certainly.

[@deborahchesser7375]

Buddy of mine had a 4 speed, it was a pooch but it was fun.

[@SpockvsMcCoy]

The female model is absolutely gorgeous.

[@theemulsionalchemist5688]

I think he put a smile on her face that night

[@grand73am]

If you freeze-frame the closeup of the clipboard that she is holding while they are riding, it shows their names. The driver is listed as C. Trombley, USA, and the co-driver is listed as B. Schnell, West Germany. So, she is apparently from West Germany. And the date, 7/4/72. Who knows whether those were their real names or not.

[@basedorthobrofren]

A-body spaceship ✨🚀

[@bertram46]

I can remember as a kid we looked at one a year old for my mother at a Pontiac dealer and the car already had rust on it it was so sad it was a four-door Grand Am and my dad said absolutely not we're going to get a new car and it's not going to be as fancy I was so disappointed I was 12 years old

[@davevirag5423]

😍!

[@peterhogan9537]

at 130 it shows it with hood scoops but not the rest of the film.

[@joeseeking3572]

Can't get over the 'husband's' outfit - what pants. To quote John Denver - far out. Always wanted one of these - but perversely in a 4dr (did not sell too well). Sadly no stick with the 455, had to 'settle' for the 400 4bbl.

[@theemulsionalchemist5688]

The outfits are out of this world !!! I need it for Halloween

[@nlpnt]

I'm guessing he was wearing olive drab not long before, but lucked out on his posting based on where his co-driver's from (2:49). Probably would've sold better with a wider choice of engines, OPEC pulled the plug for the first time in '73-74 and 400+ cubic inches became a white elephant pretty fast. I like the 4dr better myself too, the Colonnade coupes only look good to me with the triangular quarter windows that were mostly only on the base models.

[@joserafaelgrangefuenmayor7744]

Me gusta el carro

[@alexanderspenser4960]

Thanks for the video, anyone know who the actors were?

[@theemulsionalchemist5688]

If anyone can identify them, please let me know. would love to add the information to the film description

[@grand73am]

If you freeze-frame the closeup of the clipboard that she is holding while they are riding, it shows their names. The driver is listed as C. Trombley, USA, and the co-driver is listed as B. Schnell, West Germany. So, she is apparently from West Germany. And the date, 7/4/72. Who knows whether those were their real names or not.

[@JohnnyAloha69]

Interesting tidbit, the 73 Grand Am was intended to be the 73 GTO but by that time the GTO name was considered a liability (only 5,000 sold in 72, down from about 100,000 in 66) so it was rebranded the Grand Am. The idea being to distance it from the by then negative stereotype associated with muscle cars and especially insurance costs. They were good cars by 1973 standards with then excellent handling characteristics. Unfortunately the new flexible nose couldn’t hide the rather unpleasant lines of the 73 LeMans A body. Also it suffered from typical 73 era issues like poor emissions related engine performance, premature rust and very poor trim quality.

[@davidhibbs6989]

6.5? Thought the 400 was a 6.6.

[@darrellsaunders4267]

Pontiac went from the best looking 71 and 72 Lemans to the UGLIEST IN 1973.