Pontiacs for 1964

John DeLorean replaced Pete Estes as general manager, and he continued the same emphasis on performance that Bunkie Knudsen and Estes had begun.
The big news for 1964 For 1964, the Tempest and LeMans' transaxle design was dropped and the cars were redesigned under GM's new A body platform; frame cars with a conventional front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout. The most important of these is the GTO, short for "Gran Turismo Omologato," the Italian for "Grand Touring, Homologated" used by Ferrari as a badge to announce a car's official qualification for racing. In spite of a GM unwritten edict against engines larger than 330 ci in intermediate cars, DeLorean (with support from Jim Wangers from Pontiac's ad agency), came up with the idea to offer the GTO as a dealer option package that included a 389 ci engine rated at 325 or 348 horsepower (260 kW).
Source: Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontiac
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[@kingkrimson8771]

Imagine back in autumn of '63 when the Pontiac dealership sales staff (all male, of course) were assembled in the training room watching this video. Pall Mall smoke thick in the air, the scent of Brylcreem and Aqua Velva aftershave wafting about. Ah, the good old days!

[@BlackPill-pu4vi]

Yes, the good ol' days. Today, you can't be sure about the "gender" of your sales "agent." To mention "person" is possibly offensive to furries, witches, and species-neutrals. No smoking allowed but, there are smart phones and personal pronoun badges on all attendees. The collapse into madness took less than 60 years from when this video was made, which is nearly a vertical drop over the lifespan of Western civilization.

[@blackvulcan100]

When I was a young man I visited the USA in 1969.The people who we stayed with owned a Pontiac Bonneville in metalic maroon with cream upholstery,I thought it was the most beautiful car I had ever seen,power steering, power brakes as standard fit nothing like it back here in the UK.I have loved those cars ever since and when I go to heaven I will have a garage full of lovely shiny cars like this one.

[@jimhampton4130]

I still own my 1967 Pontiac GTO, 4 speed with a Hurst floor shifter, 400 HO engine with 360 hp after 52 years.

[@jeremythompson9122]

A guy that lives near me has a 67 GTO also with the 400 HO-4 speed combo and it's actually his daily driver all year long other than in the winter or when it rains. He's the 2nd owner. It's in beautiful shape too. Original and unrestored. It's not 100 percent mint but it's in outstanding condition for how much it gets driven. Definitely a nice #2 car for sure

[@jayrowe6473]

If you want to leave it in good hands, contact me.

[@Smarty1171]

Now that’s an old man’s car.

[@warrenpuckett4203]

I bet it still has a better ride than a 2022 whatever. I miss my 1970 Lemans Sport. After 3 350 trans rebuilds I gave it to a guy that raced dirt track. He put 292 I-6 in it with 350 heads he welded together and re-machined to fit the block. Oh and the pistons from a 350 would & did fit in it. Even better results than a Clifford. Ran it for 2 seasons. None of the 350s made it through one season. 2 cylinders lighter 300+ HP. When you think about a Atlas I-6 (256CI) makes 275-290 HP. This might be why the Tempest OHC I-6 was so lame. "Wouldn't you rather have a V-8?" Now you cant fit a I-6 in 2022 anything. Even the RAM is a V-6. Guess the I-6s last too long. Plus you need 25 lbs more steel and plastic and a longer hood to stuff it in. Out of style.

[@CJColvin]

@@Smarty1171 Yeah that looks a million times better than overpriced eggshell on wheels you see on the road today.

[@albiro4611]

Does anyone remember how when you clicked on the high beams In those cars a bright red Indian head would light up just under the 60 mph on the speedo...Only a Pontiac had this in honor of Chief Pontiac....

[@erin19030]

Back when GM made good cars

[@senorkaboom]

And, remember. These cars were the best engineered, quietest and most reliable cars ever in the Pontiac line. Well, until the '65 models hit the road.

[@scdevon]

LOL. "You don't want your "old" 1963 model anymore, do 'ya"? "You want a new improved 1964 model, don't 'cha"?

[@quad5186]

Holding out til ‘65 - they will never make ANYTHING better than those ! Ever ! My people on the inside said so !!

[@jeremythompson9122]

I'd take a 65 Catalina 2+2 with the 376 horsepower 421 HO-4 speed over a 65 GTO. The 65-66 Catalina 2+2 were beautifully styled cars. I love the 65 Tri Power GTO...my favorite GTO other than a 69 Ram Air IV. But I'd take the 421 HO powered Catalina 2+2 if I had my pick of any 1965 Pontiac

[@CJColvin]

Even the 65-69 are still well made especially compared to the junk we have today.

[@wildbill5670]

My dad's first new car when I was a little kid was a 1960 Pontiac Catalina Safari wagon. Turned me into a Pontiac freak. I've had a 68 Catalina, a 72 Bonneville and presently own a 72 GTO 455 H.O. 4 speed, 60 Bonneville Safari wagon, 62 Catalina wagon, 66 Bonneville Coupe, and a 66 Bonneville convertible.

[@bboucharde]

Folks, These are some of the prettiest, cleanest-lined cars that GM ever made........

[@jamesslick4790]

@Winning Grinn The idea of a single brand having multiple models on different body platforms began to really take of after the mid 60s, These are two different body platformss, If you go to 1960 all Pontiacs used 1 body platform., Most brands had 1 body and models were just trim and equipment packages on that 1 body.

[@RivetGardener]

I wish they would make "clean" looking cars nowadays. I know what you mean.

[@JamesBond-pb2qy]

My late Father worked on the car Catilog s

[@michaelwhite2823]

Number three for most of the decade!

[@cdjhyoung]

@@jamesslick4790 The two platforms for one auto maker started with the acknowledgement that bigger wasn't always better, that there was a market for a less than full size car. All the North American auto makers struggled with the concept for decades, at least they struggled with the concept of producing a smaller car and making the per unit profit they expected from a full size car. GM as a whole developed a small body vehicle starting in 1960 as seen in the first Tempest, Corvair and Olds F85 cars. All used the same platform, but each had a different engine/transmission set up. Corvair had a rear engine/rear transmission set up: Pontiac had a new small four cylinder front mounted engine and rear transmission: Oldsmobile had a new aluminum V8 front mounted engine with traditional front mounted, rear drive, drive train. All experiments for new smaller drive trains and materials that only the Olds aluminum engine survived long term, and only after the technology and tooling were sold to Leland/Rover in England. Do you find it peculiar that no mention of the GTO Tempest is made in this video? The GTO was first offered in 1964. Never knew that Pontiac offered an overhead valve six cylinder engine. Looks a lot like a Chevy if you ask me. I wonder how long it was offered as the base engine model? Finally, for my tastes, the first year of the twin vertical front head light design, 1963, was the styling pinnacle of Pontiac.

[@zxtenn]

Great salesman and voice, love these old vids, RIP Pontiac

[@michaelcap9550]

GM should have kept Pontiac.

[@CJColvin]

@@michaelcap9550 Exactly mate, not only Pontiac was GM's Mopar but also America's BMW as well.

[@wiiambarnarx8485]

The 1964 Bonneville was the most beautiful car of that era. The design was just perfect. I'm a die cast model collector and have been all my life and back in 1970 I went to the mall at Lenox Square. There I bought my first model car in 1:64 scale and it was a 1964 Bonneville. Purple in color. Matchbox. With it I bought a 1966 Ford Mustang fastback.

[@manonmars2009]

As a kiddo back in the 60s, I remember American cars well. It seemed as though every new year model would have something new and exciting. Electric windows, vacuum operated door locks, pop up headlights, big roomy interiors that had color! Why, you could have a blue interior, a red interior, even a green, white, black, brown, tan interior, and color combinations in between. These cars did not pretend to be anything other than what they were. If you wanted a big, wide, heavy car, that's what you bought. And most importantly, they did not look as though they were fabricated at a candy factory to look like a jelly bean.

[@JosephMullin]

I had a 64 Grand Prix loved that car 389 high-performance slapstick auto. rolled bucket seats

[@nicksolandros6829]

I own a '64 Tempest Custom Convertible, great car. I replaced the 326 V-8 with a stroker 461 Pontiac V-8. Factory AC too. Good times!

[@ewfoxjr158]

My Mom owned a '64 Bonneville two-door, tan inside & out. I learned to drive in that car, and it was a beautiful, powerful (389) V-8, such a pleasure to look at and drive.

[@crankychris2]

Let the musclecar era roar!

[@petermainwald6413]

Pontiac always had the best styling in the early '60s

[@davidcampbell1899]

BS, it was FORD!

[@chriskelleher349]

Buick.

[@jayrowe6473]

GM in general, but I've always been partial to Pontiac.

[@joequillun7790]

@@davidcampbell1899 Pontiac bumped Chrysler out of the #3 spot in the 60s, just behind chevy and Ford. The only reason they out sold Pontiac was because they were cheaper. Period

[@CJColvin]

They sure did brother

[@keithammleter3824]

The only Pontiac for that year available in Australia was the Parisienne, assembled locally form kits sent from Canada. They were indeed quiet. They were indeed smooth. But with that little six cyl motor in such a big car, it was a slug to drive.

[@markproulx1472]

For 1964, we’ve introduced faster dissolving steel - you’ll wonder where your car went after only one or two Michigan winters!

[@arthurbilenker2622]

I got a 64 tempest from my brother in 1974.. It had been through 10 brutal Cleveland winters. I used to slather on the Bondo.

[@waterheaterservices]

I had a 61 Tempest from Salt Lake City when it was about 14 years old, you could kick holes in it lol.

[@tpcoachfix]

The six cylinder engine looks identical to s Chevrolet six cylinder engine of that era???? I have a 1965 Catalina convertible, I love it.

[@jacquespoirier9071]

if not the OHC, the engine was Chevrolet at least for the 6 cylinders, on canadian markets, all engines were chevrolet

[@kkteutsch6416]

This film deserves a restoration, although it was originally in color, it seems like a p/b with sepia finish.

[@chiefpontiac1800]

Pontiac's always had the best looking cars. If you could get your hands on a dual-quad 421 SD engine, you were the shit!

[@dhy5342]

In the mid 1950s, Pontiac brought on Semon “Bunkie” Knudsen as general manager to revamp the struggling division and transform its old-man image to a more youthful persona. To accomplish this feat, Knudsen teamed with Pete Estes and brought in brilliant young engineers such as John DeLorean, Bill Collins, and Russ Gee. Under the leadership of Knudsen, Pontiac styling became leaner, more powerful and with a lower wide-track stance. Pontiac took its new designs to the track, battling it out with other Detroit automakers in NASCAR and NHRA. By the early 1960s, Pontiac’s transformation was complete and all was good… until January 1963. GM brass instituted an internal ban on racing that ended the successful game plan that Pontiac had used to propel itself into the #3 sales position. What would Pontiac do without racing to stoke the fires of its sales inferno? The solution came from a secret underground laboratory in Milford, Michigan. OK, that might be a little too dramatic. In reality, DeLorean, Collins, and Gee would meet most Saturday mornings at the Milford Proving Grounds for casual gatherings referred to as “what if” sessions. It was during one of those sessions that the elite engineering crew put a prototype 1964 LeMans coupe on a lift and examined the drivetrain components. As legend has it, Collins coolly suggested to DeLorean, “You know, John, it would take about 20 minutes to stick a 389 in here.” DeLorean responded, “Let’s try it.” Since the external dimensions of Pontiac blocks were the same size, with the same mounting provisions, the swap to the larger displacement 389 was relatively simple. Soon after this “what if” session, DeLorean was driving the very first “GTO,” a LeMans coupe powered by a classic 389 topped with a tri-power and bolted to a four-speed transmission. DeLorean put some of the most influential players at Pontiac and GM behind the wheel of the new creation. The LeMans test mule was said to be so much fun to drive that DeLorean often had difficulty getting the car back after he had loaned it out. At this point, the biggest obstacle DeLorean faced to get the car into production was GM’s internal policy regarding big engines in small cars: in the GTO’s case, a corporate edict mandating 10 pounds of vehicle weight per cubic inch of engine displacement. The team slyly discovered a loophole in the wording-the displacement limit only applied to base engines; there was nothing written about optional engines. So the LeMans with the GTO option package, which included the 389 V-8, adhered to the rule because it was offered only as an option. DeLorean reached out to Jim Wangers, vice president at Pontiac’s advertising agency, McManus, John, and Adams. DeLorean asked Wangers to promote the sensational car to a whole new generation of young Americans and show them the meaning of driving for fun. Wangers was so successful in promoting the GTO-optioned LeMans that Pontiac took 5000 dealer orders before the GM Corporate folks knew the car existed. There was no turning back. The Pontiac GTO was introduced to America in September 1963. And with that, Pontiac had taken its heroic racing battle off the track and brought it to the street, where it would once again do battle against arch rivals Ford, Mopar, and even Chevrolet. The ultimate muscle car superhero was born. One member of GM brass, Pontiac’s sales manager, was furious with DeLorean at a board meeting where his chicanery was exposed and where he was asking approval to build the car. Since orders were already coming in a compromise was reached and 5,000 cars were authorized. Supposedly the sales manager, who had been kept in the dark and was dead set against the car, angrily challenged DeLorean and said he’d never be able to sell the cars and the company would be stuck with them. DeLorean then turned to Jim Wangers and told him to “Get Those Orders” which went on to become one of many unofficial explanations of what “GTO” stood for. Ultimately over 32,000 1964 GTOs were sold.

[@michaelweizer7794]

Dhy5342 the rest is history!

[@CJColvin]

The Mid 50's is when Pontiac became GM's Mopar while in the 60s it also became America's BMW as well.

[@dhy5342]

@@CJColvin Then came the Aztek, and the end was in sight.

[@CJColvin]

@@dhy5342 When the Aztec came it was over for Pontiac (other than the 04 to 06 Pontiac GTO which was nothing but a rebadged Holden Monaro from Australia 🇦🇺 mate).

[@thomastaylor6699]

Thank you for that very informative history of the transition to a sleek, well defined car with a more powerful drivetrain.

[@BrewBlaster]

I'm biased to some degree because I was born this year; but I can't help but Love these Vehicles of every type of them!!

[@loneggebroten2484]

Got my 66 tri-power GTO in 86 for a grand. Drove it home. Still have it, but it's much faster now.

[@CJColvin]

What upgrades does it have?

[@JamesBond-pb2qy]

63 was a whole different animal. Same as 61/62. Have a few. 63 was pre 64 GTO

[@johneddy908]

The 1964 Pontiac Tempest, Oldsmobile F-85 and Buick Special marked B-O-P's withdrawal from the compact-economy field until the Pontiac Ventura, Oldsmobile Omega and Buick Apollo (later Skylark) of the 1970s.

[@JohnnyRebKy]

You really couldn’t go wrong with any GM or Ford in 1964. I tend to like the Fords a bit better in that era though

[@ronniedelahoussayechauvin6717]

1964 was before my time but in 1990 I bought a Pontic Sunbird, it was not a convertible though. I loved my car.

[@dbridger620]

The vertically stacked headlights gave the grille a really nice look. The '65 Ford Galaxie 500 with it's squared styling and vertical headlights was my favorite!

[@lennyhendricks4628]

we had a 65 500 LTD, beautiful car.

[@jeremythompson9122]

Add an R-Code 427 Side Oiler and a 4 speed to a 2 door 65 Galaxie 500 XL and you've got one of my favorite Ford's ever made. Or better yet a 65 Ford LTD with the R-Code 427-4 speed combo. I believe 3 or 4 of those were built. I've seen a red factory R-Code 65 LTD before and a green 67 LTD with the factory 427-4 speed. The same people own them both. Lucky mofos

[@davidcampbell1899]

I liked the Ford look better then the Pontiac

[@steven-vn9ui]

Not sure but I think the 64 tempest was smoother and quieter than before.

[@hanc37]

John DeLorean and Pontiac started the muscle car era with the 64 GTO/Tempest.

[@andyc1955]

I believe you meant LeMans.

[@frequencyfluxfandango8504]

This is lovely to watch. I love those old Pontiacs'. Bigger, quieter and distinctively styled. Just Fantastic. Thank you for all your amazing uploads. I really enjoy them and this is another good one. Great stuff.

[@michaelwhite2823]

This is great! Thanks!

[@thomastaylor6699]

We had a 1966 Pontiac station wagon, and it had 400 c.i. engine with a Rochester 2bbl. Carb. That was one of the best cars on the road back then.

[@wgoldenny]

Smooth sailing in 1964 boat sank 2010

[@craigpennington1251]

1964 Pontiacs and to the 1966 model year, were super outstanding in every way. The build quality is second to none and so was the performance in every engine category range. I love the 50,60s, and some 70s Pontiacs and have owned some of those years. The late 70s, quality took a real nose dive and they never recovered. From 1976 to 83, they were junk.

[@mightylonesome9426]

I love Pontiacs and thought I knew a fare amount about them. But I didnt realize the Star Chief was still an optio in 64.

[@johnhiram1207]

A friend had a Tempest with 6cyl and it was bullet proof. handled and rode really nice. The body rusted quickly here in New England.

[@auaiao9]

My parents had a '64 Catalina for a while. It was a good car.

[@lecksisg4142]

nice videos everytime.good job.

[@KingRoseArchives]

+Lecksis G Thank you.

[@JackF99]

Got to give Pontiac credit for going over the actual engineering of the cars instead of just spending the whole time talking about the body styling and interior fabrics like a 1950s clip.

[@johnpro2847]

If they brought these cars back I would purchase one...too young previously.

[@Swanlord05]

Bring Pontiac Back!!

[@jimstrict-998]

Our 63 Catalina had lap belts in the front only....

[@terp8373]

He's sold me.

[@micahap1559]

Would be nice to buy one now!

[@starchiefgrayflake8224]

I love several pontiacs but I really love the '64. It had a very restrained aggressive look.

[@PeterAndersons]

"Shoulder room has increased four inches" the car's a convertible haha... whatever the case a lovely film from yesteryear. Cheers

[@KingRoseArchives]

Glad you liked it.

[@allencrider]

Longer, lower, wider.

[@MicheluceRizzuto]

“And head room is sky high!”

[@johnnyhawkins43]

I owned a 66 lemans I think or a Tempest,two door post with the single overhead cam three speed on the tree as they use to call them,and it was a great car!!!!!!#

[@willcojak9650]

My mom had a Catalina 1963 and a 73.

[@jimmieallen5096]

I had a 64 starchief my uncle and I restored that car. Wish I still had it.

[@mikevonkleist6767]

My brother bought a 1966 Pontiac Tempest with a 6 cylinder overhead cam engine a long time ago. Every time he wrecked it, I got to fix it. It had a timing belt. Never knew they existed. I think it was 250 CID. Powerglide transmission.

[@GLC2013]

Love this guy's necktie! I want it!

[@KingRoseArchives]

GLC2013 Now I have to start a clothing line too. Isn't it enough that I post the videos????:-)

[@GLC2013]

Ha ha! While you're at it, I'll take his awesome narrow-lapel suit, too. Size 40R '-)

[@glennso47]

GLC2013 He was probably buried in it!

[@4thstooge75]

His huge forehead too, part of his "look"!

[@kenk7049]

My father bought a '64 Tempest 4 door around '67 after his '62 Falcon croaked. The Tempest had a 215 in it, it was good engine from what I remember. I remember tuning it up, very easy. I replaced the heater core, easy also. Junked it in '81. Always wished it was a GTO. :)

[@plan6161]

Sure miss the Good cars

[@Mynamesalexa]

My 1st car was a 1964 Grand Prix (1970) I paid $625.00 to my parents for it. They bought it new 11/1/63

[@toddburgess6792]

Bitchin'!

[@jameshuseby6290]

When did you sell it?

[@Mynamesalexa]

@@jameshuseby6290 While I was in the service. 1972.

[@Mynamesalexa]

@@jameshuseby6290 My 1st NEW was a 1977 Grand Prix LJ

[@DodAederen]

Well, much of this is BS. The 63 tempest was a revolutionary car. I-4 engine, rear auto trans, aluminum V-8, monocoque construction. Excellent weight distribution. Better than anything Pontiac had after. But GM didn't like small cars, so they bloated it up like Ford did to the Thunderbird. I'm still a Pontiac man.

[@waterheaterservices]

I had one of those frameless freaks, a 61 Tempest. A real joy when the stressed body floor rails rusted.

[@davestewart2067]

There were three of those ‘61-‘63 BOP unitized oddballs in the Albuquerque pick a part 12-13 years ago. Didn’t dare buy anything for resale, too odd and strange.

[@The_R-n-I_Guy]

The suspension design on that chassis is the same as my 96 Buick Roadmaster sedan. I guess if it works, leave it alone

[@MrShobar]

No seatbelts. No headrests. But I get the message about smooth ride.

[@tommyjohnson3148]

I wonder who this ad man is. He is great.

[@trplpwr1038]

Class

[@RobertPlattBell]

How interesting that in 1964 they were pushing the 6-cylinder engine and how quiet the car was. I guess this was before the GTO took off and Pontiac was still the "old man's car" division.

[@KingRoseArchives]

+Robert Bell It was just before the GTO. They were under pressure to build safe cars and avoid high performance. The GTO upended that apple cart.

[@RobertPlattBell]

King Rose Archives Of course, Delorean was big on European sports cars and introduced the OHC "sprint" six a year or so later - in the tempest and the early Firebird. It went over like a lead balloon in the era of cheap V-8's. They are very rare and collectible now....most people tore them out and put in small blocks.

[@SquillyMon]

I know...right ? I have never seen an OHC in the wild to be honest...just pics. Plenty of the regular straight sixes tho...but never the OHC

[@RobertPlattBell]

SquillyMon When these were used cars in the 1970's, many people yanked out the "sprint six" in favor of a small-block.

[@EricJamesHanson]

I am honestly surprised by how many basic engineering changes there were in the "final year of production" full sized '64s. Changing the frame gauge. changing the body mounts, and upgrading all of the light filaments all had to do with underlying goodness. the rubber window seals trickled "up" to the big cars from the A car (Tempest) program.

[@poochie49]

Miss those Canadian Pontiacs....Strato -Chief (base model) then the Laurentien, (mid class) and then the Parisienne the top of the line. Great big chrome boats, rust buckets and whatever you want to call them. But that was the crème de la crème of North American Autos at that time.

[@Rick1959]

Powered by Chevrolet for Canadian consumption in Pontiac's....For a while!

[@janebook294]

@@Rick1959 WAS PONTIAC SHEET METAL ON CHEBY CHASSIS , WHEELS WERE A FOOT AND A HALF INBOARD OF THE WHEEL WELLS HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[@buckshot6481]

1964 GTO coupe 389 was a torque monster and yes it was great on the open road.

[@SJAutomotiveDesign]

14:00 Electro Cruise automatic speed control. Nowadays they call it "auto-pilot". Anyways, superb car!! 👏🏻

[@JamesSmith-jq2jc]

Sure loved the styling of these cars and especially this year. I think I'll hold out though, I'm looking to get the 66 Chevelle, I'll be a little late picking it up, sure it'll be second or third, well who knew how many hands it went through, got it in '84. The suspension I put in was stiff, the noise OUTRAGES, open headers didn't help. The level of fun and memories, PRICELESS. Wish I still had it, but cars ARE safer and more fuel efficient now. Oh, LOTS quieter too.

[@CJColvin]

Have you heard of a restomod before mate.

[@cjr3559]

140hp I6 pulling that much weight. Sounds like a nightmare

[@robpond7385]

thay did very well in there day

[@wesleycook3181]

Pontiac also developed the first overhead camshaft engine the sprint 6 230 hp

[@jimr8198]

This guy was in all the GM commercials.

[@stuartw1667]

Those are all good selling points... but, is it smoother and quieter?

[@craigpennington1251]

They forgot the best seller of them all was the GTO first year out and a street strip screamer.

[@michaelcap9550]

Parents had '64 Tempest for well over 100,000 miles. Probably still rolling along somewhere.

[@user-vc9ig3pf5y]

When you look at the cars our parents owned they're very lucky to own want to own

[@davidjames666]

Why can't we have these old styling brought back? Thinner metals, fiberglass, aluminum, and plastics along with a turbocharged direct injection aluminum head 4cyl engine with a lightweight fwd drivetrain should help keep the weight down. I can not believe that extending the interior by 2 feet, and the trunk by a foot will add that much weight to the small cars we have today. - cars that no one buys because we can not carry passengers in them.

[@davidjames666]

@6:28 i forgot - it'll be unibody so it will save weight on the frame.

[@fk4515]

I like the "special" Pontiac six cylinder, it's a small bore version of the Chevy gen III 6 cylinder engine. So let's review- buy the cheaper Chevrolet and get a larger, more powerful standard engine. Next let's talk about 6s and disparage the V-6's the senior Divisions (Olds & Buick) use. Let's talk about how great the transmissions are in the large cars, the Roto-hydramatic and Super Hydramatic these transmissions are so darn good we're discontinuing them next year and switching to a 3 speed Turbohydramatic. We didn't talk much about the larger cars because they're really the same as last year. And remember the Pontiac is the quietest smoothest on the road so why spend more money on an Olds, Buick or Cadillac?

[@4thstooge75]

Your point with the transmissions was spot on GM needed better transmissions, but why did they keep the Powerglide for so long? they hurt performance & economy but GM rode it way too long. The Powerglide should have been long gone in the early 60's, Ford & Chrysler had long had 3 speed transmissions by then.

[@w41duvernay]

The SOHC Sprint 6 was supposed to joined this line up. They just couldn't iron out the problems into time. Funny saleman talks about the Pontiac being quiet. How could he explain the GTO?

[@user-vc9ig3pf5y]

I had a test drive I would keep going forget to bring The Pontiac Grand prix back

[@juanasanelli6831]

Obras de arte sobre ruedas...

[@scottcol23]

"Every Pontiac model looks like a Pontiac, Even from a distance" lol love it

[@BlackPill-pu4vi]

Go into any parking lot today and try to tell one car from another. They all look like bugs, boxes, Fisher-Price toys, and some alienated kid's drawing of a kewl sci-fi killer car.

[@scottcol23]

@@BlackPill-pu4vi Also I forget that back in those days Pontiac was a mid tier brand known for performance and luxury. And you wouldn't want someone thinking that the car you drove was just a Chevrolet, ugh.. Same thing with Buick. They were considerably more $$.

[@kdkatz-ef2us]

The 5 additional inches of wheel stance make those cars feel like they're 8 feet wide when you're driving.

[@stuart.8273]

I want a Star Chief.or a Bonneville. And the blonde. Just a production question: they (GM Photographic Unit) were using a crane to film most of the shots, but didn't use a boom mike, instead he had to lug around a nasty microphone cable trailing from under his coat. But geewizz he was enthusiastic! I loved it.

[@KingRoseArchives]

Stu Art. I think it would have been seen in the wide shots. Didn't have radio mics in those days. GM Photo always had the latest toys. They would have had one if it existed.

[@rapidrrobert4333]

Stu Art. I want that sloop in the opening!

[@stuart.8273]

RapidRrobert Granted! Although, have you seen Humphrey Bogart's beautiful boat "Santana" ? Its a 55' 1935 schooner. Apparently It still sails and races on San Francisco Bay. You can see it in the movie "Key Largo" (1948)

[@themopedmetallist]

Interesting how they could get 40 more horses with 1 less cubic inch than the Chevy 327/2bbl, youdathunk they could have borrowed the 326 for base V8 on the 1st-gen Camaro

[@4thstooge75]

They did they also borrowed the entire car and called it the Firebird !

[@dlwatib]

@ 9:49 I wonder what they said about those "inherently unbalanced" V6s when they had to start selling them. A counterweighted crankshaft and 60° cylinder angle seems to have solved the problem pretty well.

[@jacquespoirier9071]

firsts GM V6 auto engines were common cranck pin with a 90 degrees blocks, so these engines were vibrators, later, they used spilt pin crankshafts to porduce even pulses so these engines were much smoothers, the 60 degrees split pin crankshafts engines were introduced in the early '80 with the citation and its derivatives, these engines were smooth running but not as smooth as the inline six

[@dhy5342]

The key word is "inherently". The straight six is, by design, in balance without the extra external balancing weights required by the V-6.

[@norman_sage2528]

Buick's 3.8 liter had the 120 degree crank, offset rod bearings.

[@davestewart2067]

There was an “odd fire” and later an “even fire” Buick V-6. One of the longest running engines GM built. Lasted until 2009.

[@WAQWBrentwood]

WOW, At dang near height of Poncho's performance era, They tried to sell me a Buick! (and I'm already a Buick guy!).

[@jorgecallico9177]

"Two hundred and three inches"??. Shucks that's close to close to 17 feet!!

[@compupix]

1:04 Did anyone at anytime, think that suit looked good and fit well?

[@wdrauch]

I too was thinking what an ill fitting suit. Did they outfit this guy at Goodwill!

[@MrShobar]

Single reservoir master cylinder. Once it goes, all the braking is gone. Hold on!

[@soilmanted]

It wasn't the single reservoir that made it less safe, so much as it was the single PISTON in the master cylinder. But yes, each piston needs its own reservoir so there will be fluid for it if the other piston is pumping fluid onto the road.

[@MrGGPRI]

I had a '89 Buick Regal with dual brake system; front left line broke after Pep Boys did a brake job on it and I went sailing down the road with the brake pedal on the floor; the parking brake was a pumper-type (3 pumps) so had to ram the curb to stop. So much for the dual master cylinders.

[@drfalcon4102]

funny, the Tempest "6" was a small bore chevy, with a powerglide trans, also, the 326V-8 was no match for the Oldsmobile 330-V-8, the olds blew them away,

[@vernwallen4246]

Starting in 1949 and continuing for many years,Olds was kicking b*tt all over the landscape.

[@4thstooge75]

Anything with a powerglide was a dog compared with a stick shift in the same car, or a comparable Mopar with a torqueflite.

[@johnpro2847]

3:40 That was fine when gas was 34 cents /gallon

[@alamopala]

Engine on Opala GM in Brazil. 250/ 4100cc. Seek for Opala brazil. Mesmo motor do Opala no Brasil, GM 4100.

[@marxmith]

This looks like it was shot with video.

[@bfmcarparts]

I notice there was no engine sound of that Tempest-optioned car the GTO?

[@plainsabertooth7828]

what happened to this country?

[@TheMaxx111]

LBJ!

[@marcmarcmarcmarcmarc]

i would be called a racist if i were to answer your question truthfully,

[@plainsabertooth7828]

i'm not racist.

[@TheHelado36]

stockingandblossom1 very sad but I think the industry just took it too easy and reality came without notice ! Why gas prices are so expensive here is another complicated issue !

[@daytonasixty-eight1354]

We went from a 90% white society to a 60% white society. History has shown repeatedly that the more brown a country becomes, the worse it gets.

[@JDAbelRN]

Damn! I'm ready to buy a Pontiac! Wait, what?

[@tpcoachfix]

That six cylinder engine looks just like a Chevrolet six cylinder engine.

[@KingRoseArchives]

Yes and no. In the mid-1960s, Pontiac revived their straight-6 for a short time. Although it was of a different displacement, this Pontiac engine was based on Chevrolet's Generation 3 straight-6. Pushrod 215The 215 cu in (3.5 L) straight-6 was produced in 1964 and 1965. It is sometimes confused with the 215 aluminum V8 used in the two years prior. It was an OHV/pushrod engine design, quite different from the previous Pontiac straight-6 engines. It was a smaller bore (3.75") version of the 230 cu in (3.8 L) Chevrolet straight-6 engine. The Pontiac 215 engine had a Chevrolet bellhousing but the flywheel/flexplate bolt pattern had a Pontiac V8 bolt pattern.

[@mebeasensei]

Amazing that GM divisions had different engines. Now I'm wondering, were the Holden (Australian General Motors) red sixes of the 60s, 70s, and 80s a derivative of these Chev or Pontiac sixes too? They were pushrod, OHVs of 149 to 202 c.i.

[@dhy5342]

You also might say that the six cylinder Chevrolet engine looks just like a Pontiac engine.

[@BrewBlaster]

Surely that ride height is not normal as a stock option?

[@9898983]

Heavier for ride and stability!

[@tomservo56954]

To answer shortcomings of owners and prospects towards the 1961-63 Tempest and Lemans...