Strange Car Trivia: The 1969-77 Grand Prix & 1970-77 Monte Carlo Share This Strange Feature!

[@Drew-bc7zj]

Back when the hood showed up to your destination 5 minutes before you did. 😂

[@josephgaviota]

I wonder if cornering was weird; and/or parallel parking.

[@Youreplywasalie]

Back when you could sit on the inner fenders and work on your car. Now plastic hides your entire motor.

[@oldsguy354]

I like to refer to that era with the enormous/elongated cars by saying that when you wanted to pass someone on the highway, you called down to the engine room and told them to step on it. ;)

[@ralphneal9743]

Ain’t that the truth ! 😂

[@bendeleted9155]

The massive fan shroud was great for removing it and then you could stand in tht space to get a better angle on things when you needed to dig into the top end.

[@Johnnycdrums]

Well, I guess that's one good thing.

[@BobConnor-n2g]

I notice the cowl is made of that black plastic that we are told now is toxic. How did we ever live through the '70s?

[@scottsmith1525]

It made for an easy timing chain replacement in my '71 Monte

[@LooneyFarmGuy]

If only we had that kind of room in our modern cars . My swear jar would be nearly empty 😂

[@jimanderson4981]

Love my 77 Grand Prix SJ. Ordered it new from the factory. Never driven it during the winter and it just turned 53 thousand miles. My wife and I drive it in the summer months on special occasion dates such as going to the ice cream parlor among other events ❤!

[@paulparoma]

So you have a center console with a floor shifter?

[@edwardpate6128]

Loved the 77 which was the last year for that body. A high school classmate had a brand new one, at the same time I had a 77 Trans Am. Shows how much has changed when a high school kid with a great Summer and after school job could buy a new car!

[@paulparoma]

@@edwardpate6128 One of the most attractive designs of all time. Not all that space-efficient, but great to look at. I had one.

[@jimanderson4981]

@@paulparoma center counsel, rally gauges Pontiac rally 2 wheels, full vinyl top, power everything, original factory nautilus blue paint and 400 Pontiac engine .

[@josephgaviota]

WOW, you have a '77 with only 58k miles !!!

[@billmoran3219]

That long shroud sure made it easier to work on when doing a water pump or timing chain!

[@corvettejohn4507]

Or a cam swap. The cam could come all the way out of the engine without hitting the grill or grill support.

[@dave1956]

I remember looking under the hood of a 1969 Grand Prix on the showroom floor during the introduction in 1968. I had never seen a hood that long and couldn’t believe all the wasted space. Pontiac even advertised that they had the longest hood in the industry. God how I loved that Grand Prix! I still do.

[@pcno2832]

The car was kind of a pastiche, looking as if it had a straight-8 under the hood in an era when short V8s were dominant. Ironically, the extra empty bulk came in handy for the crash and bumper regulations on the way, at least until Detroit could catch up with Volvo in the creation of crush-zones in tightly arranged engine compartments.

[@bendeleted9155]

@@dave1956 that hood was heavy too.

[@Damien.D]

@@pcno2832 despite having engineered crumple zone, Volvo straight-4 (aka redblock) feels very lonely in a 240 engine bay, and there is a pretty substantial fan cowling too. Probably because a V8 was planned?

[@mpf1947]

@@Damien.D The 200 series Volvos were available with either I4 (240) or V6 (260) from introduction.

[@stevefick3919]

Lots of room to remove the cam!

[@dannyg6592]

I recall Pontiac advertising the '69 GP had the longest hood in the industry at 6 feet in length. I always thought the hood looked like a dining room table and the excessive front overhang looked awkward. So much wasted space under that hood. My neighbor ordered a triple white '73 Monte Carlo, 454, swivel buckets, every option. That was a gorgeous car and it rode and drove very well. Thanks for the memories, Adam!

[@montiac1970]

25 years ago I bought a ragged out junkyard 1970 Monte Carlo. I put a Pontiac 400 in it. Still have it. Super fun to drive and rides very smooth. GM interchangeablilty is awesome, everything bolted right in.

[@mrho4speed]

I love the 69 GP and the 70 MC. Thanks for making and sharing this video. Look at how long the radiator hoses are on both of these cars!!!

[@corvettejohn4507]

As a previous owner of both '72 and '76 model Monte Carlos, I believe you are understating one of the best features of the '70-'77 Monte Carlo, and that was the greatly improved front axle to firewall distance over the Chevelle of the same years. The wheelbase of the Chevelle was 112", and that of the Monte Carlo was 116". The extra 4" of wheelbase was between the firewall and the front axle. This put the location of the engine 4" further back from the front axle, somewhat similar to C2 and C3 Corvette engine location from front axle (although not as extreme). This improved front/rear weight distribution and shifted weight off of the front axle towards the rear. This made the car handle better than a comparably equipped Chevelle. So yes, they added front overhang to get a longer hood, but they also added 4" between the front axle and firewall which is what made the car a legend. It's no coincidence that as soon as the Monte Carlo came out, Chevy started to become competitive again in NASCAR. The first Monte Carlo's showed up on the NASCAR Grand National circuit in '71 and won Chevy's first 500 mile Grand National race since 1963 at the Bristol race. By 1972, the Junior Johnson owned/ Bobby Allison driven number 12 Coke Machine Monte Carlo became the dominant car on the circuit and would have beat Richard Petty for the GN Championship that year had Bobby Allison not refused to go back out on the track and finish a race after his car had been fixed. In 1973, Benny Parsons won the NASCAR Winston Cup Championship in his Monte Carlo. Also in '73, Cale Yarborough took over driving for Junior Johnson and his Monte Carlo's won the GN Championship in '76-'78, the first time someone had won 3 straight championships back to back. Then Darrell Waltrip dominated with his Monte Carlos in the late 1970's. By 1979, even Richard Petty was driving a 2nd Gen Chevy Monte Carlo and won the Winston Cup Championship with it, that's how dominant they had become. Dale Earnhardt won his first Championship in a 2nd Gen Monte in 1980. All because of 4" of engine set back compared to a Chevelle.

[@carloscarpinteyro332]

Excellent history on that, thanks!

[@piercehawke8021]

The 4 door A bodies from 1968-77 all shared the same 116" WB...same as a 1977-96 GM B body

[@JamesHolbrook-eh5sp]

I believe the Monte Carlo was very popular with the short track racers as well for the same reason, despite being bigger than the Chevelle.

[@corvettejohn4507]

@@piercehawke8021 Yes, the 4 dr. A bodies also had a 116" WB, but the body mounts were in different locations than on the Monte Carlo frame. Whereas the Monte Carlo used the extra 4" between the firewall and front axle, the 4 dr. frames put the extra 4" in the rear floor pan between the front seat back and the back seat for extra leg room for the rear passengers and to allow for longer rear doors to help entry and exit.

[@corvettejohn4507]

@@JamesHolbrook-eh5sp Yes. Once the new more aerodynamic semi-fast back Colonnade Chevelle body style debuted in '73, many NASCAR teams raced both Monte Carlos and Chevelles. They used the more aerodynamic Chevelle for the Superspeedways and ran the Monte Carlo on the shorter tracks where handling was more important than aerodynamics. Due to its aerodynamic package, the sloped nose '75-'76 Chevelle Laguna S-3 was an excellent Superspeedway car and become so dominant that NASCAR made them start running restrictor plates and finally banned them after the '77 season.

[@JohnnyAloha69]

The Monte used the standard116” 4 door open A body frame with the regular 2 door A body doghouse. This resulted in the cowl being 4” further back from the front axle. The interior wasn’t much different from the Malibu. The GP used the same concept but went several steps further by using a special 118” boxed frame. The extra 6” of wheelbase was all between the cowl and the front axle. Also the GP used an exceptional interior with much extra soundproofing and a uniquely styled dash and door cards.

[@marko7843]

That would explain why I've always felt that the Grand Prix was the heaviest of the intermediate coupes...

[@JohnnyAloha69]

Those GP’s had a history of eating front suspension and steering components. Likely because they were by far the heaviest of all the A body based cars and were therefore pushing the limits on things like ball joints, bushings, tie rods etc

[@kroge007]

My favorite Grand Prix was the 1969 year in Midnight Green with a black vinyl roof. Loved the “V” look on the hood. It was also on the 69 Bonneville as well.

[@TC-bg7up]

As a mechanic in the early 80s I did a timing chain in one of the long nose montys I pulled the radiator shroud and literally sat inside to do the job.

[@scottsmith1525]

I had a '71 Monte Carlo, something I noticed that I thought was interesting on that year was the in the helmet on the knight badge it said "MCMLXXI" (1971). I think it was the only year they did that.

[@josephgaviota]

I wonder if they still teach Roman Numerals to the kids? For some reason, I always liked them as a kid. Later, when I worked in typesetting, a lot of books had roman numeral page numbers in the frontmatter, and I was good at making sure those were correct.

[@mikeholland1031]

All years I heard.

[@JohnnyAloha69]

Adam, you are mistaken about where the extra length was in the Monte and the GP. The extra 4” of wheelbase on the Monte and 6” on the GP compared to normal A body coupes was all in the front axle moving forward of the cowl. You can see it by engine to axle relationship. The standard A bodies have the engine roughly centered on the front axle but on the GP and Monte the axle is well forward of the engine center. This helped ride and braking but better balancing the front to rear weight distribution.

[@corvettejohn4507]

Agree 100%

[@michaeltipton5500]

I've always been a fan of the early Monte Carlo's. When they changed them in the late 70's it destroyed its mystique. I never really recovered from that.

[@BobConnor-n2g]

The 1973 Monte Carlos looked like the movie Super Fly. I never recovered from that one.

[@bobroberts2371]

Hot Rod magazine did a NASCARLO . . . .

[@Richard4point6]

Amen!​@@BobConnor-n2g

[@Richard4point6]

​Amen!

[@will7its]

Try alcohol......🤤

[@desertmodern7638]

The long hoods are not simply the product of front overhang vs the standard 2-door A-body Chevelle or Lemans, which rode a 112" wheelbase. The 1970-77 Monte Carlo used the 4-door 116" wheelbase, with the extra 4" placed ahead of the cowl, and the 1973-77 Grand Prix did the same. The 1969-72 GP rode a unique 118" wheelbase for an extra 6" ahead of the cowl.

[@61rampy65]

Damn! You beat me by 17 minutes! I was going to say pretty much the same thing! The longer wheelbase also made the cars almost, but not quite, mid-engine (meaning that the front of the engine was at or behind the front axle line). Even tho the hoods were long, they handled better than the regular A- bodies.

[@corvettejohn4507]

Yes, and that 4" of engine set back, compared to a Chevelle, made the Monte Carlo's NASCAR champs.

[@timhinchcliffe5372]

Gotta be the longest coolant hose to the radiator I have ever seen.

[@HighSierra1500]

About as long as the average person's colon, I say.

[@timhinchcliffe5372]

@@HighSierra1500 I wouldn't know.

[@HighSierra1500]

@@timhinchcliffe5372 I studied biology for college. It's about four to five feet long.

[@corvettejohn4507]

As for performance, Motor Trend Nov. 1969 tested a '70 Monte Carlo SS454 vs. '70 Grand Prix SJ 455 vs. a Ford Thunderbird 429. All three cars were equipped with 3sp Auto trans. The MC SS454 had 360hp and a 3.31 rear gear. The GP SJ had 370hp and a 3.07 rear gear. The Thunderbird had 360hp and 2.80 rear gear. The MC SS454 was the quickest of the trio with a 0-60 time of 7.0 seconds and a 1/4 mi time of 14.9@92 mph. The GP SJ 455 was second quickest with a 0-60 time of 7.8 seconds and a 1/4mi time of 15.5@88 mph. The Thunderbird came in last with a 0-60 time of 9.0 seconds and a 1/4 mi time of 16.9@84.6 mph. The Thunderbird was, by far, the heaviest of the three and had the worst rear axle ratio for acceleration.

[@jenseninterceptors]

KZbin showed me an ad for a Hyundai EV during the commercial, I shit you not and i almost puked waiting for it to finish LOL

[@tonywestvirginia]

I could see by the thumbnail it had to be the 1/2 55 gallon drum shroud.

[@stevieraycharles1799]

My girlfriend's cat slept in the shroud one winter night. She came into the first period classroom, 1977 high school, hysterical. Cat made it unscathed to school. I gently pulled it through the fan blades to extract. In my mind I imagined the cat in a Wile E. Coyote death grip on the radiator core for the commute.

[@josephgaviota]

Now we know why cats have nine lives !

[@markw4263]

I had a cat (Tail-less Mike) who tried the same thing on an 84 Camaro…..

[@jetsons101]

I always thought the 69-77 Grand Prix & 70-77 Monte Carlo's were built on the midsized station wagon frame. The wagons had a longer wheelbase.

[@danielulz1640]

So did the sedans, and you are somewhat correct.

[@mikeholland1031]

True. Monte, the wagon and El Camino used same frame.

[@michaelatkins9780]

I'm surprised the bean counters didn't use two standard lengths upper and lower radiator hoses with a union rather than those three foot longish single hoses. Allowing for the Feds inflation as we came off the gold standard in 1971, those hoses probably are the equivalent of boardwalk and park place in today's monopoly currency.

[@rayp.454]

Great trip through time. I had a 74' Monte Carlo "S" coupe (no vinyl), black on black. It made a fun sleeper with the 454 and turbo 400 addition. Monte's came with a big block up to and including 1974. Had the car for 25 years. Thanks for the video.

[@josephgaviota]

5:15 I remember as a teen seeing that CRAZY fan plenum. Many cars had a shroud to trap the air a bit, but this "barrel" was _massive,_ at least to my young eyes.

[@LordSamuelJ]

This car was a missed opportunity to reintroduce the straight 8

[@corvettejohn4507]

Or better yet, the V16.

[@Johnnycdrums]

Well, you'd room to get at it from the sides, that's one thing.

[@marcomoreno8188]

Oooo man u got a piint kike the Buick Fire 8 🔥8️⃣

[@mikeholland1031]

I always thought it was sad GM didn't have a V10 like mopar and Ford. Would have swapped in nice.

[@Johnnycdrums]

@@mikeholland1031; The Ford 6.8 V-10 was an undersquare truck engine. Very un-Ford like, and we (Ford afficianados), don't like it, regardless of the utility, which was sketcky at best.

[@michaelsimko7694]

The 1969-72 Grand Prix is my favorite gen of Pontiac's personal luxury car. My favorite Monte Carlo is the 1981-88. I love the muscular aerodynamic streamlined design of the 1983-88 Monte Carlo SS.

[@bradkay4794]

The 78 and up cars had a long shroud when equipped with a V6. I agree with you on the 78 MC. Not a looker. But great ride and drive with front and rear sway bars and a much better balance between ride and handling than an F41 Malibu.

[@kallsop2]

The other advantage that you get with this design is that the bulk of the engine is behind the center line of the front axle. This helps with weight distribution especially with the big block engines.

[@SeaTravelr123]

I have a 74 Monte. Long time favorite. I liked the downsized GP and Monte but felt they needed some tweaking when first introduced. But I do think the GM designers hit their marks with keeping many design elements that made the cars what they were and brought them into the next generation of space and fuel efficiency. Great videos

[@gregorylyon1004]

The 73 / 77 Monte Carlo rules the road. Beautiful cars

[@SeaTravelr123]

@@gregorylyon1004 not one argument here. 😎

[@nathanlind4509]

I own three first generation Monte's. Another unique feature with that long overhang is the inner fender extension. I believe the MC has the same plastic inner wheel well as a Chevelle and then it has a 6" scab piece to bridge the gap from the front of the wheel well to the radiator support. I love these cars. I still have my 1970 that I bought and drove in high school

[@loveisall5520]

I agree with you. That original MC had a simple elegance that was lost in '73. Those fake bumps on the sides, what Adam calls the "chicken wings", ruin it for me along with the silly opera windows. I had a friend in college with a '72 while I had a '72 Buick GS convertible. Just a great set of cars.

[@drivingmyoldcar1974]

I have a 1974 Monte Carlo Landau that I bought in 1984 and, 500k miles later, it's still my daily driver to this day. The Monte Carlos were considered a muscle car wrapped in a velvet glove. Well, as we know, that changed in '72. My '74 was fully optioned when I bought it used; AC, power seat, windows and door & trunk locks, hood & trunk courtesy lights, cruise control, tilt wheel… in other words, it had plush velvet but not much muscle. I've since remedied that with a 400-HP 350-SBC. I think I'm the only person in Los Angeles who doesn't mind traffic because I love my car so much 🥰

[@gregorylyon1004]

I love the 73/74 Monte Carlo. What a beautiful design

[@jaycarlson927]

Great explanation of a feature that i have been noticing at car shows over the past years

[@michaelbyrne8860]

The Pontiac Grand Prix with a manual 4 speed was a badass sports car!

[@vintagemotelguest]

Think about it -- about 150 pounds heavier than a GTO, but with the engine you could never get in a goat --- the 428 or 428 H.O. along with that 4-speed. Secret AFFORDABLE musclecars until the investor-collectors "discovered" them about 5 years ago, driving prices through the roof.

[@HAL-dm1eh]

1:23 I'm not a Chevy guy by any means but this rear end is one of the best I've seen on a car. They really hit it with that styling.

[@larryharry7221]

Those turbine wheel covers are my favorite.

[@JBG20]

I had a1974 Monte Carlo with a 400 4-bl. I loved the car. It was the first car that I had the courage to drive over 100 mph. I ran out of road as there was a 90 degree turn coming up so I didn't know the top speed. I like the styling of the 71-72 Grand Prix the best.

[@skipcampbell4226]

Huge fan shroud! Had a '72 SJ 455.At 16 I needless to say. Ran the crap out of it! Torque monster! Ended up spinning a crank bearing. Go figure! Found a '68 ram air 400 for 350.00! It was 1980. These engines were dime a dozen at the time. Bolted right in. Damn that car was fast! Beat Trans Ams and Z28s at the time with ease. Then of course the turbo 400 trans went out along with motor mounts. 275.00 for a rebuild installed! Those were the days. How I miss them! Never wrecked it though. Ended up selling it for what I paid for it.While i was still alive! Bought a '74 cutlass coupe 350. What a dog. But it was dependable. My dad would say that Hi/Lo auto parts rolled out the red carpet for me. Whenever I pulled up with the Grand Prix. Fun times. Love you and miss you Dad. RIP. I wish I could get a '72 GP. At 60 have to watch what I spend. Retirement around the corner. Please slow time down somebody!

[@rogerdodrill4733]

It just go faster n faster til u croak, when u 20 5 yr is 1/4 u life when u 60 5yr 1/12 u life ,the remainder of u life is always diminishing so less to live so less time left goes faster n faster

[@jime.9185]

Adam, As a general Pontiac nut and having owned three 1969 Grand Prixs ( still the owner of one )and one 1977 also being around Pontiacs most of my 75 years I've come to know some of the specs and history. The 69 thru 72 Grand Prix has a 118" wheelbase a 69 Lemans has a 112" wheelbase on the two doors and "116 on the four doors . The number one spark plug on the Grand Prix is in line with the front spindle, therefore great weight distribution. The 73 thru 77 Grand Prix has a "116 wheelbase . The great thing about the engine set back is I was able to change camshafts without removing the air conditioning condenser. I've heard part of the reason for Chevrolet getting the Monte Carlo in 1970 was because that is when John DeLorean went to Chevrolet. Jim E

[@das564]

I had a 1976 Grand Prix and all that room under the hood came in handy when you needed to work on the engine. I was able to swap out a cam without removing the grill. I did have to remove the radiator and shroud, of course. And with the radiator, shroud, water pump, and front cover removed, there was enough room for me to stand in the engine compartment in front of the engine and get closer to what I was doing. I miss that car. It was a '76 in Bavarian Cream, tan interior, 350/2 bbl (later swapped for q Q-jet).

[@RDEnduro]

The fan shroud really demonstrates the point!

[@markhalfmann7788]

My first car when i was 16 in 1977 was a 1971 Grand Prix and believe or not i still have it !! It's in the middle of a frame off rotisserie restoration. I'm making it into a restomod. Tubular control arms, coil over suspension, everything including the frame is powercoated. It'll have a 700 HP supercharged LSA engine with a 6 speed automatic transmission going back to a beefed up rearend with 4:11 gears. It's a 5 year project with 1 year to go until completion. To say I'm excited is an understatement ! Can't wait ! Love my 71 GP !!

[@jamessouthworth1699]

I love the way these engine bays look when you pull the shroud and mechanical fan and replace them with an electric fan. The engine just looks beautiful set back in the engine bay in full view.

[@pcno2832]

I'm probably in the minority on this, but I find the '78 Monte Carlo to be the most attractive of all of the A-special coups of the 1970s. It had reasonable proportions and graceful lines, with the pointy nose hiding some of the front overhang that made the other A-specials look a bit clumsy. The other '78 A-bodies ranged from the boring GP to the ghastly Buick and Olds aeroback models, so which-ever designer rescued the Monte Carlo from that ghetto deserves special commendation.

[@Johnnycdrums]

Ford/Lincoln/Mercury guy here, but in my opinion it has to be one of the best looking cars for 1978 by any manufacturer. Smaller, lighter, and very clean looking. A smart guy could probably beef up that engine without making it look like it had been monkeyed with, even in the slightest, then you'd have yourself a 1978 malaise era sleeper, lol. Who wants a dog taking up space in the garage?

[@paulmonster-uh5dh]

I agree!

[@mikeholland1031]

80 was better with the 4 headlamps.

[@barriobajaj]

LOL! I knew what you were talking about even before I clicked on the video. I used joke that it looked like the engineers used an oil barrel to make the shroud. A quirky feature but the overall dramatic body styling was worth it. I'm a big fan of the '69-'72 Grand Prix and '70-'72 Monte Carlo. The colonnade cars are nice but materials and build quality are subpar compared the the Gen I cars.

[@scottymoondogjakubin4766]

I would rock that 70 monte !

[@dusterowner9978]

From a MOPAR man's point of view , it's the 69-70 Grand Prix then the 70-72 Monte and last the 73 - 77 Monte

[@howardwilley7923]

From another Mopar guy I agree.

[@user-pgchargerse71]

Same from this Mopar guy. Never cared for the '73 up Monty Carlo but love the '69-'70 Grand Prix

[@anthonyjackson280]

The E-Type cowling design was not just aesthetics. The length is also the result of sound engineering. it had a fairly large displacement straight 6 that was placed behind the front wheels to improve weight distribution. The Triumph Spitfire had a similar arrangement with its (tiny) 4 cylinder.

[@chewmetube]

I missed this when posting my own comment. Are you an E-type owner as well?

[@anthonyjackson280]

@@chewmetube no such luck - I had a 66 Spitfire.

[@Primus54]

In the last photo of the ‘78 Monte Carlo, from the door edge to the rear of the car appears to have a first generation Seville influence to my eye. Thanks for the video, Adam.

[@Sgsl70]

Loved both my 70 & 72 mc!!!!!

[@12345682900]

Another great video, thanks!

[@jefweb5043]

Anytime you feature the '73-'77 Monte Carlo, I'm happy. My dad owns a '76...all in all, my favorite is still the '77 Cutlass Supreme with the Ralleys and floor shifter.

[@rightlanehog3151]

Adam, When do we get a Chevelle vs LeMans comparison to further expand this A body discussion.

[@vintagemotelguest]

Hey Adam -- overhang aside, that is a LOT of distance in front of the dashboard to the front wheel line for an American car, which one can plainly see when they look at the set-back of the engine in your photos, and "leaving the radiator behind" (actually forward) still allowed these cars far better weight distribution than even most of our pony cars, save the new Bird and Camaro. Indeed the hood - or at least the front wheels -- did show up well before you did, as when you would drive a Grand Prix as I have rather than just stare at it, you'd immediately find that turning the steering wheel would began to pivot from the center of that 118 inch wheelbase length at that far end, somewhat like a ship, only this vessel -- which was a far, FAR sportier car than the Monte Carlo since it came with much more standard equipment, something you barely suggest ---- could really be tossed, sometimes hanging the rear out --- a big surprise. The Prix came standard with bucket seats; a cockpit type console; a GTO 350 horsepower, 440 ft./pound torque 400 cube engine, a 400 Turbohydramatic or manual trans, and a 3:08 or 3:23 rear (ten bolt) or 3:07 or 3:36 (12 bolt) rear, with the WEAKER Model J pulling low 15s in the quarter mile while SJ 370 horse or 390 horse H.O. 428s lived in the 14s. The Monte Carlo? It was not even a "stripped Grand Prix", since it had a shorter 116 inch wheelbase; almost no one ordered an engine beyond the standard 350 2 barrel which would wheeze its way to an 18 second quarter mile (with the lifters desperately rapping over 4000 rpm to tell you this engine was not going to last); a 3-speed on the tree trans; an old lady's bench seat; and -- here's the best part ---- optional rear fender skirts to let everyone know you were going to play bingo instead of taking a quick drive down Highway One to Big Sur. Those are all the ONLY reasons the Monte Carlo outsold the Grand Prix, and I'm not sure why no one ever explains that ----- the Mont Carlo was a far cheaper, weaker, and therefore less intimidating car since it was designed for Middle America, and the two or three SS 454s (try to even find one) that were sold have make little difference against 100,000 350 horse 400 GP-Js, and a whole bunch more of SJs.

[@jamesbulldogmiller]

Dad had a new ‘69 Grand Prix 428. He said it was the fastest car he ever drove.

[@jdesaavedra0432]

Some of the favorite daily drivers from my past. My '66 Riviera, '75 Grand Prix LJ, and the '77 Monte Carlo. This were the days. I regretted passing on a '70 MC and a '70 Lincoln Town Car.

[@sailorcowboy]

1970 Grand prix hood was very impressive ! My high school car for half a year - hope to get one back!

[@alexanderspenser4960]

Back at introduction of the 3rd gen AG Body, the shock under hood was a V6! We had a 72 Monte with the base 350, and it was unbelievably quick.🏁

[@MarinCipollina]

Thanks for this one, Adam. The 1978 Grand Prix, Monte Carlo (as well as Buick Century and Oldsmobile Cutlass) were substantially cleaned up and improved with the 1981 mid cycle refresh. The 1981 designs harkened back much closer to their 1977 and earlier forebears, especially with the rear end treatments.

[@greggalbrecht8541]

Man I love this channel …. 🎉❤

[@bigheadfred]

My dad had a 1972 Pontiac Grand Prix Model J with a 400 c.i.d. V8, 3-speed TH400, A/C, power windows, and vinyl roof. Pontiac referred to their version of the special A body platform as the G body. 1972 was also the last year for the hardtop body style for the GP and Monte Carlo that had four windows that could roll down. I always loved the unique push-and-pull door handles on the '69-'72 GP and was amazed at the vast distance between the radiator and engine.

[@vincemajestyk9497]

That's why those were such awesome demo derby cars. Look at the space between the fan and that radiator. The shroud is like a wind tunnel.

[@NorthernChev]

A good example of "pushing the wheels outward to the four corners" is the BMW E46. Look at where the front wheels are; practically even with the front headlights. Beautiful design and excellent handling.

[@damianbowyer2018]

Awesome-Looking Cars, Adam.😍👏

[@bumpylumpfish]

Had a 1976 Monte Carlo in cream beige with the tan landau roof. Dam what a beautiful car!

[@terrygorman5810]

As a kid, aside from from what was in the garage, my favorite car was the 1975 Monte Carlo. The last year with 2 round headlights & loved the tail lights. The downsize in 1978 was disappointing as well for me. I was still 5 years away from getting my drivers license and already knew that the future of U.S. carmakers was going to be..... ahem, rough.

[@josephpiskac2781]

The later design looks fantastic.

[@greglammers9905]

My wife and I bought a 1977 Monte Carlo right after we were married in 1979. 350 4bbl,turbo 350 transmission. One of the best cars I ever owned. Loved it.

[@DennisHayes-e4h]

I had a 74 Monti and when I needed to replace the water pump I removed the fan shroud and actually stood between the radiator and fan to work on it. Talk about an easy fix.

[@OldIron1961]

I had a 1974 AMC Matador 2 door coupe which had the same long hood short deck styling. However, AMC chose to keep the radiator in the normal location (as the 4 door car) and instead stretch everything in front of it forward. I definitely remember that the headlights were mounted in long pods that were probably about a foot long.

[@Greatdome99]

I always wondered why Chevrolet put its A/C compressor on the drivers side with long hoses while Pontiac did a better job putting the compressor on the passenger side with much shorter hoses. That particular A/C pump was unique in that it didn't cycle on and off when the A/C was running--there was a valve that bypassed the dashboard heat exchanger when it got too cold. This greately improved A/C clutch life.

[@dirtydave2691]

My Grandpa owned a 69 Grand Prix. I can still hear my Grandma saying "Bill slow down"!

[@marcoluoma3770]

Thanks for a fun episode. I had a 73 Cutlass and always preferred it to the Monte Carlo, although opinions varied, of course.

[@Area51-Blue_F150]

I still prefer the '63 to '66 GP's. I guess I never warmed up to the A-Body Version. Great, informative video as always, Adam.

[@Iowa599]

The Lotus 7 is perfection of the long hood/short deck look! 😂

[@oldretireddude]

I always liked the Pontiac but was not a fan of the Monte Carlo. However, back in the early 70's, there were rumors circulating that the extended motor to radiator distance was left over from the car originally being designed for front wheel drive, like the Toronado. I've never seen anything that substantiated that though.

[@theone861]

The 78-79 Monte Carlo is 1 of my favorites of the line up. I love that it has the exaggerated body lines of the 2nd generation, but at a more manageable size. But the 1st generation also beautiful. I say this as the owner of multiple generations of Monte Carlos. My current being a 87 Aerocoupe.

[@kurtcocktoasten4592]

Yep, I knew this as I owned both a 71 Grand Prix and a 72 Monte Carlo. Huge shroud (extension with rivets).

[@bobbyjohnson6355]

I think that fan shroud does a great job at directing air to the radiator, I have sat in slowww moving traffic for hours at the Dream Cruise and my temperature needle didn’t budge.

[@mymomsaysimcool9650]

My family had a 72 GP. Still remember the day we traded for a 78 Cutlass. Felt like leaving a family member behind as we drove off in the new car.

[@keniacobelli1618]

I'd love to have a 70 Monte Carlo with bucket seats and center console... drove a new one back in '70 what a cool car

[@donbirren9401]

My mother had a '76 Monte Carlo and I had an '85 T-Bird. Similar proportions!

[@stevefick3919]

I had a 1977 GP LJ many years ago. It was a really nice car! 400 4 bbl. I also had a 1975 Malibu, a 1969 Buick GS and a 1972 Lemans Sport 455 4 speed. I am partial to the GM "A" bodies. Nice looking, smooth ride, comfortable "Strato" bucket seats and lots of power.

[@oldroscoe2590]

I had a 73 Monte Carlo, what I remember about it, the swivel bucket sets, the cruise control sucked, the speedometer needle went crazy sometimes and the speedometer made a shrill noise. Oh yeah, and the heater motor 30 amp fuse/wire melted at the inline fuse. I was driving down the highway and it was totaled when a guy drove out in front of me.... both cars totaled, kind of a head on collision. I walked away with a couple of broken ribs. It was a good car, very pretty all black.

[@johnz8210]

As mentioned already on here, the engine set-back was a huge improvement over the other GM rwd cars. All that engine weight behind the front axle really helped with handling.

[@snodgresswilim4817]

Even though the a body got shortened for 78, the shroud was equally disturbing once the 231 Buick six became available.

[@OLDS98]

Thank you Adam. I liked the 1976-1977 Grand Prix. The 1969-1970 was nice as well. I like the 1976-1977 Monte Carlo. I like when they redid all the G bodies for 1981. That is the famous look people like. The 1981-1988 era for Monte Carlo. I was reading the new issue of Collectible Automobile and they did an article about 1981-1988 Monte Carlo. They had design sketches in the magazine as well. I did not realize they started work on the 1981 design in 1978. It was Dennis Burke the same guy who worked for Oldsmobile. I like the 1981-1987 Pontiac Grand styling in Brougham or LE trim. The trim levels ran up until the early 1980's.

[@vintagemotelguest]

You seem to be asking to read this month's Collectible Automobile then -- you'll love those cleaned-up 1981s.

[@andyk2763]

I popped in here to mention the wheelbase, but I see others have already covered that. Personally, I feel the '70-'72 Monte is by far the best looking of the bunch. Although I must say, the '73 Monte has a fantastic looking rear end.

[@mitchellbarnow1709]

Sorry, I never liked the 1973 Monte Carlo when it was new as the car was massive on the outside and tiny on the inside. The doors were however long, heavy and wide which made me feel safe in a side impact.

[@61rampy65]

They also had the fine GM door hinges that made them sag the day after you bought the car.

[@LordSamuelJ]

Wow, so in other words you have very poor taste 😊

[@61rampy65]

@@LordSamuelJ How true!

[@scotthester9010]

I stood between the radiator and engine when i replaced the water pump on my 71 MC.

[@davidclough3951]

I use to have an old 77 Grand Prix. It had an engine from an 81 Firebird in it.

[@stanmarcusgtv]

The 1973 Monte Carlo was DeLorean's last great hit and a huge improvement in design. It also sported the longest hood in Chevy history. Read "Vintage R&T Road Test: 1973 Chevrolet Monte Carlo - “Underneath Baroque Architecture, Some Nice Chassis Engineering”. DeLorean used some Mercedes magic in the new MC, something the other "Colonnades" did not get. With the 1973 redesign the MC quickly came to dominate the segment, which in turn quickly came to dominate the US sales charts.

[@mikeholland1031]

70-72 was longer.

[@wtmayhew]

Something of that era I don’t miss is the vinyl top. My Toronado was forest green with a sea foam green vinyl top. My parents’ had a blue Dodge Dart with a black vinyl top. Not so bad on the Tornado, but pretty silly on the Dart. I’ve noticed that you don’t see too many vinyl top cars at vintage meet-ups, so I presume the sun cooked them or water got under and rusted them out.

[@venussavage]

GP: two tons of total mobility and the longest hood in the business

[@HelpingHand-ic4wt]

we had taken in the family's 1970 Chevelle for service at the dealer. We sauntered around the showroom and popped the hood on the swank Monte Carlo. We laughed and laughed and laughed at the fan shroud.

[@TKA322]

With all that extra room, I would have liked it if the made a 400 straight 6. 6 bange'rs lasted so long because they had such a good balance.

[@darmstrong66]

Not only the shroud, check out the length of the rad hoses!! Loved my 75, GP. Even if it became a rust bucket after 10 years on the road.

[@davidr8750]

Interesting as always. Thanks

[@randolfo1265]

I got a 1969 Grand Prix in 1984 for $400. It was my winter car but it quickly became the daily driver when I was not on the bike. Rock steady on the highway even at 90 mph.

[@jeffgadget5350]

Now, when we shortened the shroud and moved the radiator back about ten inches, it made one HELL of a demolition derby car!