Why The 1969-1970 Pontiac Grand Prix Was Both A True Muscle Car And True Luxury Car

[@Awsom47Merc]

* Back in 77 I bought a 1st gen Monte Carlo which also used the A-special platform and I believe the same roof. My was a rare beast. It was a forest green with tan saddle leather bucket seat interior. Every option. Including a Corvette steering wheel. It even had a fiber optic "low washer fluid" warning light. It was a 350ci with 735 QJet carb but only single exhaust. I added headers and an open air cleaner. It was a Tubo400 car with posi rear axle. For as heavy as it was it was a rocketship ! I even pulled a SS 454 Monte by 3 car lengths once. It only ever got beat once and that was by a tweeked out Hemi. Nitrous was new back then and I heard a guy with a 455 70 Trans Am was looking for me. We finally did a run one night and I had him by a car lengh when I heard a "Hiss and Pop" from under his hood ! He coasted to the shoulder. I think he had nitrous but never added the extra fuel everyone knows now you need. That TA sat in that guys drive for the rest of the summer ! 😂 He used to flip me off every time I drove by and he was outside ! Lol !

[@pedenmk]

I remember back in the day all the muscle cars. They were everywhere, my parents bought a 71 chevelle off the showroom floor. I loved the 70s, great MUSIC fantastic concerts and everything that came along with them, women were plentiful. Great Video guys THANKS

[@matrox]

Yeh...and no carjackings, smash and grabs and rap music.😆

[@billyfoster3223]

@@matrox Yeah!😄🤟

[@vettekid3326]

My older sister bought one of these new in 1970 silver with the black vinyl roof, it was really sharp.

[@stephenmoxley3004]

This is one of my favorite cars of all time. I like the luxury coupe styling of this car and the muscle of the GTO. This would be a great car to own today.

[@selfdo]

I got my grandparent's '71 Grand Prix with a 400 4-barrel when I graduated college as a graduation present from my Dad. Wish I still had it, that car was a BEAST.

[@kennygardner5041]

I owned a 1969 Grand Prix Model J that I got in 1983 when I was 19. There was no new American car other than a Corvette that could touch it in mid throttle! It had the 3:23 Limited Slip rear end. Came factory with the 14x7 Ralleye wheels. Loved that car! With a cam, mid rise manifold swap, carb replacement to 600 cfm over the factory 650cfm and some tweaking, the car put out about 400hp. Ate tires! Mine was the metallic light green with the green vinyl top like the one in the video which like mine had the black interior. The down side of the car, beside the MPG, was the long heavy front end. Car was not “ vintage” nor collectable then so I drove it all the time. It ate front end parts. Every three years, ball joints, center link and stay bar bushings. The over hang in front. I also learned quickly that when buying parts frame wise I ordered Chevelle parts same A body frame other than Pontiac which you paid more due to the name! Lol! Beautiful car and the BEST EVER GP!! May buy another!

[@billolsen4360]

My family got a 69 Model J when I was a kid. Was a kick to drive fast. Good luck finding another!

[@johnelliott7375]

Mr. Gardner I am about the same age as you and I used to get the cars like that you speak of blown up and I knew a few people who have salvage yards and I would get into the car cheap, and easy to get and put motor or transmission in them. Drove to or a while and sold them to try ouf another one. Great day and enjoy. You are spot on about the parts if you knew what you were looking for.

[@chadhaire1711]

400 gross horsepower is inly 310 horsepower net....any modern V-6 can beta that LOL....

[@RootsandTendrils]

Yes, no doubt GM could have and should have improved their knuckle architecture. I had a similar problem with a 1977 Buick Electra 225 Coupe, it had a 403, I was young and I drove the car hard, I was replacing ball joints and elements of the steering linkage every 18 months. See my post in the thread. The '69-72 GP is a great car, and I would love to have one, I prefer the styling of the '71 and '72, as I think the headlamp panels on the earlier cars look a bit awkward; but of course the high compression engines of the earlier two years, and really the neater rear end design, do make them pinnacle cars

[@waterheaterservices]

@@chadhaire1711 Yes, 50 years later the modern cars have caught up.

[@JONMEREDITH]

I'm proudly a car person. My 2nd car was a ''71 Grand Prix. I loved it. This great video brought back some special memories! Thank you for another spectacular fantastic video!!

[@davidwilliams3749]

You're right on the money with your choice of the 69 an 70 Grand Prix. My dad was a big Pontiac fan and his 66 Grand Prix had great lines and was exceptionally fast for a big car. When the 1969 model came out, the styling and performance was so far ahead of any other luxury car of that time. Your choice of featured cars and observations about what makes them special reverberates with all of us that grew up in the 60's and 70's. Keep up the good work!

[@paulhunter9613]

The ‘66 Grand Prix was an absolutely beautiful, well designed car, it’s still one of my favorite cars

[@np6715]

Gorgeous car. My dad worked for GM for 36 years as an engineer. I know the brand well, and there have been many duds. But this car was super awesome, and for me it resonates to this day.

[@kenbeattie3967]

Just a great looking car, under appreciated in its day.

[@thevulgarsaint9696]

Had a '69 after high school. She was 9 yrs old when I got it. Was years after I parted with it that I found out it was an extremely rare unbadged experimental edition not meant to be sold to the public. 160 mph factory speedo and the lack of the "J" or "SJ" badge were the clues. That and the fact that it was insanely fast! Never lost a street race. While floored I could actually see the gas guage ease it's way down despite having a huge tank. Not a practical car but she sure was fun to drive! Still my all-time fave.

[@jonesy4588]

then you never raced a 69 Z/28

[@keithskane394]

2nd best car I ever had. 1969 SJ. No. 1 is 2000 SL500 being rebuilt now.

[@RivetGardener]

Don't worry about the other replies; you had a King of a car and a once in a lifetime automotive experience. Live it, love it and remember it. Pontiacs were some of the greatest cars of the 1960's making their mark early on with their Wide-Trak. Check out their old advertisements. Nostalgia forever!

[@Lucille69caddy]

@@jonesy4588 It would have SMOKED a Z/28. Lol.

[@ogphil5600]

@@jonesy4588 my grandfather had one with the 428 raced a 69 chevelle l78 and beat him by two car lengths….he also beat a few Camaros, mustangs and vettes too…those Grand Prixs and toronados had way more power than power than what was advertised

[@davidmccaffery7977]

Had a 71 J 455. Wow, best car I ever had

[@americanicon8774]

Thank you for doing this one. I owned a 1969 SJ 428 GP when I lived in NY in the early 1980s. I “lost” it due to my own irresponsibility in 1989. When I moved to California I set out to find another one and located a 1970 J 400cid 370hp in 1991 which I still have. I’m hoping one of my grandsons will get the bug and take it over. The cockpit like drivers side is what first hooked me as a 16 year old. It does bug me that when muscle cars are spoken of the GP gets left out of the discussion. I have smoked corvettes on both seaboards which speaks to its tremendous top end speed. If I could figure out a away to put a 4soeed automatic in her I would. The factory braking and suspension performance was / is outstanding and ahead of its time. Oversized front discs made it stop on a dime under control. The only suspension improvements I made was to add a rear sway bar for improved high speed stability and air shocks to provide a little more rear ride height. As a result at very high speeds it felt safe and firmly planted. My wife was banned from driving it in the late 90s because I found out she was racing teenagers AND she got stopped by highway patrol 3x for speeding YET didn’t receive one ticket. Don’t tell me a pretty face and a British accent doesn’t get you special treatment Lol!!

[@turbo8454]

You can easily put a 4 speed automatic in it. The easiest is the 2004R built from 1981 through 1990. The second is the 700R4 (4L60), built from 1982 thru 1993 (mechanical control). The '94 and later ones are electronically controlled.

[@americanicon8774]

@@turbo8454 Thanks appreciate the information. Couple of questions 1. If you’ve done this in this or similar type vehicle what impact did it have or experience in reality? In mind I expect that it would improve the freeway cruise performance 2. Any changes needed to gear the shifter?

[@georgemallory797]

My dad bought his boss's company car for my mom in 1972. It was a dark green 1969 Grand Prix with automatic. I was only 5 yrs old, but I remember it had no air, yet power windows. It had a black vinyl roof and had the 400 engine. I vividly remember the center console. It had the body color matching rally 5 spoke wheels that GM used on all kinds of cars. It also had a speedometer that went up to 140. I also remember it had black wall tires. I remember my mom would pull out in traffic and was always accidentally lighting the rear end up. I loved that car. My dad took it as fast as it would go once. He said he buried the speedometer. I remember him working on the engine later. He explained to me when I was older that when he let off the gas, he did it too abruptly and bent all 16 pushrods as the hydraulic lifters acted solid at those rpm's. Ran like new once he replaced them. My mom felt like a hot young woman when driving that rocket. She was!!

[@kevinmanning4880]

Thank you for doing this video. I bought my '70 GTO in 1985. At age 14 a well known highschool guy, had a '68 Firebird and his dad had a '69 Grand Prix SJ 428 H.O. automatic. He swapped a rebuilt 400 in his dad's car. That '68 Firebird with the 428 was one of the quickest and well known cars in our town. I ran into the guy last September. I still have my '70 GTO, I put a 428 in. He has a '68 Firebird again, but with a Chevy 383 stroker. Loved those 428's and '69 Grand Prix.

[@michaelbaumgardner2530]

The SJ was a sharp automobile,my neighbor had a New 1970,that was over 50 years ago and im still impressed...Great Video

[@michaelcoffey7362]

Cool, my Grandaddy had a 1969 SJ dark green, tan top, automatic, It was really nice, I drove it a couple times in the 1990,s and also in 2001. Good memories. It was bought new. 😀

[@jamieturner401]

In the early to mid '70's my older sister had a 1969 Model J 400 auto. My Oldest brother bought a loaded Model SJ 455 auto. in 1971. Both Beautiful, Fun Cars!

[@jaybrown1828]

I had a base J model 1969 back in 1979. It had 99,000 when I bought it,and about 150,000 when I sold it. I really loved that car. It was like a large version of the GTO! 400 335 hp.A real tire smoker.And of course the Turbo 400 was rock solid.The guy I sold it too,still was driving it years later. They were bulletproof

[@nickjonson6996]

I had one too. But I believe the HP was 350. Great car.

[@TheOneJPtv]

Did you ever forgive yourself for selling it? Do you dream of owning another one?

[@drh-ov7eq]

Man I've always loved these big sleds!!looking down that long hood

[@arevee9429]

Growing up, an airline pilot neighbor had "his and hers" '69 Grand Prixs. Naturally, the his version was the SJ. This was a very nice-looking car at the time and seems like the last of the good GM cars before The Cheapening happened in the 70's. Hard to believe this one hasn't taken off on the collector car market. It looked so much better than the prior model year which was nothing more than a tarted-up 2 door Bonneville. I had no idea this one was based on a 4-door mid-sized platform.

[@alanschwartz1157]

I asked the question before about there being an SJ model but never got a solid answer. I know the S and SJ were higher performance, but I don't know the difference. I knew a kid whose father had an SJ. I wanted that car. It was some kind of off colored pea green. Maybe it had the Super Duty 455? I don't know.

[@youtold7727]

@@alanschwartz1157 I’m going to tell you what I know, there may be more but you’re right SJ was higher performance than a J also suspension upgrades and standard equipment possibly power accessories such as windows, seats. Instead of ordering a decked out car you just went for the SJ and received a decked out car. The engine in to have in 69’ was the 428 H.O.

[@strangemagic2914]

@@alanschwartz1157 No Super Duty 455 option.

[@strangemagic2914]

@@youtold7727 1969 428 HO. rated @ 390 HP. - WOW!

[@1972Ventura455ho]

Did you grow up in the Atlanta area? I have a '69 Antique gold GP from Smith Johnson Pontiac that was bought new by a pilot. It still has a Georgia Tech and 2 airline stickers on the rear window.

[@Red-rl1xx]

Nice cars! My cousin had a '69 back in the early '80's. He bought it from his brother-in-law. It was originally metalflake blue but he primered it and put a set of Cragars on it with really wide ones on the rear.

[@mikehenson1784]

Had an uncle that bought one if these new. He had the J model in Jade Green. I was 10 at the time and would wash it for him every time he came to our house just to be able to pull it up in the drive and back it up when I was done. I loved the cockpit feeling of that dash and console.

[@jefferystackhouse3434]

I remember this car fondly, a family friend had a 1970 SJ. It was sleek smooth and crazy fast. Car was a Rocket. 😀.

[@Flammable281]

My big brother had several 1970 Grand Prixs back in the 70 and 80s, the last one he gave to me . Even with over 200k miles it would still go over 100 mph. The heavy 400 ci engine and long nose meant it would go thru control arm bushings. Rear main seal leaks were very common as well. I always liked the styling of these cars inside and out.

[@louissimonetti8548]

When I got my license in 1979, my first car was a 1969 Pontiac grand prix. I really liked that car, but I came across a 1970 GTO. So I bought that and drove that one.

[@dave1956]

This is the one car that I always wanted back in the day. I bought my first car in 1973 (a clunker). My income was such that there was no way that I could afford even a used one. By the time that my income was such that I could buy one, they were becoming tired old cars. Back in those days a 5 year old car was an old car, especially here in the rust belt.

[@sporty196071]

The GP is a great car I have had several, one was a SJ 428 4spd it was a rust bucket I put the motor, trans, and rearend into a 65 GTO and sold I'm still mad at myself for that. GPs rode great and handled great, I towed a 70 SSJ for a guy could have bought it for $1,200.not running but I can't save them all. Keep up the great videos.

[@NateEll]

Lived 2 blocks from a Pontiac dealer. Every September I went with my dad to see the new pontiacs. I remember seeing this GP, and the GTO The Judge. Wow oh wow! What a time.

[@TheKimworldwide]

I would love to have any one of those... I love the GTO and the Pontiac at the beginning of the video... What a dream to have ❤️💜

[@GLHS592]

I had a friend who had a 1970 Grand Prix Model J. It had a 400 4 barrel and a TH400 automatic transmission. It was a gorgeous car in teal blue. EVERYBDY seemed to love that car. It didn't matter who pulled up next to you at a traffic signal, it demanded attention. People, from just about any background, all looked at the car and tons of them made comments about how much they liked it.

[@bobhill3941]

Finally, a new old car memories episode, it's always a exciting suprise when a new one is uploaded because it seems like so long between episodes.

[@arfrunningbear7022]

The Grand Prix, Monte Carlo, Cutlass, and Regal have always been under rated for performance and luxury.

[@charlieandhudsonspal1312]

Did they ever make a Monte Carlo with manual transmission?

[@arfrunningbear7022]

@@charlieandhudsonspal1312 Don't know, I haven't seen one

[@edtheycanstillperformwotho2131]

My late father own 7 Pontiacs 1967 72 77 79 86 2006 Catalina grand ville Bonneville my opinion 1972 Grandville was a runner we drive south on i57 to Mississippi to see grand ma and family ❤rest in peace dad

[@iSpike]

Thank you for making this video LOVE IT! I own a 69 GP 455 stroker “Right Hand Drive” here in Western Australia 🇦🇺👍🏻

[@bklynbatallday104]

this was & incredible car have great memories

[@markwagner7569]

I owned a 69 Grand Prix Model J and absolutely loved the car. Amazing styling with a 400 cubic inch V8.

[@joshbrekke6374]

I’ve got a 4 bolt main 0071 400 block from one of these in my 64 Tempest. I made sure to to make a few “Improvements” before putting it in. 69/70 GrandPrix is my favorite year, however the 62 is a close second. The SSJ with the 428 is one I would love for a lifetime.

[@napolionbonipart3558]

I own a1969 xf 370 sj..the engine shares camshaft and distributer and special q jet with the 428 hiway enforcement 428 making the g.p.428 different than other 428s in full size cars

[@joshbrekke6374]

@@napolionbonipart3558 yes, very much so indeed. Very stout, I always called them the 428 Ho however I don’t think Pontiac did. Great lessons learned for the next to come 455, 455 HO & SD. All started basically from the 389 SD & 421 SD. Both very stout as well and very underrated, purposefully

[@rwendell0912]

I bought my 71 Grand Prix from the original owner in 1987,just got back from a winter cruise in it,so happy I held on to it.

[@SunShine-dk6rk]

Thanks for a super upload,working in States car parts in UK one of our customers had one of these,this jogged my memory back to 1984 and can now even remember the chaps name,that's 38 years ago and normally watching these uploads I remember way back,working with US spares in uk was a dream job as saw many awesome cars,even got a few rides in some cars,these days these cars are collectors models so just stick to these vids,old 60s/70s states cop shows on DVD's,collecting models and Forza gaming,the later brings back the feel of having owned or been in a states car,holidayed as a youngster in Canada 79 and there were still many old States cars about and I enjoyed going in them,wishing everyone Health and Happiness along with fun times whichever way your connected with old Iron.

[@dinsdaleseven1627]

I had 2 of them. A 69 J and a 70 J. Both were 400 cars and the 70 had a 4-speed. Sold them both before they were really worth anything. The 70 was loaded with a ton of options.

[@jaya.0069]

I had a 70 J model back in 1973, it would grab 140 mph in a heartbeat with the 400. Fastest car I've ever owned.

[@markdodd1152]

I would love to have one of those. Preferably with the high output motor. I had a 1970 Catalina when I was a kid and I would love to have one of those again too. It had a 400 and it was a screamer.

[@1982MCI]

We had the 1970 Catalina also and talking about a smooth ride!! Ours also had the 400 and was a great running car!! I had the chance to buy a triple black 1970 Grand Prix in 83 or 84 and it was the SJ model with the 455 HO. I knew the guy selling it at and knew he wasn’t particularly gentle on vehicles so I was a bit hesitant but after I thought about it more and more I decided to do it but when I got there I was just a few hours late and he had just sold it for $500!! That one car has haunted me more than any other car I’ve ever wanted to buy but didn’t! I loved that car! It was the SJ with the 455HO and I can still picture myself sitting in the drivers seat behind that gorgeous dash with the console running up between the bucket seats!! Oh what a gorgeous car!! I still hope today that some day I’ll be able find a good one that may somehow not completely blow this disabled desert storm vets budget!! Well, a guy can still dream can’t he?? lol

[@michaelhalbert3843]

My high school friend had this car, it was incredible. Sitting inside you could feel the heat radiating from the center console/trans hump.

[@GeorgesMiniatureCars]

Beautiful car! Fantastic gallery of pictures showcasing the exterior colors and trim levels. Love '60s Pontiacs! I have a 1/18 scale die cast of the '69 SJ and its a star of my collection!

[@Red-rl1xx]

I have a 1/64 scale '71 Hurst SSJ GP. They were really nice!

[@GeorgesMiniatureCars]

@@Red-rl1xx Nice, what brand is it, mine is Ertl American Muscle. Checked out your channel and gave you a sub!

[@Red-rl1xx]

@@GeorgesMiniatureCars I don't have it handy. It may be a Johnny Lightning. And thanks for the sub!

[@Red-rl1xx]

@@GeorgesMiniatureCars Yep! Just googled it and it is a Johnny Lightning.

[@GeorgesMiniatureCars]

@@Red-rl1xx I have an older collection of Johnny Lightning and got a '71 GP Zingers edition. I've shown both on separate Muscle Car Monday videos recently, hope you check 'em out!!

[@bobscott7253]

I bought a new Grand Prix in 1972. Black over black with black interior. I put Goodyear G60’s on the factory rally wheels. The 400 cu. in. gave it all the power you needed back in the day. It was an awesome ride.

[@jerrylarson723]

I recall the 1969 Grand Prix. Drove one a couple time with the 400 ci motor . Moved out pretty good.

[@jdtheone]

Aunt bought hers about '77 or '78 drove it for about a decade beautiful car will always remember my little bitty Aunt tearing around town in her beast loved her '70 grand prix

[@P.Galore]

I was 12 when this Grand Prix launched and I LUSTED after it....never owned one, but still in love with it.

[@joshuagibson2520]

Why don't you ever participate in the comments? I like your channel regardless. Maybe reply to a comment or even put a heart on one once in a while. It all counts toward your channel engagement, etc, and is a benefit to the performance of your channel.

[@bigskychevyguys8842]

Because OldCarMemmories is not a human but a computer generated narrator voice ! Only interested in number of views and revenue, hence the ads.

[@HFX1955]

With this episode the computer voicing is quite evident, particularly with the exact repeated phrasing of "The 1969 to 1970 Pontiac Grand Prix Model J". I had not noticed from the many earlier videos that I had watched that it is indeed a computer generated voice.

[@brt987train]

My dad had a brand new 68 Grand Prix. His brother my uncle ran out and got a 69. They were both magnificent cars. I still own a Pontiac 94 Sunbird convertible with a five on the floor not the same but still a Pontiac. But I really do miss a Pontiac68/ 69 Grand Prix with a four on the floor it must have been in those days they would have called it Harry. Great video great cars

[@josephagnello9335]

OLD CAR MEMORIES , YOU ARE THE BEST !!! You have ' that voice ' which makes your stats and facts shine through so professionally. Thank you, OLD CAR MEMORIES .

[@jaypeterson7637]

I owned a '69 SJ Grand Prix. What a combination of power (428 H.O.) and styling! That car was an absolute "chick magnet!"

[@dannywilsher4165]

I had one also... "chick magnet!" is an understatement!

[@strangemagic2914]

And a Large backseat area.

[@paulhunter9613]

@@strangemagic2914 ha, chick magnet is right, all you needed was a puppy in the front seat and it wasn’t long before the chick was in the back seat if you know what I mean,, 😬

[@markrouse5819]

Had a 1970 model J bought it in 1977 after arriving at HAFB below Miami. Road like a caddy of that era. Had low trac with a wide wheel base that enhanced handling given its length. Runnin son of a gun at 330 horses. Engine ran like new. Compression was excellent at 10.5 : 1. Got ripped on the trans though. 2 guys drove it down from a used dealer in Lauderdale bout 60 miles. Visually checked everything & then drove romping on it.Shifted perfectly. Don't know how they rigged it as trans fluid was clean & new by smell. Saw no saw dust. Don't know if it gets trapped internally and filter stoppage. Three months later up in Miami getting on I 95 the trans went blowing spider gears out differential. Took it to Amoco and had B&M street/strip comp kit installed. Slingshot shift. Had to decelerate for almost normal shift. Cost $935.00 back in 77. Had to get a loan from base credit union for most of it. Couple of weeks later outside the base I manually downshifted & romped it. The shifter stuck, couldn't shut key off and put my foot behind gas pedal pulling back with no effect. Reached 78 mph in 1st coming up on T intersection. Only option was off road to right. Took down 2 bout 50 foot pines and almost dislodged a 3rd. A branch came through mid center windshield barely missing me & my buddy. Parked it under tow outside west gate in perpendicular field corner of crash road. 2 weeks later was stolen. A base cop asked me about selling it.I said no with intent of fixing it. Did get my Holley 650 spread and Jensen stereo out of it. Never got back to Amoco. Total loss of about 2350.00. Bought a 71GTO with PT out of a 69 as the soldier I bought it from blew it all at 138 mph about 1/4 mi outside the base due to brake failure. Amoco in my opinion stands for. Amateur mechanics of crappy output.

[@gene978]

I remember we had 1 in the next neighborhood in that popular green. It was garaged and I may have seen it 4 times a year but I always looked at it in awe not knowing where it sat in Pontiacs line up seeing I was 7 years old. I remember the long, long hood. And I remember not caring much for the stock wheel covers.

[@howabouthetruth2157]

I always loved the '69/'70 Grand Prix. Way back in the late 70's my cousin owned one. We were teenagers, so he had to buy one used of course. But the car was in near new condition and ran very strong. We drove the wheels off of that car.

[@johnl2727]

My first new car was a 1969 GTO with redline tires. Loved it. I later got a 1973 Grand AM. This was an amazing car. It seemed to have EVERYTHING the Grand Prix had but was several thousand less. The styling was unique also.

[@deborahchesser7375]

That 62’ GP is beautiful, perimeter wheels and 421 included.

[@komradkolonel]

There are a few cars out there that were overlooked. One was Pontiac's Grand Ville or even the Grand Safari clamshell wagon with the 455 especially before all the detuning got started around 1972. Those could do some serious burnouts without a lot of effort. They wouldn't run with a GTO or Trans Am but they could surprise some of those visual muscle cars of the mid to late 70s.

[@strangemagic2914]

In 1975, Pontiac released the 455 HO option once again on the Trans Am. But unfortunately, it was not the legendary round port version offered in '71 & '72. It was the standard D-port 455 found in the station wagon.

[@darrellsomers5427]

I had a 73 Grandville 455 awesome car

[@Lockemeister]

I think GM was never the same after the '72 detuning and it was downhill from then.

[@cle-chi]

my pops had a blue 75 grandville(new) & painted inside the mags blue also. Sweet ride . 400/400 trans. Cleveland ohios Snow ate the body up fast tho

[@oldsguy354]

You are not lying about the big cars with the HO V8's of that era. I had a 1969 Oldsmobile 98 Luxury Coupe with Olds' version of the 455 HO. The car was a behemoth no doubt close to 2 1/2 tons, but with 500 lb/ft of torque and 365 HP it could get away from most cars, especially with a rolling start. Full throttle from a standstill was more likely to break the tires loose, break the driveshaft/u joint, or even a motor mount, than launch the car. The only thing I had trouble passing was a gas station that still sold 100 octane leaded premium in the late 70s, and they were starting to get scarce. I knew where they were in my area, and what their hours were because 25 gallons of the stuff could disappear in less than 200 miles.

[@electrolyticmaster8396]

I replaced the engine in my '66 GTO with a 1970 Gran Prix. It was a 455 w/quadrajet. I updated it with better heads, aluminum intake with a Holley carb. With headers, it was a pretty strong engine. The main thing I noticed was it's massive torque.

[@sombra6153]

One of my uncles had a 70 SJ with a 455/TH 400. Don’t know if it was or wasn’t a muscle car in the purest sense, but it would get up and haul a** in a very respectable fashion. May not have been as quick as a GTO or other muscle cars of the time, but it was definitely fast enough for most people. This was a great video.

[@OLDS98]

Thank you for a great video. A lot of information I did not know. The footage made it entertaining. Grand Prix has a long history and has been through many changes.

[@packrcch]

back in 1969, a friend of mine switched from a '65 gto to a '69 grand prix sj. he put a cam in it and it chopped just like a 396/375 chevelle, but still looked like a luxury sedan. i have not seen one on the street for many years. would love to own one, but not as much as a '65 gto.

[@johngranato2673]

Love the car--especially, when they toned down the nose and went with the two headlights (and the headlight bulges on the hood). Great video!

[@bobtis]

When I was in the Army The Captian of my unit bought a new 1969 Grand Prix in dark green with his Vietnam war reup $$$.It was just beautiful. I can remember it vividly. I was jealous as a 19 yo private. We wouls be doing a double time march and he would follow in that can in the early morning darkness. How is that for a memory.

[@anthonyciolli5891]

Had a 70 Gran Prix, traded my 67 Bonneville on it, Both were great cars to drive. Turned low 15's in the 1/4 mile with the G P, Still have my trophy,,,

[@jimvikse7453]

I had a '63 Grand Prix custom shaved tunneled antennas air shocks and a GTO motor with a 4-speed hydro. Nicest car I ever owned. I sure miss it but not at the gas pump. LOL!

[@donaldcochran8583]

I've owned 9 Grand prix's

[@nucleargrizzly1776]

You are my spirit animal. 😁

[@MK356BC]

Lucky.....I only have a '71 and '00 GTP.

[@tbirdracefan]

In about 1978 I looked at a very nice green '70 Grand Prix at a used car lot. It was 2500 bucks and my budget was 1500. I asked if I could drive the car anyway and the salesman gave the keys to me. Every time I touched the gas pedal the back tires squealed a little. After getting many blocks away from the dealer, I decided to really let the tires talk. I could not believe it. Drove back to the dealership and popped the hood to find it had a 455. Passed on that car and eventually ended up with a '72 Malibu that I paid 1300 for. It was not as nice as that Grand Prix and way slower. One of a couple of cars I regret not getting.

[@jayrowe6473]

I got a green 1970 around that time that I paid $500 for. It was a 400. I later sold it to a guy in my platoon that offered me $3,000 so I could buy a 1973 Formula Firebird. I regret selling that Grand Prix to this very day. I currently have a 73 Trans Am 455 4 spd that I would sell in a heartbeat if a nice 1970 SJ came along. I loved driving that car.

[@RootsandTendrils]

@@jayrowe6473 Well that's interesting a great testament to the GP and clearly the '70 SJ is a Dreamship. See my comment in the thread.

[@CJColvin]

The old school Grand Prixs looks a million times better than the modern plastic Grand Prix.

[@terra2805]

I live in the UK but I love the 60's/70's muscle car era. There's many I would love to own like a 69 Camaro or Chevelle but my favourite of them all is the 69-70 Pontiac GTO!!

[@youtubecarspottersguide1]

love the 69-70 ,nice to see , something besides GTO s and gto tributes

[@SeaJay_Oceans]

I remember when the ladies would shop for new muscle cars, and judge which one was most comfortable for laying down in the back seat, not kidding !

[@michaelwhite2823]

Dud you offer to lie down with them? 😉

[@SeaJay_Oceans]

@@michaelwhite2823 That is a maintenance responsiblity of the car buyer, after purchase ! 😀

[@michaelwhite2823]

@@SeaJay_Oceans Great response!

[@100chuckjones]

My first car, a 76 GP. Feel so grateful. I loved it and made many memories.

[@423harleyman]

I owned a 1970 Grand Prix, it was a awesome car. luxury and nice Throaty exhaust sound. Best looking models ever. I bought another new one in 1985 and man it wasn't even in the same league. They should have came up with a new name once they changed it so drastically.

[@neverlost-travelcampingand9756]

I owned a 1969 Grand Prix SJ. The previous owner put in a 1970 455 in it and it was a beast. should have held on to that one. Cool car.

[@job38four10]

In 1975 my first car was the 68 Gran Prix which you showed a glimpse of, it had 400ci with 4 barrel and hide-away headlights which I thought made it look cool, wish I still had it today.........

[@MrWill73]

I have had 6 Grand Prix from ‘67 to ‘99. All were quality cars with its own style and features. I had ‘67, 69, 77, ‘79, ‘86 and 99. My favorite was the 69 SJ with 428, black with red interior. Beautiful car! Great video!

[@slicksnewonenow]

This car carried on to 1972. They were truly beautiful cars.

[@wam44]

When I was in high school in Chicago, I worked for an ad agency as an assistant and one of the account executives would have me fetch his car for him from the local garage downtown. It was a 69 Grand Prix triple black with a 455. That car was a lot of fun to drive. He also had a big Buick Electra 225. I think it was a 1970-also had the 455. fun to drive also. I was always worried about getting them both in and out of those garages :-) Good times and great cars. I had a 64 Imperial at the time.

[@dannywilsher4165]

69 GP had a 428, not a 455...

[@wam44]

@@dannywilsher4165 Oh-I thought the 455 was optional...

[@dannywilsher4165]

@@wam44 455 in 70.

[@wam44]

@@dannywilsher4165 ok-Maybe it was a 70 that I drove then-the idea that it had a 455 seems to be burned into my memory... :-)

[@davidallen5776]

For some reason, I liked the 1969 the most out of all the years!

[@dannywilsher4165]

Me too. Maybe because I had one...

[@1Bandit455]

1969 Grand Prix SJ 428 HO - 390 HP - auto or 4 spd - Best Executive Hot Rod that year 😎

[@dbradley8805]

My favorite car ever was my 69 GTO, oh what a fun car that was, I wish they would bring Pontiac back. Loved their cars

[@Ginouxfrank]

My father bought a brand new 1969 SJ. It was Maize yellow, black vinyl roof, top line black leather seats. What a beautiful car. It had the 428 HO engine. I certainly surprised a lot of guys when I beat them in a drag race. In its day the car was fast. He regretted the day he sold it.

[@bdshafer]

The 71/72 GP was sculptured beautifully on par with the 67-69 Buick Riviera. No other GP looked better.

[@69Applekrate]

Nice feature here on the GP. About the only thing bad about this GP was that is hurt GTO sales some as it created another option for GTO buyers but, with the larger 428, and many other new features. Great job. The '69 GP was the first Pontiac with disc brakes standard.. Also the first Pontiac to have a windshieild antenna and an available grid defrosting back glass.

[@michaelreilly1310esq]

I bought a metallic green on green 1969 model J in 1971. Fast, comfortable and thirsty it was a dream machine. Miss it

[@FaithOverFear79]

Had 2 grand prixs- restored a green 73 with a 400, bored out .30 over. Also had a red 74 SJ 455. Such an amazing vehicle with ridiculous power and torque. I can't wait to find another one.

[@timothycannon7590]

A friend of mine had a GTO convertible & it was sweet. I think it was a late 60's or early 70's. Great car's. 👍👍👍🙂

[@patrickgr1547]

Best ride I ever had in the early 1970's was going back and forth in a GP between Norwood OH and Pontiac MI.

[@jamessawyer8889]

One other item of interest is that the GP was also available with a regular gas engine in place of the standard engine choices until 71 when the changes came for detuning engine horsepower, although there were still some cars that still had the same horsepower rating, & still took premium gas!!

[@n779pt]

I bought a 70 SSJ with the 455HO from an estate sale.......its previous owner was an elderly lady, of all things. I do not believe she knew what the car was about, but it was a gorgeous pale cream and tan top. Always garaged and almost never driven...12,000 miles in 1975. All was not roses however, and I had almost immediate problems with two valves sticking and a pronounced miss. This was from low usage and just piddling around at slow old person speeds. The engine was all gummed up as she only had one oil change. I replaced the water pump also as it failed on the expressway and had to be towed. After a couple of long road trips it started to run well, but I never did think the acceleration was that strong. Boy did it get compliments though, people just were smitten by it. A friend wanted it so bad he offered to trade his Corvette. I did take him up on that one!

[@oldscoolcooldiecast1879]

Worked at a McDonald's in charlotte when I was single roaming around and a coworker had one of these that looked well used but honestly it ran extremely well never have forget it and that was 30 years ago

[@canoebelue]

Back in the day insurance was the big hold up on buying a car with big horsepower. The monthly insurance payment on a 375 hp car was as much as the car payment.

[@BROCKWOOD64]

I like them. Great design. Real highway cruiser, even in triple digits. Perhaps my next experience was due to operator inexperience. This kid in a 69 SJ wouldn't leave me alone. He was gaga over my 70 Dodge Charger R/T SE & wanted to race. We were in Tyler, TX heading up to the downtown square (typical weekend hangout in the early 80s). I finally said fine - but only up to 30mph (the posted speed limit). Light turned green & he caught me at the next red light. OK from a 10mph roll - still only to 30. He could not get over how impressed he was with the Charger he had no chance against. Automatic & 3.23 rear - I'm not even near 2nd at 30mph..... I love the SJ - but still have my Charger ;-)

[@terrencesimpson9113]

I had a 1969 model j Grand Prix with the 400 4 barrel and auto transmission. It had a limited slip differential and could smoke the tires about 15 yards, then go on to easily bury the 120 mph speedometer. It also handled much better than most cars from that era. I would love to have another one.

[@davidwayne9982]

I had 2 of those---the SJ and a 70 J-- loved them both-- wish I STILL HAD them. I could actually get up and WALK across the hood and not dent it. If it were raining- I could raise the hood and crawl in and work on it in the dry!! It would go over a railroad track and you never feel it At ALL!!! I LOVED that car-- the look, the feel- everything . It was the gas crunch that caused me to get rid of them- and I wish I had just parked them and kept them... Mine was solid BLACK--LOVED IT..

[@stevew8722]

l had a '69 SJ in the mid 70s. White with the black interior. Really nice driving car. Ended up spinning a bearing and sold it. But it was one of my favorite cars along with a '63 Buick Riviera and a '71 Monte Carlo.

[@BaldadonisMike2021]

I had a 1972 Model J with a Ram Air 3 from a GTO (didnt know at the time I was 17-18 years old in high school in the mid 80s ..Sold the car to my friend then he took the motor out to have it rebuilt (no issues with it he just wanted more power) and the machine shop told him he a rare RA3! My Grand Prix was fast and loved it!

[@BillCurry-o6h]

I had a new 1970 Grand Prix model J green with a green vinyl top and saddle interior absolutely perfect driving car!

[@stevecarmack6267]

Loved these cars! I had no idea it was based on the four door. Makes sense .