Chevrolet or Pontiac?

[CG]

The thing is if they would have named it the Caramount from the get go we wouldnt think a thing of it today, we would still love to have a 69 Caramount SS/RS

[special-K]

Eh, I don't know about that. Caramount, really? I was only 12 in '67. I might not have even become a GM fan at all if they used dorky names. The thing with GM over all others is I like about everything they did. Very consistent in the coolness dept. If they used that, what other dorkiness might they have done?

[Steeveedee]

My dad worked at the GMAD in Van Nuys, and there was talk that the Camaro was going to be called the Panther. I even made a "Panther" silk screen in print shop before they came out. Bummer, it went unused.

[57taskforce]

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

My dad worked at the GMAD in Van Nuys, and there was talk that the Camaro was going to be called the Panther. I even made a "Panther" silk screen in print shop before they came out. Bummer, it went unused.

Yep that’s 100% true. We’ve debated similar topics on the Camaro forum I frequent. Makes you wonder how the hell Panther got shot down and replaced with the mythical creature that kills wild horses (Mustangs) AKA Camaro…

[special-K]

Panther was GM's code name for the Camaro pre-production. Then, during it's premier as the Camaro, the question was asked, " What does Camaro mean?", and the reply was, "A small animal that eats Mustangs"

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by 71chevyshortbed402

i don't see any engine bays or interiors?

The G.T.O. -

[Keith Seymore]

This is the car that was used to develop the ram air package:

[Keith Seymore]

Chevelle -

[Keith Seymore]

Grand Prix:





Couldn't find an engine compartment shot handy (although I know they exist). I'll have to follow up later.

K

[KW5413]

The Pontiac I would buy today if I had a forgiving wife.

1967 Pontiac Catalina 2+2. Heavy ass car with 428 CU and factory 0 - 60 times of 5.5 to 6.0.

One special automobile.

Wish I could figure out this flipped picture thing...

[oldwagon]

Anything Muscle built by GM from the 60's to the early 70's. All was good!!! That includes the "Sleepers"!!!

[special-K]

Originally Posted by oldwagon

Anything Muscle built by GM from the 60's to the early 70's. All was good!!! That includes the "Sleepers"!!!

x2! I only lean toward Poncho because I lean toward GMC. I favor the more obscure less commonplace (often meaning taking a harder road). Plus, now that Pontiac has been killed it makes them all the more dear to my heart. Like most people, I started out as a Chevy guy. When I was young brand made no difference, especially when too young to drive. I just liked cool!. The reality of owning and keeping running played a big part in my turning my eyes to Chevy. Plus I felt, across the board and through the years, everything they built was a good looking, not over styled design. Even within GM, it seemed the other brands took Chevy design and added to it. I like simple uncluttered no BS design. AND, I heard from the old guys that, at least at one time, Fords were the white color car and Chevys were the blue collar car. They always cost a bit less than Fords. Probably goes back to the 23 years Ford offered the V8 while Chevy stuck with the inline 6. Maybe not so, but I took their word for it and was already a Chevy guy anyway. They sure did seem to be built for the working man with simplicity in design and very easy parts availability, which tended to cost less money.

Looking at Chevy vs Pontiac, I like how going way back Pontiac had an eye on hi-performance even though I thought of them as the bigger, heavier, more plush GM compared to Chevy, like Olds and Buick. Cheaper versions of Cadillac. I saw BOP as GM's one-up competition for Fords, while Chevy competed with being cheaper (and better). I'm not saying Chevy didn't have a focus on performance, either, but Pontiac advertised it. Chevy just did it.

One thing I always liked about Chevy is they were always trying new ideas. From the '55 Nomad wagon to the Corvair... including Rampside pickups. And what about the Corvette?? Ford made the T-bird in an ill attempt to build a sports car to compete. If Ford did something first, Chevy hurried up and did one better. Ford built the T-bird bigger, introducing the personal sport luxury segment. Buick built the Riviera to kick T-bird butt and that's just what it did. T-birds got even fatter, leaving the sport part behind. What about Chrysler in all this talk? They just took what Ford and Chevy did and added to it. That's how they ended up with over styled cars. From tri-colored paint jobs, to slanted headlights, to mega fins.

These are all my opinions based on my personal perceptions

[KW5413]

Don't forget...it was Pontiac that put GM as the true leader in the performance forefront in 1964 with the Tempest GTO Package. I have GREAT memoires of the time I had my '65 GTO in high school. I think I paid $ 1,200.00 for it in 1970. By the time I got done with it I think it got around 8 MPG...LOL!

[raggedjim]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

This is the car that was used to develop the ram air package:

Is this your dad's car? I remember reading about it in HPP magazine. Your dad was quite a guy!

Rg

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by raggedjim

Is this your dad's car? I remember reading about it in HPP magazine. Your dad was quite a guy!

Rg

Yes; thank you.

K

[Ol Blue K20]

Originally Posted by raggedjim

Is this your dad's car? I remember reading about it in HPP magazine. Your dad was quite a guy!

Rg

X2! I love your family history. It's bad @$$.....

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

The G.T.O. -

Thanks Keith, very cool history Seymore.

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Just a random Pontiac.

[special-K]

I always like that front end best. I didn't used to like the Ram-Air scoops back then. Too far forward. But that's for a reason and they sure grew on me. They sure picked the right name for this car. Simply states what the car was created to do

[dave6672]

SLP used the Panther name as a package several years back. A guy near me has one of these:

https://www.chevyhardcore.com/news/s...80%9d-camaros/

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Black is beautiful

[yuccales]

Bet this Pontiac sounds awesome with those pipes!

[special-K]

Originally Posted by yuccales

Bet this Pontiac sounds awesome with those pipes!

Similar:

Roger Bolliger's 700+hp Pontiac Trans Am @ the...

[yuccales]

Originally Posted by special-K

Similar:
Roger Bolliger's 700+hp Pontiac Trans Am @ the track - YouTube

Awesome! Thanks!

[special-K]

Originally Posted by 71CHEVYSHORTBED402

Black is beautiful

No argument