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Pontiac Grand Prix
1969-1977
When James
D. O'Donnell and Virgil
M. Exner started the idea to build a "New
Stutz",
they had to think for details.
Exner,
responsible for design, made the suggestion to put the body on an existing
chassis, the Pontiac Grand Prix with its General Motors drivetrain and
its long hood was his first choice.
O'Donnell
and Exner
made an appointment with the current Pontiac-Boss,
John Z. DeLorean, he gave his
O.K. and promised support.
When the clay-model of the Blackhawk
was ready,
O'Donnell
purchased on October 1st, 1968, the first Pontiac Grand Prix.
This car was the very first Pontiac to be converted
into the very first Stutz,
the Blackhawk
prototype, that was presented at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, New York,
in January 1970.
Unfortunately I haven't any photos or postcards
showing Grand Prix models of 1969 to 1973.
To see scans of a 1970 Grand Prix brochure: click here
In 1970 there were 65,750 Grand Prix' produced,
in 1971 there were 58,325 built,
in 1972 there were 91,961,
and in 1973 there were 133,150 plus 20,749 SJ versions.
The following pictures are showing a 1974 model:
Pictures by Craig Ludington, showing his 1974 Pontiac
Grand Prix SJ
1974 Pontiac produced 85,976 "Grand Prix J"-models,
plus
13,841 models of the SJ-version.
In 1975,
64,581 cars of the J-model were produced,
7146 SJ-versions left the factory plant,
and 14,855 LJ-models were built.
I found a dealer-postcard of a 1976 Grand Prix:
I also had the chance to take some photos:
In 1976 there were produced:
110,814 base-versions
88,232 SJ-versions and
29,045 LJ-versions (an option package, that costed
$625.00)
From Jed Chevalier I got some pictures of his 1977 Grand Prix:
He sent also some very interesting interior photos,
you can discover some similarities to the interior
of a Stutz...
.
This car shows a T-Top, an option, made possible by Hurst Performance.
In 1977 there were 168,247 base versions, 66,741 SJs, and 53,442 LJs built.
I will try to upload some more facts as soon as possible.
Technical data, and of course pictures.
Pontiac downsized the 1978
Grand Prix, so it was to small to be the base for a Blackhawk.
Stutz used the 1977 model as base untill 1979, when
they restyled the Coupé, and put it on a chassis of a Pontiac Bonneville
2dr-Coupé.
I'm searching for more pictures, brochures and dealer-postcards.
Please, contact
me, if you have something to support this website.
