Any Pontiac Grand Prix owners?

[suckolux]

Cadillac did get it in 65, my aunt had one and I saw one on a Caprice with big block in 65. The Buick 430 came out in 67,Wildcat and Electra.My book says for the Riv, 63 was still the twin turbine, ie dynaflow, but 64 was turbo 400. OF course their reference could easily be wrong! Hemmings Motor news

 

[suckolux]

Ops, forgot the 67 Riv got the 430 too, came to me out on a walk! Go figure.

 

[vacerator]

Yes David,

'63 Riv is listed at least on Wiki as having either or both. They also may have had a mid model year change when the hydro 400 was ready. The twin turbine was an aka "turboglide" design, but was marketed as a dynaflow. The third forward speed was actually achieved by the variable pitch torque convertor vanes. Low gear said "hill retard" in the selector quadrant.
What a beautifull machine. Clear trough the '74 model year. I never like the colonade style much. Not on the Riv.
The boat tails from'71 through '73 are very popular in the Netherlands and Germany.
With a high front wheel caster angle, and larger brakes, they were the least stodgy handling of Big GM cars.
Oh, there was also a 2 speed roto-hydramatic from 1958 to '63. It had a fluid coupling, not a torque convertor. It had both a front and rear pump as well, but emptied the entire sump of fluid between first and second gear to the rear section.
First gear was very long drawn out, and you knew it when second engaged with a rather dull slam. I think smaller V8's used it.

 

[kenkart]

I think most would agree

Chryslers Push Button Torque Flite was light years ahead of any GM transmission until the Turbo 400 came out on Cadillacs and Buicks in 64, in my book the 727 Torqueflite was the best automatic ever built.

 

[suckolux]

Would you believe the boatailled Riv was originally planned on the Skylark Chassis? This is why its so big, the big brass decided it would not pull the money or status that small, had to rejigger it

 

[vacerator]

David,

A727 torquefight was excellent. AMC used them after Borg Warners.
If Buick had used the A chassis for the Riv., it and the Regal would have competed for the same market.
No one would have paid the premium price. They'd have bought a Pontiac GP 455, or a Lincoln Mark IV.
You know how well a Skylark moved with either of the three 455's. At least until 1973. Stage I and II ram air 4 barrels.

 

[suckolux]

yes, I have seen the tire smoke!

 

[vacmaster]

No...

A car that size simply wouldn't function for us, we do have a quality GM car though, a 2010 Chevrolet Suburban LS 1500- the one without "moon roof" or, "Rear seat entertainment equipment". We don't need to spend an extra $20,000, yes, $20,00, on extra features. The car is already expensive as it is. Let me just say, this is one roomy beast! And if you give it juice, it will GO. I'm not even joking this thing has so much torque. This thing can tow 5.500 LB, or even more with the 2500. This is one heck of a tank with it approximately 6,250 LB weight. I love the 9 seating option also. This is literally one of my favorite cars. With back up camera, remote start, SRS side airbags, powered seats, full window, climate, and radio control as well as access to USB hook up or Aux. cord, Am, Fm, Sirius XM hookup, On Star accessibility, Blue Tooth call reception, full steering wheel mounted sound system control,and flip up center console to make a ninth seat.

 

[human]

Is the government still giving those Suburbans away to small business owners? I worked for a guy about 15 years ago who bought a base model Suburban for $36,000, registered it as the company truck, and took a $22,000 tax credit the first year and amortized the remaining $14,000 over the next four years to essentially walk away with a free vehicle, courtesy of Uncle Sam. The catch was the vehicle had to be greater than 6,000 pounds gross vehicle weight.

 

[vacerator]

I think so Edgar

A 6,000 LB. GVW would put it in the 4WD, or heavy duty towing package option at least. Really? For under $5 grand?
I do know if it is a business vehicle, you can still write off the fuel and depreciation. I see plenty of them speeding along Doing 80, and just idling in drive throughs, and warming up like fuel is no issue.
On the up side, Last I knew, a 5.3 litre Suburban 2 WD got slightly better mileage than a Toyota Sequoya.

 

[petek]

Mom and nana posing in front of my then new for 75 Electra 225. I loved that car. I'll get another when my biking days are done.

 

[vacerator]

Pete,

was the photo taken in Vancouver?
My friend in high schools dad was a funeral director, and had a '74 Limited 4 door. I thought that rear bumper must have weighed near what a Pinto did.
Buick built cloud mobiles. We went up north in it, and it was so smooth and quiet, I slept, which I had never done in a car before.

 

[suckolux]

I had a gold 76 sedan on the lot,used it often for auction trips, High miles, ran like a clock. Sold it for a grand and it went to OK from CA.I think had 180,000 when I sold it.Everything worked.

 

[human]

Yeah, '76 was the last year for GM's really huge rides. They started downsizing things in '77. I remember my dad convincing his parents they needed to buy a '76 Olds Ninety-Eight Regency because the next year's model would be the same wheelbase as a Cutlass Supreme. As it turned out, my grandparents up liking the smaller Regency that was introduced the next year and bought a new one at the end of each model year, combining my dad's employee discount with a year-end discount, for the entire seven-year run of that body style, holding onto the last one when the front wheel drive Regencies came out in '84.

 

[vacerator]

Edgar,

The '77's were very nice. Quiet, still comfortable, and could be ordered with either a rocket 350, or a 403 V8. Some 88 buyers got Chevy engines though. Anyone who drove one knew they were not the same at all.
By '84, the last rear drive 88's and 98's had a 307 V8.
Even the front drivers sold well until 1990 or 91. I still see them around here, along with old Buick LeSabres.

 

[gottahaveahoove]

Buicks were always great cars

except for Miss Jayne Mansfield.

 

[suckolux]

The old Buicks live a while, most bought new by older folks that remember what they paid for them and they got care, often garaged! I always chased a few year old clean ones for dirt cheap. Never let me down. Had this one 12 years now. The quasi grandson is in love with it, Not sure why! But he sure is.

 

[vacerator]

re; Jayne Mansfield

died in like a '63 Electra sedan. Baby Mariska Hagartay (of Law and Order) was in the back seat asleep.
David, is your Buick a Riv., Park Ave, LeSabre, Regal, or Century?

 

[suckolux]

Dang, I was sure she had a 59 Electra, burst my bubble! Its a PA

 

[suckolux]

a cosmetic twin to the 68 225 I learned to drive in, yes I was YOUNG