It’s actually kind of difficult to see this 1962 Pontiac Grand Prix as a car the size of a Chevrolet Impala. It looks tauter, smaller, more nimble. But it’s true…the new-for-’62 GP was essentially a Catalina two-door with some trim changes to make it appear more sporty. The GTO gets all of the credit for kicking off the Musclecar Era of the 1960s, but the Grand Prix and the Catalina were the real shots across the bow, bringing the 421 to the table and introducing names like Tri-Power and Super Duty to the lexicon of gearheads looking for the next speed fix. With GM officially out of racing following the AMA ban that came to be post-1955 LeMans Disaster, and a very curious Justice Department rumored to be thinking about breaking up GM with anti-trust movements, GM could not afford to be loud and rowdy. Bunkie Knudsen, at this time running Pontiac, couldn’t afford to not race. He had been whipping Pontiac into shape after the brand’s plain image nearly became it’s downfall, and felt that racing was the only way to get the Arrowhead back in the game. He certainly got that right!
Just look at this beauty. Dark blue and white, looking regal and ready. It should be mellow, but it isn’t. It should be a boulevard cruiser, but it isn’t. It’s also not a perfectly restored car either…1969 400 wears a 1966 Tri-Power unit, the Griffin radiator keeps thing chill and extra gauges provide what the stock units just didn’t. It looks right, but it runs right too, down the road with no issue. And those finned drum brake wheels…so, so good…
Not a bubble-top!!! Last year for Pontiac was 61. Chevy had the last true bubble-top in 62 on the bel-air 2-door hard top only. Very nice car though, thanks…
Yep, pretty cool GP
I would agree, never called this car a bubble top, only chev was bubble top!!
This is a great Pontiac GP For sure
Gorgeous Poncho! Only thing that’d make it cooler is if it had three pedals.
They can leave that here in the driveway. I’ll happily clear out a spot for it.
Dan