Rare 1962 Pontiac Grand Prix Super Duty Heads To Auction
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Two years before John DeLorean’s brainchild Pontiac GTO made muscle car history, the 1962 Pontiac Grand Prix Super Duty was flexing its horsepower muscles. With a 421 cubic-inch V8 rated at 405 horsepower (some assert real output was north of 465 ponies), the 1962 Grand Prix Super Duty cleared a path for all the Pontiac muscle cars to come. Only 16 copies of the Grand Prix Super Duty left the factory, due in no small part to the SD option adding $2,000 to the base sticker price of $3,490.
The 1962 Pontiac Grand Prix Super Duty was equipped with either a single four-barrel carburetor producing 320 horsepower, or the far more potent dual four-barrel setup. The 421 was backed by a four-speed manual transmission (an automatic was optional) that fed power to a ten-bolt rear differential. Handling duties were carried out by the independent front suspension with A-arms and coil springs. The Super Duty rolled on aluminum eight-lug wheels.
Our feature 1962 Pontiac Grand Prix Super Duty, previously of the Allan Gartzman collection, was restored by Scott Tiemann of Supercar Specialties, with a recent freshening by Joe Aluise. One of only sixteen produced, it is believed to be one of only five surviving. It is gorgeous in glossy Mandalay Red over a white Morrokide interior. Chrome bumpers and stainless trim glisten in the sunlight. Glass and weatherstrip present well. Thin whitewall bias-plies wrap the eight-lug wheels.
Inside, the Grand Prix Super Duty’s white interior is complemented by a red painted dash and red carpeting. The seats show no noticeable wear. The dash has a darker red dash pad. A console divides the front bucket seats, is home to the T-handle four-speed shifter and pedestal mounted tach. The two-tone steering wheel is fitted to a fixed steering column.
Beneath the hood of the Pontiac Grand Prix Super Duty resides the powerful 421 cubic-inch V8. Finishes in the spartan engine bay appear original, with the block, valve covers, and intake coated in light blue, inner fenders in satin black, and the firewall in Mandalay Red. The engine compartment has been well detailed.
Extensive documentation, the original window sticker, title and bill of sale, a Pontiac Historic Society letter, comprehensive restoration photos and books accompany are included in the sale of this Pontiac Grand Prix Super Duty. This rare Pontiac Grand Prix Super Duty will cross the auction block at the Mecum Auctions Kissimmee, Florida sale January 6th-16th.
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Those 421 Ponchos, along with 427 Galaxies, 409 Impalas, and Max-Wedge Dodges/Plymouths, were the beginning of the muscle-car era in the US.
The Muscle Era IMO was in stages, beginning muscle ’55-’58, big muscle ’58-64, peak muscle ’66-70, compact muscle, ’71-’73 malaise muscle ’74-’78.
Timeless styling. Post ’50’s excess, the ’62 had trim and classic lines. As the ’60’s progressed, it became a caricature of itself.
The Grand Prix? It became a caricature of itself after 1962? I would argue that the 1963 was considered a significant step-up from the original 1962 with its more beautiful and individualistic design with the first rendition of a “Coke bottle shape” on a coupe. It was much improved and it’s the 1963, not the ‘62 which is considered to be the beginning for the Pontiac Grand Prix. The landmark body style continued on for ‘64. From 1965 through 1968 it did falter and lose its elegance but in 1969, the model came back with a vengeance and set the tone for the 1970’s which would become the era of the mid-sized personal luxury car. No car exemplified the genre more than the famously long-hooded, short decked 1969-1972 Pontiac Grand Prix; a true tiger in a tux. Pontiac’s personal car of those years was, and continues to be, another stunning example of the magic that came out of Bill Mitchell’s design studios in the 1960s and 70s.
I would say the Grand Prix eclipsed itself in its second model year, faltered a bit in the mid 60s but recreated every bit of its magic and more at the decade’s end. If it became a caricature of itself, that came at the end of its life when Pontiac turned it into an ordinary mid-size sedan sent largely to rental car lots.
Very well stated, Ci2Eye. To add to that, I think that the ’64 GP was an improvement over the ’63, and the best looking GP ever made. Just my opinion of course, and I am sure many would disagree.
A very sweet ride!
When GM was Gm, not the garbage today. Nice car also was the wrong division to get rid of, should have been Buick.
I totally agree, GM is junk. But Buick survived because of its popularity globally.
not globally, only in 70 % China and 20 % USA, none in Europe, none in Latin America, none in South America, probably none in Australia, and none in Africa, maybe some in Southeast Asia
Buick a HUGE seller in Asia. That is what saved it and it continues to do amazingly well there.
The reality is this. If China had not liked Buick both Pontiac and Buick would be gone this was not an either or deal.
Most car companies are two divisions anymore. VW is the one major exception.
Beside GM had no clue how to run Pontiac and had little clue since Delorean left. The engineers would come up with a good car then GM would kill it.
If Pontiac had survived they would just be selling SUV models mostly. Not really a Strong Pontiac image.
And I still keep a Pontiac in my garage.
C8.R,
I think David Hoglund and Michael Losh ran Pontiac pretty well in the 1980s. They took it back to the #3 brand in US auto sales and created the whole We Build Excitement era with the Fiero, 6000STE and the very popular Grand Am. It later fell apart but from 1983 into the mid-90s Pontiac had become a youth brand again and had recaptured the 60’s DeLorean magic.
The truth is Hoglund was a good guy and engineer but he was paralyzed by GM from doing what really needed done.
He was never given proper money.
Michael Losh was the first of many to hasten the drive to kill Pontiac. He overruled all the Pontiac engineers to kill the Fiero.
The Pontiacs of the 90’s were just Chevys with styling changes and good marketing. Back in Delorean days the tried to move Pontiac away from Chevy not merge.
John tried to put 4 wheel discs on the 65 GTO. He had guys building DOH and SOHC Pontiac engines in V8 and I6. He tried to get composit headlamps. He tried to get HEI. He was set to put on Radial ties in the 60’s.
Pontiac had may things innovative come out but only a fraction of what they wanted.
The 455 SD was great but killed by GM.
The truth was Pontiac was set to die in the 80’s. They killed the full size Bonneville and renamed the Lemans it a Bonneville. They were trying to scale down Pontiac but the engineers stepped up and saved them moving the target to Olds.
But when they killed the engineering at Pontiac and just made them a styling exercise built on a corporate platform they were just going through the motions.
When they killed the Firebird that was the beginning of the end. A performance division with no RWD? Even the FWD models were marginal and limited due to weak transmissions.
The GTO, G8 and Solstice was too late to save anything. Even if they had not gone bankrupt Pontiac was going down by the bow.
Lutz was just too late to save them.
The truth was Pontiac never came close to recapturing the 70’s if you know your true Pontiac history.
I have owned the old and new Pontiac models. While my GTP Comp G and SSEI were fun cars they were never close to cars like this GP here.
We used to drive to school a host of GTO models a 69 GP with a 428 and a 63 with a Ram air IV. These were all a blast and made my GTP feel like the corporate economy car it was.
translate yours
1. if were not GM imposing the Buick Brand in China… it would already died as Pontiac is today.
2. if were not 1, then GM today would only be Chevrolet Wordwide and
2.1 it would have a Merchandise Product called Cadillac only for USA
2.2 it would have a Merchandise Product called GMC only to USA
So. 80 % GM = Chevrolet, 10 % Cadillac & 10 % GMC, if World were without China, and an USA somewhere there
like
GM = Chevrolet = BMW
….. …. Cadillac .. = Rolls Royce
………. GMC ……. = Mini
if we can compare Brands
Buick for me is a China Brand like Wueling, or ORA, FAW, Great Wall, Lifan… etc…
West World do not know what they are, but exist somewhere in this huge [email protected]§&”§ far language
#1 yes if not for China there would be no Buick or Pontiac.
#2 No GM would be Chevy and Cadillac. Even GMC may have been axed with no Buick dealers.
Not sure what you are saying but if not for China GM would have been Chevy and Cadillac only. Just like Honda and Acura, Toyota and Lexus, Ford and Lincoln. Nissan and Infinity,
Automakers today mostly make due with two main divisions. They try not to address every segment anymore.
Some like BMW, Jag and Benz compete in their own segment as do Bentley, Rolls and Maybach.
The Chinese models are not fully global yet so in time they will be in play.
RARE, rare, rare. Super Duty production was very limited with only an estimated 130 or 177 built (no official records were kept). Almost all were built using the Catalina Ventura model, but even more rare are these 16 Grand Prix models.
I worked at a Pontiac dealership and the owner got a BRASS HAT GRAND PRIX it was tried powered 421 with special madness interior. He passed away and my brother a mechanic who also worked there bought the car. I bought it 2 years later from my Brother. I should have never sold it.
I never did have the 62 Grand Prix, it was above my pay grade at the time, but did have a brand new
Catalina convertible which at 19 years old at the time was my entire world. I moved up to the Grand prix in 1966 and again in 67.
Pontiac was THE WAY in the 60’s.
I’d buy one new today if the division was still around
I agree. Big mistake to eliminate Pontiac!
Jim, Pontiac was losing LOTS of money, while Buick was PROFITABLE. Do the math!
When Pontiac was discontinued at the Government’s direction, it was the third best selling GM car. I doubt it was losing money unless GM underpriced the car. Pontiac sold very well.
You younger readers of this forum, this is when a car was a car !! Not like this plastic garbage today. No sensors, no cats in the exhaust system to break down. A simple car hit the pedal to the floor it went like a rocket. What a survivor !!
Reminds me of my 62 Catalina Wagon with buckets, console, 4 speed and a 64 GTO tri-power 389 engine. That was a fun car.
I had a friend, way back when, who drove a 1957 Pontiac TRI-POWER. To this day I have not ridden in any vehicle that felt any faster. It was unbelievably fast! Was it as fast as this SUPER DUTY? Have no idea.
repeat what liked from commentaries :
1. Timeless styling > that*s it
2. When GM was Gm > no, when GM was a GM
Other day asked to USA guys, why a car can’t not have anymore plenty of Chrome like this ?
My Statement : simple elegant, no confusing volumes and curves or lines, the right balance and comfortable interior
simple dash as should be, colours and colours, not all depressive black, tremendous beauty wheels and tyres etc
A Time when had The Designers… not those Creative Schools Sketching something
so, do not know, why in 2035 all electric shapes ?
Economic of scale has changed all this. Les brands and more models is how it is done.
GM does fine with what the market is asking for today. You can’t compare the past to today as the rules, regulations and economics are different.
There is many things great about the past but they had issues too. Today it is still the same as sine things are great but still not so good.
You just can’t have it all.
I was in high school at the time and bought a 62 Gran Prix with a 389 V8 4 barrel , automatic transmission, blue in color, white interior, beautiful car, car was high quality, built like a Cadillac. When GM and Pontiac went front wheel drive that was the start of there decline and all there cars were blended. Thats what happens when bean counters take over and engineering is limited. Interesting how BMW, Mercedes, Jaguar, Lexus LS, and other high end manufacturers keep producing rear wheel drive cars.
GM should be employing Pontiac as they are the Hummer brand except for muscle as either a Chevrolet or even Buick sub brand.
Pontiac is now a blank slate with drivers younger than 34 and could be a great way to introduce Camaro Special Editions as well as new product including EVs.
Always thought the 8-wide wheels were so unique. Pain to remove and reinstall, I guess?. The time when you knew the brand just by the grill.
The unfortunate thing about Pontiac is that Buick is a more popular model in China HUGE market
It was a numbers thing
The GP was arguably the pinnacle of the line
The Bonneville was the luxury version
Now, Buick is nothing but SUV’S Wish they’d at least bring back the Wildcat or Grand National
This car was driven by grandpas back then. Still looks like an old man’s car
Tom:
I totally disagree. Grandpas didn’t drive cars like this. Back then, it was one of the sleekest cars on the road! You seem like you are too young to know this; car designs have change a lot since then, and not necessarily for the better.
You certainly were not around in 1962 or you would know that the Pontiac and the Oldsmobiles were sought-after sporty cars – if they were 2doors or convertibles. The grandpas drove the Olds 98 4doors or the Bonnevilles and thought they were the “Cat’s Pajamas”.
Here is the deal GM should have closed most of these divisions when they all started to look alike and use the same engines.
The styling was the only thing different on a Pontiac. The G8 was just a Holden with a Chevy engine it was not a Pontiac. The G6 was a Malibu with new styling.
The Solstice was dying, the G5 and 4 were forgettable.
Folks anything done at Pontiac in the late years could have been a Chevy.
Times changed and so did the costs of running a company. GM tried to keep everything open but as they did they had to fence cheaper ways to do it.
Note the car in this story it shares little with other divisions. From the wheels to engine it had its own thing going on. The day they killed the Pontiac engine is the day they should have laid Pontiac to rest.
The Fiero was the last true Pontiac and GM never would fund the car right so it was doomed from the start but GM did have the money to start with. They were going broke due to all the cars they were building and selling at low to no profits just to keep plants open pushing out cars due to union contracts that made GM pay people if they sat at home. Better to lose less money than more.
So you have to look past these romantic dreams of what could or should of been and deal with the harsh reality of what really went on.
My dad bought one of these in 1963 (not super duty) His was seafoam aqua with white interior. Thay were a piece of art,just beautiful. In 1979 I found one for sale and still have it mine is 389 cu.in. with 4 speed. Love that car,it gets lots of positive attention. GM was at the top of its game in the 60’s,most all its cars were home runs.
Yep, SUVs and more SUVs. All Trucks. That is all GM has to offer anymore. Ford is almost in the same bag. GM has nothing to offer and isn’t doing anything to keep its customers, much less gain new ones. Youth is its future, but all they want to build is “trucks”. Forget convertibles, sports cars, sports sedans, two doors, or classy cars. All the same: TRUCKS.
Disgusted, long time customer and shareholder.
How true! Makes me keep my money. If they were still building beautiful cars like ’60s Pontiacs, I’d be very happy to part with money to get one.