Work has begun on a new addition to the M1 Concourse performance track in Pontiac that will be open to the public and feature interactive sports simulators The $30 million "X Center" is designed as a public-facing attraction for the otherwise private 87-acre motorsports complex which opened in 2016 on the former site of General Motor's old Pontiac West assembly plant along Woodward The three-level and 22,000-square-foot X Center will feature high-end virtual reality simulators for car racing and for golf plus shooting simulators that would use lasers The inside also would contain two custom tracks for slot cars which are small remote-controlled racing cars and a planned restaurant concept —The Apex Grille — from restaurateur Justin Dalenberg the X Center is to have a new five-eighths-mile circuit — the KTO Race Track — for racing electric go-kart-style vehicles The vehicles will be of a unique design and top out at just over 60 mph attended an April 29 groundbreaking celebration for the center which is being built at the southeast corner of the M1 Concourse at Woodward and South Boulevard The X Center is expected to be done by summer 2026 have been blessed by the existing portion of M1 concourse for a number of years now," Pontiac Mayor Tim Greimel said this is the most exciting addition to the facility and the most exciting part of M1 Concourse," the mayor continued "It’s accessibility to members of the overall public is going to bring people from the entire region and beyond to Pontiac on a regular basis." More: How downtown Detroit went from an office space shortage to a glut More: Huron-Clinton Metroparks offers to sell Flat Rock dam to city, Huron Township for $5 Although most of the X Center's attractions would indeed be open to the public for yet-to-be-determined prices use of the KTO Race Track would require purchase of a special membership The membership rate also hasn't been determined but will be "significantly less" than regular M1 Concourse Motorsports Club memberships the M1 Concourse's chief operating officer Motorsports Club memberships have traditionally run several thousand dollars a year The M1 Concourse is a 1½-mile performance track surrounded by 255 privately-owned garages It is one of only a handful of such facilities in the country show off and test drive high-end vehicles while socializing with those who share their passion In M1's early years, the garage prices ranged from about $165,000 to $400,000 “There has been a very good resale market for those garages," said Gray who declined to give any specific resale prices "Let’s just say that those who bought garages early are very Contact JC Reindl: 313-378-5460 or jcreindl@freepress.com. Follow him on X @jcreindl Once in a while, a car shows up that reminds us why people still obsess over classic American muscle decades after its golden era. It’s a great shame that Pontiac is no longer around Perhaps one of the coolest Pontiacs ever is the GTO Judge Convertible and Mecum will auction off an especially rare example in May Hold on to your hats as this pristine 1970 example It could sell for as much as $350,000 according to the auction house’s estimates making it one of the most expensive Judges recently sold Read: 6T9 GTO Convertible Is A 2013 Chevy Camaro Masquerading As A Pontiac Judge This GTO Judge Convertible is one of just 168 Ram Air III examples that were built for the 1970 model year. A look at the odometer reveals a key reason why the car is expected to be sold for so much: it’s only ever been driven 656 miles (1,055 km) it perhaps comes as no surprise that it’s in excellent condition The Pepper Green exterior looks pristine and is contrasted with a light tan folding soft top It also features some bright green and blue decals on the sides and retains the original wheels The listing is a bit thin on ownership and service history details but the photos of the interior tell most of the story the interior shows very few signs of wear and looks almost spotless cars that sit too long can often fall apart slowly if they are not maintained properly Being a 1970 model, this Judge is rocking its original 400 cubic-inch (6.6 liter) V8 bolted to a four-speed manual transmission 366 horsepower (note: that’s SAE gross not the lower SAE net figures adopted after 1972) might not melt your face off by today’s standards but this Ram Air III V8 has something modern engines often forget: actual character and it practically dares you to find a coastal highway where you can let it sing If your garage has been feeling a little too quiet lately and you think it could use the thunderous soundtrack of a classic American V8, now’s your chance. Check out the listing over here for all the details on how to throw your hat – along with a boatload of money – into the ring confirmed that the two-screen movie theater at 313 W were “A Minecraft Movie” and “The King of Kings” on May 1 Lawson told the Daily Leader Friday that her husband “It’s closed for an undetermined time,” Lawson said “There’s some computer problems between the projectors and the computer I don’t know what’s involved with it until I get somebody in here.” Lawson also said there are some legal matters that need to be addressed “We’re trying to get some stuff done legally,” she said “All I know is these other problems need to be addressed before anything.” The Crescent has been a fixture in Pontiac for more than 100 years Erich Murphy is a reporter for the Pontiac Daily Leader. He can be reached at emurphy@gannett.com and Pontiac make their cars stand out and sell in such a competitive marketplace One of Detroit’s masters of selling performance was an auto executive named Semon “Bunkie” Knudsen and Ford during the creation of many of those brands’ most iconic muscle cars Knudsen’s Pontiac was entering a world of 409-cid Chevys He knew Pontiac’s 389-cid engines were going to be outgunned on the track the following announcement was released by Pontiac: “Pontiac is now offering to qualified drivers a 421 cubic inch high-performance engine option The engine is rated at 373 horsepower and features dual four-barrel carburetors and high-capacity aluminum exhaust manifolds The 421 engine is available only with related heavy-duty driveline components It can be fitted to any Catalina or Ventura 2-door model.” It was offering an over-the-counter motorsport weapon system that would come to be known as the 421 Super Duty package At first it was a race-only drag car upgrade but it grew into a complete car for buyers in the know It was thought the OS/S class  (Options Super Stock which in 1962  went on to become the FX class) 1961 Pontiac Catalina built by Mickey Thompson and driven by Hayden Proffitt at the 1961 NHRA U.S Nationals in Indy (you can watch the 421-cid Pontiac win at 18 minutes and 40 seconds into the footage below) was the first time the world saw the 421-cid Super Duty in competition It ran the quarter-mile in 12.55 @ 110.29 mph Proffit smiling in the winners circle because he had something no one else could touch—the only 12-second car in Stock Eliminator it seems the Pontiac 421-cid engine ran as early as August 6 at the Pomona Valley Timing Association (PVTA) as evidenced by this excerpt from the August 25 1961—Pomona drag fans witnessed the meeting of some of the hottest Super Stock cars in the country today Don Nicholson's haulin' 409 '61 Chevy and Hayden Proffitt driving the champion '61 Pontiac from Mickey Thompson’s stable were on hand staking their bids for the Pomona Valley Timing Associations ( meet's top stock honors The big race of today's program was the final run for Super Stock honors between Proffitt at the controls of Thompson's '61 Pontiac and Don Nicholson who was driving his now famous 409 '61 Chevy from Pasadena On a run that was undecided until the last few feet the big Pontiac came in first with terrific times of 111.11 mph. Nicholson's 409 Chevy was only a couple of feet back Both drivers did a magnificent job handling leading stockers over the quarter While Pontiac rated the 421-cid Super Duty at 405 hp Motor Trend tested a 421-cid car in a 1962 article and determined it made 465 hp and 505 lb-ft at the flywheel A confidential internal memo dated September 11 from Vince Piggins (Chevrolet’s head of Economy Safety and Performance Department) to Zora Arkus Duntov (and others) said the “Pontiac 421 cu engine for 1963 is reported to be putting out 500 ft-lbs torque at 4,200 rpm and 468 hp at 5,800 rpm [with] single 4-bbl carburetion Smokey [Yunick] verifies the 40hp increase has been made for 1963.” The 421-cid Super Duty engine came with twin Carter 500cfm carbs and an aluminum intake manifold Aluminum exhaust manifolds were optional but were known to melt under intense hot lapping Smokey Yunick reported the aluminum manifolds were done after 10 laps on a NASCAR track the 809 car driven by Hayden Proffitt at the U.S Nationals has resurfaced and is in the hands of Robert E George of North Carolina He knew it was a Mickey Thompson car because the original registration was in the car And here's the 809 Pontiac that won the 1961 U.S Nationals when it rediscovered by Mr.George in Hickory North Carolina in 2013 AUG 18-19 Lucas Oil Series Divisional Event Turns out Wayne was a Pontiac fan in his everyday life as well though his preferred model from the now-shuttered automaker was a bit more family-friendly than the "McQ" Firebird the Hollywood icon could regularly be seen cruising around town in a Pontiac station wagon — one bearing the name plate "Grand Safari." Pontiac introduced the tank of a station wagon in 1971 and kept it in production for the better part of the decade Wayne apparently found the roomy vehicles ideal for driving his family from Point A to Point B in Hollywood and beyond owning several Grand Safaris over the years It's not clear how many Pontiac Grand Safaris John Wayne owned over the years but some outlets believe he purchased at least three in the 1970s It seems that the icon known to his fans as "The Duke" was unconcerned with flash when driving around town instead prizing a certain level of comfort for him and his family that only the spacious Pontiac station wagon could provide As for Barris' work on John Wayne's Grand Safaris The Duke largely tasked Barris with raising the roofs on the vehicles to accommodate both his 6-foot-4 frame and his cowboy hats which Wayne didn't always want to take off while driving At least one of John Wayne's customized Pontiac Grand Safari station wagons was deemed museum-worthy His customized 1976 Grand Safari is on display as part of the "John Wayne: An American Experience" exhibit at the Fort Worth Stockyards in Fort Worth That exhibit is overseen by The Duke's son Ethan Wayne who included the vehicle among many other personal artifacts of his famous father It's included as much for its sentimental value as its uniqueness as it was the Wayne family ferry when they spent time at their 26-Bar Ranch in Arizona That '76 model was likely the last owned by Wayne not the only Wayne-owned custom Grand Safari that's turned up in the wild over the years as his 1975 family wagon found its way to the Mecum auction block in 2014 the vehicle hit the block with Barris Kustom plaque on the dash and the customization company's crest on fenders It also had a 455 CI V-8 engine under the hood When the gavel fell at the August '14 event the vehicle reportedly snagged a cool $71,000 for its owner It hit the auction block again two years later at Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas Cars, Latest Articles The owner of this classic 1967 Pontiac Firebird had plans to give it a full restoration back in the 1990s The South Carolina man bought the Pontiac in the 1970s and spent a couple of decades driving it around he took the Firebird off the road and started to restore it.  and now the vehicle is up for sale and in need of some TLC DISCOVER SBX CARS – The global premium auction platform powered by Supercar Blondie  So we really hope that this poor old Pontiac Firebird ends up with a new owner who is keen to tackle a full restoration.  The vehicle was bought by a man in South Carolina back in the 1970s but he placed it into storage in 1997.  It seems as though he had plans to give the car a slick restoration himself Now, almost 30 years on, the car has ended up with eBay seller kymco455 The 1967 Pontiac Firebird comes with some pretty neat options Although the vehicle has been parked since the late 1990s the seller says the numbers-matching V8 engine still turns.  the Firebird will need extensive restoration – it requires new floor pans The inside is also in need of some attention and will likely need to be stripped out and replaced.  Some parts of the Firebird have been removed but the seller says he has them all and will sell them with the car so whoever buys it can get cracked with it returning it to its former glory.  The classic car is in need of quite a bit of work but it could make an excellent project in the right hands Claire Reid is a journalist who hails from the UK but is now living in New Zealand She began her career after graduating with a degree in Journalism from Liverpool John Moore’s University and has more than a decade of experience writing for both local newspapers and national news sites One of the Chevrolet Silverado 1500s built as a tribute to the legendary Pontiac Trans Am from Smokey and the Bandit is about to hit the auction block. This unique, over-the-top interpretation of America’s second favorite (sorry GM) pickup truck was crafted through a collaboration between Saleen and Legendary Concepts This wild Silverado, which would probably serve as the perfect daily driver for Dominic Torreto in the Fast and Furious, is number 22 of the Bandits built it absolutely means business under the hood Fitted with a supercharged 5.3-liter V8 and paired with a Magnaflow exhaust system, this screaming, oversized chicken cranks out 707 hp and 641 lb-ft (869 Nm) of torque, more than enough to make it a serious competitor to the likes of the Ram 1500 TRX and Ford F-150 Raptor R Read: Chevy Bandit Truck Really Hauls, And Not Just Ass it’s the design of the Bandit that really commands attention Whereas the Ram and Ford are punchy off-roaders Saleen and Legendary Concepts focused on on-road performance lowering the ride height with new suspension The front adopts a distinctive fascia with a pronounced splitter that’s been perfectly complemented with new side skirts wrapped in massive 325-section Continental PremiumContact 6 tires help keep all that power firmly planted on the pavement There’s also a slew of forged carbon components not to mention a rear diffuser to finish off the look just in case you weren’t already sold on how eye-catching this truck is More: This Jeep Gladiator Was Inspired By Smokey And The Bandit’s Pontiac Trans Am The seats have been re-upholstered in a combination of leather and Alcantara while forged carbon accents and ‘Bandit Truck’ branding throughout ensure that you’re constantly reminded of the truck’s roots And because no tribute vehicle is complete without a little touch of star power it even comes with a plaque featuring a replica of Burt Reynolds’ signature This Silverado Bandit is now up for auction at Mecum, so if you’ve got deep enough pockets—or just a serious love for Smokey and the Bandit—head over here and see if you can snag this one-of-a-kind tribute May 05, 20250 May 05, 20250 May 05, 20250 May 04, 20250 May 04, 20250 May 04, 20250 May 04, 20250 May 03, 20250 May 01, 20250 May 05, 20250 May 02, 20250 May 01, 20250 Evan Perkins is one of those magazine guys that not only writes about the stuff but really lives it That should go without saying when talking about magazine publications and content creators in the automotive space that don’t work on anything but they aren’t the enthusiast that is going to build an engine who can choose to do what they want on the rides vs what they want to pay for I feel like you need more skin in the game if you are going to talk about it with your readers is a regular on the engine and chassis dyno over at Westech Performance Group So it should come as no surprise that Richard Holdener would want to sit down and talk with him especially after Evan’s recent dyno testing sessions with his newly finished Pontiac Ram Air 5 engine build We shared that video here on BANGshift.com already but if you missed it you can use the link below WE ALL KNOW THAT ANYTHING PONTIAC ON THE DYNO IS CONSIDERED OTHER GUYS MATERIAL BUT THE HOLY GRAIL OF PONTIAC IS RAM AIR 5 STUFF LET’S JUMP IN WITH EVAN PERKINS AND HIS BUILD UP COMBINING A STROKER Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" City of Pontiac and Oakland County leaders have ambitious redevelopment plans for the area marking a pivotal moment in the revitalization of downtown Pontiac Crews have started removing signage at the old Phoenix Center complex in preparation for the site’s demolition This project is being referred to as a new redevelopment “This is the soul of Pontiac,” said Melanie Rutherford a city council member representing the downtown area She expressed her excitement about the upcoming changes When asked what this means for community members in her district Rutherford described it as a “game changer.” She acknowledged that many residents are uncertain about the future but are aware that something positive is on the horizon But this is a great opportunity for all of us to come together and to right some wrongs,” Rutherford explained The redevelopment plan is a collaborative effort involving Oakland County “This is a milestone,” said Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter He explained the demolition of the Phoenix Center will enable the city to reopen Saginaw Street two office towers will be added for workers “We’re going to move 600 employees of the county into one of the buildings We’re going to fix up the other building and fill it up with people,” Coulter explained county and city leaders announced plans for new parking structures and walkable green spaces Rutherford mentioned ongoing discussions about adding new housing and a hotel in the downtown area “They’re going to be bringing the farmers market down here They’re going to be bringing new jobs down here they’re going to be bringing ready-made resources in the city of Pontiac,” Rutherford said Supporters of the project believe these changes are vital for an area that has faced neglect in recent years Oakland County Commissioner Angela Powell emphasized the importance of community engagement in the redevelopment process “I’m just so excited that Oakland County really invested in taking this project The demolition of the Phoenix Center is expected to take about one year with Oakland County workers anticipated to move into their new office spaces downtown around September 2027 County leaders added there will be opportunities for residents to apply for jobs during this project. Job seekers are encouraged to visit Job Seekers | Oakland County, MI. Copyright 2025 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved. Demond Fernandez joined the Local 4 News team in 2023, anchoring our 5:30 p.m. newscast and reporting on important stories impacting our community. He joined WDIV from WFAA in Dallas where he was a senior reporter focusing southern Dallas communities. Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines TV Listings Email Newsletters RSS Feeds Contests and Rules Contact Us Careers at WDIV Closed Captioning / Audio Description Public File Current EEO Report Terms of Use Privacy Policy Do Not Sell My Info FCC Applications Copyright © 2025 ClickOnDetroit.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group PONTIAC – Oakland County announced several major developments that aim to revitalize downtown Pontiac Officials are optimistic that the new projects will result in developers and businesses moving to Pontiac Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter and several other officials revealed the proposed plans Tuesday at a press conference near the intersection of Water and Saginaw streets The plan includes moving hundreds of Oakland County employees to the county seat in 2027 The press conference ended with the first stages of the Phoenix Center’s demolition The demolition is expected to be completed by the end of 2025 North Saginaw Street and South Saginaw Street will be reconnected into one street Other projects include renovating the Oakland Towne Center into a loft apartment building after decades of standing vacant and another 300-unit apartment complex that is in the works Coulter expressed desire for the Arts, Beats & Eats festival to return to Pontiac which hosted the event before it moved to Royal Oak in 2010 Related: Explaining US tariff changes: Answering 27 common questions about tariffs Dane Kelly is an Oreo enthusiast and producer who has spent the last seven years covering Michigan news and stories. (WXYZ) — Oakland County officials unveiled plans to demolish the Phoenix Center and reconnect downtown Pontiac on Tuesday morning revitalization and reconnection of the downtown area will begin with the demolition of the Phoenix Center The demolition is being led by the Adamo Group and the full-structural teardown will start in May It's expected to be completed by the end of the year according to Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter The Phoenix Center held its last show in 2011 and has been vacant and going in disrepair since It's also part of a larger plan that includes bringing hundreds of employees for the county back to downtown Pontiac and reopening Saginaw Street The county said they plan to bring hundreds of county employees to the former General Motors building at 31 E They will also construct walkable green spaces and a new parking structure imagine two office buildings full of people who can walk to downtown eat at the restaurants and become a more integrative part of our county seat," Coulter said at the press conference "This is a major moment in the history of our community," Pontiac Mayor Tim Greimel added in a statement "Today will be known for generations as the day that Pontiac stood up and began to reclaim its rightful place as the heart of Oakland County." there will be major traffic reroutes while the demolition continues There will also be alternative parking options for employees at 51111 Woodward Ave Where Your Voice Matters a Democrat who served seven years in the state legislature and rose to become his party's leader in the House announced Thursday he will run next year to represent Michigan's 10th District in Congress That's the seat currently held by U.S. Rep. John James, R-Shelby Township. This week, James, a businessman and former Army helicopter pilot who won his second two-year term to the seat last year, announced he would run for governor next year leaving the seat − in what is considered a competitive district that has leaned Republican in recent elections − open No Republican candidates have been widely mentioned as yet looking to succeed James though there will certainly be interest in the open seat Greimel's entry into the race after more than three years as Pontiac's mayor continues a trend of this district attracting candidates who live outside its boundaries The 10th District is made up of southern Macomb County and that part of Oakland County that includes Rochester and Rochester Hills lived in Farmington Hills before relocating to Shelby Township after his win; at least two Democrats who initially mounted a challenge to James in last year's election lived outside the district The law doesn't preclude a candidate running for or representing a district he or she doesn't live in who says he plans to move into the district More: GOP U.S. Rep. John James enters race to serve as Michigan's next governor More: Christina Hines enters race to represent Macomb County's 10th Congressional District "I was born and raised in the 10th District and I've spent my entire adult life fighting for the well-being of working families and middle class people here in Southeast Michigan," he told the Free Press this week noting that he previously resided in Rochester Hills "I've served in a variety of elected capacities including as a school board member and as a county commissioner in the 10th District and I have a successful track record of being able to deliver results for everyday people." Greimel noted that as Democratic leader in the state House in Lansing at a time when the party was in minority he helped lead an effort to expand Medicaid coverage and increase the minimum wage A labor lawyer who worked to promote union protections he said Michigan and the 10th District needs "a fighter in D.C and I want to make sure that I continue to deliver results to improve the economic well-being of people at the national level." He said that while James and other Republicans managed to win in the district that's been because Democrats "haven't been talking about the issues that matter most to the voters." He said that means targeted tariffs going after "bad actors" like China but recognizing our integrated supply chains with Canada It means expanding health care access and investing in education "The other thing I'll say is we need to do more to protect our clean water," Greimel said "This district has a long shoreline on Lake St It has a lot of beautiful inland lakes and rivers and we need to make sure that the federal government is properly protecting people's access to clean water." Greimel said he had been planning to run in the 10th District next year whether James was in the race or not "I've always been of the opinion that this is a competitive general election (district) regardless of whether or not Congressman James runs for election," he said "This is a 50-50 district that is going to be competitive and our campaign is going to be focused on the issues that matter most to residents which is the economy and their economic well-being." Contact Todd Spangler: tspangler@freepress.com PONTIAC, Mich. – Oakland County is announcing several major developments that aim to revitalize downtown Pontiac. Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter and several other officials will reveal the plan 11 a.m. Tuesday, April 8, at a press conference near the intersection of Water and Saginaw streets. Coulter will be joined by Oakland County Commissioner Angela Powell, Pontiac Mayor Tim Greimel, State Sen. Jeremy Moss and State Rep. Brenda Carter. The plan includes moving hundreds of Oakland County employees to the county seat in 2027. Officials are expected to break down the demolition timeline for the Phoenix Center and road closures. county and state officials detailed plans Tuesday to revitalize the city — once a booming community that fell on hard times with the decline of the auto industry — and began removing the sign to the deteriorating Phoenix Center and city officials aims to remove a longtime eyesore and revive Pontiac's downtown by moving as many as 700 jobs from one part of the city — and Oakland County — to another and help retire some of the city's debt "This is a big deal," Pontiac Mayor Tim Greimel said at a news conference with other officials The state, officials said, is contributing $50 million toward the project and Oakland County another $10 million toward this effort from the federal government through the American Rescue Plan Exactly how much of a change the development will make to the city often described as an island of poverty in one of the state's wealthiest counties is unclear; the hope among officials in attendance Tuesday was that the project will do more than shuffle around offices including Oakland County Executive David Coulter's It's also unclear how much the new tariffs that have been imposed will add to costs is that project costs could increase by as much as $18 million Moving county officesThe officials said they envision that the latest effort will invigorate a city that despite being the county's seat of government some of which they said they couldn't yet talk about which is coming down over the next year was — as its name implied — once part of an urban revitalization effort that began in the late '60s to help Pontiac metaphorically rise from the ashes The county executive said Tuesday that the center "opened to so much promise," but it "never quite lived up to its full potential." Since 2011 Demolishing the Phoenix Center would get rid of blight and reopen Saginaw Street to the south end of the Woodward Loop More: Mt. Clemens, Pontiac attempt quiet comebacks as nation cheers Detroit progress The latest project has been in the works for about a year with public fanfare that included speeches and applause shivering crowd: "I'm bullish on downtown Pontiac." At the junction of the Saginaw Trail and the Nottawassippi River Pontiac was originally inhabited by American Indians The city assembled cars bearing the now-defunct Pontiac nameplate and trucks after the Silverdome was built in the city Oakland County is buying two office buildings several vacant properties and the Phoenix Center garage and amphitheater from Pontiac and the city will use the money it gets from the property deal to pay off Phoenix Center debt The county aims to refurbish the vacant former GM building on East Judson and will move 500-700 employees into the building from its offices in its complexes in Pontiac and Waterford It also aims to build a new parking garage The added workers are expected to help support downtown shops and eateries who said that Pontiac had been long neglected sought to reassure residents that the county "is not coming in to take over anything." The Pontiac native also reminisced about the center concerts she attended — and watching the Fourth of July fireworks there was an opportunity for everyone in the city to have a great time The county executive added as an investor pitch: "My message to anybody who has a lot of money and likes to develop things and is wondering where their next project should be This is the place that is going to be transformed in a way that I think a lot of us remember from our youth." Contact Frank Witsil: 313-222-5022 or fwitsil@freepress.com Who has the right-of-way on a California freeway on-ramp that merges two lanes into one was riding with her in the front seat of the family’s nine-passenger 1965 Pontiac Catalina Safari station wagon Older sons Erik and Craig and daughter Krista occupied the middle row After aiming the big Starlight Black wagon up a 101 Freeway on-ramp Connie spotted a Corvette closing in the mirror and attempting to cut her off.    [Welcome to Original Owner the Hagerty series showcasing—you guessed it—people who bought a vintage car when new and still own it The cars don’t need to be factory-original Email tips@hagerty.com with the subject line “Original Owner:” —Ed.] “My mom was having none of it,” Erik recalls I just remember being pushed hard into the back seat and the dog lifting into the air disappearing and then being pinned to the tailgate Mom did not get cut off by the Corvette that day You wouldn’t believe something that big could move so fast.” This was no ordinary Pontiac station wagon But the Fleischner family wagon was indeed a 100% stock It just happened to have Pontiac’s high-compression 338-horsepower 421 cubic-inch V-8 with a four-barrel carburetor and dual-exhaust And a four-speed manual transmission with the Hurst shifter.  had special-ordered the high-powered Poncho as a replacement for the worn 1959 Oldsmobile 88 Fiesta station wagon he’d bought used some years before The unusually equipped Pontiac was in regular use until 2002 accumulating about 130,000 miles in the process The engine was rebuilt in the mid-1970s at around 85,000 miles.  three years after Erik had taken the wagon with a promise to have it fully restored His father had signed the title over to him in 2006 Erik entrusted the restoration to Scott Tiemann’s Supercar Specialties in Portland “The restoration started in September 2019,” Erik says “My only regret is not starting it earlier so Dad could see it finished reminds me that it was ‘her’ car and that she loved driving it and the sound it made.” Tiemann’s shop completed the full body-off restoration just in time for the wagon’s 60th birthday and a debut at this year’s Detroit Autorama The super-rare muscle wagon won first place for Restored 1958–1967 as well as awards for Outstanding Restored and Outstanding Display.  The many roads the Fleischner Pontiac wagon traveled between 1965 and the 2025 Autorama show were jam-packed with family vacations that included skiing “If the car could talk … you would not believe some of the stories it could tell,” Connie Fleischner says.  If you guessed that full-size Pontiac wagons specced like muscle cars were rare Erik spent several years researching the wagon’s rarity and 455-powered models through the Pontiac Oakland Club International.  “How many of these 421 wagons were made in 1965 with most being the upscale Bonneville version. My belief is that most did not survive as their powerplants were pulled for GTO and Firebird project cars in the 1970s and ’80s Erik has verified only three 1965 421/four-speed wagons still in existence including two Bonnevilles and his Catalina He has also verified two 1965 421/automatic wagons—a Bonneville and a Catalina “I was also told of a third possible 421/four-speed Bonneville in Southern California None of these wagons has been restored yet and are at different condition levels with one automatic wagon in the best shape of the bunch.” and convertible rode on a 124-inch wheelbase both the Bonneville and Catalina Safari wagons used the Catalina’s 121-inch-wheelbase chassis and differed only in standard equipment and trim Only the Catalina trim offered the third-row seat to make the car a nine-passenger model What would possess a surgeon and father to order a family wagon that could burn rubber with ease had often reminisced about riding in his parents’ 1930s Packard as a child sitting on the floor and even falling asleep to the smooth hum of the straight-eight engine.  Dreams of owning his own powerful car came true so he appreciated the thrill of piloting a high-performance car a ’59 356 Convertible D 1600 Super and then a ’63 356 Super 90 he belonged to the SCCA Central Illinois Region,” Erik says.  He and Connie married on May 28, 1960 saw no reason that family needs should exclude a fun-to-drive car It helped that the same things that made a family hauler fun helped it haul a trailer Chevy and Dodge sales literature showed a four-speed available with a big-block V-8 in a full-size station wagon “Dad found that only Pontiac allowed him to order exactly what he wanted and he thought the Pontiac was the best-looking wagon he bought a ’77 Trans Am with the 400/four-speed combo (the genuine Pontiac motor) and then a ’79 Trans Am Special Edition with the 400/four-speed The big wagon would also have a lasting impact on the Fleischner brothers who became Pontiac enthusiasts and collectors striking J.R.’s 1930 Packard on the right front fender Street versions of the 421 could easily go wheel-to-wheel with the Chevy 409s, and of course Pontiac sparked the “muscle car” segment with the 1964 GTO sell on Monday” credo helped vault Pontiac to #3 in U.S The Pontiac full-size models were redesigned for 1965 Powertrains carried over from earlier models The three-speed Turbo-Hydramatic automatic transmission introduced on Cadillacs and Buicks in 1964 was now available for Pontiacs and some Chevys and value Pontiac offered for 1965, Motor Trend magazine gave its Car of the Year award to the entire line full-size Pontiac production totaled nearly 500,000 cars After thoroughly studying the Pontiac sales literature which gave highly detailed specs for the cars and powertrains a Pontiac dealer on East 47th Street in Chicago He specced out a nine-passenger Catalina Safari in Starlight Black with a red Morrokide (Naugahyde) vinyl interior.  Among the Catalina options were 389 and 421 V-8s with four-barrel or Tri-Power (3×2) setups and exhaust manifolds and 376-horsepower rating He settled for the 338-hp four-barrel version for what seemed a good reason at the time “The service manager advised my dad that the four-barrel version was more reliable and better suited for a family car,” Erik says ‘You don’t want your wife stranded somewhere with three little children.’” The engine featured 10.5:1 compression and dual exhausts with special straight-through mufflers instead of the quieter reverse-flow mufflers on other models.  The 421 four-barrel pounded out 459 lb-ft of torque vs In addition to the performance options that basically replicated the Catalina 2+2 Sport option package chose comfort and convenience options that would have impressed a Grand Prix buyer.  financed $3519 of that at 4.5% for 36 months “He always regretted not getting the 421 Tri-Power and eight-lug rims,” Erik says “He said the sales manager told him he could not order those wheels with the Catalina trim I found him the Tri-Power setup and eight-lug wheels.” surely would have applauded Erik’s changes to the wagon’s engine Supercar Specialties pushed it beyond even the 421 H.O.’s specs Compression was dropped by a point to 9.5:1 to run easily on pump gas and Dave Bisschop’s SD Performance in Canada tweaked the Tri-Power intake and original heads His porting work yielded the 238-cfm intake flow rate which exceeded even Pontiac’s experimental 1969 400 Ram Air V (233 cfm) and exceeded the 193 cfm of the 1973 455 SD The engine also gained a custom-grind roller camshaft and the 421 H.O The dyno result was a staggering 468.6 horsepower at 5300 rpm and a massive 556.4 lb-ft peak torque at 3700 rpm still with smooth operation for the vacuum-powered accessories and the family soon moved from Ogden Dunes Years of adventures with the wagon would follow On a summer 1968 vacation trip to Two Harbors the family confronted a tornado while traveling secondary roads through Illinois boys?’ When we told him it was getting closer Craig recalls that the Fleischner kids got their time behind the Pontiac’s wheel as teenagers It wasn’t until we started driving that we truly recognized the motor’s power and the thoughtful choices Dad made to create his supercar family hauler.”  The Fleischner boys certainly exploited the Pontiac’s power in some street action on Saturday nights starting from a bank parking lot on Van Nuys Boulevard the major artery through the San Fernando Valley “The four-speed made it easy to leave rubber from first and second gears with an occasional tire chirp into third,” Craig fondly remembers “We would challenge other drivers by saying Want to race?’ When we did get a favorable race the other drivers never knew what hit them when they saw the big black wagon pull away into the night.” Erik adds: “We all learned to drive stick-shift in the wagon the transmission countershaft broke on Hans in 1984 I guided him through the removal and the reinstall. He learned how to rebuild transmissions and then he ended up getting a job from the shop that rebuilt the wagon’s transmission We must be nice to him now in case we need transmission work.” gave him permission to answer a challenge from another driver another hunter who had a 390 Ford wagon asked him ‘My 390 is faster than your 421.’ Dad shrugged it off and said I don’t want to suck you up my exhaust pipe.’”  Erik was behind the wheel when the Ford owner drove up alongside and signaled that he wanted to race “Our Catalina was fully loaded with three adults and hunting gear and the gentleman in the Ford wagon was alone,” he says and we ended up walking him by several car lengths.” “The wagon was central to our family adventures,” Erik explains we drove 2038 miles up California Highway 1 and then through Oregon and Washington to Vancouver took his sons on numerous Boy Scout camping trips “We hiked and camped many of the California national forests until Erik sent it to Tiemann for restoration 20 years later Craig sums up the Pontiac’s impact on the family: “Dad got it right passing on the tradition of no substitute for cubic inches and manual transmissions The wagon will always hold fond memories for Mom Car: 1965 Pontiac Catalina Safari 421 four-speed Miles on car: 130,000 (before restoration) Are you the original owner of a classic car Send us a photo and a bit of background to tips@hagerty.com with ORIGINAL OWNER in the subject line—you might get featured in our next installment In the late ’50’s and early ’60’s Automotive News would publish what they called “rear wheel horsepower’ and as I got older and drove a variety of cars a ’64 GTO with Tri-Power was for many years the fastest I had personally experienced Anyone with familiarity of these figures I would sure like to hear the explanation as to how they measured their numbers That GTO is still in my lifetime top 10 and I am way past retirement age Just for context another GTO this time a 365 Colombo 12cyl is my No.1 I love the idea of mom downshifting and flooring it to keep ahead of the Corvette It’s a very cool wagon and a great story Some of the most magnificent vehicles ever manufactured were Pontiacs it’s a shame that they were removed from production by general motors which I always think cared more about Chevrolet than Pontiac a sad mistake My Mom had a ’65 Catalina Safari wagon thank you so much for sharing this fantastic story The Bank Of America parking lot in Van Nuys was Street-racing Central for the Valley…just sayin’… That car was ordered very well with the 4-speed and even a factory tach I prefer the “after restoration” appearance where the fender skirts were removed Thank you for sharing this heartwarming narrative about a car and website in this browser for the next time I comment Sign up to receive our Daily Driver newsletter (Via Deaf Endling Collective) OUT NOW After harnessing his punk rock roots on his most recent album John E Vistic once again turns down the dial for his new single Pontiac Driving Man This is another stark piano based song which offers a frustrated yet light-hearted view on the modern day world whilst also signposting us towards his forthcoming album founded on forgiveness John now brings us the promise of another stripped down acoustic album The first single to emerge from that album is Pontiac Driving Man Pontiac Driving Man has a self-reflective feel about it especially given its John’s own choice of transport at this moment in time It’s a song which injects some humour into the proceedings as a sing-along style bar room piano tinkler about not fitting into to this increasingly modern tech driven world with John observing that “I don’t understand or what is happenin’ in it.” At the same time its imbued with a sense of frustration as he also reflects on the fact that it “seems everything’s illegal that we used to love.” John will keep the momentum going with a further single release in a couple of weeks time in advance of the new album This promises much more of the same with its focus centered around his mission for spiritual or romantic forgiveness You can buy or stream the single here All words by Ian Corbridge. You can find more of his writing at his author profile here Louder Than War is run by a small but dedicated independent team and we rely on the small amount of money we generate to keep the site running smoothly Any money we do get is not lining the pockets of oligarchs or mad-cap billionaires dictating what our journalists are allowed to think and write and we want to continue bringing you news on the most interesting releases the latest gigs and anything else that tickles our fancy just pure enthusiasm for a scene that each and every one of us is passionate about We do not charge artists for the exposure we give them and to many Subscribing to one of our paid tiers takes just a minute helping to keep the flame of independent music burning PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO LTW This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. The Pontiac mother accused of abandoning her children in a house of squalor for years got her $250 million bond reduced to $50,000 Friday — though she still won't be getting out given what her lawyer disclosed in court "Nobody has the money to post bond for her," defense attorney Cecilia Quirindongo-Baunsoe told the judge either — not given the $800 a month she allegedly made working for the state before her arrest "She has a pay stub," said Quirindongo-Baunsoe who declined to offer specifics about the mother's job saying only that it was through the state of Michigan That's one of several new details that surfaced at Friday's court hearing about Kelli Bryant the embattled mother at the center of what authorities have called one of the most horrific cases of child abuse in Oakland County history is charged with first-degree child abuse for allegedly deserting her children — ages 12 and 15 — and forcing them to raise themselves for four years in a house of horrors: The toilet didn't work no criminal historySince her arrest on Valentine's Day — when the children were rescued from a townhouse on Lydia Lane — little has been known about the mother's life Here are some new details that her lawyer shared at her bond hearing Friday: New judge finds $250 million bond unreasonableAt her arraignment last month 50th District Judge Ronda Fowlkes Gross set Bryant's bond at $250 million — an amount that stunned many in the legal community as it ranked among the highest in the country The judge said she believed the mother was a flight risk and danger to the community set the high bond out of concern that the mother may try to stop her children from cooperating with authorities from jail the new judge on the case — 50th District Judge Cynthia Thomas — expressed similar concerns though concluded the initial bond was excessive "The purpose of the bond is certainly not to punish," Thomas said a criminal defendant is entitled to a reasonable bond." She added: "The current bond amounts to a denial of bond." More: Pontiac mom held on $250 million bond. Her kids lived in squalor for years alone, cops say And so Thomas gave Bryant a $50,000 cash bond — an amount that accomplishes the purposes of bond: to make sure a defendant doesn't flee and returns to court Walker also said that she shares some of the concerns expressed by the previous judge — that Bryant may try to intimidate her children to stop them from cooperating with authorities including: She may not have any contact with any child under 18; no contact with her children or text messages with anyone who is caring for her children "be aware that if you violate any condition of release you would be subject to arrest without a warrant and may have your bond forfeited in addition to any other penalties if you are found in contempt of court.” Assistant Oakland County Prosecutor Kanika Ferency took issue with much of the information about Bryant's life that came out in court Friday including claims that she had a job with the state and has people willing to take her in should she be released on bond She said there's been no documented proof of those claims and that the prosecution doesn't view the mom as a "reliable source of information." Ferency scoffed at the claims that Bryant has health issues that require her to be out of jail “I would be hard-pressed not to address the reason why we’re here today,” Ferency said “The reason we’re here today is because defendant did not provide her own children and this irony of her condition right now is not lost on me and it seems like she had and is being treated appropriately at the clinic at the county jail.” Ferency also questioned Bryant's alleged job with the state saying there's been no confirmation of that “What the People can confirm," Ferency said Bryant abandoned the victims in this case in an unlivable residence where several rent payments lapsed.” Ferency also challenged Bryant's claims that she has community support — specifically someone to take her in should she post bond “She has a history of deceiving those who were attempting to support her for years,” Ferency said “It is difficult for me to imagine that all of her beliefs about her alleged support systems have completely changed within two weeks of her being in custody the judge gave the mother a cash only bond The defense wanted a surety bond — which means the person posts only a percentage of the bond She’s been here her whole life," Quirindongo-Baunsoe said "And I think if she wanted to flee the state or go somewhere Contact Tresa Baldas: tbaldas@freepress.com PONTIAC, Mich. – A program that provides no-strings-attached cash to new moms is expanding to Pontiac will provide an initial $1,500 during pregnancy and $500 per month throughout the baby’s first six months of life “The family can use it as they need to,” said Susan Harding CEO of Oakland Livingston Human Service Agency (OLHSA) The program first launched in Flint and has since spread to Kalamazoo and the UP “They use (the money) for everything from food and all the expenses that come with the child but they can also use it to make sure all their mortgage or rent payments are made,” Harding said a new mom from Flint who has been receiving the Rx Kids payments shared how the program has helped her family “It helped with buying the car seat I was worried about buying and it helped when I had to repair my car that broke down,” Sintery said Rx Kids says studies have shown their program to improve the mental and physical health of mom and baby “It’s about ultimately investing in our future,” Pontiac Mayor Tim Greimel said We want to make sure we are supporting pregnant mothers and newborns so they have the best possible start to their new life.” Harding said the application process is easy only having to verify a person’s pregnancy and residency The Pontiac program was announced Tuesday and has already gotten a huge response “It kind of kind of sounds too good to be true,” Noorah Khalid said Khalid is a mom of three with baby number four due in late May “It would be a huge stress off me because being a mom of four is not cheap,” Khalid said Any expecting mothers can apply through the online application Rx Kids is funded through multiple sources Anyone interested in making a donationjacquelin can click here or contact Susan Harding at susanh@olhsa.org. Jacqueline Francis is an award-winning journalist who joined the WDIV team in September 2022. Prior to Local 4, she reported for the NBC affiliate in West Michigan. When she’s not on the job, Jacqueline enjoys taking advantage of all the wonders Michigan has to offer, from ski trips up north to beach days with her dog, Ace. The weather was gorgeous despite being 44 degrees that morning and loaded with “Snowflake” alloy wheels And it was very sharp in Roman Red with Platinum lower two-toning the owner came over and asked if she could open the car up for better interior pics and the red paint with red cloth interior was so comfortable looking and nice was available ONLY on the Grand Am in 1978 she and her husband bought the car new at Perry Snower Buick-Pontiac in Moline they didn’t trade in a car on it—they just bought it outright come down to the dealership and see this car and driven sparingly over the past 46 years I believe she said the car had about 42,000 miles I regret to say I neglected to get her name but she is further proof that car people are the best people It was amazing to see this car in person and chat with her about it When people say “Grand Am,” most folks will either think of the Colonnade 1973-75 model or the 1985-up compact GM sedans and coupes But this one represents the oft-forgotten second generation of the nameplate Amongst all the newly downsized 1978 A-Body Pontiacs with 127,253 base model Grand Prixes alone built that year only 7,767 coupes and 2,841 sedans were built The Grand Am coupe had a base price of $5,520 (about $27K today); the sedan new Pontiac shoppers in 1978 could also get the top-of-the-line Bonneville Brougham coupe for $6,674 ($32,700) as you’ve probably already guessed by the name—cost $5,815 ($28,500) upright roofline and all the Grand Prix personal-lux credibility that went with it was at a glance not too dissimilar from its LeMans and Grand LeMans siblings—unless you saw it from the front As the brochure explained: “For a few glorious years in the early seventies one car came blazing on the scene to establish itself as an impressive American grand touring car and don’t worry about this new mid-size Grand Am merely looking the part of a sport hero 205/70R14 steel-belted radial tires with Pontiac’s Rally RTS handling package Not to mention power steering and power front disc brakes.” Other Grand Am extras included the special front end with pointed nose and vertical grille Our featured car was further dressed up with bucket seats and console the 301 V-8 with a four-barrel carburetor in place of the standard two-barrel unit though that wasn’t available in California due to emissions The two-barrel version had 140 hp @ 3600 rpm and 235 lb-ft of torque at 2000 rpm The four-barrel unit made 150 horses and 240 lb-ft But it wasn’t a roaring success sales-wise and Monte Carlo were much more popular to new car shoppers than even a well-thought-out nod to the performance sedan such as the 1978 Grand Am So the Grand Prix easily blew it out of the water in sales and the base LeMans and Broughamier Luxury LeMans versions sold better than the Grand Am too Pontiac stuck with it for 1979 but sales fell even more to the tune of 4,021 coupes and 1,865 sedans With an inflation-fueled base price of $7,504 ($29,100 today) a mere 1,647 were produced and the model was shelved—until the all new ’85 Pontiac Grand Am appeared with tidy dimensions A beautiful and rare automobile…those were the days Seeing a 70s GM one that isn’t 4 shades of yellow with red stripes where a seat belt sat is impressive a friend of mine’s mom had a brand new one when we were kids but it was beautiful car and was impressed as well I had that same 301-2bbl/auto combination in my 79 Firebird Esprit but I think I got beat once by am 81 Volvo 240 wagon The four door versions didn’t even have working rear windows The term lipstick on a pig comes to mind with the options on the slow but these slightly smaller versions were better in many ways My uncle had a new Grand LeMans with bucket seats and console in 1979 and I told him the Grand Am would have been a better choice My Dad had a Grand Prix with the same color interior At this point the parts department needed the VIN# to verify the powerplant or option codes to be sure brake size and all sorts of mayhem broke out You could walk around the new car compound a play “What is it really?” Models that were never RPO popped up General Motors Canada decided the way to combat the Japanese invasion was by putting a GM store on every corner Obviously more locations equals more sales Given that the new locations had become second or third locations for the original dealers they had spots for all the Import locations that sprang up Move forward and soon we had an original GM dealer selling every available car and truck available on the market or be swallowed up by the “Group” We now have one car mall that sells everything owned by one organization walk across the street and pick-up a McLaren And ladies and gentlemen the government is now going to help you all with tariffs to AID line the pockets of Tariffman and his groupies back in the eighties we had a bunch of G body cars they were bought new or slightly used with low miles and driven in the Midwest the frames would rot aft of the axle kick-up in the back coupled with the fact there was no rear crossmember (the rear bumper reinforcement was used to take its place) was enough to take many of those cars off the road the 1978 Grand Am was an A-body; when the new FWD mid-sizers emerged for 1982 and the RWD’s were then renamed G-bodies going forward but had forgotten that the Grand Am existed then I always preferred the Malibu coupe’s straight lines which I have always felt was the best-looking of all its generations sporty-looking cars that stood out from all the tasteless brougham that was so much in vogue at the time That malaise era Pontiac 301 didn’t offer much oomph the Pontiac mother accused of abandoning her children in a house of squalor for years called the kids' caregiver from jail and had other inmates call the caretaker on her behalf according to the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald has asked a judge to revoke 34-year-old Kelli Bryant 's communication privileges alleging she violated a court order that mandated she have no contact with her children or their caregiver McDonald said she wants Bryant prohibited from using telephone tablet and video communication devices while in jail jail records show that Bryant called the children’s caregiver 10 times between March 8 and March 12 to discuss her kids and her criminal case She also had other inmates do the same on her behalf This is precisely what a judge expressed concern about when she set Bryant's bond at $250 million last month, though it has since been reduced to $50,000 by another judge The judge who lowered Bryant's bond — 50th District Judge Cynthia Thomas — also expressed concern that Bryant may try to intimidate her children to stop them from cooperating with authorities The judge also issued Bryant a warning: "Ms be aware that if you violate any condition of release Bryant's lawyer was not readily available for comment Monday “Kelli Bryant has clearly and repeatedly violated the judge’s order not to contact the victims or their caregiver,” McDonald said in a statement “That order is in place for an important reason — to protect the victims The decision to ask that an inmate’s communications be restricted isn’t made lightly but Bryant was repeatedly disobeying court orders and Bryant is jailed on first-degree child abuse and welfare fraud charges following the Feb 14 discovery of her three children — ages 12 and 15 — living alone in a house of horrors: The toilet didn't work Feces were in the tub and throughout the house Garbage as high as 4 feet filled some rooms The children were rescued on Valentine's Day after the landlord called the Oakland County Sheriff's Office for a welfare check telling deputies that he hadn't received rent since October or heard from the children's mother since December The deputies and landlord together went to the townhouse on Lydia Lane and discovered the children living in squalor their bodies and clothing were covered in feces Their toenails were so long they struggled to walk And they had difficulty flushing the toilet when taken to the hospital because they hadn't done so in so long who took a Lyft to the sheriff's office and turned herself in The children are now living with a relative According to McDonald and the sheriff's office the children lived off food that was dropped off at the house about once a week by their mother The mother never had any contact with the children and allegedly told them to never leave the house Their brother went outside a couple of times: to check the mail and touch the grass the Pontiac Bonneville and Catalina hardly ever get mentioned this is because they were the shortest-lived of these B-cars offered only from 1977 until the summer of 1981 When sales tanked thanks to the OPEC oil crisis in 1979 and a recession a year earlier but his future vision for Pontiac lay with cars like the Fiero Even fans of 1970s Pontiacs would usually rather discuss the Firebird the excitement brand’s biggest winners (and legends) of that decade and the relative scarcity of the Bonneville and Catalina has led to the perception that these Pontiacs weren’t all that successful Full-size Pontiac sales rose in 1977 and actually went up again in 1979 anything like the much-venerated late-1960s Pontiacs which might be why collectors don’t talk much about them today Growing up where everybody drove big Detroit iron when these cars were fairly new—Chicago and then the Bronx—I’ve always been fascinated by the Bonneville’s clean lines, bold colors, and fender skirts. It seemed the most distinctive “Project 77” car to me, and like the Buick LeSabre coupe, oddly similar to Paulo Martin’s Fiat 130 Coupe But no marque history or fan forum has ever really delved into how they were created or whatever happened to them—until now lead designer Terry Henline told me all about it this is the story of the Bonneville and the Catalina,” Henline started “but it’s really the story of how a Chevrolet became a Pontiac.” If you recognize Henline’s name, it’s probably because he played a key role in dozens of famous GM designs, even if he isn’t much interested in the limelight. He came up through the Fisher Body Craftsman’s guild and his list of hits stretches from the original 1970 Chevrolet Monte Carlo to the 1988 Pontiac Grand Prix as well as the Chevy Avalanche and Hummer H2 Shortly after the Monte Carlo went into production Henline was transferred to the Chevrolet Advanced Studio which was more about ideas than production cars “We never knew why we were moved around; that was something only VPs understood,” Henline told me [Design boss] Bill Mitchell hated facing [Chevrolet head] John DeLorean so he’d only come around when DeLorean wasn’t around and said ‘Kid’—he always called me kid—‘Over in Italy they’re doing this real sheer Put something like this together and show me what you can do.’” “Like the Fiat 130 Coupe?” I asked Henline “This may sound shocking but I can’t say I was truly paying attention to Italian cars then though the renderings I did were influenced by the roof of the Fiat 124 Coupe.” Henline soon produced two large airbrushed renderings of a spare muscular coupe with sheer sides and an airy greenhouse “Nobody at the design center had been doing anything like that He’d challenged us to figure out how to build a Chevy that captured that sheer planar look.” With fellow advanced designers Jerry Brochstein and Hank Cramer Henline then created a full-size clay model of the shape which wowed Mitchell and the other design leaders I think that’s it,’” and that look from Henline’s team set the direction for the 1977 Caprice and Impala I’m as proud of that illustration as anything I’ve ever done.” Chevy’s production studio designers then took the clay and concepts to flesh out the production cars they tended to get promoted.” Right after the success of the blue rendering and the clay “Somebody decided to promote me to lead Pontiac Studio One and re-interpret the car I’d just done for Chevrolet as a Pontiac.” For what it’s worth Henline was not a person who actually drove traditional big GM cars Around the time he started working on the Bonneville and Catalina he and his wife both drove Austin-Healey 3000s The promotion made one half of the team that would shape the two decades of Pontiacs While Schinella’s group handled specialty machines like Firebirds and Fieros Henline’s team worked on bread-and-butter models like the Bonneville so what was going on in Pontiac One was a secret to the rest of the building and it helped to set high standards and differentiate the cars Pontiac struggled mightily to reconcile its 1960s performance image with falling power outputs and the increasing customer focus on luxury or the appearance thereof The decade also coincided with constantly shifting leadership at the division with four general managers in less than 10 years each of whom had little history with Pontiac and struggled with the fast-evolving market challenges of the time They and Pontiac dealers wanted to sell cars that were in tune with the times so the shape that Henline’s team crafted wasn’t meant to be overtly muscular “We wanted to create a glamorous full-size sedan that had distinct Pontiac overtones I look back on it and I’m not 100% sure we were successful there but we did our best and we liked the car.” Many of its traits were also longtime Pontiac tropes from older Bonnevilles wasn’t necessarily a big fan of fender skirts “but what I was really doing was just trying to give the Pontiacs a more unique flair You’ll remember it had to share some panels with other cars We were also asked by marketing to do some things that we might otherwise not have done.” The Catalina which were more similar to Henline’s original concept Although Henline didn’t consider them perfect the designs were finished in a compressed time frame and they came out well GM dealers and executives fretted over the downsizing decision where big cars had been struggling as Oldsmobile swiped sales in the era of the Brougham sales rose from 137,216 big Ponchos in 1976 to 207,920 in ’77 with Catalina sales declining while Bonneville and flashier Bonneville Broughams boomed a few Catalinas used Buick’s 3.8-liter V-6 and a few (now highly prized) models got Pontiac 350 or 400 V-8s Oldsmobile’s burly 403 sometimes subbed in torque-surfing cruisers in an era of iffy quality They sold about as well as the Buick LeSabre GM updated the big cars again with formal-looking but more aerodynamic shapes while also shuffling around the engines The update had been planned from the start and work on the 1980 models had begun right around the time the ’77s had gone on sale They launched right into the teeth of the 1979 OPEC oil crisis and then a double-dip recession that did not abate until 1982 Sales of all traditional full-size cars cratered and the big Pontiacs had their worst year since 1942 though the drop was most pronounced on the Catalina GM’s archival photos show that a slightly more dramatic look was considered for the 1980 Pontiacs but they were essentially just evolutions of the ’77 Henline didn’t think it had anything to do with the styling there would have been no way of predicting that “One of the problems you have as a designer is that you finish your work and the car doesn’t come out for three years Most designers are not marketers; they focus on the next big idea.” Henline’s later Pontiac works would spin lots of money and positive press for Pontiac Around the time the Bonneville and Catalina were dropped his team was beginning work on what became the formal-roofed 1985 Grand Am Demand for it immediately outstripped supply and it soon became Pontiac’s biggest seller.  After that came the 1988 Grand Prix and the 1990 Trans Sport minivan the former of which Henline is particularly proud of because it combined the artistic act of taking the Grand Prix in an entirely new direction with hundreds of hours of wind-tunnel testing to make it functional It then won loads of accolades and looked great on both the road and the track “I have an autographed poster from Rusty Wallace from when he was driving that Grand Prix I think everyone at GM Design Center was jealous of Schinella and me because of the work we were doing and all the racing events we got to go to.” Henline continued designing until 2001 and still drives GM cars today but I also have a 2013 Mini Cooper S that I love who spent only 18 months on the job before heading to Opel Pontiac’s popular Firebird and Grand Prix had not overcome the lack of direction from all those managers and Stempel had aimed to reconstitute Pontiac as the “small car” division even though more than 80,000 Bonnevilles were sold in 1980 The only product Pontiac had for this market in 1982 was the “Bonneville G,” a renamed lightly restyled version of the former LeMans sedan and wagon with the once-popular LeMans name and coupe axed product planner John Middlebrook explained to author Thomas Bonsall that the 1970s had been full of reactive decisions for previous managers “Why is Olds selling all those Cutlass Supremes I saw those years as trying to be all things to all people.” whom Henline describes as a dedicated manager had a long history with Pontiac dating back to 1964 and understood the brand he organized the “Pontiac Image Conference,” in which execs from all over the division brainstormed how to get the division back on track Euro-look models of the 1980s that began with the Firebird and 6000 and a new advertising slogan: “We Build Excitement.” Hoglund did not entirely forget about traditional customers Pontiac’s large Canadian dealer body refused to let go of the B-body and continued building their version of the car in Oshawa Midwestern Pontiac dealers liked Hoglund’s new direction but also pleaded for B-body models to sell as memories of the fuel crisis faded It was popular enough to justify having the 1980 Bonneville’s rear styling grafted back on for 1985–86 It was then replaced by the futuristic-looking That car distilled the new direction of the division into a totally fresh large car still sporting almost the same styling it had in 1977 carried on as the last vestige of the rear-drive big Pontiac faded away in 1989 when the Trans Sport arrived The burgundy ’78 Bonneville you see here is owned by Washingtonian Steve Marchese Meeting him at a local cars and coffee is what reignited my curiosity about these Bonnevilles Marchese is a big fan of Henline’s designs having bought the Bonneville because he missed his old 1977 Chevy Impala As we cruised up the Kitsap Peninsula en route to our photo spot it was easy to appreciate the car’s merits Marchese bought the car from its second owner and among the few things he did to it afterward was fitting the “turbine” original hubcaps Marchese’s fascination started early in NYC “I’m from Queens and I was a kid when these were new and you’d see all the neighborhood guys in Regals and Cutlasses and Coupe DeVilles “GM still knew how to make a big V-8 rear-drive car then one that was spacious and wouldn’t bankrupt you either at the gas pump or the mechanic’s shop I think they got a lot of things right with these cars at a time when many things were going wrong People often speak dismissively about Malaise Era cars but you have to remember the challenges they were facing.” and while Pontiac did bring back the B-body Parisienne in 1983 1980 was the beginning of the end for big two-doors It’s not as luxurious as a Buick Electra or something but it has lots of nice design details that my Chevy didn’t have You’d hardly know that the hardware is basically the same as the Impala’s you can tell a Pontiac of this era from an Olds I always loved these Pontiac coupes for their details,” he adds this was exactly the result Henline’s team hoped for In 1977 it was now the right size and you could still get a 400 Pontiac V8 not an Olds or Chevy I also like the model in the black and white photo directly under that in the article My family has owned nearly a dozen of the next-gen of these and being in Canada quite a few of them were Parisiennes I’ve always preferred the more base trim ones for looks plus the lower trims on these held the salt badly That blue rendering would built excitement today if made into a production model without ruining the proportions of it Would love to see more historical design photos from 71 to 76 with the sportier b body styles Compare these Ponchos with the (at best) bland or (at worst) downright ugly vehicles on the road today the price of these cars would have been very affordable today The glory days of the automobile are sadly over – guess I’m stating the obvious Nostalgia is one heck of a drug… I’d argue that cars today look the best they have in decades I think we get stuck in “the good old days” mentality and forget to look at things objectively they were either gorgeous or had the same style as a dog’s backside or the same way that the 90s-00s jelly bean era looks decent at the right angle I guess growing up in the 1970s was better than I realized at the time These cars used to make good winter beaters but now they’re too old to be reliable enough for that Put a 200r4 (no electronics needed other than a clutch converter lock up) in it Add fuel injection and you have a reliable efficient cruiser These cars are basically bullet proof and you can do brake upgrades and suspension if you want to for a lot less than the down payment on a new 30,000 new car “The story of how a Chevrolet became a Pontiac” Much of the reason why we no longer have Pontiac Buick (don’t even mention those ridiculous SUVs with Buick badges) at least the Chevy version: my Dad drove a Caprice wagon for years These B and C bodies were absolutely bulletproof and soundly engineered cars I only remember that the paint jobs were crap I still own a derivative (1994 Fleetwood) which I will never part with Too bad that the B bodies from this era got caught up in the badge-engineering sickness that others did Although the B body Pontiac was a nice looking car and you could get a Pontiac engine (in the early versions they were difficult to distinguish from their B Body cousins in 1977 and beyond Dad and his neighbor each bought new ’77 Catalina 4-doors Dad’s came with a 301 cid Pontiac engine and Mike’s came with a 305 cid Chevy engine Didn’t some of the Bonnies have an optional 455 V-8 which had the disastrous Aluminum timing gear like GM’s V-6 All of the BOP 455’s were gone after 1976 The best that you could have had after 1976 was a 403 Olds I believe most of the gm’s had them I had one go out on my ’69 GTO at around 40,000 miles It was a non interference motor so all that happend was it didn’t run No problem for a gear head to fix and back then parts were cheap less then 50 bucks to fix and back on the road in less than a day We bought a one year old 1978 Bonneville as our first 4 door car so we could get our daughter in and out of her car seat It was our first car with power windows and air conditioning (we did not have ac in our house!) and we drove it for over 100,000 miles the only problem we had was that living in upstate NY the aluminum support frame for the rear bumper corroded away but since that was part of the 5mph bumper system it was replaced under a recall the “full size” sedans were even smaller so we had to reluctantly switch to a minivan to hold our family of five I bought a 1973 Pontiac Grandville Convertible a year ago and I love the car it’s red with with white interior and a white top thinking of bringing it to some car shows soon 👍☺️ You don’t happen to live in Tustin do you Someone on my walking route has one fitting that description that appeared about a year ago and I’d love to get a closer look https://photos.app.goo.gl/zfYMceG4hj5DhCrT6 https://photos.app.goo.gl/fYRxkUHxrRLyCrF7A https://photos.app.goo.gl/7uVAxQfJaBYL96vW7 Enjoyed the article — is a reminder of what was a more positive era of automobiles than I remembered A cash-assistance program for expectant moms and babies is expanding to metro Detroit for the first time recently launched in Kalamazoo and parts of the eastern Upper Peninsula Pontiac's version of the program can help an estimated 800 mothers in its first years Rx Kids gives families $1,500 mid-pregnancy and then $500 a month up to a year of the infant's life families in Pontiac will be able to get $1,500 while pregnant and then an extra $500 for the first six months The program is backed by $8.5 million in public and philanthropic funds for two years every day that a baby is born into and grows up in poverty is a failure on all of us because we can do better," Hanna said on Tuesday In Pontiac, roughly 45% of children under 5 years old live in poverty where more 1,500 families have so far received about $7 million through the program "We see massive improvements in family financial security a Pontiac mom of 5 with a baby girl due in late April she's always wanted to have lots of children But sometimes she feels judged for having a big family Just because someone is on the poverty line doesn't mean they shouldn't have children to love them equally as other families," Franco Meeting children's needs as they grow rapidly can be a challenge But that does not mean we cannot love them The Rx Kids program can help moms spend more time with their children and provide support for parents "Rx Kids really empowers Pontiac moms with cash prescriptions so that they can spend just a little bit less time worrying about the first year expenses and focus on the hardest and most wonderful job there is caring for and loving babies," said Erin Casey director of the Pontiac Funders Collaborative an initiative of the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan which contributed a $1 million grant to Rx Kids in Pontiac Additional funds came from the following sources: $3.5 million, including $500,000 in matching funds for donations more than $50,000, from the Alix Foundation; $3.4 million from the state of Michigan; $500,000 from the city of Pontiac's opioid settlement funds and $100,000 from Priority Health Total Health Foundation Rx Kids in Pontiac is seeking additional donations the program — expected to run at least two years — could transition to a 12-month program in its second year In Pontiac, expectant moms who are at least 16 weeks pregnant or babies born starting May 1 will be eligible. The program is a partnership between the Oakland Livingston Human Service Agency Rx Kids anticipates a "bundle of communities in Wayne County" to hopefully go live in June Contact Nushrat Rahman: nrahman@freepress.com. Follow her on X: @NushratR Over the years, the Pontiac Fiero carved out a curious niche for itself but as the preferred donor car for supercar replicas a low-mileage example in Detroit has avoided the fate of becoming a wannabe Ferrari and it’s now up for sale through Gateway Classic Cars of Detroit This particular Fiero is a 1985 model, and it has only seen 941 miles (1,514 km) on the clock. The seller doesn’t explain why it’s been driven so little, but the car’s condition suggests it has been well cared for, possibly making it one of the most immaculate Fieros in the States Read: Can You Guess What’s Hiding Under This Steel-Clad Monster? It’s painted in a bright shade of red that contrasts with silver grey elements on the bumpers It continues to sit on the original silver wheels clad in Goodyear tires While it’s always hard to judge the condition of a car through photos alone the bodywork shows no obvious signs of damage and is free of any visible scratches or dents It’s not just the exterior that pristine and much of the dashboard are finished in a light shade of grey At the heart of the Fiero is a 2.8-liter naturally aspirated V6 this engine pushed out 140 horsepower and 170 lb-ft (230 Nm) of torque While this might not sound like the sort of power to get your pulse racing it’s more about quirky character and being a piece of automotive history While it’s easy to imagine that only the most dedicated Pontiac collectors would be willing to drop this kind of money on a 1985 Fiero Cars like this deserve to be preserved for future generations If you’re interested, you can check out the listing over here The Pontiac mother accused of abandoning her kids and forcing them to live alone in squalor is now also facing three counts of welfare fraud — one count for each child who authorities say lived in a house of horrors for four years Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald announced the charges on Tuesday pocketed more than $29,000 in government aid that was meant to help her kids a review of Bryant’s support payments by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services shows there was an overpayment of $29,397 over three years that the children were fending for themselves in a feces and garbage ridden condo on Lilac Lane in Pontiac where two of the children slept on pizza boxes “The defendant appears to have effectively abandoned her children while collecting their public assistance,” McDonald said in a statement These resources were intended to ensure they had the basic necessities denied to them the children lived off food that was dropped off at their house about once a week — sometimes longer — by their mother or a food delivery service company never left the house in four years because their mother allegedly told them never to leave or answer the door The 15-year-old boy left the house only a handful of times: to check the mail and to touch the grass The welfare charges come almost a month after Bryant was charged with three counts of first-degree child abuse which is punishable by up to life in prison Bryant was arrested the same day that sheriff's deputies rescued her three children — ages 12 13 and 15 — from a condo on Lydia Lane after the landlord requested a welfare check the landlord contacted their office on Feb 14 and said that he had not received rent since October (2024) nor had he heard from the children's mother since December the deputies and the landlord went together to the condo where they found a horrifying scene: no working toilet; feces in the tub and throughout the house and garbage piled 4 feet high in some rooms The children's bodies and clothes also were covered in feces and their toenails were so long they struggled to walk Bryant currently is jailed on a $50,000 cash bond. She was initially detained on a $250 million bond, though a new judge reviewed her case and concluded that amount was excessive, noting the purpose of bond is not to "punish" but to make sure that the community is safe is not likely to get out if her lawyer's comments at a recent bond hearing are any indication Quirindongo-Baunsoe was not readily available for comment Tuesday to address the latest charges Welfare fraud over $500 is punishable by up to four years in prison Contact Tresa baldas: tbaldas@freepress.com