It's more about "Style", we know today they are "Death Traps", but they still look great. My username might take away some cred, but PONTIAC always looked good, even bad.
GM Design Concepts have always been way ahead of its time. Harley Earl was a fantastic designer..!! In 1973 they built that MID Engine Corvette..!! Thanks for posting this GM tour..!!
@@jack002tuber I never told you that; Elvis Presley goes totally the opposite of, the 1980s Gothic Rock group called Nirvana. Their #1 hit song has these lyrics; "raid me invade me."
@@jack002tuber And you're also going to find it hard to believe that; even the pornographers who sexually exploit the young women, also worship Elvis Presley. I looked it up in the pornographic reading material called: 'Just 18.'
@@jack002tuber Another thing; you want to know what Duane (Duane G. Shelton) told me? It's the truth; he said, "it's the blacks who started Rock and roll."
The best thing I've seen in a long time. What a great way to spend 40:44 minutes. Thanks for uploading this documentary and man oh man you have an awesome job. 👍
I really enjoyed this one . I can remember going with my uncle who was big into really rare cars . We went to a place near Hokes Bluff , Alabama and bought a 1953 Skylark convertible . It was red just like the one on this video . He told me it was an extremely rare car . I was just a kid when we done this , but I remember it very well . The last car he restored before he passed away was a 32 Lincoln Convertible .
My father use to get a new Buick every two years. One day he came home with a '53 Wildcat because he passed the Dealership on the way to and from his business. He couldn't justify buying it as a company car, so he didn't get it, but what a car!
I've driven that Indianapolis 500 yellow and blue Corvette. This is a very old episode of my classic car. Some of these cars were auctioned off and my friend Patricia bought that EXACT Corvette. Crazy
Thank you, thank you Dennis. A perfect compliment to all the Woodward Dream Cruise youtube videos uploaded this past weekend. I learn so much about cars from your series.
The silver Corvette that was built during the 70’s is a vert good design that takes care of the Magnum PI “B pillar” problem. The silver Corvette has the flat design but the ability to look over your shoulder quickly to find an available lane is no longer a problem if the fins over the windows were taken out to allow the driver to see though. If the Corvette had a I’d engine design the cut always behind the two side doors can be used to assist cooling problems and can possibly take care of major cooling problems which is pretty common with a lot of higher performance problems. They force of air can take care of most cooling problems can can allow hotter engines to run cooler and may allow more horse power. A good place to put the center of gravity is to put it in the middle of the car to allow a 50 - 50 weight distribution and if the exact point of gravity of the car was at the floorboard, this will allow a flatter ride and little to no stability issues will accrue. This car would drive like a LEGALLIZED GO-CART. The idea sports car concept, and also a simple enough desighn that can be put into other design templets. A possible design for them radio for the car and not show a sharks fin would be a window stick on antenna. It can be stuck on a back side window and it picks up pretty good. Thinking of it, a one foot sharks fin on the roof center of the back window would prett kind of cool after market novelty, the kids would buy it.
If I were Running GM, I would introduce one car to compete with the Toyota Camry. It would be simple, and only imploy simple proven technology (including buttons, and not touchscreens, etc). The 4 door would be the Oldsmobile, and the two door would be the Pontiac. Do not have turbo, or GDI, etc., but rather a lightweight engine with heavy duty head gaskets, and a heavy duty cooling system. Either of these cars should not go thru many changes over the years, and the aftermarket can provide any tuning upgrades, etc. that the owner wants to install themselves. For the masses, it will just be a nostalgic simple reliable car.
they don't compete with Toyota... they build cars together. That's why the '80s "Nova" monstrosities said "Toyota" on the engines... they were rebadged Corollas.
I want that big block Impala SS. I have a 96 Buick Roadmaster sedan that I am modifying to be my version of it. But I would love to have one built by GM
Gus VanHorn OBAMA!?!? BWAHAHAHAHAHA!! The moron who started the destruction of our country from within....President Trump had us on the way back before the PLANDEMIC and the George Floyd Exercise.
What's funny about those "future" turbine cars is that back in the 60's sci-fi shows like the Outer Limits and Twilight Zone portrayed future cars with that turbine whistle. But in a sense that sound has come true. Electric cars and hybrids when they're running in the electric mode do emit a little whistle sound.
What a terrific gem of an upload. I also love the fact there this is before the extensive usage of the go pro camera. It's a cheater's way of doing things, and the massive distortion makes it an unpleasant experience for the viewers.
This video was pre recorded years before the gopro. You can tell this video is pre recorded years and years ago because of the video quality, also they reference the Oldsmobile a defunct car company
This looks like it was filmed in anamorphic widescreen. Filmed in 4:3 for DVD. You'd have to manually change the setting on your TV to widescreen back when widescreen TV's were rare.
The Oldsmobile concept vehicles featured in this video were so futuristic that they actually vaporized into non existence! Where have you gone Oldsmobile?
My favorite has always and still is the 56 Centurion. Elegant curves, sharp fins, and an amazing unique look. If I ever become rich enough, I'd love to have a replica made.
Just the second I was about to make this comment about the bubble roof(s) on the fire-bird, reminding me of the "dome of silence" on Get Smart, Dennis beat me to it.
When the Auto Expo came to town in Raleigh,NC I got to see some of the concept cars in between 2001-2004 still have t missed a single Expo to this day since i was born in 2001
To ride in the Firebird III.... must have been amazing... You are one lucky guy. That vehicle is on my list to own and drive but that will NEVER happen. Like i said you are so damn lucky. You have been in so many care and trucks and this one beats them all..
If someone surprised me with tour of this place, they'd have get me a wheelchair I'd be so weak-kneed. That'd be after the smelling salts wake me up after fainting walking through the door.
I believe it was in the 1980s when GM built a 6 wheeled Indy car. It had four front tires that steered,was front wheel drive, had 2 big rear tires that just trailed along. It had a turbine engine which spun a big flywheel, burned kerosene, And got 75mpg at 150mph.
Firebird 3, if you are driving with a friend cant talk to them in the other cockpit, also no steering wheel or brake pedals, this would make for a wild ride.
I love watching your vlogs. All these cars were awsome considering this is a dated video and we can't have new Pontiacs or Oldsmobiles. Most impressive were the f3 firebird, the tigershark vette which I love being an LSU fan, and the Buick Aurora. If I could have any of these it would be a toss up between the Tigershark and the Aurora
@@ramairgto72 not quite... the F body is the Firebird/Camaro platform. the Banshee hit the street in '68 as the Corvette after GM mandated that no other brands in the company could have a 2 seat sports car to compete with the 'Vette and stole the design and mildly restyled it. the only F body trait is the tail lights which ended up on the first gen Firebirds. www.corvettes.nl/gm_prototypes/banshee/index.html The article says "Corvette influence", but unless you have DeLorean's other car, that's impossible as this was '63-'64 and the Corvette clone didn't come out until '68.
A question about the 1st one shown in the thumbnail. Didn't this car get used in a really old episode of BBC's Avengers? ( When Dianna Rigg was in it) I forgot the episode name but I swear this was the "alien car / ship" or whatever was responsible for the episode's problems.
Cool cars, but my all time favorite is the Cadillac Cycone. I have been in love with that car since I was a little kid. That and the early 60's Chrysler Turbine car. Never got to be in the Caddie, but I did get to ride in the Chrysler Turbine car when I was a kid.
Nothing really revolutionary in GM since HJE retired! Remember the days when a "NEW" model was released, and the papered windows on the dealerships weeks before! The excitement for a kid in his formative years was palpable. Now they almost determine a "NEW" model as in it's got different decals changed wheel covers and new colours! We now seem to buy cars because WE NEED A CAR, not because "WE JUST HAD TO HAVE IT" style and class and that lusty has gone! Killed off by the bean counters.
Wayne osmand, it isn't just the bean counters it's also fed regulations as well, also , if anyone of these experimental or prototypes would have ever went into production chances are there would have been numerous changes!
Hey Dennis. Any idea what the story is on that Pontiac Vibe at 2:22 ? interesting to see that GM kept a car that had a joint venture with them and Toyota in this collection.
The 1951 LeSabre concept car: WOW! It was so far ahead of its time. It had a supercharged hemi V8 with methanol injection. The fact that Harley Earl used it as his personal car, and put 50k miles on it shows how well-built it was. It's too bad that the V8 got butchered by the accountants before reaching production. I have read that the Buick V8 was based on the Hemi in the concept car, but was converted to the Nailhead design to save money by eliminating the exhaust rockershaft.
This stuff was sitting for years and years. How were the batteries maintained? How were the tires prevented from flat spotting and dry rotting or losing air? What kept the gas from turning to gum and varnish, not only in the tank, but in the fuel lines, carbs and injector plumbing? What about the other fluids, oil, brake fluid anti freeze etc. How were they kept from deteriorating? Dust? Covered or dusted with a feather duster monthly? I mean this applies to all car and motorcycle museums. How are these kept so that someone can walk in, turn the key and drive off? Or do they need a days worth of work before someone can stat and drive them? Same question to Jay Leno.
My best guess is that they got a crew of 3-5 mechanics (or 1 mechanic and 4 assistants) working there everyday just to give maintenance and protect their investments. Guys who instead of going to an office or a regular shop, do that maintenance for a living. Pretty much the same as a "regular" museum curator.
Back at the time that this was filmed GM sub contracted a detail shop to maintain the cars before shows. They housed over 700 cars in a few different buildings . The company's name is C.A.S. . They had a team of guys that worked for all up keep of the cars. I worked at the company and its the best job I ever had . You can see me in the video at 0:54
Oh my God that's the very very very ever shagging wagon of Chevrolet in Australia here we also gotten the same vehicle's but we called our own sandman panel vans in Australia here mate cheers from Cameron in Victoria Australia here
