Grand Prix 2+2 - Does Rarity Make It Classic?
 

Thought this was an interesting article to pose a question to you all, fellow Pontiac enthusiasts! If this is the wrong place, please move :)

Do you think the Grand Prix 2+2 is a classic car? Does rarity alone make a car a classic?

Looks like a Monte Carlo to me with slightly different nose -tail.
Weird looking vehicle IMO.
"Classic" has more to do with sales volume IMO.
With the anemic Pontiac 301./
To each his own.
https://static1.hotcarsimages.com/wo...&w=750&dpr=1.5
https://static1.hotcarsimages.com/wo...&w=750&dpr=1.5

Thanks for the correction.

Didn't like it at the time it came out, but not too bad looking today :)

I thought that the term Classic had more to do with age than rarity... Otherwise, many electric cars are 'Classics' as soon as they roll off the production line.

Not a classic. Pontiac really dropped the ball here

Just tink, the 301s are more muscle than the 4.6L in the big Towncars. G-body 301 cars seem to make HP....

https://www.motortrend.com/uploads/s...ound%7C875:492
Weird

I keep seeing the term Aerocoupe what is an Aerocoupe? I see it now on various sites in connection with just about any year coupe early 60s to the present.

"Classic" is in the eye of the beholder. Everything is a classic. Saw a yellow Gremlin with a Levi's interior advertised as a "classic " recently. Also a Yugo GV cabriolet advertised as a "classic collectible" in Hemmings. You get the picture.

It's the slanted/bubble rear window. I'm not sure about the 2+2 but the Monte Carlo SS Aerocoupe is option Z16 and shows up as a N/C item on the window sticker. Years ago I had an '87 Aerocoupe, I probably should have kept it. lol

The rare one is the '86 SS Aerocoupe as they only built 200 and all were white with Burgandy interiors.

Mike

It will never be in the same class as a 1969 Trans Am, Judge or early Super Duty but I can see where it has value to some collectors and good ones will increase in value. Restoring one will probably be difficult, the aftermarket companies probably won't be interested in reproducing parts for them (if you find one with a broken rear window, probably better forget about it.)

The Pontiac GP 2+2, and Chevy Monte Carlo Aerocoupe were GM's response to Ford's Thunderbird, which was kicking ass on the tracks of NASCAR. Especially the #9 Coors Thunderbird driven by Bill Elliott. Richard Petty raced a 2+2, and Dale Earnhardt Sr raced a MC Aerocoupe.

Back in the day my sister and her husband owned a succession of economy cars - a Pinto, followed by a Levis Gremlin and then two Yugos. :) The Yugos turned out to be surprisingly good cars; they were very cheaply built but they were reliable for them at least. One time my niece managed to put one of them in the ditch and rolled it, they flipped it back on its wheels, drove it home and used it for a couple more years. I actually liked the Gremlin, it had a blue exterior along with the Levis interior and had a three speed on the floor. it was fun to drive, I could see owning one today. Swap in an AMC 390 or 401 engine and it would be even more fun.

I remember when the Gremlin first came out I was 12 or 13.. I wanted one.. I somehow thought it was the right size for me.....lol
Actually I still like them with the Rally wheels.
The Pacer was a different story, although on that rare occasion when I see a clean one today there is a cool factor for me.
Classics?.... Yeah, I would say so based on a combination of age first and rarity second.

Of course you did, I mean YOU wrote that article.

There isn't anything really wrong with sharing it,
but first impressions are important, Jim. Sneaky.

The 2+2/Aero Coupe Monte Carlo were the same idea as the Torino Talladega, Plymouth Super Bird Road Runner, Dodge Daytona Charger, Mercury Cyclone spoiler in the 69/70 model years. These cars were all cosidered ugly when built, sold very poorly. They had a sloped front end, and some type of rear aero spoiler to be an advanage on NASCAR superspeedways where aero was just as important as HP.

NASCAR said any of these body styles had to be available for sale to the general public as street cars, as well as they had to build a minimum of 500 copies. Therein lies the reason that these cars were limited production numbers. As has been said limited production, doesn't automatically make a car desireable.

The Daytona Chargers/ Plymouth Superbirds sat on dealer lots for sometimes a year, or more, before they sold finally. The factory alloted them to major dealers, and they had to take their allotment, like it or not. Back in the day they were sold at around cost, because most customers disliked the looks of them, plus with all the limited production parts they used, they were priced higher than the conventional street cars.

In the case of the 2+2 they did at least use a V8 engine, but it was the low HP base engine, not even an H/O engine.

Evidentially at the time GM was willing to build these cars to satify their NASCAR engineers, in an effort to keep GM competitive.

Before Petty Jumped ship to GM, chrysler threw the 78-79 Magnum out to try to keep Petty cars up front in a chrysler car. The Magnum was mediocre, and Petty went over to GM.

:2cents:

According to the Classic Car Club of America:

“approved Full Classics” must be from between 1915-1948 and a “fine” or “distinctive” automobile of high value or top quality at the time of manufacture.

My 1949 Cadillac Series 75 factory limo is too 'new' to be a classic. It meets the 'fine or distinctive', 'high value' and 'top quality" at the time of manufacture portions, but it's 1 year too new.

The term 'classic' is so misused today when people consider almost anything over 20 years old to be a 'classic'.

As to the GP 2+2 - to me it's a very desirable car, a collectible car, but not a classic.