[John V.]

Once more, "forced" to defend the 1st car I bought new, '80 Phoenix SJ, 4 cyl, 4 speed.

Don't recall the V-belts but it was still carbureted in '80.

The 13" cast aluminum "snowflake" wheels were stolen when the car was about a year old. Pic attached is how I found it in the apartment complex parking lot up on bricks one morning.

I loved it despite its flaws. Special ordered it from Haggerty Pontiac in Villa Park, IL. I purposely chose the 4 cyl over the V6 for better fuel economy. Had over $3000 in options. Sold it in '87 and still wish I had kept it.

I thought the X-11 was toady looking, never liked that sloped roof line. Don't recall seeing the notchback version. Also thought the 4 door Phoenix was ugly. But my 2 dr. coupe was sharp looking, much more formal roof line than even the Citation notchback in the pic Keith posted.

The '80 SJ decals were pretty mild. When I saw the '81 SJ graphics, I wished I had waited.

I'm enough of a sicko that I really think if they had continued the GTO nameplate on the X body from '75 on and the '80 had been a GTO instead of an SJ, I think I would have loved it all the more.

Full disclosure, if I had not managed to get myself broadsided by a Dodge p/u truck (my fault), I would have continued driving my '73 4 spd TA and never thought about the Phoenix. Such is fate.