[The Champ]

Originally Posted by 694.1

I remember Cammerjeff's car, you might have to bring it to the Pontiac show in Omro on 9/10.
Maybe I should go look at that Solstice again...

I wouldn't mind a trip to Omro, but we've got tickets to see Old Dominion in concert in 9/9 in St. Paul...

I'd say my daughter could take it up to Omro (she lives in Madison), but she is coming to the concert with us.

[Roofy]

Originally Posted by poncho-mike

Mallet makes a LS2 conversion for these. I've seen one at a show a few years back, and it looks like the car was made for a LS2.

I don't care if the GM engineers ever confirmed or denied it. But you can't tell me that with the ease that the LS drops into them, they didn't intend for the LS to be easily swapped into a Solstice, if not designed for future production.

[FirebirdHank]

They are great little cars! The storage issue can be resolved with a simple trunk rack. In June my wife and I make a 15 day road trip. We caught the tail end of the Power Tour. From there we went to Beckley for the Solstice/Sky meet (NASSAM) and from there we made a stop in Murfreesboro TN for the POCI convention. Everything went well except for a dump truck throwing a clay ball that put a small dent in the hood. There are those who have to call out the flaws of the design, parts-bin car, no storage room, clumsy top operation etc, but you can't deny the fun factor.
And, the Solstice/Sky community is a fun group. In Beckley this summer there were 175 cars from all over the country, even one owner from Brazil. For a platform that had a total production of just a little over 100k units that is pretty amazing. Next June the NASSAM is in LaCrosse WI.

[racer_x]

Originally Posted by poncho-mike

It is very quick, handles well.

That's good to know.
I've been thinking about getting a low priced fun car to get back into autocrossing and hadn't even thought about a Solstice/Sky until just now.
I'd rather have one of them than a Miata...

[jerry455]

The LS engines fit in it just fine. I worked at GM Advanced Vehicle Integration when they were doing the prototypes. We even built a red car with an LS7, 6 speed and CTS-V rear differential. For some reason it was called the "HOT ROD" test car. There is a manual put out by GM with lots of information about the car. It shows mods for road racing, and it has a section on the V8 car. I have a copy somewhere as all of my coworkers are pictured in it during the build of the cars. I lobbied for the hard top when we were first building the prototype. Everyone wanted the convertible. The hard top looks better but it was for only one year and as was previously stated, the owners are pretty proud on the price.

[The Champ]

Miata's are a dime a dozen.

The Solstice is much better looking and attracts more attention. Especially if you have a coupe version - many people don't believe that Pontiac ever made it.

Our daughter was accepted into the Iola Old Car Show in Wisconsin and was part of the Women With Wheels exhibit with her '09 Brazen Orange Coupe (along with my wife with her '72 Camaro).

Three times during the show I overheard people say that the coupe was " custom one of a kind vehicle" because Pontiac never build a coupe version of the Solstice.

I had fun explaining that they built 1152 coupes for the 2009 model year...

[71GP76TA]

I've had a couple Solstices that I bought for the car lot. One was a GXP.. both were sticks.. The GXP was the first one I bought with the intentions of possibly keeping it for a personal ride. I found them to be really cramped....... I'm 6' and weigh 185. Felt claustrophobic with the top up. Visibility sucks. Personally.... I'd rather have a Corvette of the same era.

[Scarebird]

My sister has a Solstice; after driving it a few times I prefer my 2001 Miata - crisper handling, more room (hockey bag would fit in the trunk - barely).

Looks are subjective - I do not like the front of the Solstice.

[TTOP350]

I really think the sky should have been the pontiac version. Much edgier look to it.
I've driven a few, definitely not roomy, even drove the red GM "hotrod" test car (and a few others). That red car is a land rocket for sure.. a metric sh*t ton of fun. (Became good friends w gm truck driver and he'd bring the cars to our shop after the shows) have pictures of it in the shop and with one of m cars.
My daughter who is 6 now wants a ketchup colored solstice.

[694.1]

Apparently, I am a sucker for Orange...

[The Champ]

Brazen Orange is the best color - IMHO...

[Stuart]

This Solstice 'shooting brake' is on Cars and Bids right now. https://carsandbids.com/auctions/rJo...c-solstice-gxp It's a GXP with a manual transmission, and an aftermarket roof.

[Cammer-6]

Originally Posted by 694.1

Apparently, I am a sucker for Orange...

Dave is that now yours?

[Formulabruce]

Our Pontiac dealer Raced a Solstice and beat the pants off ALL the Mazdas.. In the corners. won the divison a bunch of times. GM Design raced one as well.

[694.1]

Love that paint scheme

[694.1]

Very fun car, I will need to issue a report one of these days.
100 more HP than my 3.4 Firebird

[Half-Inch Stud]

...i'm in between Pontiacs these days ( yet not awkward to visit daily!), and the Solstice has been on my shortlist.

Stick Miata for autocross fun, or V8 Solstice and ANY Overdrive trans for full range of motion fun. Seems a no Brainer.....for finding the nice color, condition, clarity, carat?

[Half-Inch Stud]

...i'm in between Pontiacs these days ( yet not awkward to visit daily!), and the Solstice has been on my shortlist.

Stick Miata for autocross fun, or V8 Solstice and ANY Overdrive trans for full range of motion fun. Seems a no Brainer.....for finding the nice color, condition, clarity, carat?

[GTO 68]

Here is a photo of my 2009 Street Edition at the 2023 Pontiac Southern Nationals in Dallas, Texas. It is 1 of 138.