- Vintage Pontiac Ads -
Added by: Larry
August 01, 2019 12:44PM
1928 Pontiac Six
What a beautiful advertisement prominently featuring the Indian theme that Pontiac was built on. Still an odd approach. Certainly the Pontiac name (after Chief Pontiac) was Indian, but Indians were never treated very well, and certainly not viewed as any sort of status image- yet they dominated the Pontiac advertising. Perhaps just because of the unique design elements offered.
As with so many of the early ads, this Pontiac ad stressed "stamina" and went on and on explaining all about their engine and other mechanical advancements. Today you get a mention of high horsepower and then they move on to electronics and comfort. What a long way we have come.
Added by: Larry
January 22, 2013 08:31PM
1930 Oakland Ad- Dutch?
For all gearheads, it doesn't really matter if you can read Dutch or not... we just like looking at the pictures- especially if they are of an engine. And what an engine we have here... a V-8. But in 1930? Yup! Pontiac lovers rejoice, your big engine heritage traces clear back to when Pontiac was an Oakland... or at least when Pontiac was a part of Oakland. Since Oakland was a "higher level" auto than Pontiac, it took on some of the Cadillac excesses. Sadly for Oakland though, this may have been a big part of their demise.
For early Pontiac hobbyists, we know that this same V-8 from Oakland graced under the hood of some of the 1932 Pontiacs when Oakland deep-sixed after 1931. For those who love left overs, this would have been a real treat!
Added by: Larry
March 29, 2017 03:37PM
1932 Pontiac- Chief of Value
This is probably one of few Pontiac ads for 1932 that extolled the new V-8 engine. Had Pontiac wanted to actually continue offering the V-8 engine along with its famous six. But we all know today that these were just left over V-8 engines from after Oakland (Pontiac's "parent car" which had the V-8) was folded up. Can you imagine the image that Pontiac might have had early on if they continued with the V-8 engine going head-to-head with Ford and their all new V-8? Things may have turned out a whole lot differently with Ford perhaps not being the foundation of early hot rodding. Commander Cody might have sung "Son, you're gonna drive me to drinkin' if you don't stop drivin' that hot rod... Pontiac!"
Added by: Larry
March 27, 2019 06:14PM
1934 Pontiac Roadster
With few words said in this ad, they still drive home the point. That is, Pontiac is value with economy to boot. So it's a car for the lower end of the car buying public, right?
Well, perhaps not. This photo representation is anything but low end. As a matter of fact, it seems to hint at upper crust. Who else was the tennis set?
Perhaps as a roadster, it was aiming at the sporty car crowd with a lot to offer as a fun car, or maybe for someone's collage student. For Pontiac's lower end status, this sharp roadster was a bit out of its normal ranks.
Added by: Larry
January 27, 2013 06:11PM
1940 Hedy Lamarr Torpedo
No we aren't referring to "Hedley Lamarr" from Blazing Saddles. Actually you have to dial back quite a few years to find this film star.
And who else to glamorize the new 1940 Pontiac Torpedo Sedan shown here than the beautiful (known for her sexy roles) Hedy Lamarr. This super sharp new Cadillac-bodied Pontiac is shown in a unique 2291D color combination of Ludington Green on top and Glydon Green on bottom. Quite a striking color combo for the day when black was usually the color of choice.
Added by: Larry
January 28, 2013 07:50AM
1947 Pontiac Woodie Newspaper Ad
This is an interesting item I found in my clutter. Whoever had sent it to me had included the newspaper masthead so we could see it was from a 1953 Toronto, Canada newspaper. It was a pretty sharp, low mileage (36,000) old 1947 Pontiac 8-Passenger "Woodie" Wagon. Though seven years old, it appears to have been holding a good price at $1,495.00, considering they only cost $2,037.00 or $2,111 (for the Deluxe) when new.
But..... we have a big fat question here. Check the first item below the photo... "Air Conditioning?" Seriously? We sure would like to know what that is about since the first Pontiac A/C was in 1954-- and rare as hen's teeth! Maybe it was the old "4-60" A/C... roll down all four windows and drive at 60! Check out that 4-diget phone number!
Added by: Larry
September 01, 2016 04:20PM
1948 Pontiac
"a thoroughly good car." Now that doesn't sound too exciting of a claim, does it. Well, in spite of a somewhat lack luster copy writer, the 1948 Pontiac did come through as better than just "good". As a matter of fact, when considering the '48 was essentially the 4th year of a basic body design, it did pretty well even outselling the 1947 by 5,000 units with a total of 235,419. It wasn't until the new 1949 styles rolled out that the war-weary public really flocked to the showrooms jumping sales dramatically.
Today the '48 remains a favorite of the '42-'48 Pontiac lovers. Most everyone seems to agree that the clincer was the grille with the now famous "floating" top bar. Whatever it was, the '48 Pontiac was a good looking package and a Pontiac anyone would love to own today.
Added by: Larry
January 23, 2013 05:29PM
1953 GM- the Key Values for 1953
We don't often see such a nice comparison of all the GM models in one place side-by-side. It makes quite an interesting display, but it has its dangers too. What if while looking you discover you like the looks of a cheaper model better? Don't want to lose a Cadillac sale to a Pontiac. Although we see no reason not to!
Check out what GM was so proud of for 1953. And pick your favorite too.
Added by: Larry
August 01, 2018 04:58PM
1954 Pontiac Chieftain- Totally New
We guess if they say it in an ad, it must be true, right? Here they proclaim the '54 Pontiac Chieftain to be "Something totally new in Pontiac's low price range!" Really? What about all the Chieftains from 1949 until 1954? Well, it probably doesn't hurt to remind everyone about how much more you get with a Pontiac above the low price car field- for oh so little more money! After all, that has been Pontiac's selling mantra from day one. Oddly they mention the powerplant, but with no mention of Six or Eight. Certainly a six is more economical than an eight, but that must not have attracted many buyers as the eight cylinder '54 Chieftain sold nearly 150,000 while the six cylinder sold only 22,670. What's even more interesting if you like number-crunching is that the six sold 6.5 times as many cars with a standard transmission than a Hydra-Matic while the eight sold 3.8 times more Hydra-Matics than standard shift cars. It looks like if you sprung for the eight, you also went for the additional cost of the automatic.
Added by: Larry
August 15, 2019 10:14AM
1954 Pontiac Laurentian Sport Coupe
This ad is proof positive that Pontiac lovers don't even need to be able to read as long as we have a nice Pontiac picture to look at. Actually, if you have a handle on French, this ad may tell you plenty about this Canadian Pontiac. Note the Chevy taillights. But there was a lot more Chevy under the skin too. The mixing and matching of Pontiacs with the Chevys they built up there made for some really interesting looking (and powered) cars. So if you ever thought about buying a customized Pontiac, just look north of the border and you might find one like nobody else in your circle has. Just be advised that some may require biting your tongue because of a Chevy powerplant.
Added by: Larry
July 26, 2021 12:20PM
1954 Star Chief
Pontiac was still telling buyers "Dollar for Dollar You Can't Beat a Pontiac", and now "America's First Low Cost Luxury Car". If you have ever owned or driven a '54 Star Chief, you know that this was an understatement of huge proportions. There are those of us who know that the '54 Star Chief ranked much further up the auto luxury ladder then this ad would make you think.
These Pontiacs were more Cadillac-quality in ride and comfort. If not for still nursing along the old flathead eight, this would have been a world class car.
But even in spite of the soon to be replaced powerplant, which by the way was a fantastic engine for power and smoothness, the 1954 Star Chief was a beautiful Pontiac and worthy of any collector's pride and attention today. Wish I still had mine!
Added by: Larry
January 28, 2013 09:38AM
1959 Bonneville Vista Beauty
It is great to see such a bold advertisement featuring the new Vista Pontiac for 1959. It was much overlooked in the hobbyplace for a long time but today commands all new attention and love for a 4-door car. In addition to its sheer beauty, the introduction of the all new, industry exclusive Wide Track put Pontiac leagues ahead of the rest. Note how the width of these cars is so exaggerated in the ads of this time. Was Pontiac a big, wide car... you bet it was!
Added by: Larry
November 07, 2023 07:21PM
1959 Pontiac Convertible
This is an ad you fall in love with the moment you see it, and have to buy it. What a sexy car, what a sexy color! But, when you read it, you are in for a real surprise. Could anything be more politically incorrest today than this?
"When a man becomes the owner of a 1959 Pontiac he slices a few years off his age.." From the looks of this Don Juan behind the wheel, he is probably slicing a few years off his marriage too! To back up their claims of why a man needs to treat himself to a new Pontiac, they even source "Unofficial psychology". What is that? The opinion of the head Stud Duck at the water cooler?!
I can't but wonder how many men came home after a hard day at the factory and showed their little lady this ad saying "But, why not? After all the ad says 'Man was born to be a master...'"
Let's all write PMD and ask them to use this same ad for their next new introduction and see what happens... right!
Added by: Larry
January 24, 2013 05:07PM
1961 Canadian Pontiac- Six Cylinder!
This isn't exactly an ad, but rather a page from a Canadian Pontiac brochure- which are actually multi-page ads when you think about it. We had to share it because of its unique nature... at least unique to us south of the border.
Can you imagine this beautiful 4-door hardtop Pontiac with a Chevy six-cylinder under the hood? Talk about the comments you'd get at your next car show! While most big Pontiacs are known for their get-up-and-go due to Pontiac's strong V-8 offerings, this Chevy Six must have been like a herd of turtles.
Added by: Larry
October 23, 2018 08:37AM
1961 Pontiac- What's New?
We're quite sure if this was the cover of a sales brochure or one page of a two-page ad spread. But we want to include it here because the '61 Pontiac is just plain a damn nice looking car! Beyond that, it is a bit curious. Note the "AF" signature in the lower right. We are so used to seeing the famous Pontiac ads signed as "VK AF" that we forget that Art Fitzpatrick (AF) operated individually too. And this makes sense because Fitzpatrick drew the cars and Van Kaufman (VK) did the scenery. So, since there is no scenery, we can only guess it is a "VK" only item. Bet you never expected that much of a back-story!
Added by: Larry
January 05, 2017 06:33PM
1962 Catalina- Contagious Cat
Few will debate that the '62 Pontiacs were one of the most beautiful Pontiacs ever. There is not an out of place line anywhere to be found, nor anything stuck here or here for no apparent reason... they were very well thought out.
Here we have the reader invited to check out the new '62 Catalina- "Cat"- and numerous reasons given to support doing so. But what we don't understand is the "contagious" part of the ad heading. If you're going to introduce something as profound as getting caught up with the new Catalina sort of like catching the flu bug, shouldn't you carry through that "theme" in your text? Makes you wonder who reviewed these things before they went out the door.
Added by: Larry
May 01, 2019 05:19PM
1962 Grand Prix- New Custom
This is an interesting ad. Not only is it a black and white version (obviously distributed to non-color magazines), but if you check, you will see that it is the same ad that we show as being from the Safari Magazine. Although that one was full-color and laid out differently. Guess they got good mileage out of these renderings in multiple places.
This 1962 ad wasted no time telling the prospective buyer that this was all new- and in many respects a "custom" car. In a way it was, being a combination of pretty much all the best things Pontiac had to offer. So, even though Thunderbird may have started the personal luxury performance car market, Pontiac took it to a whole new level in 1962 with a full-size car. It proved to be a wise decision too!
Added by: Larry
July 25, 2018 01:09PM
1965 Bonneville Axle Tests
Check out that photo-- can you almost hear the axle snap?! Evidently it didn't snap though- at least not on this try.
General Motors and Pontiac were darn proud of all the rugged testing that went into their cars, and bragged about it too. It isn't something new to us hobbyists though, who continue to find these vehicles and marvel at how long and well they have held up.
With the combination of the power these '60s Pontiacs had, and the weight of the full-size models, strength was not an option, it was a necessity.
Added by: Larry
January 26, 2013 04:57PM
1966 GTO
They were going for broke with the completely new, redesigned GTO. It was a spot to be in after the roaring success of the similar looking bodies for '64 and '65. However, with the long lead-times for complete new models, it is obvious that this entirely new design of the Tempest/Lemans line was well into swing long before the first '64 GTO ever hit the street. But the new GTO lovers would still have to be won over. You think?
Actually, Pontiac did what they were doing so well back then... they more or less sat back and let the cars sell themselves. Aside from the fact that "who wouldn't love this new "coke-bottle" design, all they had to do was tell you that it was going to have a mountain of power, sprinkle with a tiger and a pretty girl, and the shoe leather was burning all the way to the local dealership.
Those were the days!
Added by: Larry
January 28, 2013 10:04AM
1967 GM Muscle Cars
The "Just building them better isn't good enough" is kinda weird. We assume they are referring to after making the GTO they set out to try making all their other A-body cars just as hot. Nice try! And while they certainly did succeed in making some powerful other models (can't deny them that), you have to admit that the GTO has remained the undisputed King of the Muscle Cars. Maybe not always the fastest against some of these others, but there can only be one First!
Added by: Larry
June 25, 2023 05:38PM
1967 Pontiac- Harrison Radiator
Seems like such a waste to center your car ad around this big picture and title having to do with good weather. And to use up the connection right in the first copy text reading. But, if it sells radiators, who's to say?
But it makes you wonder why even bother with an ad for one of GM's divisions. as long as cars were being built, they would be selling radiators. maybe it was supposed to appeal to the aftermarket people making replacement non-factory parts. Nonetheless, we're glad they choose to use a big Pntiac to advertise their product.
Added by: Larry
November 25, 2018 05:07PM
1969 Trans Am
Take a nice long look at this two page spread ad and tell us what the first thing is that comes to your mind. If it is something like "I could kick myself in the butt for not buying one when I could", well, you're not alone.
It's pretty obvious from the goofy looking young guy posed with this (one day soon) rare, highly valuable, sought after Pontiac that nobody actually realized they were marketing a collector icon.
In 1969 this new Trans Am concept of the Firebird was loaded with go-fast goodies, plus drop-dead looks and handling options. One wonders if PMD knew that only 689 hardtops and 8 convertibles would go out the door. Even though it was a mid-year offering, it seems that more than that number should have found new homes.
Can you imagine if you had picked up a hardtop for $3,556 or a convertible for $3,770 back then what a great investment you would have made-- better than any 401k or IRA-- and a boat load of fun along the way!
Added by: Larry
January 26, 2013 07:08PM
1970 Bonneville- the way it's going to be
With the interest in great big Pontiacs, this '70 Bonneville certainly fits the bill.. in XXL-size!
But notice too that in 1970 performance in the disguise of big horsepower was still selling well in the big cars. They weren't just all about cush. It wasn't unusual to see the biggest of cars back then smoke a tire or two.
Little did anyone know the EPA teeth-kicks that were coming and the wonderful 1973 oil embargo (real or imagined... who knows?!).
Added by: Larry
April 07, 2013 05:58PM
1974 GM Small Car Lineup
Back in 1974, we were faced with the downsizing of the American automobile... and we weren't too happy about it either. But, wouldn't you love to find some of these GM "small cars" today?
What is noticeable is the wide range of choices available back in '74. After all, General Motors was the U.S. leading auto manufacturer... and they knew it. "We want you to drive what you like and like what you drive"-- and GM will be there to give it to you!
Note also how Pontiac was the clear leader in representing GM's performance brand-- that sharp '74 GTO and hot Formula Firebird!
Perhaps soon all we will have to remember General Motors' grand line of cars will be old ads like this.
Added by: Larry
January 27, 2013 01:59PM
1984 Indy Fiero Pace Car
It's hard to look at the '80s as an exciting time in the automotive world, what with all the problems associated with EPA, safety mandates, overseas competition, fuel costs, etc. But, it was truly an exciting time at Pontiac as the rumored 2-seater sports car- Fiero- finally came into being.
Sure it wasn't exactly all that had been expected, and there were some problems at first, but it did eventually grow closer to what was expected.... just in time to pull the plug on it.
Nonetheless, the Fiero has made a mark in the Pontiac history books that has not been duplicated. As shown here in this ad, it was a proud moment as the new Pontiac offering not only had the privilege associated with pacing the Indianapolis 500, but showed the world that it could really run with the big boys... the really big boys!
All Fieros are now sought by Pontiac hobbyists and are proving to be a fun way to enjoy the hobby today. These Indy Pace Cars are at the top of the collectible list too.
Thanks to Jeff Redhage of Sullivan, MO for sharing this unique Fiero ad with us.
Added by: Larry
January 27, 2013 02:20PM
1984 Pontiac 6000- "Total Response"
As if the '80s weren't bad enough for car lovers, here we find PMD actually trying fool us into believing something as simple as two words can make us feel good. "Total response." They go on to try to explain how that is an all-encompassing idea to make us excited about their new 6000 (6000 what, we ask?). They seem to have forgotten that in the past (their good days), words like "power," "performance," "winning," etc. were what Pontiac lovers (and buyers) were used to hearing. We all know where this new word salad philosophy led to... words like "gone!"
Added by: Larry
January 23, 2023 05:10PM
1985 Sunbird
It is still surprising that we don't (yet) see many Pontiacs from the '80s populating the car show fields. After all, they're 30+ years old now. That's like buying a '40s car in the '70s... like many of us did. Let's hope this isn't an indication of lack of interest, or lack of product due to extreme scrapage. But, if given an opportunity to grab a sporty little Sunbird as this- do it! What fun you could have with a small family at an economical price. Probably cheap to buy, and certainly cheap to operate... well, the turbo might gulp a bit, but certainly not like one of the bigger cars.
Added by: Larry
October 12, 2017 10:49AM
1986 Pontiac- Still Young
We have seen similar "TV script" type of Pontiac ads before, but still do not know if they were actually run as magazine ads or not. Kinda clever... kinda odd too. But in this case kinda cute as a son works to shame his mom into buying a sporty Pontiac. Other than a Trans Am, which wasn't going to happen, the sporty pickings were pretty slim at this time. But at least she finally settled on a new Sunbird which actually had a little sport going on (even if it looked like a Fox-body Mustang).
Added by: Larry
December 30, 2022 08:40PM
1988 Mera Newspaper Ad
Pontiac's history is full of some very unique cars, but few are as controversial as the 1987-'88 Mera turned out to be. And yet, few have ever heard of it. Perhaps because just under 250 of them were built, and their end was under legal action... something few wish to shout about. Still, while they were not "actually built" by Pontiac, PMD sure hopped on the promotion bandwagon, offering them through their dealership network. Which is kind of hard to believe when you consider the legal action we mentioned.
To fully understand this unique car and the history behind it, you'll have to read the entire story of the Mera in our On-Line Magazine at: Click Here
Added by: Larry
July 18, 2016 12:48PM
1990 Sunbird
This ad is a little hard to grasp right away, and in the advertising world, that is a BAD thing. At first one might think it is like the Van & Fitz ads of the '50s and '60s showing a new Pontiac in an exotic setting... like by a yacht. But when you read the copy at the top, that isn't the case. Though not immediately recognized, we believe it is all about "an attitude' thing. An "attitude" that is brought about either by owning a new Sunbird, or perhaps it is already the attitude of a new Sunbird owner. Either way, who needs "attitude?" How about just promoting the enjoyment of this new little Pontiac and no so much of the in-your-face? Well, it was the '90s, a period of some really bad attitudes.
Added by: Larry
April 22, 2018 11:15AM
1996 Firebirs IROC Ram Air
"It rams more than just air." We're guessing this means something like "it rams it to the competition." We sure hope they weren't going to "ram it to" your wallet or pocket book to own one of these. But wherever they were going with this semi-cute tag line, one thing is for sure. The old "win on Sunday sell on Monday" idea was back... and long over due too. Only problem is that very few of the Pontiac lovers who also loved racing in the "performance years" followed IROC (International Race of Champions) events, or road racing of any kind. Unfortunately that was the only place left that had any factory support. The best they could hope for was ANY reference to racing (no matter what type) would get the buyer's blood racing. At least enough to race on over to the local Pontiac dealer and put one's money down on a new, fast Firebird.
Added by: Larry
June 22, 2018 06:44PM
1998 Trans Am LS "Blender" Ad
Looks like the PMD ad department was trying to get cute here. Perhaps they weren't very experienced with the brute force of the new LS engine. This ad doesn't have much "torque" if you know what we mean. But perhaps cute sells... who knows? We guess they couldn't use the other expression in mixed company... "What's the last thing that goes through a bug's head when it hits the front of your car?" Answer... "his ass!"
Added by: Larry
September 05, 2017 01:30PM
Hurst 3-Speed Conversion
The muscle car era spawned aftermarket performance companies like never before. One of the top names in street and competition was Hurst. Who didn't long for a Hurst shifter in their car?
No more missed column shifts, and speed like never before-- a Hurst conversion was a must!
Added by: Larry
January 27, 2013 04:28PM
Kelsey-Hayes 8-Lug Wheels
Kelsey-Hayes hit a home run for Pontiac when they "partnered-up" with their innovative 8-Lugs wheels and drums.
This February 1965 Motor Trend ad is interesting, because aside from the Pontiac center cap, they made no mention at all of Pontiac. Is it possible they were trying to attract other manufacturers to pick up their design for their cars too, or was it just their way of trying to tell the Pontiac guys to "Please order our 8-lugs with your new Pontiac order."
Added by: Larry
January 27, 2013 04:24PM
Knafel Crate Engines
WOW! Wouldn't you like any kind of GTO engine for even their non-sale price?!? But for $495.00! You can't hardly find an old junker in need of total rebuild (if even rebuildable) for either of those prices. Who wouldn't wish they had been smart enough (and had enough money) to have put away a bunch of these. They would conservatively be worth ten times these prices today. One wonders since Bill Knafel was so heavy into drag racing if these engines were "almost" as good as they could be. Don't want to help the competition too much.
Added by: Larry
July 10, 2020 12:27PM
Super Stock Tires- Trans Am Ad
Remember when Goodyear first came out with the raised letter wide ovals? We all had to have them! And others jumped on the wagon too, like Super Stock shown here. Obviously they wasted no time going straight for the sex appeal angle. For we all know that not only is it cool (or "Sass") to have a sharp Trans Am with sharp shoes, but even cooler to have a sharp gal in a little bikini. Ah, to be young again...!
Added by: Larry
February 18, 2016 11:29AM
Trans Am- Bosch Gauges
Once again our point is proven that if you want to portray performance... you select a Pontiac as your subject. And in this case, the world renown, ultra high quality Bosch Company had an opportunity to select any car in the world to show the class and performance of their gauges... and what did they choose? A Trans Am of late-70s or early-80s vintage. Is that any surprise to us Pontiac lovers? No, not really, but we're still flattered each time we see it done.
Added by: Larry
December 21, 2016 02:31PM
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