In 1979, you couldn't enter...
In 1979, you couldn't enter the Pontiac display at the Chicago Auto Show without running into a Firebird, such as the Trans Am with its classic hood graphics in the foreground. A 10th Anniversary T/A is on the turntable, and the Hooper movie car is in the background.
Part II: 1969-1983
Pontiac displays today are rather sedate now that the brand is part of the Buick-Pontiac-GMC combo, but that wasn't the case from the late '60s through the '80s. While domestic automobiles generally were considered rather dull in much of the '70s and '80s, in contrast to the glories of the musclecar era, Pontiac's displays were at the forefront in excitement. Outstanding were production cars like the Firebirds, show cars, and general appearance of the displays themselves.
In this installment, most of the Pontiacs at the Chicago Auto Show (sponsored by the Chicago Automobile Trade Association) were based on production models. Starting in 1984, Pontiac would spice up its area with a long string of futuristic concept cars, which will be looked at in the final segment.
March 8-16, 1969
After the fire that destroyed McCormick Place before the '67 show, in 1969 the ancient International Amphitheatre continued to be home to the Chicago Auto Show.
Four highlights marked the Pontiac display for 1969: the introduction of the midyear Trans Am option for the Firebird, the GTO's Judge option, the all-new Grand Prix, and the Cirrus concept car.
The Trans Am option added scoops, stripes, and the 335hp Ram Air engine to the Firebird on display. The name came from the SCCA Trans-American Sedan series. Though Firebirds racing in it at the time were limited to five liters, the street cars ran 400-cid V-8s. GTO Judges were perhaps a high point for the Goat in the muscle-car era, and show goers latched on to a neat catalog showing the Judge and other Pontiacs. The Grand Prix was a completely redesigned personal luxury car and would be widely copied in the coming years.
On the edge of Pontiac's '69...
On the edge of Pontiac's '69 Chicago Auto Show was the midyear Trans Am. A new hood, stripes, and rear spoiler mark this example, and it began a tradition for the model, which continued in the lineup to the end of production in 2002.
Presenting a futuristic image...
Presenting a futuristic image at the '69 Chicago Auto Show was the Cirrus concept car. It actually had about five years of show experience, as it first appeared, with different paint, as the GM-X at the '64 World's Fair.
The 70 1/2 Firebirds were...
The 70 1/2 Firebirds were an instant hit at the '70 Chicago Auto Show.
Expanded displays were possible...
Expanded displays were possible at the Chicago Auto Show starting in 1971 when it moved into the new McCormick Place. It was the second McCormick Place, as the first burned after being home to the show from 1961 to 1966.
Pontiac's massive Chicago...
Pontiac's massive Chicago Auto Show display gave plenty of room to look over the '72 models with this Grand Prix SJ holding down the point. That Pontiac resided in Third Place in new-car sales wasn't lost on visitors that year.
Showing off its new hood graphics,...
Showing off its new hood graphics, a '73 Trans Am was ready to be pounced on by the public at the '73 Chicago Auto Show. Most cars on the show floor are open to the public and, at the time, Pontiacs were sought after by throngs of young show goers.
For its concept car, Pontiac showed the Cirrus, which was basically a recycled version of the GM-X show car built for the '64 World's Fair. This time around, it still lacked a driveline and had to be rolled from place to place
The show's stage presentation of "Motorevue of 1969" ran twice daily, but it would be the last chance for the audiences to see Pontiacs and other cars along with the Barnes-Carruthers produced musical, accompanied by the Lou Breese Orchestra.
February 21-March 1, 1970
After a long wait, Pontiac's all-new '70 Firebird made its initial public appearance at the Chicago Auto Show. "From drawing board to the test track," a layout of photos for the show in the Chicago Tribune illustrated the closeness of the production cars to the initial styling sketches. "Pontiac cordially invites you to attend the beginning of tomorrow," read the ads for the show.
February 20-28, 1971
A new home greeted the '71 Chicago Auto Show-the all-new McCormick Place, back on the lakefront-and it resulted in record attendance of 924,000. With more space for displays, Pontiac began a long tradition of being at or near the front as spectators entered the main floor.
Chicago was again the scene of a first public showing of a new model, the Ventura II compact, based on the Chevy Nova. Performance cars were fading fast, and the Ventura, recycling the old name for a Catalina option package, featured two- and four-door sedans and the sporty Sprint option for the coupe.
February 26-March 5, 1972
In the gap between the dramatic dream cars of the '50s and the adventuresome concept cars of the '80s and beyond, came the show cars. Generally, show cars were production-based vehicles with trick interiors and customized exteriors. For the '72 Chicago Auto Show, a trio of them was sprinkled through the 15,200-square-foot Pontiac display: the Edinburgh, the Casa Blanca, and the Valencia.