The Super-Duty Catalina is symbolic of Pontiac's early-'60s dominance of NHRA's dragstrips and NASCAR's high-speed ovals. Super-Duty engine components were initially sold through the Division's dealership parts departments, but the NHRA soon mandated that in order to be eligible for competition in stock classes, complete engines must be factory installed. Pontiac countered by offering the Super-Duty 389 and 421 in its '62 midsized models.

Once you've been bitten by the "car bug," there's little that can cure you. Thankfully, there are ways to help with the symptoms, one of which is buying Pontiacs. Mike Marx, of Port Orange, Florida, was afflicted as a young teenager. "I was just drawn to Pontiacs and I bought my first one when I was 18," he says. For the next 30 years, Mike continued to collect them. He's owned two '68 GTOs, two '69 GTOs, a '68 Firebird, and a '701/2 Trans Am, among others. When he had the opportunity to purchase this rare WW5-optioned Shadow Gold '72 GTO, he already knew its history and had to have it.

When Glenn Kovach, a 50-year-old customer service and warranty representative in Benton, Illinois, sold an extremely rare SSJ Grand Prix in 1977, he thought he'd never see it again, but a quirk of fate brought it back into his life. "I found the SSJ the first time one afternoon in 1975," Glenn recalls. "It was sitting on a used-car lot, barely three years old, with factory Cameo White paint and a bright gold hood. I pulled over, checked it out, and learned it was a '72 SSJ Grand Prix. I looked at my girlfriend and said, 'I've got to have that car.' After much pleading and promising to my folks, I bought it."

With the Firebird's almost six-year absence and the GTO's two-year absence, Pontiac has been hurting for a performance rear-wheel drive V-8 model. There was great speculation as to what would replace the GTO after its departure following the '06 model year, but a clear answer was never given. The all-new G8 isn't specifically targeted as the '04-'06 Goat heir apparent; Pontiac's actually thinking on a much larger scale.

Raymond Lee Fox, Sr. is the oldest living Pontiac NASCAR engine builder. Starting in 1946 with a three-year career as a driver of NASCAR Modifieds, Fox then turned his talents toward engine building in 1949.

David Pearson is described by many historians as one of the greatest drivers in auto racing history. He won 105 Grand National events; the 1966, 1968, and 1969 Winston Cup Championships; and the 1976 Daytona 500. Although most people associate Pearson with the Dodge 426 Hemis he drove for Cotton Owens in the mid-'60s and the Mercurys he drove for the Wood brothers in the '70s, he first reached national attention driving a Pontiac for Florida race-car builder Ray Fox, Sr. in 1961.

Successfully amassing a collection of Pontiacs produced in limited numbers can be a rewarding experience for any hobbyist. Some appreciate the scarcity and beauty of these automobiles, while others are strictly collectors with value in mind. Whatever the reason, rarities are the focal point of many collections. Such is true of Dave Alger and his son, Carl, of Lexington, Kentucky, who are in the process of gathering up a rare Trans Am from each year of the model's 35-year production run.

Pontiac made its mark with the first makeover of the Ventura in 1961, creating what many in the Pontiac faithful believe is one of the most beautiful designs ever to roll off an assembly line. Pontiac was hard at work recreating the brand's Wide Track image for the swinging '60s. Thanks to the design effort of Jack Humbert and his team in the Pontiac Design Studio; and the approval of GM Vice Presidents Harley Earl and Bill Mitchell, who had responsibility for the Design and Styling Department; Pontiac General Managers Bunkie Knudsen and Pete Estes; and then-Chief Engineer John DeLorean; all full-size models received new exterior styling featuring squared-off bodies, shorter wheelbases, and small tail fins.

Everyone's definition of a street car is different. Not many would imagine that a Pontiac capable of 10s at the strip could even be street-legal, but this one almost is, according to its owner. Keith Alvarez, a 40-year-old metal fabricator from Tampa likes to think of his '00 Trans Am WS6 as a pure street machine. What's more, he says he drives it to work, a 60-plus mile round trip, several times a week. "I think one of the best parts about owning a car like this is being able to drive it on the street," says Keith.

There are certain experiences during adolescence that produce lifelong memories. For 49-year old Larry Reimer, one such occurrence was receiving the Aug. '76 issue of Motor Trend magazine in the mail. On the cover was Pontiac's newest Special Edition Trans Am-a '77 with a new front-end treatment.

Though in 1997 $600 could go a long way toward buying groceries, paying rent and purchasing small electronics, who would've believed you could still buy a decent project car for that price? Even 11 years ago, a $600 car was more like a disposable camera. You used it and threw it away. But there were a handful of lucky individuals who were still able to find a buildable treasure. Some discovered them nestled away in barns, having sat since the Carter administration. Others were simply the beneficiaries of owners who were in over their heads and forced to let the car go for a fraction of its true value. For the rest of us-then and now-it's a dream. It's not every day you drive down the street and see a $600 '67 LeMans convertible sitting on the side of the road-but that happened to Bill Van Sickle in September 1997.

Let's face it-convertibles are fair-weather cars. They're great in the summer sun for top-down cruising, but in the rain or a cold and snowy winter, they can be a challenge to live with. Pontiac realized this and sought to do something about it for its Solstice line. The result of the Division's effort is the new Solstice coupe and Solstice GXP coupe that recently debuted at the New York Auto Show.

Though Pontiac has targeted the Charger with its new G8 in the domestic marketplace, the Division has a thing for BMW going back to the early '70s. Remember the first Grand Am? It was aimed at BMW. When the Grand Am nameplate was retired just a few years ago in favor of the G6, ironically it was done to change course to GM Vice-Chairman Bob Lutz's new heading for the Division. He stated in 2003, "We want to make Pontiac an affordable American BMW." The '04-'06 GTOs were another step in that direction and now we have the G8.

Myriad hobbyists fantasize about owning a Super-Duty Pontiac in their lifetime. Some might prefer an SD-421 Catalina from the early '60s, while others may fancy an SD-455-powered Second-Gen Trans Am. There's no denying that escalating prices in recent times have put these performers out of reach for average hobbyists. Then there are others, like 49-year-old Ken Colacino of Columbus, New Jersey, who amassed a small collection of the Division's most desirable models before prices soared.

This article will venture into uncharted waters in the interest of recording Pontiac's history as I lived it. As many of you know, I've been dealing with kidney cancer since 1997 and I want to make certain I share as much as possible with you. We invite reader feedback to Editor Tom DeMauro regarding your interest in this style of article.

When the new GTO was introduced in model year 2004, many classic Goat owners scoffed at the idea that Pontiac put its beloved designation on what a few called a "hopped up Cavalier" from Australia. Now that some of them have actually had the chance to drive-or ride-in one, many have realized how much the vehicle has to offer, especially if the GTO's refined, but not too intimidating, appearance was used to its advantage by building a street sleeper.

When the new GTO was introduced in model year 2004, many classic Goat owners scoffed at the idea that Pontiac put its beloved designation on what a few called a "hopped up Cavalier" from Australia. Now that some of them have actually had the chance to drive-or ride-in one, many have realized how much the vehicle has to offer, especially if the GTO's refined, but not too intimidating, appearance was used to its advantage by building a street sleeper.

"What was that guy thinking when he ordered his car this way?" We've all said it one time or another as we've come upon a Pontiac with a very strange color or option combo. Of course, 99 times out of 100 we never found out because the original owner couldn't be located to answer our query. Not so with the '77 W72 400 Trans Am you see before you.

The sporty Grand Prix was an instant hit with performance enthusiasts when it debuted in 1962. The newly redesigned model was just as popular with that same market segment when introduced in 1969. A brainchild of John Z. DeLorean, the '69 Grand Prix took the competition by surprise, boasting of its redefined personal luxury attitude and classy long-hood and short-deck body shape-cues taken from vintage Duesenbergs. Today, many consider both year Grand Prixs to be true American classics.

The sporty Grand Prix was an instant hit with performance enthusiasts when it debuted in 1962. The newly redesigned model was just as popular with that same market segment when introduced in 1969. A brainchild of John Z. DeLorean, the '69 Grand Prix took the competition by surprise, boasting of its redefined personal luxury attitude and classy long-hood and short-deck body shape-cues taken from vintage Duesenbergs. Today, many consider both year Grand Prixs to be true American classics.

Flying high after his victory in the Spike TV series, Bullrun, Mike Alsop, general manager of Mike Raisor Pontiac in Lafayette, Indiana, took the great feeling to the design board for a SEMA-showpiece LSXP-40 Trans Am that pays homage to the Flying Tigers fighter planes of World War II. "I learned a lot winning Bullrun and put the lessons into this new show/race Trans Am," Mike recalls. "I learned many strengths the Trans Am has and many strengths I think it needs to have."

What's black, white, red-and gold-all over? Just ask Tom Hamilton of Carroll, Ohio, the owner of this '67 400 H.O. GTO that earned Gold Concours at the '06 and '07 GTOAA Nationals. Tom's 26-year love affair with his GTO is no riddle. It began in 1981 when he was only 21 years old. "I bought the GTO when I was working at a local Pontiac dealership," Hamilton recalls. "The new car manager had picked up a nice, clean, 61,000-mile GTO off the second owner. After months of persuading him, he finally sold it to me for $3,200."

We all have obstacles in life we must overcome. There are financial woes, bad marriages, poor decisions, car trouble, and even bad hair days. Sometimes these hurdles seem insurmountable until, of course, you hear about someone who has it worse off than you do. Then you may even feel a bit foolish for fixating on your problems. Get ready for that feeling.

Kids dream of becoming many things: an astronaut, a race-car driver, a fireman, or a police officer. Anyone who's into music has undoubtedly dreamed of becoming a rock star. While many have ambitions of perform-ing onstage, jamming out on a Fender guitar, and whaling out lyrics in front of tens of thousands of screaming fans (and groupies-who could forget about the groupies?), only a few are lucky enough to actually do so.

George Barris is the brilliant mind behind the design of the TV special giveaway '68 Superteen Firebirds. Partnering with Robert E. Petersen of Hot Rod magazine, Barris chose the Pontiac F-body for its youthful image, then customized it to further appeal to the young generation growing up in the '60s. He turned his Superteen Firebird into the highlight of Sounds of '68, a successful ABC-TV primetime special, and designed and marketed dealer-installed customizing kits for '68 Firebirds, too. Here's the full story as George Barris recalls it.