If you’re a car enthusiast, you know that buying a new vehicle is always exciting. I was reminded of this when I traded my 2014 GMC Yukon for a 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L this past October. The Yukon amassed more than 151,000 miles since I bought it February 2014. I considered another Yukon, but the current microchip shortage leaves few to be had, and what is available starts at sticker price plus dealer “surcharge.”
Most new cars that my dad and I have purchased over the years, we typically take pictures of them shortly after delivery. I purchased this 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L this past October. The white body, sporty wheels, and dealer plates looked eerily similar to a set of Pontiac photos in my collection.
I found a new-for-2021 Grand Cherokee L in Overland trim that had just been unloaded from the transporter at my local Jeep dealer. The white exterior with black interior was very attractive and the L-series (with three-row seating) gave me the space my family needs in a daily driver. Performance from the optional 5.7L Hemi V-8 backed by the 8-speed automatic transmission was quite impressive too. While no rebates or incentives were available, I was able to purchase it for a couple thousand dollars off sticker price, which I felt was a bargain considering the current new-car situation.
The photos in this series are of a ‘77 Trans Am that someone had just purchased. Its Cameo White body, silver-argent Rally II wheels, and dealer plates are all features I recalled upon seeing the photos of my Grand Cherokee on delivery day.
How does this Jeep tale relate to Pontiacs, you might ask? Well, if you’ve read my past blogs, I shared many of the photographs my dad took of his new cars—a cursory trait that I inherited. While looking for a specific (unrelated) image in my iPhone, I came across the photos I snapped the day I took delivery of the Grand Cherokee L. Its glossy white body, sporty five-spoke-themed wheels, and colorful dealer license plate covers reminded of series of vintage Pontiac photos in my collection.
Processed in June 1977, the ‘77 Trans Am in these photos wears the advertising license plates from Roc Cutri Pontiac in Southgate, California and what appears to be an in-transit tag the corner of the windshield. We can only surmise that the new owner had just taken delivery of it.
The photos, which contain a processing date of June 1977 depict a Cameo White ’77 Trans Am that someone had just purchased from Roc Cutri Pontiac in Southgate, California. It’s obvious that the owner was thrilled with their new vehicle purchase. And why wouldn’t they be!? The Trans Am was well on its way to becoming America’s hottest performance car by that point, and the new-for-1977 front end treatment enhanced the Firebird’s predatory look.
It’s easy to see why Pontiac’s Trans Am was so popular. Its classic lines and aggressive appearance are what made it second-to-none in many consumers’ eyes for its time and remains so desirable today.
Unlike today where cell phones with high-quality cameras capable of taking outstanding photographs and stellar videos are always in our hands and we can capture such memories as they happen, this Trans Am’s owner was fortunate in the fact that he or she owned (or borrowed) the type of equipment required to take such quality images—or they hired a professional photographer—to save the excitement of purchasing this new Pontiac for posterity.
It’s unknown if the car was special ordered for the buyer of it was purchased out of dealer inventory, but this Trans Am is certainly an attractive example of Pontiac’s finest Firebird.
As Pontiac enthusiasts today, we’re lucky we had enthusiastic owners like my dad and this Trans Am buyer who chose to celebrate that moment. That not only gives us a chance to relive that excitement, whether reminiscing about your own purchases or vicariously through others’, but it provides us a glimpse into to how the Pontiacs we love looked in their factory-fresh states back then.
Black wall GR70-15 tires were standard equipment on the Trans Am, but this particular example was equipped with the raised white letter tire option. B.F. Goodrich was one of at least four suppliers that GM contracted to produce its corporate-tread-design rubber during the mid-70s.
Do you have any photographs or memories of your new Pontiacs that you can share?
Despite the blurriness of the original image, we can still see that this particular Trans Am was equipped with a factory radio, an 8-track tape player, air conditioning, power windows, power door locks or rear window defroster, and black custom interior. It was well-optioned for its day!