If you’re a regular PontiacV8.com reader, you know I have a deep appreciation for the Grand Prix GT developed, produced, and marketed by New York-based Myrtle Motors during the 1986 and 1987 model years. So much so, that it’s been the topic of three previous blog posts.
Ed Bloom shared with me this vintage photograph of his family’s dealership, Myrtle Motors in New York. It had a longstanding history of Pontiac performance that spanned several decades. The ‘86-87 Grand Prix GT was one of its exclusive offerings and it has captivated me since new.
The original Grand Prix GT blog discussed how I first learned about the car in the April 1986 issue of High Performance Pontiac magazine. Then, I wrote about the ’83 Grand Prix LJ that my grandfather ordered new and how the Grand Prix GT influenced the modifications I made to it when I took ownership in 1995. And most recently, Dave Brooks’ original-owner perspective on the ’87 Grand Prix GT that he ordered new.
My grandfather ordered this ‘83 Grand Prix and I became its owner in 1995. The Grand Prix GT inspired many of the modifications I made to it.
My enthusiasm toward the Grand Prix GT hasn’t waned over the years. I remain hopeful in personally seeing one someday, but with low production count (approximately 30 units) and nearly 40 years passing since new, I accept that we may be left with only memories. I’ve also remained vigilant in locating someone connected with Mrytle Motors and the Grand Prix GT program to learn its backstory. For years, all attempts have ended in vain. Then, I met Ed Bloom. You see, Ed’s family not only owned Myrtle Motors, but the Grand Prix GT was his idea. Here’s that story!
For years, I ‘ve searched for anyone who might know the details of the Grand Prix GT program. The July 27, 1988 printing of Newsday featured Ed Bloom. I was able to recently connect with Ed, who was instrumental in bringing the exclusive GT package to market.
Myrtle Motors was a well respected dealership that had a longstanding history with Pontiac performance throughout the east coast. Beginning with the division’s late-50s transformation under Bunkie Knudsen, Myrtle Motors was determined to set itself apart from the competition. It sponsored and/or campaigned several hot Pontiacs at area drag strips and its performance packages proved a force in the New York-area racing scene. That legacy continued on for decades.
Advertised in New York’s Daily News, Myrtle Motors hosted its own version of the ‘New York Auto Show” at the dealership. This particular ad announces the 1986 event, in which the Grand Prix GT likely took centerstage.
“My father, Eli Bloom was a true car salesman and our sales manager at Mrytle Motors, Frank Prudente was very aggressive,” says Ed. “During the mid-80s I proposed the idea of doing the Grand Prix GT to my dad and Frank as a marketing tool for the dealership. Also, as an exclusive package it allowed us to gain access to the Pontiac display at the New York International Auto Show.”
Ed contacted High Performance Pontiac magazine about the Grand Prix GT. The April 1986 introduced the car to Pontiac enthusiasts around the county.
Much of the Grand Prix GT’s design and conceptualization was in collaboration with Ed’s late and very dear friend, Butchie DiLorenzo. “We were fast friends with fast cars,” says Ed. “Butchie and I were Sunday pit buddies at Englishtown and Atco dragstrips and the lack of a Pontiac challenger to Chevy’s Monte Carlo SS and Buick’s Grand National was a thorn in Butchie’s side. He was constantly in my ear about it. He was the biggest and loudest voice for the Grand Prix GT program.”
HPP’s editorial team did an excellent job romanticizing the Grand Prix GT. The detailed photos of the exclusive features that packed its punch look like something right out of Pontiac’s 1960s performance advertisements.
While Chevrolet equipped its Monte Carlo SS with the L69 305 H.O., GM wouldn’t allow Pontiac to use the L69 in the Grand Prix. Alas, Myrtle Motors was limited to the standard LG4 305-ci for its Grand Prix GT package. “We had to be careful with the performance upgrades,” says Ed. “We couldn’t do anything that would affect emissions. We added the 3.73 rear axle ratio and installed dual mufflers and splitter tail pipes, a rear spoiler, and blacked out some of the chrome trim.” The exhaust splitters were certainly a visual nod at those found on GTOs and Firebirds from Pontiac’s heyday.
With a Grand Prix GT built and ready for consumer showing, Ed knew it was time to publicize the package. He reached out to Martyn Schorr and Cliff Gromer at High Performance Pontiac magazine—based in New Jersey at the time—who jumped at the chance to feature the “tuner” performance car. “Butchie was a Pontiac madman,” Ed recollects. “In fact, that’s him behind the wheel of the Grand Prix GT doing the burnout in the article!”
I have to admit, I tried replicating this image from the article of Butchie Delorenzo performing a smokey burnout with my own ‘83 Grand Prix quite a few times. The lack of 3.73 rear axle gearing (I had 3.08 gears) and the deeper first gear ratio of the 4-speed automatic (I had the TH250/350) prevented me from really ever accomplishing it.
“The Grand Prix GT created some issues at Pontiac,“ remembers Ed. “We were originally going to badge it ‘2+2,’ but they had rights to that name and, unbeknownst to us were simultaneously developing the Grand Prix 2+2 fastback for the Daytona 500. We defaulted to ‘GT.’ Pontiac’s corporate stance was ‘Shame on you Myrtle!’ but behind the scenes they freaking loved the car! It allowed us to sell more Grand Prixs, so they got over it,”
This photo of the Pontiac display at the 1987 New York Auto Show appeared in the Star Ledger. According to Frank Prudente, Myrtle Motors had its own booth in which the Grand Prix GT was shown. It received much attention and several new orders were taken.
Unfortunately, Ed can’t recall how many Grand Prix GTs were produced and sold during the 1986 and 1987 model years. “Sales were handled by the showroom, and frankly, I wasn’t involved with that portion,” he explains. “My job was getting the cars prepped. It was a labor-intensive process and became complicated to get them done right. It involved several sublet shops in the area, which required moving the cars around and much coordination. We filled the orders we had, but we had to limit the quantity we could produce because of the complexity.”
Dave Brooks shared with me this photo of the ‘87 Grand Prix GT that he purchased new from Myrtle Motors.
Speaking of vehicle sales, I was also able to recently connect with Frank Prudente, sales manager at Myrtle Motors. He remembers the Grand Prix GT fondly. “The car turned out really well,” says Frank. “Believe it or not, in those days you could do offsite selling. We displayed the car in our own display (separate from Pontiac’s) at the New York Auto Show. It was the only time we had our own product at the show and it was really cool. We took along a bunch or order forms and sold several of the cars there.” When asked about total number of Grand Prix GTs sold, Frank said that “about 30 seems pretty accurate over the two years.”
Looking back, the Grand Prix GT did exactly what Ed and Butchie had intended. It created buzz for Myrtle Motors and ultimately helped generate additional sales for Frank and the dealership by giving performance-minded new car buyers a hot Pontiac that proved a worthy competitor to the Monte Carlo SS and Buick Grand National. When you’re working hard to sell new cars in a tough marketplace, that might be considered complete success. But to think a dealer-exclusive vehicle like the Grand Prix GT is still being talked about 40 years later, I call that iconic!
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