Pontiac Grand Safari
 1972 Pontiac Grand Safari |
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| Manufacturer | General Motors |
|---|---|
| Production | 1971–1978 |
| Predecessor | Bonneville Safari |
| Successor | Bonneville Safari |
| Class | Full-size car |
| Body style | 4-door station wagon |
| Layout | FR layout |
 1974 Pontiac Grand Safari |
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| Model years | 1971-1976 |
|---|---|
| Assembly | Pontiac, Michigan, USA |
| Platform | C-body |
| Engine | 400 cu in (6.6 L) V8 455 cu in (7.5 L) V8 |
| Transmission | 3-speed TH-400, automatic |
| Wheelbase | 127.0 in (3,226 mm) |
| Length | 1971: 230.2 in (5,847 mm) 1972: 228.0 in (5,791 mm) 1973: 228.8 in (5,812 mm) 1974–76: 231.3 in (5,875 mm) |
| Width | 1971-1973: 79.5 in (2,019 mm) 1974-1975: 79.6 in (2,022 mm) 1976: 79.4 in (2,017 mm) |
| Height | 57.8 in (1,468 mm) |
| Curb weight | 5,000–5,400 lb (2,300–2,400 kg) |
| Related | Buick Estate Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser Chevrolet Caprice Estate Buick Electra Oldsmobile 98 |
| Designer | Bill Mitchell |
 1977 Pontiac Grand Safari |
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| Model years | 1977-1978 |
|---|---|
| Platform | B-body |
| Wheelbase | 115.9 in (2,944 mm) |
The Grand Safari was Pontiac's top-of-the-line full-size station wagon offered from 1971 to 1978. The Grand Safari used the grille and interior trim of the Bonneville and Grand Ville passenger car series, and most (but not all) examples were trimmed with woodgrain paneling on the sides and tailgate.
The 1971 to 1976 models, with a 127-inch wheelbase, length of about 19 feet and weight of about 5,400 pounds, were the largest station wagons Pontiac ever built. These wagons were unique in that they had a clamshell tailgate design (officially called the "Glide-Away Tailgate"), in which the power rear window went up into the roof, and the tailgate dropped down into the floor, either manually or with an electric motor. These wagons ran with V8 engines of either 400 or 455 cubic inches.
The 1977 Grand Safari was downsized considerably, with wheelbase cut to 115.9 inches, length to less than 18 feet and weight to just over 4,000 pounds. These wagons thus could run with smaller engines, either a standard 301 or optional 403 V8; a 350 V8 was additionally offered on 1978 models. Replacing the Glide-Away Tailgate was a three-way tailgate not unlike that used on Ford station wagons. In 1979, the Grand Safari's name was changed to Bonneville Safari.
References:
- Encyclopedia of American Cars by Publications International, ISBN: 0-7853-6275-4
- Standard Catalog of Pontiac 1926-1995 by Krause Publications, ISBN: 0-87341-369-5
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