1972 Pontiac Grand Prix SSJ Flaunts Rare Hurst Heritage and Big V8

The segment emerged in the 1950s as a niche market thanks to vehicles like the Cadillac Eldorado, Packard Carribean, and Chrysler 300. In 1955, Ford introduced the Thunderbird, which became the first high-volume personal luxury car in 1958, with sales of nearly 200,000 units.

Following the introduction of the Chevrolet Impala SS and Oldsmobile Starfire in 1961, Pontiac decided it was time to use the same platform for its own luxury two-door. The Grand Prix was born in 1962. While it shared the footprint of the Catalina coupe, it came with luxury standards taken from the top-of-the-line Bonneville.

The full-size version soldiered on through 1972 when Pontiac re-assigned the nameplate to midsize duty. The Grand Prix you see here is among the last full-size examples built in 1972, at a time when it was the most expensive Pontiac coupe available. But this Poncho is not a regular Grand Prix.

This one sports a "Hurst" badge, and it's one of those classics you don't see very often. Because Pontiac didn't make many of them. Reportedly inspired by Jim Wangers' white 1969 SJ with Tiger Gold accents, the SSJ Hurst was initially introduced in 1970. And much like any Hurst-modified car from the golden era, including the Hurst/Olds 442, it was built in limited numbers.

The "SSJ" badge was based on Pontiac's contemporary nomenclature, which includes J and SJ models. Both were borrowed from Duesenberg's 1920s naming scheme. With the Hurst version slotted above the SJ, the SSJ name, previously applied to the range-topping Duesenberg Model J, was more than fitting.

This Grand Prix was born in 1972, the final year for both full-size models and Hurst-equipped versions. It's one of fewer than 500 examples made over three years and one of only about 60 produced in 1972. And in addition to being one of the most original units still on the road today, the black-and-gold paint scheme makes it scarcer than the average 1972 Grand Prix SSJ.

You see, most Hurst models sold that year were finished in Cameo White. However, some of them were painted Starlight Black. There's no official statistic on how many black cars were sent to Hurst that year, but the owner of this Poncho suggests only 10% were specified in this hue. If that's accurate, this Grand Prix is one of only about six cars painted black.

It's not the rarest 1972 SSJ Hurst, though. George Hurst's personal example was silver, and it turns out the company also sold one in grey and another one in green. Still, black SSJ Hurst cars are unicorns in the Grand Prix lineup.

It's not just the scarcity factor that turns this Poncho into a classic gem. The Grand Prix looks spotless inside and out and it's equipped with Pontiac's most potent mill at the time. I'm talking about the optional 455-cubic-inch (7.5-liter) V8, which wasn't massive only in size. The four-barrel carburetor setup gave it 250 horsepower on tap, a solid figure in the final days of the muscle car era.

And I know many of you won't agree, but I think the 1972 Grand Prix is one hot-looking rig with that massive grille stretching from the nose to well below the bumper. Check it out in the video below.