Favorite Factory Design Element

[vegastre]

Favorite Factory Design Element

As H-Body owners most are aware that during its decade long run GM designers had a field day incorporating all sorts of styles and influences. Some subtle, some not so subtle. What is your favorite design element? The cool factor that floats your boat?.

The Avatar I use here shows my favorite design element of the H-Body cars for any year. Namely the headlight bucket(s). The square-ish deep chrome bucket with a recessed round seal beam is a phenomenal design concept IMHO. This small subtle element for the 70's makes the entire front end look amazingly futuristic for the day. To really appreciate it you virtually have to have seen it for the first time in the 70's.

[cjbiagi]

The 4 headlight front end with the newly designed rectangular headlights ( I think they first came out in 1974 on some GM model) seemed ahead of its' time. The gently flared wheelwells also are a nice subtle design that I like. I was never a big fan of the rear look of the car but adding the optional spoiler makes a huge difference in the appearance, especially if it's not wavy.

[zeke]

Monza HB


The four rectangular headlights
The hood profile with the raised center section
The pointed rear quarter glass windows and the long hatch swooping down to a perfect reverse curve up on the spoiler
The wrap around tail lights that match the spoiler ends

[patrick1151]

All the chrome on the pontiacs. I always preferred their bumpers and headlight bezels. I still miss my 77 astre wagon and that look.

My next h body will be another Pontiac. I currently have my eye on a 74 astre hatchback that I will hopefully have in my driveway sometime this fall.

[lleelduo]

I agree the Pontiac had nice headlamps and grill. 1976 and earlier on the Astre. The GT with the blackout grill and headlamps was best That is what I am using in my Sunbird wagon

[OldsStarfire]

77-78 Starfire Grille, side window profile, & rear end with spoiler.

[rpoz-29]

First generation Vega.

[marco_1978_spyder]

Hey man, Great topic! Hmm.. For it's every little design cue on the Monza 2+2 HB. But to be specific, and leave some open to the rest.. I'm going to go with the Teardrop shape to the side glass. The Louvered B panel, The full hatchback design, The aluminum 9 hole rim's. Ooop's I'm going on and on.. Oh but I have one more, the 76 - 80 Pontiac front clip, most notable being the 77 with the Honeycomb grill's. One of the best pontiac front clips since. Oh the Monza, hood bulge... and......

[Monza Harry]

Hmmm.... eight posts in and I can't find anything to debate. I fell in love with the 1st gen Vega right away, by '74 a customer on my paper route had a '71 or '72 with the cut front bumper 4 spoke Cragers SS's, Chrome side pipes white letter tires and a 215 V8, Bright metallic red with a Motion stripe(white) I was 12 so you get the idea and a few months latter GM revealed their Monza 2+2 HB on the news, essentially a V8 Vega from the factory with this "futuristic/ aerodynamic shape and the rest is history. I have owned 5 H-Bodies and at least one continuously since 1982 in various conditions but have had 1 ever since. (Vega's [first gen's] in the rust prone area here were to far gone for my budget/skills at that time my first Monza was less than 7 years old when purchased). If I had saved my money I could have bought a brand new Spyder in '78 at sixteen, that would have ended well NOT! Harry

[starfire]

I've got to agree with the 77-78 Starfire grill with those mean looking quad headlights, the hood bulge, the way the spoiler mirrors the wrap around tail lights, and the louvered B-pillar. I agree with Clyde, the rear ends of the wrap around light cars do not look good without the spoiler. I also love the Skyhawk logo on the tail lights of the Buicks.

[vegastre]

with this "futuristic/ aerodynamic shape

IMHO, The introduction of the Monza is what lit production on fire. H-Body styles of the time had it going on. 70's Italian supercars bring top dollar in todays auctions and by no coincidence GM borrowed heavily from the Italian car makers of the 70's. Factory wheel selection was/is just outstanding for the time. Not to be left out Olds and Buick certainly had/has it's unique design cues. GM sold a heck of a lot of H-Body cars based on style, drivability and to some degree performance with reliability in the shadows. Today these are great cars and I sort of like the fact they are not considered exactly collectible. Keeps the prices down ya know.

[patrick1151]

I forgot about the hawk on the skyhawk tail lights that was a nice touch.

[OldsStarfire]

+1 Shyhawk tail lights. Olds should have done the same with the rocket logo. Omegas from the era had it.

[cammerjeff]

Besides what has already been mentioned I Like my Astre's HB's Tail lights, and the 3 piece rear spoiler.

[Kev442]

I agree with everything mentioned and will add that Buick adding extra louvers to the rear quarter glass really stood out.
Also, The 1978 Firenza package was pretty cool too.