Class of 1986: Aero Monte Carlo/Grand Prix 2+2

[Stéphane Dumas]

article from Hemmings Blog
http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2...grand-prix-22/

[demonspeed]

I've always been a fan of these "love it or hate it" cars. The 2+2 certainly looked more the part, but the use of the LG4 did it no favors.

If I had deep pockets, I'd go the pro-touring route with a 2+2.

[91 s-10baja]

[ke228]

Car and Driver did a good write up on these in '86; I forget what issue though, I've got it somewhere. Maybe I'll post it.

[OLDSCHOOLGMFAN]

Plum gorgeous cars both!


How I miss the '80s.

[prowlerjc]

Most of the 2+2s I've seen had the standard nose instead of the aero nose.

Never cared for either one, although I think the 2+2 looked a little better. The modifications made the trunk virtually useless and the performance was nothing to write home about. An 86 IROC-Z would be a much more fun and useful driver.

[MelvinJ]

Car and Driver did a good write up on these in '86; I forget what issue though, I've got it somewhere. Maybe I'll post it.

I think it was in August of '85 - the Grand National wasn't the intercooled turbo yet, so its 0-60 was 7.5 seconds. The SS was about 7.8, and the 442 was way behind at about 9.0. Overall they liked the SS the best.

[paul8488]

Years and years ago, when I was a teenager, I recall seeing a Grand Prix 2+2... I was just starting to get into cars and couldn't figure out what it was... it looked like a Monte Carlo but with Pontiac badges and a Firebird hatch. I was convinced that it was a homemade project, and only years later learned that the Pontiac Grand Prix 2+2 truly did exist.

[MCGARRETT]

Most of the 2+2s I've seen had the standard nose instead of the aero nose.

Never cared for either one, although I think the 2+2 looked a little better. The modifications made the trunk virtually useless and the performance was nothing to write home about. An 86 IROC-Z would be a much more fun and useful driver.

All 2+2's had the nosecone, so those that you saw may have been ones that were wrecked or they were regular Grand Prixs.

I too was never a big fan of the 2+2 because it never got any kind of engine upgrage, it was using the same 150hp 305 that was under hood of a Caprice Classic. Of the whole set, I rate the Grand National first by a long shot, second the 442, and everthing else third.

[MelvinJ]

Years and years ago, when I was a teenager, I recall seeing a Grand Prix 2+2... I was just starting to get into cars and couldn't figure out what it was... it looked like a Monte Carlo but with Pontiac badges and a Firebird hatch. I was convinced that it was a homemade project, and only years later learned that the Pontiac Grand Prix 2+2 truly did exist.

The first summer I was in Michigan, I used to drive by the small plant that handled the 2+2 conversions in Ortonville. There was a lot full of identical unmodified silver Grand Prixs on one side and 2+2's on the other.

[MelvinJ]

All 2+2's had the nosecone, so those that you saw may have been ones that were wrecked or they were regular Grand Prixs.

That's what I thought too. I've never seen one without the nosecone.

[tbirderic]

I was never a big fan of the Aerocoupe & the 2+2. They looked like what they were, conservatively-designed cars with hastily added aerodynamic add-ons that were incongruous with the basic design language of the g-bodies. I much prefer the regular 'styled with a t-square' g-bodies; there's no false pretense in their styling.

[WoodieLongRoof]

The Aero SS and 2+2 were purpose-built homologation "specials" for NASCAR, to overcome the T-Bird's aero advantage on 1.5+mile tracks. The fact that you couldn't get much into the trunk because of its meagre opening was secondary. LG4 was a sad way to power a supposed "high performance" car, a shortcoming Chev avoided with the Aero SS, but putting the L69 in the 2+2 would have required very expensive and time-delaying recertification.

Having owned a 2+2, briefly, and being the original owner, still, of an '87 Regal Turbo-T, there is/was NO comparison in any regard..."wouldn't you really rather have a Buick?!" And a Turbo-T is actually even rarer...

[prowlerjc]

All 2+2's had the nosecone, so those that you saw may have been ones that were wrecked or they were regular Grand Prixs.

Oh, no doubt. I'm sure the nose cone was unobtanium by 1990 or so, and was probably pretty easily damaged.

Back in 1991, I me a couple who fawned over their 86 burgundy T-topped MCSS. Never could figure out how they expected it to be a collectors item in the realm of (I'm not making this up) hemi Superbirds.

I liked the regular MCSS well enough. Just wasn't what I was interested in driving back then, and its just an old car to me now.

[2doorpost]

I bought an overpriced Cutlass Ciera coupe in 86 instead of an Aero Monte.

What was I thinking?