1964 Pontiac Banshee Prototype XP-833 Coupe

[BigPontiac]

1964 PONTIAC BANSHEE PROTOTYPE XP-833 COUPE

SER # : 66L23060

Color : Silver

Interior : Red

Engine : Overhead CAM Six Cylinder

Transmission : 4/Speed Manual

Miles : 1498 Miles

Designed By : John Delorean

Only 2 Driveable prototypes were ever built. One was a silver hard-top with straight six (OHC) engine and the other is a white convertible with a V-8. Only one survives today.

Fiberglass exterior and steel underbody

Adjustable Pedals

Vehicle Documentation includes Bill Of Sale from Pontiac Motors and a Description of the XP-833 Project

A vehicle design that challenged the limits of american engineering and thinking. John Delorean's vision for a pontiac 2-seat sports car, with long sweeping hood and short rear deck styling, screamed speed. This all original grey hardtop, with red interior, and Pontiac overhead CAM six cylinder engine weighed in at only 2200 pounds and utilized a unique solid-body construction of exterior fiberglass and steel underbody. The Banshee had all the elements of an awesome performer.

General Motors executives viewed the concept to be too much of a threat to the Corvette and as a result instructed Delorean to cease additional development. Only two runable protoypes were build with one remaining. The car's influence on future GM products spanned decades, with some of the styling cues seen on vehicles such as the 1968 Corvette.

Vehicle documentation includes original bill of sale from Pontiac Motors and a description of the XP-833 project. As part of automotive history, this specific Banshee was invited tot be displayed at the 2001 Meadow Brook Hall Concours D'Elegance.

This is a rare opportunity to own a piece of history. This is a one of a kind dream car from General Motors. This is a must have for a museum or long term investor. This prototype is featured in all the history books of G.M. and was the stepping stone for future G.M. products. This very rare interesting automobile has only 1,400 original miles.

eBay Auction (more pictures at the auction link)

Edited November 23, 2007 by BigPontiac

[PurdueGuy]

that's a sweet car!

[SuperSport623]

is that the one delorean built off the vette platform?

[Carguy]

I have LIVED that CAR for MANY YEARS!!! It INSPIRED the later 68 VETTES and even the first Gen FIREBIRD a little!! What a BEAUTY!!

[Diehard GrandPrix Fan]

I thought it was a Vette

[Oracle of Delphi]

Thanks for the pics Mr. Big. It's good to see a real Pontiac every now and then.

[Sixty8panther]

Take that 240Z.

These Banshee concepts are awsome. It's worth a million + all day long.

[Flybrian]

It saddens me that OMG CAROL SHELBEES FIRST CAR sold for more than this likely will.

[ocnblu]

A remarkably sexy machine.

[balthazar]

>>"Only one survives today."<<

Completely untrue- V-8 convertible still exists in fine shape. Don't know how someone can claim that the only other example of his car, a fairly famous concept, is gone when that's so easy to check. In fact, it's been the hardtop that's been scarce for years- the convert (which frankly I can take or leave, while the coupe is delicious) has been readily trackable and featured in more than one publication in recent years. Bortz did own it, tho I believe it went up for sale, too.

Unless it somehow got destroyed in the last 12 months.

>>"is that the one delorean built off the vette platform? "<<

6 variants built under the XP-833 code- 4 roller cars and the last 2- runners.

SP-2 : used a custom frame.

SP-3 : (non-running) used a modified Corvette frame.

SP-4 : used a modified Avanti frame.

SP-5 : the coupe, used a lot of 'bin' parts, exact frame unknown (by me).

SP-6 : the convert, had a custom frame that resembled a downsized A-Body frame.

The whole 'vette frame' thing seems to dog the Banshee unduely- all 6 of these cars were majorly cobbled together and experimental in many different ways.

>>"It saddens me that OMG CAROL SHELBEES FIRST CAR sold for more than this likely will."<<

I can see it- the first Shelby Cobra kick-started one of the most brutal production sports car runs of all time, the Banshee kick-started... nothing. Not to say it shouldn't have made it or that it's not beautiful, but it's clearly not in the same league of collectibility at all- it has no lineage.

[Flybrian]

>>"It saddens me that OMG CAROL SHELBEES FIRST CAR sold for more than this likely will."<<

I can see it- the first Shelby Cobra kick-started one of the most brutal production sports car runs of all time, the Banshee kick-started... nothing. Not to say it shouldn't have made it or that it's not beautiful, but it's clearly not in the same league of collectibility at all- it has no lineage.

I can buy a replica of the Shelby Cobra for $30k and 9/10 folks can't tell the difference.

I cannot buy a replica of this and even if I could, no one would have any idea what it was.

[BigPontiac]

>>"Only one survives today."<<

Completely untrue- V-8 convertible still exists in fine shape. Don't know how someone can claim that the only other example of his car, a fairly famous concept, is gone when that's so easy to check. In fact, it's been the hardtop that's been scarce for years- the convert (which frankly I can take or leave, while the coupe is delicious) has been readily trackable and featured in more than one publication in recent years. Bortz did own it, tho I believe it went up for sale, too.

Unless it somehow got destroyed in the last 12 months.

>>"is that the one delorean built off the vette platform? "<<

6 variants built under the XP-833 code- 4 roller cars and the last 2- runners.

SP-2 : used a custom frame.

SP-3 : (non-running) used a modified Corvette frame.

SP-4 : used a modified Avanti frame.

SP-5 : the coupe, used a lot of 'bin' parts, exact frame unknown (by me).

SP-6 : the convert, had a custom frame that resembled a downsized A-Body frame.

The whole 'vette frame' thing seems to dog the Banshee unduely- all 6 of these cars were majorly cobbled together and experimental in many different ways.

>>"It saddens me that OMG CAROL SHELBEES FIRST CAR sold for more than this likely will."<<

I can see it- the first Shelby Cobra kick-started one of the most brutal production sports car runs of all time, the Banshee kick-started... nothing. Not to say it shouldn't have made it or that it's not beautiful, but it's clearly not in the same league of collectibility at all- it has no lineage.

Sorry for contributing to the spread of misinformation (I just copied the eBay listing). I e-mailed the seller and asked if their ad was misstating the status of the convertible prototype and sent them this link from Hot Rod.

[balthazar]

>>"I can buy a replica of the Shelby Cobra for $30k and 9/10 folks can't tell the difference.

I cannot buy a replica of this and even if I could, no one would have any idea what it was."<<

From a 1st-person perspective, I agree completely, but I was speaking from a market POV.

I do however think a great many observers would say your Banshee was either a Corvette or one of those 'GT sports cars', and they'd be sure.

[Diehard GrandPrix Fan]

This Banshee is among one of my favorite as well.

I know it's only a concept, but to me, it would have been a great car if Pontiac put it into production. I personally think this is just as beautiful as the one you have posted. As good as it can go for the modern car I think if they built it. While it may have not be as original as the old one posted here but just as beautiful.

[GMTruckGuy74]

Diehard, I too am still in love with the 1988 Pontiac Banshee concept car. I fell in love with it in pictures from '88, then in January of 1990 I got to see it in person at the '90 Philadelphia Auto Show. Ever since then it has been a part of my top favorite concept vehicles and I still have a lot of the collectibles that were produced (Revell model kit, various Hot Wheels, books that featured the car, etc). I too wanted Pontiac to produce it, as the Banshee and not the Firebird, even though it was cartoonish in many ways. As soon as I read the title to this topic, I knew which Banshee it was but the '88 came into my mind anyway.

One of my personal avorite pictures of the Banshee...

And not to this thread completely, here's one of the '64 Banshee:

[Sixty8panther]

There was a couple years there around 1990 when I was convinced the '89 Banshee

concept was the coolest cars in the world. It made the Ferrari F40 look like a Geo

Storm GSi, it made the Lamborghini Diablo look unrefined and bland... that nose,

those wheelwells, the profile, the floating spoiler and those out of this world wheels

were like something from the distant future.

If Pontiac had produced thkis as the 2nd gen. Fiero with LT1 power it would have

set the world on fire.

[hyperv6]

is that the one delorean built off the vette platform?

It is smaller and has a chopped down A body chassie under it.

The fact GM, Chevy and the Vette people did not like or want Delorean to build this car was enough to prevent any use of the Vette for it.

This car was done well ahead of the 68 Vette and as pointed out used to inspire it. If I recall it was strarted in 62-63 at a time The Vette people were fighting with Ed Cole to not build a 4 seat split window and still at that point not given thought to a C3.

This is a good example of GM keep ing ideas and using them later. The Fiero was much the same. It was a proposal for a V6 mid engine Vette and was rejected by Chevy and the Vette team. But it was kept alive by GM design and later picked up by Pontiac late in the 70's for the Fiero.

[Sixty8panther]

I love the way the greenhouse looks like it has a scorpion tail

ready to sting an unsuspecting Ferrari.

I too owned all the models, starting with the HotWheels that

looked absolutely awsome. I spent a lot of time straing at it

to distract myself from my math homework.

[BigPontiac]

>>"Only one survives today."<<

Completely untrue- V-8 convertible still exists in fine shape. Don't know how someone can claim that the only other example of his car, a fairly famous concept, is gone when that's so easy to check. In fact, it's been the hardtop that's been scarce for years- the convert (which frankly I can take or leave, while the coupe is delicious) has been readily trackable and featured in more than one publication in recent years. Bortz did own it, tho I believe it went up for sale, too.

Unless it somehow got destroyed in the last 12 months.

Here's what I got back from my auction question:

That banshee does not exist anymore according to its owner.

Thanks,

Ben Clements

Napoli Motors

[Brougham-Holiday]

Its about 3 miles from me! If only I had some cash...

[Intrepidation]

Beautiful car, the `89 Concept...not so much...my GAWD look at t3h overhangs!

Edited November 26, 2007 by Dodgefan

[balthazar]

>>"Here's what I got back from my auction question:

That banshee does not exist anymore according to its owner.

Thanks, Ben Clements, Napoli Motors"<<

Wh-haaAA? How can something that does not exist have an owner?

The convert was in excellent shape in the Joe Bortz Collection as recently as 2006- I undoubtedly would have heard had it been inadvertantly destroyed. Frankly, without verification, I just do not believe the statement.

Article from July 2006 Autoweek

BTW- the coupe sold at Barret-Jackson in 2006 for $214,500.... wonder if someone is trying to pump up the rarity (from 2 to 1 ?!?!?) for a better sale chance?

Anyone heard that the Banshee convert is no more? Don't bother Googling it- the same source is repeatedly quoted many times.

Edited November 27, 2007 by balthazar

[Guest YellowJacket894]

I love the car, personally. When I first read about it and saw it, I thought it should had always been in production, instead of the Firebird. (But I still love the Firebird all the same.)

If GM wants to inject any heritage into the Solstice design, they should look to this obscure piece of Pontiac history and it only.

Perhaps the true folly of the Pontiac Banshee was in it's name; I remember reading on more than one occasion there was never a Pontiac Banshee in any sort of production form because a GM executive eventually researched it's definition, which would be "a [...] spirit usually seen as an omen of death," and halted further use of the name on any sort of car. Maybe it's an automotive legend, but still.

[BigPontiac]

>>"Here's what I got back from my auction question:

That banshee does not exist anymore according to its owner.

Thanks, Ben Clements, Napoli Motors"<<

Wh-haaAA? How can something that does not exist have an owner?

The convert was in excellent shape in the Joe Bortz Collection as recently as 2006- I undoubtedly would have heard had it been inadvertantly destroyed. Frankly, without verification, I just do not believe the statement.

Article from July 2006 Autoweek

BTW- the coupe sold at Barret-Jackson in 2006 for $214,500.... wonder if someone is trying to pump up the rarity (from 2 to 1 ?!?!?) for a better sale chance?

Anyone heard that the Banshee convert is no more? Don't bother Googling it- the same source is repeatedly quoted many times.

I sent an e-mail to POCI Headquarters last night inquiring about the status of the convertible and sent the eBay link for the coupe auction. Don Keefe was nice enough to send me the following reply:

The auction listing is absolutely incorrect - the other XP-833 Banshee, the V-8 powered roadster is alive and well. It is owned by Chicago-based dream car collector Joe Bortz. I have seen it, photographed it and written about it. Nothing happened to it and it still in pristine condition. I think the price is remarkable, considering that the car went through the Barrett-Jackson auction in 2006 and sold for only $125,000 or so. The same guy also has a 1969 Trans Am for sale for $500,000.

Hope this helps!

DJK

So, it would appear the auction's claims about the convertible are bogus.

[gm4life]

BIG PONTIAC, send him that and make that asswhole eat his words! Sweet car tho!