Pontiac Astre

[HarleyEarl]

The 1973 Pontiac Astre. Place a bar in the middle of a Vega grille...voila, instant Pontiac. Notice the tent option. Inspiration for the Aztek?

Edited January 18, 2006 by HarleyEarl

[ToniCipriani]

Hey, at least they didn't put plastic cladding on it...

[Drew Dowdell]

There is actually one of these at a little garage around here.

[HarleyEarl]

There is actually one of these at a little garage around here.

Now that's amazing.....there can't be many of these around.

[Drew Dowdell]

Now that's amazing.....there can't be many of these around.

If you want it, I'm sure I can negotiate a reasonable price for it. I'm sure he'd give you $50... maybe even $75..... to take it.

It looks like hell.

[NeonLX]

Well, to be fair: it also has a Pontiac steering wheel. So it's more than just a Vega with a Pontiac grille divider.

There's an Astre right down the street from me. The guy yanked the original 4-banger and put some kind of SBC V8 under the hood. I'll try to get a picture of it sometime.

[CARBIZ]

Yeah, all the seeds of GM's current problems were sown with the beginnings of the platform sharing: Astre/Vega, Chevette/Acadian, Citation/Pheonix/Omega/Skyhawk.......the list goes on.

[NeonLX]

Yeah, all the seeds of GM's current problems were sown with the beginnings of the platform sharing: Astre/Vega, Chevette/Acadian, Citation/Pheonix/Omega/Skyhawk.......the list goes on.

Ah yes, "badge engineering" at its finest...

But didn't the '65 Impala, Catalina, 88 and LeSabre all share the same platform?

How about the 1950 Bel-Air, Star Chief Catalina, & 88 Holiday?

I guess the difference is that while these older models had the same platform, not only were their trim, fascias, interiors and option loads different, but even the powertrains were distinct.

Edited January 18, 2006 by NeonLX

[daves87rs]

There used to be one around me..but someone rear ended it.

Heck, I haven't seen a Vega in a while either...

[Cory Wolfe]

Why am I suddenly glad that I was born in the '80s? Fieros/Sunbird Turbos/Grand Prix Turbos/Grand Am Turbos/Trans Am Turbos/etc. > Astres (for some reason, ash tray just popped into my head).

[balthazar]

But didn't the '65 Impala, Catalina, 88 and LeSabre all share the same platform? How about the 1950 Bel-Air, Star Chief Catalina, & 88 Holiday?

I guess the difference is that these older models had the same platform...

Holy Jesus- how do these ideas even start? No way in hell there is any 'platform' sharing in the '50s or '60s full-size cars. Unique frames, suspension, engines, all of it division-engineered. The first example of 'platform' sharing is the '61-63 compacts (F-85/ Special/ Tempest)... also the first example of cross-divisional engine sharing. Damn those "early A-Bodies"!

I've only seen 1 Astre in the last 5 years- it was a gutted race car and it was jammed in a storage trailer, missing it's front clip. No Vegas in years and years.

Edited January 18, 2006 by balthazar

[NeonLX]

Oops, my bad. I had the concept of "body sharing" in my head when I wrote "platform". I was remembering the old A-body, B-body, C-body etc. scheme and my mind slipped a cog or two. Happens more frequently in my advanced age.

Yer right, of course.

And yes, Jesus IS holy.

Edited January 18, 2006 by NeonLX

[ocnblu]

That must be a Canada car. I think the US Astre didn't come out until the slope-nose version, later on.

[balthazar]

Correct, ocnblu- '75 was the first year for the U.S.-sold Astre, had the more aerodynamic 4-port front fascia.

[regfootball]

I LOVE Vega/Astres....we had 3 of them in the family!

[Sixty8panther]

Never seen a 1973... abrely knew about the later ones. You can pretty much tell this was another Canda only POncho.

[HarleyEarl]

I like Vegas and Astres alot. Wish they didn't have such a bad reputation.