Ideally, the supporters of GM’s W-entire body ’80s/’90s intermediates can forgive us, but we experienced really a great deal overlooked — or experienced under no circumstances seriously identified — that one of the methods that era’s Pontiac Grand Prix bathed by itself in glory was by serving as the pace car or truck for the Daytona 500. In actuality, the Grand Prix paced NASCAR’s marquee race each yr from 1988 to 1992, and once more in 1997, 1998, 2000 and 2003.
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That initially 12 months, 1988, the Grand Prix was all-new, earning its debut on the W-entire body platform. It was also Motor Development‘s car of the 12 months. The 1988 Daytona 500 marked the 17th year in a row that a Pontiac was picked out to set the tempo but the 1st time a front-wheel-generate automobile was so honored. The ’88 Grand Prix followed a spate of Pontiac Trans Ams.
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This ’88 Grand Prix, for sale proper now on eBay Motors, is presented as an true pace vehicle, despite the fact that enthusiasts could purchase a total established of rate automobile decals for their very possess GP. The speed automobile is based mostly on that year’s best-spec Grand Prix, the SE. In position of the normal car’s 2.8-liter V6, however, the pace motor vehicle works by using a modified 3.1-liter V6, which is hooked to a five-velocity handbook transmission. This Grand Prix is in any other case largely regular fare excepting the roof-mounted gentle bar, the switches for which are positioned upcoming to the radio. The mechanical odometer tucked into the digital instrument cluster exhibits just above 5,000 miles, and presumably, not all of them have been obtained on the superior-banked oval.
With four times to go in the auction, bidding sits at $4,000 with the reserve unmet. Though the reserve is unknown, one particular clue is that this Grand Prix experienced been outlined by a basic-auto dealership in Pennsylvania for $18,500.
In addition to the debut of the W-human body Grand Prix speed car, the 1988 race is also notable for its ultimate lap: Bobby Allison held off his son, Davey Allison, to consider the checkered flag, with the father-son duo having fun with a 1-2 end.
Now, who wants to re-live those Grand Prix glory times? Get on your Pontiac and experience!
This 1988 Pontiac Grand Prix is a previous Daytona 500 tempo car or truck originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 29 Jan 2021 14:48:00 EST. You should see our phrases for use of feeds.