J-Body Prototypes and One-Offs - First Generation Forum

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J-Body Prototypes and One-Offs
Tuesday, June 02, 2015 11:03 AM
I've always been curious as to what the J Body prototypes looked like. I guess they're "informed" by the H bodies (Vega?, Monza, Astre?, Starfire) and the X bodies (Citation, Phoenix, Skylark), but what of the actual J Body prototypes,

SO, I did a search and found what appears to be images from, according to the guy who found them, 1975.

It looks like both the future Olds J body and Buick J body were going to have hidden headlamps, which I think would have been awesome and were no doubt cut for expense purposes. And it looks like even in 1975 they were planning on a turbo option for the Skyhawk, which may have simply been called the "Turbo Buick" or "Buick Turbo."

Oh - and notice how the font on the Olds is the font they would eventually adopt in the 1980s. And both cars seem to have hidden door handles.

FACTOID: I always guessed that G.M. sold maybe 50,000 Skyhawks tops from 82 to 89. What would you guess?

Turns out I was wrong by a factor of 10. They sold 500,000 Skyhawks! And worldwide, G.M. sold a total of 10 million J bodies! Sheesh!

Re: J-Body Prototypes and One-Offs
Tuesday, June 02, 2015 11:04 AM
Oops. Photos now:
Attachments
OldsBuickShow_4.jpg (50k)
OldsBuickShow_5.jpg (48k)

Re: J-Body Prototypes and One-Offs
Tuesday, June 02, 2015 11:09 AM
Here's an interesting PPG version of the Skyhawk. Again - hidden headlamps that look similar to what they came up with for the Reatta.

Look at the wild interior. Where is the passenger supposed to put his legs?!

I'm not wild about the look.

Here's an ad featuring it: http://www.amazon.com/1983-world-Series-Buick-Skyhawk/dp/B00LNH94SI

I understand from another board that some guy buys these old PPG cars cheap - they had a Reatta version as well - and restores them.
Attachments
tumblr_mtpiw8TmPc1roi5yvo1_1280.jpg (324k)
PPG smaller.jpg (207k)

Re: J-Body Prototypes and One-Offs
Tuesday, June 02, 2015 11:12 AM
AND: One final image of what might have been/SHOULD be. I do wish G.M. would reuse some of its old names. I guess Chevy is good at that. Are they worried people will think whatever issues they had with a Skyhawk from 1985 will haunt a totally new design? I think it would appeal to us oldsters.

What a looker!
Attachments
BuickSkyhawk.jpg (133k)

Re: J-Body Prototypes and One-Offs
Tuesday, June 02, 2015 6:01 PM
Re: J-Body Prototypes and One-Offs
Tuesday, June 02, 2015 6:05 PM
Build that off the solstice/sky platform and call it a LaSalle
Re: J-Body Prototypes and One-Offs
Tuesday, June 02, 2015 6:07 PM
Very Cool - Thanks for sharing...




Re: J-Body Prototypes and One-Offs
Wednesday, June 03, 2015 8:51 AM
Wow - thanks, Spike. They never built a two-door Cimmaron, did they?

Why does GM come up with such amazing concept ideas then never quite follow through? I guess the lawyers and accountants get the design and eliminate all the clever and attractive details for cost-saving purposes. That's why I have to admire Porsche - I don't think they've ever done that (except with the 924 and 914 which were really an Audi and a VW), but then that's why their cars are tens of thousands of dollars more than other cars, I guess.
Re: J-Body Prototypes and One-Offs
Thursday, June 04, 2015 11:01 AM
Too bad the Cimarron name has been so badly tarnished. I'd love to see a modern one. Whenever I show people my car they can't believe this is the car they've heard so many bad things about.


1988 Cadillac Cimarron
Re: J-Body Prototypes and One-Offs
Thursday, June 04, 2015 12:57 PM
Oh, well I think the Cimmaron turned out pretty well, but look at the drawings of all three cars - amazing - and the handsome but not as amazing realities. Still, GM is the best at a car's body design, I think. I've always found Fords to be a little... stodgy or something.
Re: J-Body Prototypes and One-Offs
Thursday, June 18, 2015 12:22 AM
I tend to think all '80s American cars look pretty stodgy next to their European counter parts. (J bodies and U.S. Escort Vs. UK Escort MkIII in particular)

That new Skyhawk looks like a Maserati.

I think the main problem with the Cimmaron was that it looked just like a Cavalier and cost a whole lot more. Then when they facelifted the Cavalier in 1984 it lost that weird "aero" front end and looked even more like a Cimmaron.

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