www.pontiacventura.com    TECH FILE   (an ongoing project)

Vehicle Identification / Model Years    (in work)
Basic Body Styles    1971-1972    1973-1974    1975-1977    (in work)

Variations on the Base Model Ventura

Custom:
(still collecting data)       sail panel Pontiac arrows, "Custom" text, 3-spoke steering wheel, remote driver's side mirror

SJ
(still collecting data)       Derived from Duisenberg nomenclature, not an abbreviation. upscale/luxury features
    
SPRINT
There are (5) basic variations on the external striping package.   

(1) The '71-'72 vintage had a thick 'kinked' side stripe that began high on the nose, and dropped down to the beltline as it reached the rear of the car. The thick stripe had a pinstriped outline as well.  Some illustrations seem to show that the center contour line of the hood was also highlighted with the matching stripe color. Both years featured blacked-out grilles. The '71 generally had the word "Sprint" contained within the wide portion of the stripe at the very end of the rear quarter panels of the car, and again on the trunk lid. The word was in a handwritten style.

(2) The '72 had the same stripe layout, but the word "Sprint" usually did not appear anywhere on the car.  Going by the promotional literature,  the hood stripe may have been discontinued.

(3) The '73-'74 models received a new type of outline-style (versus solid) side stripe that remained above the beltline and was flat on the bottom.  The addition of the word "Sprint", now in italicized block letters, appeared pretty consistently on the '73 version. It was applied to the trunk or hatchback lid, and also within the side stripe in the vicinity of the C-pillar/sail panel.

(4) By 1974, it was hit-or-miss in terms of the "Sprint" word being applied to the car.  Perhaps Pontiac was using up existing inventory without re-stocking.

(5) 1975 was the last time the word "Sprint" would appear.  It was applied to the nose (header panel), trunk/hatch lid, and the front quarter panels, and received a more modern look in the form of italicized block letters sliced horizontally with lines (spaces) of varying width.  The lower body panels were blacked out, as well as the inner grille and window trim.  For an even racier look, the car received a wide race car stripe on the trunk, and the hood contour line was striped once again.  A turned-aluminum dash was also featured with the Sprint package.

A now-extinct company produced an aftermarket Sprint package for the 1977 Ventura which included a shaker hood scoop and side window louvers, but this was not available from the factory.
 
Special Appearance Group
Covering the '76-'77 models, this package was identical to the 1975 Sprint sport stripe package (hood and trunk stripe decals, blacked-out lower body panels, grille, and window trim, turned aluminum dash), however the "Sprint" lettering no longer appeared on the nose, trunk lid, or front quarter panels. 

GTO
Often maligned by the mainstream GTO crowd, yet with a hard-core following all its own, the switch from the horribly bloated LeMans to the X-body platform offered great potential.  By one insider account, it was a favorite among Pontiac's engineers.  Overtaken by market and regulatory forces, 30 years would pass before another Pontiac would wear the GTO name.  This version is easily recognized by its shaker hood scoop, turn signals in the honeycomb grille openings, and GTO stickers on the rear deck (trunk or hatch), header panel (nose) and front quarter panels in place of the "Ventura" badges.

Ventura Powertrain Combinations

* According to GM Canada Brochure 4092 of September 1971and Ventura 1971-76 Master Parts Catalogue No.762A,  thanks to James Raposo

Additions, corrections, clarifications, please contact Roland at pontiacv@pontiacventura.com   Thanks!