Joe Oldham – Pulpaddict

’72 PONTIAC FIREBIRD, FORMULA & TRANS AM

Arguably, 1972 was the last year of the great ones. The ’72 PONTIAC FIREBIRD, FORMULA & TRANS AM, however, still delivered head-turning style, sporty car ride & handling, plus big-block performance!

’72 PONTIAC FIREBIRD, FORMULA & TRANS AM

Chrysler and Ford followed GM with a vengeance, not only reducing compression ratios but killing some great engines and models. This resulted in GM’s carryover vehicles, including the ’72 PONTIAC FIREBIRD, FORMULA & TRANS AM, powered by underrated engines, dominating the marketplace. Even though new SAE Net horsepower ratings made almost every new engine look wimpy, performance prevailed.

The 1972 model year saw minor cosmetic changes. A difference that differentiates a 1972 Firebird from the other 1970-‘73 Firebirds is the hexagonal honeycomb grille insert in the front fascia of the vehicle. During a 1972 strike, the Firebird and the similar F-body Camaro were nearly dropped. There was an industry-wide change to the way the engines were rated from the factory, with Gross horsepower ratings replaced by more accurate SAE Net information. Compression ratios were again lowered to comply with the regulation that mandates a more environmentally friendly, low- or no-leaded fuel, further reducing power ratings.

Engine options remained mostly unchanged. However, the L75 455 engine was dropped, but the standard Trans Am LS5 455 HO remained as an option for the Formula model. Pontiac rated the 1972 455 HO at 300 horsepower, but the engine was a carryover from 1971. Starting in 1972 and continuing until 1977, Firebirds were only produced at the Norwood, OH, facility.

Pontiac Formula and Trans Am Firebirds were Ponycar class leaders. With an available 455/300 H.O. engine, slick styling, and some of the best suspension tuning in the industry, you would have had difficulty finding a more potent Ponycar. We drove a unique ’72 Trans Am with a prototype louvered hood instead of the Ram Air Shaker hood at GM’s Milford Proving Ground that posted sub-14-second times at 102 mph!

’72 PONTIAC FIREBIRD, FORMULA & TRANS AM Joe Oldham tested a 455/300 Trans Am with four-speed and 3.42 gears for the September 1972 issue of Hi-Performance CARS. Like the T/A we drove, it too had been “tuned.” Before tracking it, Oldham brought the T/A to Nunzi’s Automotive in Brooklyn, NY, for ignition and carburetor tuning. Oldham registered the best times of 103.22 mph in 14.04 seconds.

Check out the ’72 PONTIAC FIREBIRD, FORMULA & TRANS AM Fact Sheets with lengthy lists of powertrain and performance options, and links to sales brochures at Over-Drive magazine, https://over-drive-magazine.com/2025/08/18/1972-pontiac-firebird-fact-sheet/

BUICK GNX #002

Scott Oldham blogs about driving BUICK GNX #002, the first GNX to be involved in a traffic accident!

Scott Oldham blogs about driving BUICK GNX #002, the first GNX to be involved in a traffic accident!

In 1987, I was handling East Coast media relations for Buick Motor Division, wrote the BUICK GNX book that went with each of the 547 GNXs, and had the second production GNX (#002) in my New York City press fleet for a few months.

The first media loan went to Joe Oldham at Popular Mechanics magazine, and son, Scott, later to become a respected member of the automotive media community, borrowed it to drive to a friend’s house. In the process, he got rear-ended while stopped at a traffic light. It was the first GNX to be involved in an accident, and both his late Dad, Joe, he and I have never forgotten about it.

Read Scott Oldham’s BUICK GNX #002 story @ https://www.hagerty.com/media/archived/crashing-a-brand-new-buick-gnx/

’70 BUICK STAGE 1 SKYLARK & GSX

Targeting the Olds W-30 4-4-2, Chevy SS454 Chevelle, and other max-perf Motown Muscle, the ’70 BUICK STAGE 1 SKYLARK & GSX catapulted Buick into the heat of the battle for Supercar supremacy.

’70 BUICK STAGE 1 SKYLARK & GSX

The ’70 BUICK STAGE 1 SKYLARK & GSX, in 360 horsepower trim, were the industry’s first “adult” Supercars. It was a powerful, high-quality, well-balanced midsize coupe (or convertible) with superb ride and handling qualities. While the GS-455 was almost invisible compared with competitive offerings like the Chevelle SS, GTO, Road Runner, or Cobra Jet Torino, the GSX had the look and the power. Tasteful GS Stage I fender emblems were the Gran Sport’s only status badging, while the GSX stopped traffic with bold striping, scooped hood, and a tailored rear spoiler.

“Quiet” is the best way to describe the Stage I GS-455’s appearance – but not its performance! Having driven GS Buicks, including Stage I Skylarks, at GM’s Milford Proving Ground since the first Riviera GS in 1965, I was a believer. No carmaker did a better job of matching chassis/suspension tuning to powertrains than Buick. Once Buick started building Skylarks with 455-inch engines in 1970 and especially the GSX, they became “players” in the highly competitive Supercar Sweepstakes.

Buick dealers did not have a lot of experience selling performance cars to young people. Because Skylark Gran Sports were premium-priced and void of scoops, stripes, and wings, they didn’t appeal to enthusiasts who wanted to “make a statement”. However, that all changed on February 9^th, 1970, when Buick announced the GSX, “Another Light-Your-Fire Car From Buick”. Featuring a bold front spoiler, beautifully integrated rear spoiler, distinctive striping and graphics, badging, and paint treatment, and a black hood with faired-in tachometer, a production Saturn Yellow GSX broke cover on February 10^th at the Chicago Auto Show.

Also available in Apollo White with contrasting black trim, the GSX, with standard or Stage 1 455 powertrains, was Flint’s first attempt at targeting enthusiasts who were considering a GTO Judge or other high-profile cars. Like Pontiac’s GTO-based Judge, the GSX was a loaded Skylark GS-455 “customized” to appeal to enthusiasts who wanted to make a statement. It certainly was not for anyone looking for a stealth street racer! A late entry in the marketplace, the GSX did not appear in 1970 model catalogs and was not well promoted by Buick dealers. With deliveries starting in March 1970, total GSX sales hit just 678. A base GSX carried an MSPR of $3,283.

For the 1970 model year, GM lifted its self-imposed 400-inch midsize model displacement ban, allowing Chevrolet to market a 454/450 Mark IV big-block Chevelle. Buick, Oldsmobile, and Pontiac offered 455-inch Skylarks, 4-4-2s, and GTOs. Once magazines started road testing new models, it was obvious that 360-horsepower ’70 BUICK STAGE 1 SKYLARK & GSX were delivering performance numbers equal to, or better than, cars powered by higher output big-block engines.

The Stage 1 GS-455 engine was rated at 360 horsepower at 4,600 rpm and an unrivaled 510 pound/feet of torque at 2,800 rpm. It was suspect that there was only a 10-horsepower difference between standard and Stage I engines. When you opted for Stage 1, the 10.5-to-1 engine was fitted with a re-jetted and modified Quadrajet four-barrel with fresh air induction, high-performance valve train, .490-inch-lift, 326/348-degree-duration camshaft, and new heads with 2.12/1.75-inch valves. If you chose an automatic transmission, it was a beefed-up TH-400 with a 2.48 First gear.

’70 BUICK STAGE 1 SKYLARK & GSX

The Stage 1 engine was a $113.75 option on the $4,932 non-air-conditioned, automatic GSX that Joe Oldham tested. The Electric Banana was featured in the October 1970 issue of Hi-Performance CARS. He obviously liked it: “Buick’s GSX was the best handling Supercar we had driven at the time. Over the road with the windows up, the Stage 1 GSX was silent despite the 455 cubes throbbing under the hood”.

Back in the day, it was not unusual for carmakers to keep the lid on horsepower ratings. Insurance companies had a field day raising rates on high-performance cars, especially for young owners. The higher the horsepower, the higher the rates. While all eyes were on horsepower, insurance companies paid little attention to torque ratings, which are the key to actual performance. Stage 1 had the highest torque rating, at 510 pound/feet, of any performance engine in 1970 and held that honor for a number of years. Before the 1970 Winternationals, the NHRA “factored” the ’70 BUICK STAGE 1 SKYLARK & GSX, rating the engine at 400 horsepower!

Magazine road tests from that period revealed a wide range of performance times, indicating that all test cars were not “created equal”. When I tested a pre-production Stage I GS-455 Skylark for SUPERCARS ’70 ½ in June 1969, it was an automatic with a 3.64 Posi rear. My best quarter-mile time was 102 mph in 14.10 seconds. Oldham tested a GSX, same specs as my Skylark, at E-Town and posted a best time of 103 mph in 14.0 seconds. He recorded a 0 to 60 mph sprint in 6.2 seconds. “It was quick. I can remember blowing off the likes of GTOs and 442s in informal runs late at night on deserted stretches of road.”

The ’70 BUICK STAGE 1 SKYLARK & GSX were the surprise hits of 1970. They were quick. They were fast. They delivered premium performance for those who understood the advantages of speaking softly and carrying a big stick. Joe Oldham said it all in his GSX road test: “No question, the Stage I Buick is one of the quickest, best running Musclecars of all time. It may also be the best handling.”

For complete details on the ’70 BUICK STAGE 1 SKYLARK & GSX and midsize lineup, please visit https://over-drive-magazine.com/2022/12/06/1970-buick-mid-size-car-fact-sheet/

FRED MACKERODT, A LIFE WELL-LIVED.

A bid farewell to a colleague, a mentor and a friend: FRED MACKERODT, A LIFE WELL-LIVED.

Frederick T. “Fred” Mackerodt died peacefully at home in upstate New York on Christmas Day, December 25, 2023, surrounded by loving friends. Born on September 17, 1938 in Brooklyn, New York, he and his former wife of 35 years, Christy Woods Mackerodt, resided at the Stone House Farm in Chester, New York, and in New York City.

Fred was respected as a creative communicator, founder and president of Fred Mackerodt, Inc. (FMI), an automotive-focused public relations agency with offices in Montvale, NJ and New York City. The agency specialized in media relations/marketing communications and Press Car Fleet Management. Prior to starting FMI in the late-1970s, he was an accomplished writer, photographer and magazine editor. He launched his PR agency with the Honda account, later adding Pontiac and then switching exclusively to General Motors business. Oldsmobile, Cadillac and Saturn and GMC Truck completed his GM portfolio for coverage on the East Coast. FMI would eventually represent all GM brands.

In the 1950s Mackerodt opened his first business, Automotive Obsolete, selling hard-to-find parts to owners, mechanics and restorers of vintage Fords. AO was known nationally for its services to the Ford Model A community.Fred ’s entry into the automotive media field started in April 1965 when he responded to a Help Wanted advertisement in The New York Times for an editorial position at an automotive magazine publisher. He had just left a division of LOOK magazine and was a contributing writer for the U.S. version of the BBC’s satirical TV comedy program – That Was the Week That Was – airing on NBC in 1964-1965.

He was hired as Managing Editor of Hi-Performance CARS Magazine and a few months later appeared in life-size posters throughout New York City. He was the subject of a city-wide campaign: “I got my job through The New York Times.” And under Fred’s smiling face – “Automotive Editor”!

Over the years he wrote for a number of Men’s magazines, including PENTHOUSE, and prototyped publications with his friend Joe Oldham for the publisher of Hi-Performance CARS. They included Supercycle magazine and Supercar Road Test Annual. In 1973 he was named editor of Hi-Performance CARS.

While at Hi-Performance CARS, Mackerodt’s alter ego emerged, Dilbert Horatio Farb, as Humor Editor and tongue-in-cheek road tester. President & Exalted Leader of the Pitkin Avenue Street Racing & Choral Society (PASRCS), Dilbert would road test a working garbage truck, his 32-foot Lobster boat and a fiberglass bed styled like a McLaren Can-Am racecar, replete with racing wheels and tires and authentic sponsor decals! He developed a cult following and his column, “You’re Asking?; I’m Telling!” garnered the most amount of the monthly reader mail!

Fred Mackerodt, Inc. became known in the industry as a training ground for young aspiring PR operatives. Many of his employees went on to work at Fortune 500 companies and hold executive communications positions at domestic and import carmakers. In January 2012, Fred retired and sold FMI to two of his key account executives, Pierre Kanter and Eric Dolis. At the time, the agency had, in addition to GM business, the BMW, Mini and Rolls Royce accounts.

Co-owner Eric Dolis summed up his experience when first joining FMI: “Working for Fred Mackerodt was like taking a masterclass in relationship building – and getting paid! I learned more in one year at FMI than I did in four years of college.”

Kanter and Dolis have since spearheaded the growth of FMI, which is now part of the NAVS network (North American Vehicle Services). They currently represent 15 carmakers.

Fred Mackerodt loved cars and, over the years, owned classic sports cars including an E-Type Jaguar, an Austin-Healey and a Ferrari 308 GT4; but he was truly passionate about flying. He was an instrument-rated fixed-wing (airplane) and rotary (helicopter) pilot and before retiring, he owned a twin-engine Beechcraft Duke.

Like wife Christy, Fred was an animal lover since his teenage years. He realized his dream when they purchased the Stone House Farm, built stables and fenced in pastures for their Quarter, Morgan and Belgium Draft horses. They turned it into a true working farm, producing premium Stone House Farm brand maple syrup. Photo, above, was taken at Stone House Farm during Hi-Performance CARS Reunion with Fred, left, Lynne Kanter, former assistant editor, and Marty Schorr, editor who hired Fred in 1965.

Fred Mackerodt is survived by his former wife, Christy Woods Mackerodt, and nephew, Joe Pianelli. He was predeceased by his sister Marie Pianelli.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Blooming Grove Humane Society (http://www.humanesocietybg.com) or to the German Society of New York, 6 East 87^th Street, New York, NY 10128.

’70 BUICK STAGE I GS-455 – FIRST ADULT SUPERCAR

Certainly not in keeping with Buick’s traditional image, the ’70 BUICK STAGE I GS-455 – FIRST ADULT SUPERCAR catapulted the Flint automaker into the heat of the battle for Supercar supremacy.

The Skylark GS-455, in 360 horsepower Stage I trim, was the industry’s first “adult” Supercar. It was a powerful, high-quality, well-balanced midsize coupe (or convertible) with superb ride and handling qualities. Yet it was almost invisible compared with competitive offerings like the SS Chevelle, GTO, Road Runner or Cobra Jet Torino. Tasteful GS Stage I fender emblems were the Gran Sport’s only status badging.

“Quiet” is the best way to describe the Stage I GS-455’s appearance – but not its performance! Having driven GS Buicks, including Stage I Skylarks, at GM’s Milford Proving Ground since the first Riviera GS in 1965, I was a believer. No carmaker did a better job of matching chassis/suspension tuning to powertrains than Buick. Once Buick started building Skylarks with 455-inch engines in 1970, they became “players” in the highly competitive Supercar Sweepstakes.

Buick dealers did not have a lot of experience selling performance cars to young people. Because Skylark Gran Sports were premium-priced and void of scoops, stripes and wings, they didn’t appeal to enthusiasts who wanted to “make a statement”. However, that all changed on February 9, 1970, when Buick announced the GSX, “Another Light-Your-Fire Car From Buick”. Featuring a bold front spoiler, beautifully integrated rear spoiler, distinctive striping and graphics, badging and paint treatment and a black hood with faired-in tachometer, a production Saturn Yellow GSX broke cover on February 10 at the Chicago Auto Show.

For the 1970 model year, GM lifted its self-imposed 400-inch midsize model displacement ban, allowing Chevrolet to market a 454/450 Mark IV big-block Chevelle. Buick, Oldsmobile and Pontiac offered 455-inch Skylarks, 4-4-2s and GTOs. Once magazines started road testing new models, it was obvious that 360-horsepower ’70 BUICK STAGE I GS-455 – First Adult Supercar delivered performance numbers equal to, or better than, cars powered by higher output engines.

The Stage 1 GS-455 engine was rated at 360 horsepower at 4,600 rpm and an unrivaled 510 pound/feet of torque at 2,800 rpm. It was obviously suspect that there was only a 10-horsepower difference between standard and Stage I engines. When you opted for Stage 1, the 10.5-to-1 engine was fitted with a re-jetted and modified Quadrajet four-barrel with fresh air induction, high-performance valve train, .490-inch-lift, 326/348-degree-duration camshaft and new heads with 2.12/1.75-inch valves. If you chose an automatic transmission, it was a beefed TH-400 with a 2.48 First gear.

The Stage 1 engine was a $113.75 option on the $4,932 non-air-conditioned, automatic GSX that Joe Oldham tested. The Electric Banana, was featured in the October 1970 issue of Hi-Performance CARS. He obviously liked it: “Buick’s GSX was the best handling Supercar we had driven at the time. Over the road with the windows up, the Stage 1 GSX was silent despite the 455 cubes throbbing under the hood”.

Back in the day it was not unusual for carmakers to keep the lid on horsepower ratings. Insurance companies had a field day raising rates on high-performance cars, especially for young owners. The higher the horsepower, the higher the rates. While all eyes were on horsepower, insurance companies paid little attention to torque ratings, which are the key to actual performance. The Stage 1 had the highest torque rating, at 510 pound/feet, of any performance engine in 1970 and held that honor for a number of years. Prior to the 1970 Winternationals, the NHRA “factored” the Stage I Skylark, rating the engine at 400 horsepower!

Magazine road tests from that period revealed a wide range of performance times, indicating that all test cars were not “created equal”. When I tested a pre-production Stage I GS-455 Skylark for SUPERCARS ’70 ½ in June 1969, it was an automatic with 3.64 Posi rear. My best quarter-mile time was 102 mph in 14.10 seconds. Oldham tested a GSX, same specs as my Skylark, at E-Town and posted a best time of 103 mph in 14.0 seconds. He recorded a 0 to 60 mph sprint in 6.2 seconds. “It was quick. I can remember blowing off the likes of GTOs and 442s in informal runs late at night on deserted stretches of road.”

Some West Coast magazines tested Stage 1 Skylarks that were considerably quicker and faster than the ones we tested. More than one magazine tested a GS that had been professionally “tuned”. It ran 13.30s at over 105 mph! Some of the Stage 1 test cars based in Los Angeles received special attention at Reynolds Buick in West Covina. Reynolds was the home of the record-setting Kenne-Bell Buicks, prepped by Jim Bell and driven by the legendary Lennie “Pop” Kennedy.

’70 BUICK STAGE I GS-455 – FIRST ADULT SUPERCAR was the surprise hit of 1970. It was quick. It was fast. It delivered premium performance for those who understood the advantages of speaking softly and carrying a big stick. Joe Oldham said it all in his GSX road test: “No question, the Stage I Buick is one of the quickest, best running Musclecars of all time. It may also be the best handling.”

To better understand the heritage of 1963 to 1974 Musclecars, check out DAY ONE, where this story – ’70 BUICK STAGE I GS-455 – FIRST ADULT SUPERCAR originally appeared: https://www.amazon.com/Day-One-Automotive-Journalists-Muscle-Car/dp/0760352364/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1493561421&sr=1-1&keywords=Day One by Martyn L. Schorr