Coolest car design ever built?
 

I think so. This is the Pontiac Vivant.

Technically should not be called a Pontiac but it was built by Herb Adams when he was an engineer at Pontiac. It has a Pontiac based engine with a load of Pontiac HI Po parts in it from super duty engines etc. It has a tube frame, advanced suspension based on racing concepts, two seats, a hand formed aluminum body and the perfect touch the Pontiac brake integrated 8 lug wheels (like my Bonneville had).

The tail is heavily reminiscent of the Alfa Bat designs of the early fifties, while the front is the best rendition of the Pontiac dual nostrils which were based on the Ferrari Formula one car, the 163 (IRRC) which Phil Hill drove to the championship in 1961.

it is the most perfect design I ever saw. Still looks astonishing today.

What is very very surprising to me is this car has existed for over 50 years and I've never come across it. I first saw it this month in Octane. I typically read 6 or 8 car magazines pretty much cover to cover and have done so since I was about ten, though in the beginning there were not that many car mags out there to read.

More pics

Still more! Actually this is the most interesting pic to me. From back in the day when he sold it. Herb Adams built this car for himself and daily drove it for a few years then traded it in on a transporter for his pontiac trans am race car.

I'd pay good money to see it in person and just look over all the details.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

I'm a big fan of the Talbot Lago 150 and delehayes. Hard to pick any particular car though, you could make an argument for many many cars over the years.

Some of those French cars of the thirties are delightful. This car just struck me as being a very pure design.

Of course it has no bumpers so its completely impractical for daily use.

I put this thread up over at the Studebaker forum too. A bunch of guys there said, oh yeah, its not as pretty as my (insert year) studebaker!

Tough crowd!

sorry looks to batman.My favorite and still would want one is a triump TR8,with a chevy 327 swap as the original motors were weak,and prone to fail.

My thoughts exactly. Paint it black and do your best Adam West impersonation.

Yous guys are tough, 'course Oldsinner wants a TR8 so that proves his wisdom.;)

Sounds lovely me an impressive project but it’s looks are a matter of taste. I.can do without it. Just doesn’t match up with my phone taste.

Phone taste?

What do you think of the Plymouth XNR?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dv8ffn8NpsY

Cool!

Now that car is more like what is expected of a road car with bumpers etc. ...a bit unbalanced...a car with a 2' fin in back with full bumper protection!;)

Herb's car has no trim or bumpers but has a fantastic aluminum body built by some English craftsmen who Herb found. Apparently they had no experience making bumpers or trim...or Herb just didn't want any of that.

When I was about 8 or so I was a cub scout. We had this thing called the pinewood derby. We were supposed to carve a car out of a piece of driftwood, put wheels on it and race. I remember my dad taking the block of 2 x 4 and sculpting it with his skil saw.

It actually looked a lot like Herb's car but the fins as I remember were vertical instead of curving back in over the body. I don't think I ever finished putting the wheels on or racing it though.

Actually now that I look at it the interior shot showing the consol is very like the chassis under my Cobra in the way it tapers from front to back. Also in the ad it states a weight of 2200#. I suspect it is very very similar to my car under the skin!;)

Here is a link to an article about a Herb Adams Can am Car....very radical two pontoon car.

https://www.carmrades-blog.com/all-articles/2017/2/14/split-personality-1983-adams-vse-escort-chevrolet