Executive Safari (1967-1970)Pontiac's Catalina and Bonneville lines spanned decades, and the Star Chief series lasted from 1954 though 1966. Along with these long-lasting models came the Executive, and with it the Executive Safari wagon. Though it lasted only four model years, the Executive was very much a typical Pontiac of its era. It started out in 1967 as the Star Chief Executive and brought Catalina-level options to the larger Bonneville platform. At the same time, certain restrictions were placed on the station wagons. As a result, while the 428 cubic inch engine was available for the Executive Safari, the high-output version was not. The horsepower missing from the 428 HO was not what kept these station wagons off the strip. Pontiac began to phase out full-sized cars on the track as the 1960s progressed. The difference came down to performance cars getting smaller and lighter, while the luxury cars got heavier. For example, the heaviest Pontiac Bonneville station wagon in 1960 had a curb weight of 4,544 lbs compared to the Catalina Sport Sedan at 4,019 lbs with the same engine, and a 2-row 1969 Executive Safari weighed in at 4,658 lbs vs. the base GTO's 3,672 lbs.Grand Safari (1971-1978)One of the biggest and heaviest cars that Pontiac ever built was its Grand Safari station wagon from the 1970s. These cars were built on GM's 127-inch C-body platform, were over 19 feet long, and weighed 5,000 lbs early in the decade. A 455 cubic inch V8 was available to deliver a claimed 325 hp for 1971 in addition to the 400 cubic inch engine option producing 300 hp.Pontiac's innovative streak — as far as the Grand Safari was concerned — was limited mostly to its tail end. The glass upper half of the tailgate slid up into the roof of the car, while the bottom hinged downward. The idea never caught on with the buying public, and this arrangement lasted from 1971 through 1976. When the second-generation Grand Safari came out in 1977, it had a three-way tailgate like its competitors'. This version was a more manageable 214 inches long and weighed almost a half ton less than its predecessor.