[ChrisV]

Originally Posted by .:bHd:.

Pontiac and BMW have always had design similarities. Don't know whos copying who but i think at some point there was a lawsuit over the kidney grills.

Yeah, that goes back to the beginning. Pontiac had a variation on the kidney grill in 1929:



The side gill thing was on Aston Martins since the '50s, and also used on some Ferraris and other italian exotics. Of course, Pontiac had a variation on the upper fender scoop on the '70s Trans Ams.

Aston DB4




Iso Rivolta:



T/A

[atr_hugo]

And BMW didn't first employ the kidney grill on a BMW (or Dixi - Austin 7 clone) - the Ihle brothers did. http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gebr%C3..._Ihle_Bruchsal

The first BMW delivered from the factory with a kidney grille was the 303. http://www.usautoparts.net/bmw/models/vintage/303.htm

Pontiac's use pre-dates BMWs (opps ; -).

And Chris - I'll pm you to discuss that Miller Indy car you dealt with - I've got Dees', "The Miller Dynasty" in arm's reach in the den.

[V1.47fan]

I used to like the shark fin antenna on the 5 and 7 series up untill BMW had it on the 3 series...now almost every other car has some kind of shark fin antenna.

[V1.47fan]

Originally Posted by ChrisV

Yeah, that goes back to the beginning. Pontiac had a variation on the kidney grill in 1929:



The side gill thing was on Aston Martins since the '50s, and also used on some Ferraris and other italian exotics. Of course, Pontiac had a variation on the upper fender scoop on the '70s Trans Ams.

I agree with you on the side gills-
Pontiac used to have what Pontiac called split grills and BMW,twin kidney grills in the early 30's.Two kidney grills coming together instead of just one with a split in the middle.

below BMW 328

[atr_hugo]

There was an English firm that used a split grille also in the '20s but I can't remember their name at the moment. And V1.47fan, you hit the distinction between the grille types perfectly. Thanks!

Edit - I remember now, not English but German, Horch used a split grille.