The Catalina became a series of its own in 1959 and carried Pontiac through 1981 as the everyman’s version of the big Ponchos. The cars were treated to a redesign in 1961, and a refresh in 1963 brought stacked headlights to the party for the next five years. Located in a barn of sorts in Aurora, Missouri, this sedan/coupe has been in mothballs for nearly 50 years. Said to be solid under all the grime, it’s available here on Facebook Marketplace for $5,500. A salute goes to “Zappenduster” for another tip from yesteryear.
For most of the 1950s, the Catalina was a trim level. It began in 1950 as a snappy version of the Chieftain 2-door hardtop. 2-door sedans had begun to fall out of favor with Pontiac buyers, and in 1963 it had the least sales of any Catalina, including the convertible. The “Wide-Track” theme continued, which had begun in 1959, making Pontiac some of the best-handling automobiles in the General Motors ensemble. A 389 cubic inch V8 was standard in the ’63 and came in various horsepower outputs.
This Catalina once wore light blue paint, but the passage of time and Mother Nature have given it ample patina. The car has the distinction of being a one-owner vehicle, but it was parked in 1977 due to a bad starter and was never repaired. The engine itself may be okay, but 49 years suggest otherwise. The sedan comes with an automatic transmission (2- or 3-speed?).
We’re told the body is solid and the only rust you’re likely to find is of the surface variety. The structure it has been biding time in seems to have provided a moisture-free environment for the Pontiac to hibernate in. It was never wrecked, and the interior looks better than you might expect for the age. Pontiac built 14,000 of these Catalina 2-doors in 1963, but most buyers went for the hardtops instead. The seller adds he was going to restore it, but reality has sunk in, and that job will be up to someone else.
I see what you did there Russ…sunk in? Nice find and writeup! I don’t observe any penetrating rust, but an in-person inspection is a must for anyone considering a restoration. These are pretty rare as 40% were 2 door versions and the rest were 4 door sedans. They can fetch up to $50K if original and numbers matching. I am surprised at how well this has survived given the open barn door conditions.
My dad bought a new dark blue 4 door1963 Cataluna from Roger Boas Pontiac on Geary Blvd, now long long gone. I was 6 years old then. My family drove up to British Columbia shortly thereafter to visit my aunt.. My dad a few years later bought a tan 1967 Chrysler Town & Country wagon. The good old days.
Always interesting to see a long-slumbering car. The license plate confirms the stated slumber time. Otherwise, how many of us can pinpoint exactly when things happened, five decades ago? Sure, we remember significant events, but otherwise…. “Now when did Gramps park the old Pontiac in the shed? Back in the 80’s? Maybe it was in the 70’s?”
Perhaps someone with lots of time and money will give this Pontiac another chance.