No rust? No dents or dings? 23,900 miles? A two-door hardtop with a 400 V8? Those wheels, the color, the condition? Man, this 1972 Pontiac Catalina Coupe has to be one of the nicest ones on the planet in (mostly) original condition. The seller has it posted here on craigslist in Excelsior Springs, Missouri and they’re asking $19,900. Here is the original listing, and thanks to Zappenduster for the tip!
It’s always jarring to see snow in vintage vehicle photos, thinking just how much rust is lurking or covered up by layers of bondo. We don’t know if this car has ever been driven in the snow but I doubt it. The seller provided an underside photo and it looks solid, but there’s the usual surface rust. This car is 53 years old, after all. The seller says there is absolutely zero rust on this car and you can bring your own magnet to check it, or they’ll give you one to use.
At almost 19 feet in length and weighing over two tons, this is not a small sports car, but it sure looks sporty. The Rally II wheels help a lot. I wouldn’t change one thing about this car, appearance-wise. The bumpers on the ’72 Catalinas were a little beefier than on the 1971 cars, but they still didn’t detract too much from the overall design, in my opinion. The seller says this is the original paint, but they think the sides may have been clear-coated at some point.
One of my favorite photos shown here on Barn Finds in recent years is this one, uploaded by the seller of this gorgeous car. They get a solid A+ for that, it looks like it’s right out of a brochure! I nominate this seller to take photos of every vehicle listed for sale in the U.S.
The fourth-generation Catalina was made from 1971 until 1976 and they were downsized with most GM cars for the 1977 model year. The interior looks almost perfect, but I see what looks like a wear mark in the driver’s side carpet, and maybe some seam separations in the driver’s seat. I must be wrong as the seller says the original carpet is perfect as is the entire interior! If lovin’ this car is wrong, I don’t want to be right… The back seat looks like new, as expected, and they say the only issue with the entire car is the original radio is sometimes temperamental.
The clean engine is a 400-cu.in. OHV V8 with 175 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque when new, and it starts, idles, and runs perfectly. A Turbo-Hydramatic THM-400 sends power to the rear wheels and other than not having air-conditioning, and having chrome valve covers (the originals come with the sale), I don’t see any nits to pick with this beautiful Catalina, how about you?
Very nice clean Pontiac. I would have added dual exhuast. I think the 400 engine has a 2barrel carb but I could be wrong about that. This one is clean!!
Mark looks like a base model. 2 barrel standard. Dual exhaust added some ponies, step up to 4 barrel w dual exhaust were up to 250hp. Either way at 4200lbs+ this baby is about taking it easy, and cheerful cruising . Beautiful car.
This has got to be one of the nicest condition and optioned Catalinas left. We had a neighbor down the street when I was growing up that had a ’72 2 door hardtop like this, the same color too. It didnt have the nice Ralley wheels which really add a sporty look to the car. These were nice Pontiacs. Nice lines, and that 400, even with a 2 barrel will have no trouble at all keeping up with traffic, tons of torque. Nice write up Scotty, thank you for posting it. And a huge thumbs up to the sellers photos too. If only more people took pictures like this as opposed to 11 O Clock at night in a cave.
Agreed 100% with your comment!!
Wow! Great find. Just about as close to showroom condition as it gets.
It could use more ponies, but that wouldn’t be a deal breaker for me. $20k seems a little high but I think it’s worth every penny.
GLWTS. Somebody’s gonna get a peach.
Fantastic color combination in & out. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a full-size Pontiac without a/c or a remote mirror but an AM-FM radio & optional engine. . Odd, but fairly easy to add those two options if a person wants to.
It’s amazing how the right wheels can transform a car. These looked awful with those beehive wheel covers, but they look great with Rally IIs. Body color or not, I think the Rally II is among the greatest wheel designs ever!
My neighbor growing up had this car, but without the vinyl top and it had the horrible beehive hubcaps. The Rally II wheels really do make a difference. I remember that for a coupe it was HUGE.
Early 70s GM rides utilized a windshield antenna….not exactly a primo idea!
Yup, I know exactly what you mean. Not only poorer reception, but when it was raining, wiper interference, no matter how you adjusted the “tuning” screw behind the right knob. Swish, swish. LOL!
This is a beaut. Just right features and appearance. Remote mirror was a thing but I still think that was the most beautiful standard mirror ever. Wheels and roof complete the look. Pretty sure the 400-2 bbl was the standard setup. Take my money.
A beautiful car and as far as I can see a 100% bargain for a driver collectible car.
Gorgeous Pontiac
Great looking car and price seems reasonable.
Yes that’s a beautiful Catalina that came off the big block line at pontiac motors division city of pontiac Mi
Also the city of pontiac MI has a museum now full of Pontiac’s
Scotty your statement of this Boss Hogg mobile is correct. HP is absent but torque isn’t. I had to look at pic of front a 2nd time bc it looks like Mom’s 72 Impala with same engine. GM keeping it simple back then. But her car was the family vacation car for 3 years. Five kids, parents & huge trunk packed out. Oh, & a tandem axle Starcraft travel trailer attached to a Reese hitch. It never missed a beat. Great write up btw.
I went to work for a Pontiac dealer in 1972 and these models are my all time favorite. Absolutely fantastic drivers.
Growing up my grandmother had a cream beige colored 72. It had a pale interior and the previously mentioned awful wheel covers. I remember thinking it was the ugliest car I had ever seen. This one however I really like and would be glad to be seen in. The color, wheels, and top make it stand out.
I was never big on the full size Pontiac front end treatment after 1967, but I think we could live with this one, the rest of the car looks so right.
i had a 73 with the 400 4 barrel. make no mistake, i tore the streets up with her for many years. she did mad burnouts too
I am reluctant to be the turd in the punch bowl, but even this cherry example cannot be worth this kind of scratch. I will grant you it has the best Mark I Model II eyeball rating, but it would need many dollars and days and nights to get it up to running the way it looks. 400 or not, try to recall how these would run out of punch at 25-3000 rpm and mimic a no snorkel air cleaner. Please don’t send my locals with pitchforks and torches, but it just doesn’t achieve the promise of its looks. If $4000 would buy it, I’d be right in line as I just happen to have an early 400 tri-power with linkage and air cleaner caps to go with some traction bars made by some local savant from Portland that he swore would add .5 to your ET. Imagine this beast running by you while driving your Aussie GTO – like you were standing still.
Full size here means full size indeed. I think it’s a good deal and I am surprised that it is still available. Seeing this beauty back then could anyone foretell of Pontiac joining the ranks of discontinued marques? Today these are hard to find in such awesome condition. GLWTS.
Beautiful. I had a 72 four door hardtop in 1975. Was owned by a state trooper new. It had anvil like quality until I hit an 8 point buck at 75 mph. Just took out radiator and bent the hood. Thankfully that useless deer got cut in two. I would give 10K for this car.