Some classics are more than a pretty face, possessing genuine performance credentials. That is undoubtedly the case with this 1967 Pontiac Catalina 2+2. It isn’t perfect, but it presents as a driver-grade classic with a few visible rust issues. However, the 428/4-speed drivetrain combination ensures it will be a fast classic, providing an exhilarating driving experience. I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder NW Iowa Kevin for spotting the 2+2 listed here on Facebook Marketplace in Anoka, Minnesota. The seller set their price for this classic at $19,980.
Introduced in 1964, the 2+2 was initially offered by Pontiac as an options package on the Catalina. It achieved standalone status in 1966, before reverting to a Catalina option in 1967. The seller states that until fairly recently, this 1967 example had remained in the care of its original owner. They ordered the car in Mariner Turquoise Poly with a Black vinyl top. It presents quite well for a survivor-grade vehicle, an impression enhanced by the beautiful eight-lug wheels. The paint isn’t perfect, but the Pontiac is presentable. I was concerned by the visible rust in the car’s lower extremities, but I found it listed on another site with a better image gallery. Those shots appear to confirm there are no issues with the floors or frame, meaning the buyer can address the obvious shortcomings at their leisure. The tinted glass is clear, and the trim looks comfortably acceptable for a survivor of this vintage.
This Pontiac’s interior has the “wow” factor, trimmed in Black vinyl with a console and acres of woodgrain. The console appears to be missing a component at the front, but I’m unsure what it is. Otherwise, the presentation is first-rate. There is no evidence of wear or abuse, just the suggestion that its owners have treated it respectfully. It isn’t short of creature comforts, featuring air conditioning, power windows (including the vent windows), a tilt wheel, a remote exterior mirror, a rear defogger, and an AM radio.
I initially indicated that this Pontiac is more than a pretty face, and the various badges across the vehicle hint at its potency. Lifting the hood reveals a 428ci V8, teamed with a four-speed manual transmission, a Safe-T-Track rear end, power steering, and power brakes. Pontiac marketed the 2+2 as the GTO’s big brother, and with power and torque figures of 360hp and 472 ft/lbs, it comfortably fulfills that role. I’m disappointed that the seller doesn’t indicate whether this car’s major mechanical components are original. However, it runs and drives extremely well. The motor is strong, the four-speed shifts as smooth as silk, and this gem is ready for action once the new owner hands over their cash.
Although it has some rust issues, my investigations suggest they are confined to the external steel. Therefore, it seems this 1967 Pontiac Catalina 2+2 is a rock-solid survivor, ready for action. Its mechanical specifications virtually guarantee that it will deliver impressive performance while providing a supremely comfortable motoring experience. That sounds like a winning combination, but is it enough for you to consider pursuing the 2+2 further?
Quick, before “Joe” trashes it,,,I suppose without going the GP route, this was as good as it got. In fact, I read, a new ’67 GP cost about $3800-$4,000 new. This car, as equipped was almost $5grand. The 2+2 package added $418 alone. The fender louvers, I thought for sure was aftermarket, was indeed part of the package. Never saw that. Aside from the convertible, one of the most expensive Ponchos.
So,,again, who would order such a beat? Little Daisy Doodle down the block? She couldn’t push the clutch in, no, we have to remember, in the mid 60s, 4 speeds were hot, hot, hot. This car replaced that ’56 Chevy hot rod, and was ordered by a young gearhead that had a good job( or wealthy parents), and this is what he got. May not seem like much today, but you rolled into the pits with THIS car, well, it spoke volumes. Can that still happen today? Meh, maybe a little, certainly not the zing of years ago, when this was as good as it got. What a beautiful car! Old Uncle Marv knew what to drive, to a diminished extent, but he was all Pontiac.
@ Howard A
I was going to say basically the same thing, Howard. If you are going to load a Catalina and spend that much money, might as well get a Bonneville 428.
FYI base price of the ’67 GP hardtop was $3549. Catalina hardtop w/ 2+2 pkg. was $3430. Liberally adding options could easily increase their prices past $5K.
One of my parents’ many Pontiacs was a 1967 Bonneville wagon, which was passed along to my wife and me in 1973 and hauled our young kids around for 6 years.
Front end styling of the ’67s is an acquired taste, and was so different from the previous years because that front end didn’t come from Pontiac’s own design studio, but the GM Preliminary Design Studio. I’d love to see what this 2+2 would look like with a GP front end…and maybe some Firebird hood scoops! But I think I’d skip the vinyl top and side skirts.
The car has charm, but it’s in rough shape. This needs so much, but if the car runs as good as they say and the a/c works, I would leave it the way it is. Anything more than basic maintenance, would be an act of futility. Someone could lose a 401k into this, to get it back to what it once was and would never see 1/2 of that back. In today’s market, I would pay $12 large, no more and that’s if it was within an hour drive.
Is this guy back again……..
This must’ve been the talk of the neighborhood back when it was new. Can you imagine a group of pre teen and teen aged gear headed kids parked around it on their Schwinn Sting Rays staring at the 428 when that hood got popped open? I could. I’d be one of those kids!!! It’s a shame about the rust. But if this were restored, it would be, on a scale of 1 to 10, an 11 on the wow factor. Thanks Adam and NE Iowa Kevin!!!
Really rare, with all of the “luxury” and performance options you could wish for. Not inexpensive, but it’s going to attract certain buyers that are willing to pay up for the right car.
I’d be surprised if this lasts long if the description is accurate and it stands up to an in-person inspection.
Steve R
I’m on page with ya Steve! I just love factory “luxury hot rods”! When was the last time you saw a Catalina 2+2 with, not only power windows but power vent windows too, factory fender skirts, AND factory air conditioning?! It looks like the only option that wasn’t ticked was a power drivers seat (which, if available on a bucket seat, was either an oversight or the dealer didn’t press the “button” hard enough and it popped back up. If my wife would let me have this beauty, due to the car being optioned out at 99.9%, I wouldn’t even quibble on the asking price. What I can’t afford is being nearly 70 years of age and having to sleep out in the dog house (it’s available because he sleeps inside the main house)! Due to the high option amenities, I’d probably have to restore it too. I hope that someone gets a fabulous car who really appreciates what it is.
Agree -the gills pre-date the 1971 Cuda’s by a few years….looks like a buy at that price in my book.
Pontiacs of the 1960’s were typically pretty good looking cars, but in 1967 they just seemed to miss the mark in my humble opinion
@ Tbone
The GP was absolutely gorgeous with its horizontal hidden headlights and GTO inspired taillights
In my opinion the 1967 Pontiac was a home run in regards to the styling, and it’s less than 20 minutes away from me. Twenty years too late though. Oh well.
This is a car i would love to own for a big car it carries itself well and you would most likely would not see another one. Back when you could order a car exactly the way you want and the first owner nailed it.
The 4sp, big motor, luxury boats.. may be the coolest cars of all 😎
Cool big car. Price is fair, options are excellent. Condition looks good, would like to see underneath.
Can’t believe they checked off those options and skipped the high output engine
Probably the only car I’d consider leaving fender skirts on, the design is so out there that they work.
Nobody else would have one.
it’s cool and rare as well but the appears to be a bit of rust on the front fenders and 1/4s that could be quire costly to repair. i am quite sure no aftermarket metal is made for these. if it could be bought for 10k-12k it would a good deal considering the body condition.
This is the most loaded Catalina I’ve ever seen with the power vents. Besides other options already discussed, add in cruise control & cornering lamps.
This dealer is here in a nw suburb of the Twin Cities called Anoka.
With the rust issues, it bears a close look underneath and the other usual places.
With AC and CC’s (crotch coolers!!) to boot. Sure miss them. That was a girl option LOL. Well when women wore skirts anyways.Another taste of a bygone era. That thing on the console is an upside down 8 track slider usually mounted under the dash. Pull the tunes out and put it away in the trunk for safekeping. Probably a Craig unit. I do BUICKS but had a few love affairs with BIG loaded 4 speed Ponchos too!
I had a ride in one of these 428/4 spd cars in about 1978. (It was a convertible, but the same.
Absolutely insane for a big car! The numerical ratings don’t seem to jive with the performance…it was awesome! A pure muscle car.
Wow factor in spades! This would be the last year for the 2+2 in the states. Seeing a car of this nature with all the options is the opposite of what they represented just a few years earlier. There was a guy here in Michigan who used to own matching ’67 2+2s, convertible and hardtop, in the turquoise color. Both 428 4-speed cars with lots of features. Saw them together 20 years ago. They had also appeared in High Performance Pontiac magazine around the same time.
I don’t think that there is anything missing from the console. It may appear that way because there is one of those vintage slide in mounts installed on top of it that we all had back in the day for our Craig 8 track stereo players.
I believe this one had the factory tape player-stereo. It would have mounted there on the console.
NOT an original owner car. This same car was just sold at an auction in boise idaho. I know the last owner and he bought it from the original owner. So there has been three owners now. The drivers side qp is junk from all the rust. Both fenders are rusty as well. The ps side needs to be replaced and maybe the ds too.
Burn some Fierce rubber !
A ’67, which is one of my favorite body styles. (personal family attraction) 428, 4 speed, 8 lug wheels, (last year???) A/C. This was a wonderful car. If I purchased, I would have to do all the body work. Which wouldn’t be cost effective. And take it from someone who has had a few Poncho “B” bodies while living in the rust belt. If the quarters are showing rust. The trunk floor is toast! Having to drive these with the HVAC blower on full speed all the time to keep the cabin pressurized enough to keep the exhaust fumes at bay! I love these old boats.
This year was one ugly Pontiac compared to the 65 and 66. To me the 65 Pontiac was the n best looking Pontiac they ever made. Once again just my opinion.
John
My dad had a 67 Executive black 4 door, no a/c. Black vinyl seats didn’t help. One thing I noticed are the rear side marker lamps. This didn’t start until 68 if I recall correctly. The 67 GP doesn’t have them either. Added by the owner?
Good point. It looks like a ’68 now, too. And then the way the front turn signals wrap around the fender to include the front side markers. I think this is a misprint on the year.
Hi Jon,
It’s not a misprint this is definitely a 1967 Pontiac. The ’68s had horizontal headlights.
The rear marker light was added by a previous owner. The parking lights/turn signals are in that space under the bumper/grill. The light you see on the front fender is a cornering light.
The 1968s had the parking lights low on the facia and yes, they did wrap around to also make a front side marker light.
Big difference between the 67 and 68 Pontiacs. I had one of each back in the day. The 67 is much better looking than the 68.
I agree with some others here that the 65 and 66 Cats were the best looking.
The PHS paperwork in the ad says 1967.
As for the lights in the front fender, they look like cornering lamps rather than side markers. Cornering lamps were a popular option in the late-1960’s on luxury oriented GM models.
Steve R
1968 has the front bumper wrap around the horizontal headlamps. (Think 1968 GTO style front bumper) My Mom had a ’67 Executive Wagon for 100s of thousands of miles. And I had a ’68 Grand Prix for a few years. I can’t stress enough about the rust out of the trunk floors on these in rust belt areas. The trunk floor goes away and you are looking at the top of the fuel tank and a frame crossover. As an aside note, ’67,’68,’69 were the best strongest 400 hydromatic transmissions made. And the ’68 “B” body Pontiacs were the best quality ones built. (Rated by Pontiac Motor Division Warranty department) Even in 1972&3 they (PMD) were still bragging on them.
Those were really nice and EFFECTIVE back in the day. I wish the new stuff with all the weird LED stuff had them. All this 2+2 needs is the fiber optic indicators. Loaded the way I like them!
I had a 67 badged as a ventura same 428 4 speed 8 lug wheels and all but never as a 2+2
Jackie, the Ventura was an optional interior trim on the Catalina 2-door and 4-door hardtops as well as the 4-door post sedan and convertible. Most were bench seat equipped, though buckets were available on 2-door hardtop and convertible. 2+2 option was on optional only on the 2-door hardtop and convertible and were bucket seat only.
Dad bought a new 1967 Catalina. It did not look like this one.
To Angel, you’re right, it’s a ’67. I looked at the rear of this and no doubt it’s a ’67. I don’t know why someone would go to the trouble of putting in side marker lights.
This car is about 50 miles from me.
Those are cornering lamps. They are listed as one of the options factory installed on the car as per the PHS paperwork.
Steve R
I was talking about the rear quarter panels.
I’d mentioned in another post about the cornering lamps and cruise control.
The bucket seat headrests look like they’re part of an option package for this ’67 model year, further confusing people as to what year this Pontiac actually is.
This car would be fun to own I have to admit I like bigger factory 4spd cars. Unfortunately at
the cost of gas it would be tough to own a car that could pass everything but a gas station.
I really miss the days when people used to call me crazy for spending 50 cents a gallon for high test for my SS Chevelle.
Interested
My Dad bought a 1967 Pontiac Catalina, used, in 1972. His was a 4 Door and it was tan, in color. My Dad’s car had the 400 cui engine and it was automatic. I remember him talking about the car would only use premium gasoline. I think it had a 21 gallon fuel tank but whatever gas prices were, in the early 1970s, I seem to remember that it took him less than $5.00 to fill the tank. My Dad ended up selling it 1976 and bought a 73′ Malibu SS.
The console isn’t missing a component. That’s a slide mount for an aftermarket tape deck. Had one just like it in my ‘75 Olds Cutlass. Likely damaged the console where it was attached.
Our first car that we had, when I was born, was the 1967 Pontiac Catalina. However, it was a four-door instead. Even seeing this one here, brings back memories because it’s still a Catalina.
Test drove the convertible version about 5 years ago. Drove it to my mechanics shop where we gave it a once over. Found that the frame rails were rotten in several places with remnants of beach sand. You know the rest of the story.
SOLD!