The Catalina was Pontiac’s best-selling car for much of the time between 1950 and 1981. It was akin to what the Bel Air and Impala were over at Chevrolet. It was based on the GM B-body platform which would only be outsold by the likes of the Ford Model T and VW Beetle. This 1970 Catalina belonged to the seller’s grandfather who used it sparingly at only 47,000 miles. But it’s been dormant for the last 20 years in a garage in Mount Holly, New Jersey. This triple green project is available here on eBay where the next bidder will have to do better than $999 to crack the reserve. Thanks for the multi-door tip, Spencer D!
No Pontiac automobile sold better than the Catalina in the 1960s and 1970s. Its platform spawned the likes of the Grand Prix which itself would inspire the GTO muscle car a couple of years later. The 1970 models got a mild restyle which included a front grille and nose treatment similar to that of the GP. A 350 cubic inch V8 was standard equipment, but the seller’s machine got the optional 400 which only picked up 10 extra horsepower with a 2-barrel carburetor. A manual transmission was still standard fare, but almost none of these cars left the factory with anything other than an automatic.
As the story goes, the seller’s grandpa bought this car as new in 1970. It hasn’t seen much activity over the years, and we’re told it’s never been wrecked. But there is a little bit of rust here and there and we’re not sure how good the paint will look after detailing. If you like this Pontiac, you’d better like green as there is plenty of it afoot – vinyl top, exterior paint, and vinyl interior. The interior may be fine, but the seller has already cleaned a lot of mildew off the seats and doors.
We don’t know when this Pontiac last ran, but it was long enough for a mouse to set up shop in the air cleaner. As a result, its innards are rather rusty. The engine will turn over, but not fire up, perhaps a signal of old, bad gasoline. The tires will hold air (for the most part), so loading it up on a trailer for the trip home shouldn’t be too hard. Pontiac built more than 35,000 of these 4-door hardtops in 1970, but you see few of them on the road anymore.
Not a bad looking ride…..might not take too much $$$ to get it roadworthy..if bought for the right price..
Badged as a Parisienne for Canada, I do believe. They were everywhere. And they all seemed to be green.
For 1970, the Canadian Pontiac full sized models still came with Chevrolet V8s. An uncle bought a Parisienne 2+2 that had a 454.
In 1971, when the next generation came out Pontiac V8s finally showed up in the full sized Pontiacs.
Canadian Pontiacs still had Chevy engines in them for the ‘71-76 body style as well.
Allen I suspect that 2+2 had a 427 Chev in it. The 2+2 (1969 and 1970) are as rare today as hens’ teeth. IIRC they rode on a shorter wheelbase, with a shorter rear fender section – I think it was actually a Chev chassis, but I could be wrong about that part. The ’69 is a personal favourite of mine, and is really something I’d like to have someday. I have an original dealer brochure for that car on my shelf (somewhere).
@bill tebbutt
My uncle’s 1970 definitely had a 454, I spent time under the hood when he bought it new, off the dealer lot.
Bill, the 427 was gone after ‘69. The 402 and 454 were available in big cars ‘70 and later. Don’t know if Canadian cars got 402s as well, but they definitely got 454s and NOT 427s from 1970 onward.
Thank you Allen and A Real Enthusiast – I did not know that! Still learning, I guess.
best
bt
These 400’s don’t know how to quit running. I had a 1970 2 door Catalina. Paid $500- 30 years ago from a junk yard. Added a new battery and
Slipped some dual exhausts on it. Put a new 3 core radiator in it and drove it 200,000 more miles. It ran like a dream. Swapped to my son for an 86 Regal with a 455 olds engine in it that wasn’t running. He drove it another three years then parked it in the woods out back. A year later traded the engine to a neighbor for a 1970 2 door Cutlass for his 69 GTO. To my knowledge the engine still runs. Once a gear head…
We had a 69 the top end came undone like all the rest and they glued it together with jb weld and traded it on their only new car ever a 72 Duster. I remember far more then I should about that Pontiac probably cuz I liked the green and my dad being used to junk he break ✓ us coming in the driveway and I went from moms lap to crumpled on the dash just like that……..damn it miss the 70s.
My wife had a ‘72 Duster, 318, auto tranny. It was a quick little car that made it to 100,000 miles before the frame rotted out.
My Grandparents had a twin to this, & when Grandpa left, I graduated & Grandma said, “I’m alone now, so I’m going to my sisters in Sarasota” winters. Being the only grandson, we were then up & down I-75 three times a year! I always had to stop for a couple cases of peaches coming back. I had her 50 acres & cattle to attend to for the winter, I promised him I’d look after, so I had to get home! I’m back home from Ca. now after 40 years!
GREAT ROAD CAR! Thank You for the memories!
There’s another mouse nest behind rhe passenger kickpanel / fresh air vent. Doubtless a few more not in view. Cleaning it will be a PITA and the carpet should probably just be replaced.
Solid and reliable Pontiac, though; Cleaning it, possibly removing the intake manifold to be sure the passages are all clear, & changing out the gas / fluids may be all that she needs. Curious if it’ll beak $2500.00
I’ve long felt my dad must have ordered the last of these with the standard manual 3 on the tree. He wouldn’t have an automatic… nor AC or power anything! But he wanted the trailer package and “heavy duty” everything. Actually I’m certain a six was still standard because they wouldn’t build a 350 without AT, so he begrudgingly got this same 400. Only other differences were our 4-door was a pillar sedan, green paint was lighter, and no vinyl top. We loved the front end, which was radical, especially for dad! I’d love to buy this at $1000 for the memories, because most of the “desirable” or rare nostalgia stuff has gone to 10 or more times what I could pay.
My uncle had one of these except blue and a 4 barrel. Man what a cruiser. This could be also. Hope it stays together.
They would do good burnouts..
$1,500 and still hasn’t cracked the reserve I think it’s already exceeded its value based of the current condition but it can be made into a fun cruiser my fear is he said he found a mouse in the Air cleaner and he tried to start it may need to do a deep dive to make sure mouse droppings aren’t in the fuel system.
At least the seller gave an honest description of the condition and didn’t just clean out the mouse turds and mildew and claim it is a now a collector’s item.
1969 was the last year for good looking full sized Pontiacs. The front and rear styling of the 1970 is horrible. UGLY
The gas consumption with the 400 was horrendous. Even in the pre-OPEC days, these things notoriously stood neck and neck with Toronado’s as the worst gas guzzlers. We had one buddy who always offered to drive us around in his mom’s Catalina. We always declined. The thing was lucky to get 9 miles to a gallon.
I agree about the gas guzzling on these 400.I had a 75 grandville convertible for over 30 years and it sucked it up pretty good and it cost over a 100 dollars to fill.sold it a couple of years ago for a song and including all the parts that I had collected through the years.there was probably more money in the parts than I sold the ar for.
Beware mice love electrical insulation. Otherwise, great potential. The Pontiac 400 was essentially a stroked SB 350, which means higher torque. I would add a Quadrajet or Holley 650.
There is no such thing as a Pontiac SB 350. In 1970 all Pontiac V8 engine’s were the same physical size. The 400 had a bigger bore rather than a longer stroke.
There is no such thing as a Pontiac SB 350. In 1970 all Pontiac V8 engine’s were the same physical size. The 400 had a bigger bore rather than a longer stroke.
Hi, I’m 67yrs now. had 68′ 307 malibu. 68′ firebird 400, h.o.350 68′, 69′ 3502brl. conv! yaaahhh! 400 68′ best car I ever had…I got 11.5 mpg! this was mid 70’s. I lost to hemi(not sure if did race one) or 440 most likely. I spent more time over 80. lots of good cars then… cops then couldn’t tell where that burnt rubber came from. I used to tell people don’t drive fast on a road you don’t know!…tell them to practice curves etc. know your car! never run from cops w/lights. however, if you know there behind you at a distance at night.. speed-up around corners..slow as you see headlights. I miss that car!!!!!
You can keep this one.