Great Big Cat: 1965 Pontiac Catalina Ventura

California locales Catalina and Ventura both feature in the name of this large two-door Pontiac. Catalina is the model, a full-sized Poncho offering. Ventura is the trim package, which fancied up the interior and appeared in exterior “Ventura” emblems. TJ caught this tip for us, and well done to him.  The 1965 Pontiac Catalina Ventura seen in all its glory here on ebay is priced at what the Brits would label an “eye-watering” $38,995, but there is the chance to make an offer. If you hit the magic price, you’ll find a way to Newport, New Hampshire to slide into a large front bench seat and point your way home. You’ve got almost a month to make your play. This handsome runner is not up for auction, but featured in an ad for sale.

The car runs the venerable Pontiac 389-cid engine, and an accompanying automatic transmission. The odo shows about 58,500 miles, represented as original. The car also has easy-driving qualities from its power steering and brakes, something not every classic can boast. There is no mention of how any of these mechanical elements run, so one is left to presume that this car could roll off the trailer and be used that same afternoon. Talk about a day to remember! And just look at the pristine interior. You’re not only going to want to drive it but also to sleep in it, you’ll adore it so much.

To me, and perhaps many of you, history has always meant a lot when trying to price a classic car. This one has it. As the ad says, “This car comes with all the books, original invoice, original build sheet … and documented maintenance history of the original 58,500 miles.” Sadly, someone repainted it a dozen years ago, so no matter how hard you wish otherwise, it’s not all-original. Am I picking nits? Maybe, but with an asking price nearing forty grand for what is, really, an everyday car (as opposed to a GTO or Firebird T/A, just to say), everything should be factory. Either that, or let’s be real and discount that number into a more reasonable zone.

One more thing: Make sure your garage is long enough to accommodate such a monster-sized car. It doesn’t look it in the wide-open spaces where it is shown in this ad, but this Cat is almost 18 feet long. It’s nearly 80 inches wide. The GTO, by contrast, is nearly ten inches shorter and almost six inches narrower, and that’s a big car by today’s standards. But if you can find a space for it, what’s to decide here? You’ve got a really attractive car, potentially  zero investment of time and money aside from what you pay for it, and a smooth-driving big V8. If only that price were more palatable. But you know what? The market seems to suggest that this number is not unreachable. How’s your slush fund, and could it stretch to somewhere in the mid-$30s for this cruiser if you decide to jump in with both feet?