Everyone has “the one that got away,” whether it’s a person or a car. Mine is a Mayfair Maize ’65 Catalina Ventura Sport Coupe with black buckets and a 389. It was the early 2000s and I was in my early 20s; although the car was cheap and rust-free, it just wasn’t the right time. And it’s pretty much the only car I regret passing up (it even had eight-lug wheels, ouch!). Therefore, anytime I see a pale yellow ’65 Pontiac, those pangs of dismay stick deep. Luckily for me, this 2+2 is well outside of my price range: $59,500. That’s a big number, but this is a well-optioned ragtop in what the seller describes as “concours condition.” It’s on craigslist in Simi, California, and Barn Finds reader T.J. found it for us.
Unfortunately, the advertisement includes no pictures of the 2+2’s standard 338-horsepower 421, but there is a reproduction window sticker and Pontiac Historical Services documentation. Additionally, it’s a one-owner car (according to the ad). If the information on the sticker is correct, this Pontiac was built and sold in California, a sunshiny state for a car that was born for sunny days.
In essence, the 2+2 was a bigger GTO with a name that some found equally heretical. “GTO” and “2+2” conjured up images of sporting Ferraris, not bread-and-butter Pontiacs, but that was the magic of John DeLorean, Jim Wangers, and all who made Pontiac such a singular make in the 1960s. And the 2+2 wasn’t a paper tiger (as the ads might have said); in addition to the 421, it got upgraded suspension, bucket seats, and dual exhaust, among other things. This one has the optional Turbo Hydramatic transmission (wouldn’t a four speed be cool?), console, and power windows.
It was all surrounded by styling that Uncle Tom McCahill from Mechanix Illustrated called the best in the industry, save for perhaps the Buick Riviera. Although the big Pontiacs looked a little more substantial in ’65, the swoops and swells so loved by Bill Mitchell and his band of designers hid the car’s bulk. The lower bodyline made the car look about a foot lower than it was, and the Pontiac design cues such as the split grille and ironing board hood said “Pontiac” without becoming cliche.
I’d take mine as a coupe with eight-lugs, but if you have the scratch, this looks like a Pontiac to behold. If you buy it, don’t tell me. I’m already envious.
Pretty, pretty, pretty cool as Larry David might have said. This car must have made the boys at Buick or at least Olds nervous. That interior is upscale in a sixties kind of way. But too rich for my blood.
I owned a GM reps. Special order 1965 Pontiac wagon it had a 421 with a 4spd. and the 8 lug wheels I think I only paid $600 for it.
Boy I wish I still had it.
’65 and ’66 were my two favorite years for full size Pontiacs. I’m kind of surprised it wasnt ordered with the 8 lugs, but back then I believe a lot more Pontiacs were running around with out then, then there are now. My Dad had a new 64 Catalina 2 door hartop and then a 66 Bonneville 2 door hardtop. He just had wheel covers and steel wheels on both of them. This is 2+2 -is sweet, this wouldn’t normally be my first color choice, but on a drop top with a white interior I think it looks great. Too bad its almost 60 grand and we just couldn’t get it for the sticker price.