Before SUVs (Sport Utility Vehicles) dominated the automotive landscape, station wagons were all the rage. Big ones, small ones, luxurious ones, spartan ones – they all sold well until not that many years ago. Like this 1966 Pontiac Catalina which produced more than 34,000 copies with seating for both six and nine passengers. A one-family-owned vehicle until two years ago, this Pontiac is in Richmond, Virginia, and is available here on eBay where $7,900 is the number to beat – so far. Thanks for the cool tip, Greg Stock!
The Catalina nameplate was a fixture in the Pontiac lineup for more than 30 years. If you were to buy a comparably equipped Chevrolet, it was often similar to the Bel Air or Impala. But these were not built as economy cars as the smallest engine available in the 1966 Catalina was 389 cubic inches (a V8 that output 265 hp with a 2-barrel carburetor). We don’t know whether a 389 or 421 sits under the hood of this two-owner vehicle, but either way, it should be big enough to move this large “soccer mom” wagon around.
If background information and history are important to you, the seller has a thick folder full of records going back many years on this ’66 Pontiac. That dossier should include work done more recently, which is said to include a new starter, alternator, wiring harness, water pump, battery, tires, and more. Plus, the wagon has been treated to new seat covers and some carpeting. Everything seems to work properly except for the factory air conditioning.
The white paint is not original but a repaint that may be 40 years old. Some rust was repaired at the time and an ample amount of the surface variety can be found now under the rocker panels. The frame required a spot weld, but we’re not sure what that entailed. The rubber seals on the doors are starting to disintegrate and should be replaced in some cases. The seller likes this Catalina a lot but needs to sell it to make room for another wagon that has caught his/her fancy.
Used to ride to catechism with the neighbors in their red Catalina Safari. Big, roomy and fast as were a lot of cars fifty some years ago. Their mom was often making up for lost time so we got to hear that motor run thru the gears. Another great memory.
How cool. I haven’t heard that word in so long
Remember they changed it to CCD
I remember watching the classic TV show My Three Sons. That was the car Steven Douglas drove.
Saint Joseph Baltimore Catechism Book.
NICE !
thank you Barn Finds, this is the car i found BFs lookin for a few years ago.
It was a delight to log on at lunch and see this..
im not too far to go pick it up,
i just really want power windows
but
for a specimen of this model this nice, ‘one in the hand..
this car in pictures is cool, but in person is awesome.
If you do this, Jim Reece, Jim’s Rod’s and Classics in Hanover Air Park repaired and changed to 132 the air conditioners on my ’78 Chrysler Cordoba and ’75 Corvette. Very reasonable. 804-908-3706. Good luck.
Because Pontiac was at its quintessential during the remarkable wide track era from the sixties, these wagons were and still are the upper level of most of the long roofs.
I had many wagons among the years. Two are still in my not so small collection: a ‘70 Impala Kingswood and my favorite between all, a ‘67 Pontiac Executive Safari.
So many good memories and enjoyable trips.
Owned a ’67 Bonnevile wagon, essentially the same car, but with all the options, including a vinyl roof, A/C, power everything, 9 passenger, had been the dealer’s wife’s car. Very fast, very close to the ground, eventually put on Chevy wheels to get a bit more clearance, ate water pumps every 40,000 miles, 11 mpg around town, 19 on the highway. cross member that holds up rear end of transmission broke far from home, metal fatigue. Shop welded it back together, said, “might last two miles, or two years, but better to get a new part when you get home, but meanwhile, go easy on the acceleration. Was great for running the kids to sports, could seat 8 of the team, plus me. Got criticized a lot during the “energy crisis” of the 1970’s for driving such a beast but pointed out that the energy it used was far less that what would be consumed manufacturing a new car, even a little one. Died of rust with over 200,000 miles, engine and transmission never needed repair.
“Before SUVs (Sport Utility Vehicles) dominated the automotive landscape, station wagons were all the rage.”
As a 3-time minivan owner, I am offended, offended I say, at the slight delivered upon what is no doubt the ultimate four-wheeled family conveyance. As an admirer of these vehicles, the oft-maligned pack mules of suburbia, I think they deserve the respect of being acknowledged as the trusty steeds that succeeded the station wagon before themselves being largely supplanted by the present-day horde of SUVs and crossovers.
While my trusty ’89 Dodge Caravan SE turbo and ’06 Toyota Sienna XLE Limited AWD have gone to the eternal reward, recycled into beer cans, steel girders, and lord knows what, I take comfort in being comfortable behind the wheel of my 2022 Chrysler Pacifica Touring L AWD, which does a better job transporting my little tykes to school and soccer practice better than any SUV could and still fit in my garage.
By the way, nice Pontiac. My parents first brand new car was a 1960 Catalina Safari, also the first car I ever rode in.
Nice car. I remember watching reruns of the TV show My Three Sons and this was the car Steven Douglas drove. Pontiac was the supplier of the cars on the show.
Pontiac was always good at recycling. Those taillights are from the ’66 Tempest/LeMans
I was looking at them thinking, boy, they look like theyre from a Lemans lol.
Why is the A/C so often not working?
I’m sorry to tell you that it isn’t correct. The taillights from the ’66 Tempest/LeMans are wider and less high compared to the taillights from the Pontiac’s full size wagons Catalina and Bonneville which are thiner and higher.
Of course, they share the same look which was a design trademark that was used every year by every car builder to give a strong identity on each brand.
If this were mine, I’d make cosmetic repairs as needed, then, source a pair of OEM fender skirts, and a set of Rallye II wheels and really make this beauty pop!! GLWTA!! :-)
On the ’66 Pontiac’s, the OEM fender skirts were a factory standard on the Grand Prix and on all the Bonnevilles, but not the wagons. They were not used even as an option on the rest of the Pontiac range.
This big girl will need the 5×5 bolt pattern ralleys but I agree with your choice.
Before I had property I had to let two 1960 Safaris and 1 Bonny go dirt cheap.
Still gives me heartburn.
Did Bill Mitchell’s guys design this car, or was it one of John Delorean’s guys? Either way, this “coke bottle” styling is really excellent. Oh wait….”coke” bottle….so it was probably Delorean!
The man responsible for the great Pontiac styling of the ’60s was Jack Humbert. He worked under both Harley Earl and Bill Mitchell. He became head of the Pontiac design studio in 1959, with the ’63 Grand Prix being the first car designed entirely under his leadership.
Thanks Glen, I know a little bit about the Ford guys and the Chrysler guys of the era, but never have owned any Pontiacs.
thank you Glen its this kind of info that makes BFs such a great place to visit.
So Jacks the MAN !. .
i didnt know before reading this about who and when BUT ever since i first encountered a 63 Grand Prix i know something special happened that year..
Then looking at the following years, and the 66 Bonniville,,
Jack, if your reading this, YOU have exquist style Sir, and helped shape the look of the peak of American Automobiles; in my humble opinion ;)
There was a black on of these on here about about a year ago, that sold fast,, that one i still feel the loss.
Somewhere out there, in a dusty barn, is my dream wagon..
im thinkin of making a Grand Prix wagon..
Sadly Jack Humbert died in 1985 at age 60 from leukemia.
My dad’s first new family car was this one, in grey. No A/C or cruise either. Loved that car, and was the reason I wound up with a ’66 Bonneville, I was angling for a Catalina, but found this first.
The dash has absolutely been cut for that radio. There is a bar that runs across the center opening – you can see it mirrored in the climate control fascia. That bar made it impossible to put in any aftermarket radio. Most were cut. Mine was not, and I avoided cutting by modifying a removable-face radio with an IDE ribbon cable that passes through the opening.
I really want this car – bee looking for one for decades – but damn, it’ll need a lot of work aside from the A/C and cruise control.
“Ticking the boxes” was the game back then and anything was possible. Drooled over one of these in red in 1971, LaGrange, Ill. with a black interior, bench seat and a factory four speed. Power windows and AC, and yes, it was only 5 years old so Im guessing it was OEM.
Can’t add to the praise already heaped on this beauty… but must say, photographing it’s glory at a boat ramp is genius.
My parents had one in blue, even had screens you could put in the two rear door windows as well as the tailgate.
Wow, what a clean 66 Pontiac Catalina wagon! I brought a 66 Catalina back from the brink and turned it back into a driver a few years ago. Replaced a hard to find radiator, gave her a major tuneup and it’s 389 came back to life no problem. It also had the A6 AC compressor and factory air. This one may require some new AC lines and maybe a new compressor, and or clutch, but this looks like it’s all there. Fair price for a classic wagon.
These 1960s 389 Pontiac engines were great, and pretty much bullit proof. Updating its 2 barrel carb to a 4 barrel, and updating it’s intake manifold, makes a world of difference on these powerplants. That’s a really clean Wagon.