Record Pontiac’s Ventura for 1968 as another home run for ’60s GM styling. This 1968 Pontiac Ventura Hardtop Coupe in Frisco, Texas comes to market here on eBay where at least 15 bidders have elevated its market value beyond $5000. The 400 V8 “runs great,” according to the seller, and the claimed original interior shows well for a never-restored classic. A driving video shows a quick-starting and smooth running two-door, perfect for weekend cruising. Aftermarket hubcaps mark one easily-corrected deviation from stock.
The stacked two-row dash accentuates the width of the car. HVAC control styling echos the radio, with rectangles and similar knobs spaced to ease locating them by feel. Clear acrylic tops the three-spoke steering wheel for a touch of class. Factory air conditioning vents at skirt level promise relief from the Texas heat.
Factory air conditioning works but needs a recharge according to the listing. Power brakes and power steering aid the driving chores. The two-barrel 400 cid (6.6L) V8 is probably the base 290 HP version, though Pontiac offered a more frugal 265 HP two-barrel 400 with 8.6:1 compression so penny-wise owners could run regular gas. Today people buy a car with no questions about the engine, but check out Pontiac’s two-page powertrain spread in the 1968 brochure, full of gear and compression ratios, horsepower, torque specs, and more! Thanks to lov2xlr8 for some details.
Fixing the hood so it closes will likely be the first item on the new owner’s checklist. Joking aside, though listed as a two-door sedan, the lack of a B pillar or “post” renders this Pontiac a less rare but (for most enthusiasts) more desirable Hardtop Coupe. Corner-mounted turn signals provide visibility from the front or side in a single lens. The seller’s intermingling of “Catalina” and “Ventura” occurs because Ventura is the highest trim level of the virtually identical Catalina.
Simple elegance at the rear makes this Pontiac a winner from any angle. Unique down-turned tail lights flow into a substantial chrome bumper. The inset trunk opening carries rearward from the window trim, accentuating Pontiac’s “Wide Track” theme. Killer paint will make this never-restored classic a true show-stopper. Until then, simply drive it like this! What’s your favorite Wide Track Pontiac?
So, the first thing the previous owner restored on this 54-year-old classic was the vinyl top?
The ’67 iteration of this car (2-door Catalina/Grand Prix) was, bar none, the BEST looking full-sized GM car of 1967. The 1968 front end treatment changed the look for the worse.
Important to note:
The Catalina, 2+2, and Grand Prix, were all based on the 121-inch wheelbase full-sized Pontiac platform. This was the best looking Pontiac ever produced if talking about the big cars.
The Bonneville and Executive models rode on a longer, 124-inch wheelbase platform. Many (most?), mistakenly, think these cars are all one and the same but, they are not. They look more like a big, long boat, in my opinion.
The Catalina (the ultimate bada** was the 2-Door (post) Sedan) and/or 2+2 with the massive 428 H.O. and a close or wide ratio 4-speed (depending on rear-end gear ratio ordered) was available with gears as low as a 4.33 to 1 and produced 376 horsepower, according to the factory brochures (probably way underrated). It was said they would run the 1/4 bone stock in 14.2 seconds.
We all have our opinions – while I love Pontiac’s stacked headlights I’ve never understood what the ’67’s lights were doing sitting atop the grille…? Personally I think the ’68 is the last of the elegant fullsize Ponchos – the following years they just turned into bloated versions of themselves…
The 69s are virtually the same car but with an Endura rubber nose
I know – however my ‘meh’ to the ’69 has more to do with its ass. By eliminatng the recessed tailights (a Pontiac hallmark throughout the 60s) it became just a fat swollen variant of the ’68. TBH Pontiac’s designers did a much better job on the ’69 Safari’s tail than they did on the sedans.
Still; the ’69 looks leaps ahead of the ’70 (ALSO on the same body) which looks like Pontiac’s attempt to design an Edsel…
A buddy of mine had a 67 Ventura back in high school. I remember it had 14″ tires, which I found kind of strange at the time for a car that size.
I think as late as ’70, a single 4 bbl 440 charger(or even daytona) came with std 14 inch wheels.
How bout 13 inch 5 lug wheels on early ’64 mustang v8s?!
Bidding at $5800.00+. What is the difference between the Ventura model and the Executive which is what the VIN is showing as the “87” model?
Hello Glenn. There are some extra characters in the VIN on eBay. What I got was 2 = Pontiac, 52 = Catalina (Ventura), 8=1968, P=Pontiac, MI, 245160 = sequence. Reading the tea leaves of the brochures, the full-size pecking order, highest to lowest, was Bonneville, Grand Prix, Executive, Ventura, Catalina. Also the Executive appears to be four-door only. I hope this helps! https://www.lov2xlr8.no/brochures/pontiac/68ptiac/68ptiac.html
Appreciate the info.
My grandfather had one just like this ( here in Canada ),
But I think it was a Parisienne ?
Does that sound right to you ?
Cheers,
Don
Since our family had a 1968 Pontiac Parisienne 4 door hardtop in the same blue colour as this Ventura, it must be my favorite year of Pontiacs.
I really like the wraparound bumper, even the beak.
Reach below the beak, and you will find the linkage to open the hood.
Canada didn’t get the unique body style Grand Prix, nor the long wheelbase models. And of course, all were powered by Chevrolet engines. One of our neighbors had the Canadian top dog 1968 model Grand Parisienne, 4 door hardtop, which got hideaway headlights. Another had a 1968 Parisienne 2+2 2 dr hardtop, with the Chevy 427 V8.
What kinda BS scam were you Canadians running back then?? POS chevy motors in Pontiacs?? WHY for God’s sake? Pontiac built it’s own engines for many years after the dates you reference.
From way back in the late 1950’s, Canadian full size Pontiacs were built on Chevrolet chassis and used Chev engines……The models were also different names. Entry level Strato Chief to mid line Laurentian to Parisienne & top dog Grand Parisienne. Chev 6 cylinder motors were also used as starting power plants. “American” Pontiacs were not ready available in Canada until 1971 when the 1st Catalina’s & Bonnevilles & Grand Villes arrived!
FireAxe; no need to trash-talk the Canuck Ponchos or Canadian car production – it’s quite an interesting story which resulted in numerous interesting and unique versions rarely seen outside her borders.
Due to taxation on imported vehicles Canada has a LONG history of manufacturing vehicles for her home market. GM of Canada aimed to offer this brand a notch above the base Chevy however the ‘limited’ market of Canada wouldn’t justify setting up a production line for true Pontiac production. The resulting ‘Cheviac’ models would comprise Pontiac design otherwise all Chev tech so it could be serviced at any GM dealer
Here’s a worthwhile article on how the Auto oddities came to be in Canada.
https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/canada-us-automotive-products-agreement
Due to import taxes, it was easier to buy cheaper British clunkers, like Austins, Vauxhauls, Morris, Rover cars etc. Other European cars were taxed higher, mentioned in the article is Volvo building an assembly plant in Canada, to avoid tariffs. Common practice now.
Our family ride was a 68 Pontiac Parisienne 2 door hardtop Yellow / BLK vinyl
327. Was 327 a chevy motor? I went to get this Gem after Dad passed young.
Unaware of the value, relative sold for 300 dollars and could not buyback.
Sold for $6200.00
Just to make things more confusing, G.M. of Canada marketed the Pontiac Ventura as a sister to the Chevy Nova.
I almost died in my classmates ’68. Big honkin’ 400 cube V-8, went to pass an old lady in a Buick, it rolled over and played dead. The two hippies in the old Chevy truck followed us back to school, and asked us to thank them for not running head on into us!
by the time they moved to my hatch model (very convienant and as needed by me, utilitarian) the grill had changed (’71/7? ventura II?) Still the 350 ci but a ‘compact’ (110 inch WB). Not sure the gearing but after lots of ‘compact (105 WB) wagons’ it was way over powered (or was it the 3 speed auto from the junk yard we put in?). Tires constantly breakin loose. Mighta been a great drift car.
Love it!!
SOLD for $6,200.
YES Don, Those were the exact 68 Parisienne lines. Our family car was yellow with Blk vinyl roof and black interior. Loved that car.
Funny that it seemed like we were making the rules for how Canadian cars are made. GM was an AMERICAN company then and those decisions are still made in AMERICA.
Being from western Canada, I would have been just as happy to have Ventura or Catilina, etc for the name.