Thanks to Pat L. who spotted this handsome 1973 Pontiac Catalina located outside of Austin, Texas and (for some pointless reason) posted much closer to Santa Catalina Island here craigslist in Los Angeles, California. I’m no Catalina expert, but I haven’t seen one in this shape since the early ’80s. Nothing says “’70s” more than pea green metallic paint, and I don’t mind it a bit.
The dashboard and controls have held up well against decades of harsh Texas sun. Note the hump-mounted aftermarket cup holder, curious in this day and age when most vehicles this size come with at least 19 drink repositories. The market for 221 inch two-door coupes largely dried up before the advent of the twenty-first century. For reference this Catalina matches the 2017 Rolls-Royce Phantom in length, and either will adequately accommodate your golfing foursome. Thanks to wikipedia.org for some details.
The mid-range two-barrel 400 cid V8 made 170 HP (net) in 1973. This one has covered a stated 95,200 miles, which seems reasonable based on the general condition. During the 1980s, many shade-tree mechanics blamed all rough-running conditions on the early 1970s pollution control components, and often removed and bypassed them whether necessary or not. This one seems to have most of its factory under-hood components. It runs and drives and features recently-replaced components.
While the paint color pays homage to the 1970s, this monochrome interior looks as sharp today as it did back in the day. My 1976 Buick had a similar black-and-white interior; I liked the look and you didn’t see it too often. Few buyers today appreciate the bold interior colors of the ’70s. Knowing nothing about the market for these cars, I’d say it would bring $8000 all day long. What do you think of the five-digit asking price?
These were the kinds of cars I gravitated to when I was young. You could get them for $50.00 or $100.00 in perfect running condition.
My mouth dropped open when I saw what they are asking for this bottom of the line car.
It’s a tank for sure !
I remember them on the cheap too!
I guess the bigger and better in Texas theme holds on the car that’s as big as a whale (b52 song love shack)
I bought cars at a public auto auction in the early 90’s. Like you say, these barges were routinely under $200, running, driving and sometimes rust free.
I have bought cars for $5.00 at some impound auctions. Not anymore.
they unearthed it!
Looks like it’s going into the grave, not out.
I guess you can take it with you. Guns and all.
Not a Pontiac guy. Not a green paint guy. And u know what I’m gonna say next…. I love this car
why was it buried??
That was a different car.
This was a gentleman who wanted to be buried in his prized Pontiac, propped up behind the wheel. Also all his guns were in the trunk
I like it. Color combo kicks ass and the wheels set pull it all together. These early 70’s sleds are kind of cheezy but in an awesome way. I’d daily drive it. Seller would have to throw in a KC and the Sunshine Band cassette to seal the deal.
Again something unique to drive instead being a drone in another Camaro! This car rocks!
Another car that a movie prop house should buy up for having a period correct great condition car in their fleet of rentable movie props.
I doubt they would for that price.
I like the big old boats too
Nice car . . . but it’s not a goldmine on wheels. Rather cost prohibitive. I wonder if any human being on the planet who’s a licensed driver has ever lusted after one of these with its pea-green metallic paint and would gladly fork out the asking price to acquire its services?
That’s a good looking car, not $11K+ IMO though. 73/74 was some of the worst performing and thirstiest cars ever IMO. Even with a 2 bbl on that thing, it likely runs like a pig at the feed trough. Unless you’re willing to put some serious $$ into the drive train to get it running right and wean it off the gas pump, you’re going to have memories of it, every time you pull up to the gas pump.
Arkansas title from 1973, on a trailer for some reason in some pictures, clean Texas title, and listed in central LA. Same old story, old car family doesn’t want after the folks die, family puts it on CL, and because it aint no firebird, the texas flipper had time to weasel it down, get it pennies on tbe dollar. Bring it home, clean, tune, and make it road worthy. I can honestly say, it’s nice, about 7500 nice sight un seen. 11500 is convertible money.
A big price for a demolition derby car.
Anyone else hate it when guys like this post cars from out
of the area on your local craigslist?
Great cars. A friend’s dad had a car like this, maybe a ’71, with the 428, and I tell you what, that car rolled like thunder. Probably some of the last great Poncho’s before downsizing and emissions. If you’ve never drove a car like this, don’t knock it ( demo derby indeed), these were great cruisers. That’s what they were made to do.
Why can’t we buy a new car with this color? There were so many better paint color choices in this era.
Why are so many of these nice, rolling time capsules, painted in awful colors? Hated that color then, hate this color still.
Well, awful is subjective, I happen to like green. In the 60’s and some of the 70’s, green was really popular. My parents house had all green bathroom and kitchen appliances and had several green cars.
Me too. I think ford compact s have something close
Yeah, nice to see a relic like this, hopefully moving onto someone who will keep it stock and rolling. Personally I like cars from the 1950’s-60’s, ( owned several/still do) but was 18 years old in 1975 ( but drove a 1958 Pontiac, and continued to for 29 years in non snow months…notably black and white..ha!) and remember these cars well. My Dad was a Pontiac man, and we had them all through the 60’s to the 80’s. I like the color. Now every vehicle is black or white…boring….The spectrum of car colors in that ( and earlier) era was exciting, and appealing to the eye. Price sounds a bit high, but someone with deep pockets may step up. Seller can always come down in price. As far as being a gas guzzler, it is what it is. I drove a 1955 Nash Ambassador Custom Country Club 2 dr HT. with an original Packard 320 V8 ( a/t, power brakes/Cream and Salmon 2 tone in color) for 7 years and boasted ( lol…) an average 8-10mpg, but the pride/smile factor was worth every nickel at the pump. So what if I lived on ( only afford) pork and beans. The gas it produced helped run the car with a simple conversion kit!!
The Poncho.
I dunno, You could spend 25K for a 62 Impala and it not be near this nice or original. I won’t own another green car. Otherwise I might be a player after some haggling on the price. In 1973 all new cars were supposed to run on unleaded if it was a gas burner. You could still buy regular leaded gas for many years after that. But now, you gotta look really hard to find some. LOL I looked all over town for some went to 10 different gas stations that advertised it on the net. Then drove to the new gas station closest to my house and damn if they didn’t have one pump with it. The funniest part about that is 3 months before I had driven my 62 Impala up there and filled it with premium unleaded never even seeing the leaded pump 3 islands away. My Impala would be a lot easier to start if it had leaded gas in it. LOL.
Pete. Do yourself a favour and forget about HAVING TO USE unleaded fuel in your old car. My club has been visited from 2 different petrol companies and they both say that as long as you don’t use your classic for long hard climbs, foot flat driving for many miles etc. you will never have a problem. Evidently you have to get the valve seats REALLY hot before there is ever going to be a problem. My brother in Canada had an old Lincoln Mk 4 that he drove for 14 years on unleaded and it never had a problem. When he sold it because of rust the motor was still as sweet as it had ever been. These people are trying to baffle brains with Bull**t.
We had a ‘74 Catalina when I was a youngster. Mom traded in the pea soup green on green Olds 88 (don’t remember exactly which model just remember something about “88”) and four doors. Our ‘74 probably had the 400 though I think, maybe wishfully, it had a 455. Either way four barrel carb and two of the biggest doors. As a kid I thought that car would get up and go and it sure seemed like it when the skinny pedal got pushed to the floor. Mileage was pretty bad to as I recall.