The Flattop is considered a classic male short hairstyle that was popular not only in the 1950’s and pre-Beatles 1960’s, but also in the early 1900’s. And according to Wikipedia, “the flattop maintains a contingent of dedicated wearers today” (Pro Football Hall of Famer and broadcaster, Howie Long, comes to mind and has worn his signature flattop for decades). Growing up in the 1960’s, two of my cousins wore flattops very well. When I tried that hairstyle as a ten-year-old in the summer of ‘65, the results weren’t too flattering, no pun intended. I just didn’t have the best-shaped head, elongated face, and according to my barber, my head was a bit lumpy to pull off a flattop. Well, here’s a very-original 1960 Pontiac Catalina 4-door hardtop where the Vista “flat top” roofline looks great and compliments the stylish, squarish, low-and-wide lines of the car beautifully in my opinion. It’s currently located in Belton, South Carolina, and is listed for sale here on Facebook Marketplace for $19,500. The seller also made a walk around video last year when he first purchased the car in Montana (and drove it to South Carolina). Heap How! to our pal, T.J., for sending this fine flat-topped Poncho our way.
Excuse me for being nostalgic, but I grew up riding in a 1960 Pontiac Catalina Vista four-door. My dad bought one at the end of the ’60 model year from Roundtree Pontiac in Petersburg, Virginia. It was Sierra Copper with a Shelltone Ivory top, and this one appears to be finished in an attractive dark brown metallic paint called Mahogany Poly. The seller says it’s the original factory paint. If so, this Catalina has spent a lot of time in a garage as the paint is shiny and very presentable and looks great to be 65 years old. All of the chrome, trim, badging and what Pontiac called the Vista’s “full-circle glass area for unlimited visibility” looks to be in tip-top shape. The only things keeping it from looking stock are the current wheels (which appear to be Chrysler in nature) and period-correct whitewall tires.
Dad and Mom’s ’60 Pontiac Vista had this same brown vinyl and fabric interior with brown and white vinyl door panels. It was comfortable and had to be durable to survive the three Denny kids. We didn’t have air conditioning, so with the four windows down and that huge wraparound windshield and back glass, you really got the full effect of the Vista’s openness. There were no blindspots on these Vista hardtops, that’s for sure. The highly-original interior (the seller says in the video that he believes the seat bottoms had been reupholstered) appears to be in very good condition with minimal wear showing.
1960 Catalina’s came with a base two-barrel carb 389-cubic-inch V8. The seller says this one has the optional four-barrel carb 389 that generated about 300 horsepower when new. It’s mated to a smooth shifting 3-speed Hydra-Matic automatic transmission and 85,300 original miles are listed in the ad. The seller describes the Poncho as “Drive anywhere. Runs, drives, and stops great. Everything works.” In the video, the seller stated a year ago that the Catalina does not have power steering or power brakes, but the ad says the front brakes were converted from drum to disc brakes. I would like to know this Pontiac’s story and how it came to be in such remarkable condition for being 65 years old. As Pontiac’s lowest-price model, most four-door Catalinas were bought by value-conscious families and put through the test. Only a select few, like this one, were pampered and garage-kept most of its life and are in this kind of original condition. Have you ever seen one more original than this?
I love it, you got your wide track, a flat-top, and a great color combo. If it were mine, I might boost the horsepower a bit with the tri-power setup.
I have a 59 2dr Catalina a 59 Bonny Flat top and a 60 2 dr. 4spd among my cars. The Catalina with tri power is a constant headache. I am ready to put a 4bbl on it seriously.
The “flat top”- my father’s favorite. In early 1964, I was a ten year old Air Force brat living on base. My hair was about .125” long. One Saturday, my father gave me $1.00 and told me to get a haircut. I walked into the Base Barber Shop and asked for a “Beatle haircut”. About two minutes later, I got up and walked home. My father said, “I thought that you got a haircut.” I replied, “I did- I got a Beatle haircut”, to which he replied, “get in the car.” Arriving back at the barber shop, my dad opened the door and asked, “Which one of you clowns gave my son this Beatle haircut?” The haircut that followed was free.
Did you and I have the same old man? I think it was for my Bar Mitzvah, I wanted long hair, got a minor haircut, when the old man saw that, we got in the car and went back, and he said “what #*%# #*$@ gave my kid this $#@*& haircut, now do it right”. And they did to my dismay, but utter embarrassment. I was 13, what could I do? At 18 years and 30 seconds, I was out the door.
I grew up on the other side of that, at maybe 10 in 1984 I got a haircut that left my ears exposed for the first time in living memory and felt a draft like it was going through my ear canals past my brain and out the other end for a week!
I had a similar experience when I joined the USAF. I had fairly long hair when I went into basic training. That lasted less than 24 hours. Texas in January is cold- we had snow. We were issued two blankets. I laid under one and wrapped the other one around my nearly bald head to prevent the heat of my body from escaping out through my head. The cold air coming in through the broken window in our barracks only increased our level of joy…
I would think that there are more than a few BFs who can relate.
I can appreciate your situation as my USAF OTC class was in February in Texas. Only difference was my hair started leaving me my sophomore year of college. Those flimsy hats didn’t help much that time of year.
In the late fifties, immediately after school let out for summer vacation, my father would order me to visit Franco the barber for a flat-top, which he called a “German” haircut. I hated the look, but I wouldn’t have dreamed to resist my father’s wishes. Besides, the flat-top would be the only haircut I’d get for the entire summer season.
At the barber shop, Franco would buzz the hair on the sides and back of my head extremely short. Having left the top uncut, he’d then place a steel, grate-like spacer with an integrated bubble level atop my head. Then, with his clipper, he’d mow the protruding hair. The result was a crew cut with a perfectly level flat top that was slightly longer then the hair on sides and back of my head.
I didn’t realize, until many years later when I saw movies of Nazi soldiers sporting such haircuts, why my father described then as German. And though I disliked the look, I now consider it less unattractive than today’s Himmler (my term) haircut, known as the “fade,” which specifies considerably long hair on top that fades to extremely short or even shaved sides.
My Dad had the same car in the Olds 98 mode, pure white over a maroon interior and biggest engine available. Didn’t realize how big it was until he let me take it to an out of town basket ball game with my girl friend and another couple. Except for my hearse it was the biggest thing I’ve ever driven. Nice car here… but BIG.
Mine is 222 inches!
Are you talking about a car?
Love it. Euh what’s with the shutoff valve on the heater hose. Do we still have the oem air cleaner. The disc brake conversion is a nice touch. Guessing that power brakes and steering existed i’d do that upgrade. Now contribute to my education. Weren’t the Hydra-Matics of that era all four speeds
I now stand corrected for my previous post, i just had to read up. The Roto-hydramatic 375 transmission was on the duty roaster on the full size Pontiacs
My father was the part time cop in the small town I grew up in. He had a 60 Pontiac Star Chief that he used as the police car.
I remember the red light on top and the whip antenna for the police radio.
Glass with class.
WHAT????? No Fingerhut clear seatcovers???? My Dad’s Catalina had them.
My second car was a ’60 4 door Catalina. 389 engine and a four speed Hydamatic transmission. It would fly, but required GOOD high test gasoline-Shell, Esso/Enco, Texaco, etc., not the cheap stuff. The compression ratio was 10.25:1.
I’m not usually a 4 door fan, but this 4 Dr hardtop/flat top is special. I’d have to add power brakes and AC being in the South. Adding power steering would be very involved. She’s clean as a whistle for sure.
Just do not roll it over – today’s cars have far worse visibility but like the cars of the late ’30’s through the early ’50’s many could roll over and not have the roof cave in. I see it all the time with modern cars surviving roll overs, as do the passengers.
Upgrade to front disc brakes with the original single master cylinder? I’m not sure that computes in hydraulic capacity for disc brakes. I could be wrong, but if upgrading the brakes one item at a time. I would be fitting a dual master first. And if I remember correctly, brakes with wheel cylinders have check valves in the master cylinder to prevent too much fluid returning after brake application. Which would normally be very bad for disc brakes. At least this is my experience. Nice car, (I prefer the 1961) I just have “concerns” over the brake system. Am I wrong? (I am getting pretty old)
Not wrong but you can use a proportion valve in the system to even out the single line system. I’d just change it over.
I have a 59 2dr Catalina a 59 Bonny Flat top and a 60 2 dr. 4spd among my cars. The Catalina with tri power is a constant headache. I am ready to put a 4bbl on it seriously.
I don’t blame you for switching to a single 4bbl from that tri power setup. I guess it would involve switching to an edelbrock single carb intake as well. The 389s are great engines.
Not a fan of 4-doors, but this one is sweet. Helps that it’s a Poncho, too.
I have my own story about a haircut, back when I had my white-boy hippie Afro back in ’70 and had to report for basic training. Sat down in the base’s barberchair and heard a lot of giggling behind me. The barber took his electric shears and made one pass down the center of my scalp, back-to-front. I was then blinded by a barrage of flashbulbs as all the sergeants had their cameras out to humiliate me. All through basic I was known as “Bozo”.
I did not enjoy the Army.
Didn’t they used to say stuff like, “If Uncle Sam wanted you to enjoy the Army, he would have issued you some enjoyment. Now drop and give me twenty, maggot!”
look like late model chevy truck wheels and caps. nice car
Anyone remember flattop with fenders? Let you keep the ducktails. Of course you had to utilize the Brylcream. My Aunt had one of these. With my mom in front she still had room for six 8-14 year olds. This car would be an anomaly at C&C. GLWTS.
Your aunt had a flattop haircut? WOW! :D
I took my driver’s test in my girlfriend’s ’60 Catalina. At the time, you could go on Saturday, so that’s what I did to avoid having to actually parallel park that behemoth. Lots of great memories.
Mine was done in a 4 door Buick Roadmaster. My car was a Crosley sedan…..
I had to take the test for my Commercial Drivers License years ago in a 30’ long fire apparatus. You have to parallel park in a box that they construct with cones that is the vehicle length, plus ten feet. If you so much as touch a cone, the entire test is over. I borrowed a bunch of cones and practiced until I got it. Aced the test.
I never understood why this was required for emergency vehicles:
“Chief, we will start fire suppression soon, but we are still trying to find a parking space big enough to parallel park the apparatus. Over.”