In 1960, Pontiac’s best-seller by far was the Catalina, with more cars assembled under this emblem than all the other models of General Motors’ division put together. With almost 211,000 units (out of a total of just under 397,000 Ponchos), the entry-level Catalina was a strong name in its field.
The big Catalina (122 inches between the axles, or 3,099 mm) came in seven body styles to match every taste and preference, from a nine-passenger station wagon to a two-door convertible. The four-door sedan was the public’s favorite option, with over 72,600 units sold, while the aforementioned body styles (people hauling wagon and ragtop) garnered just over 31,300 between them.
The open-top Catalina was the least numerous version of the emblem assembled for 1960, with 17,172 units – maybe not the rarest car to find nowadays, but still worth a second look. However, a one-owner example is the exact opposite of common, and here’s one that’s been waiting for a renovation in a garage in Iowa since 1987.
That’s not the strangest thing to come across a gearhead’s path, but this particular car was bought new by a newlywed couple on August 22, 1960. The Franklin family traded in a 1954 four-door Ford for it, valued at 400 dollars, and paid the extra 3,200 bucks.
It's a very early production, Catalina, and its white livery didn’t stand the test – not in terms of time, but of owner appeal. Somewhere between leaving the showroom and 1987, Mr. Raymond Edward Franklin decided (or perhaps Mrs. Franklin did) that blue was a much better choice of livery. So, the Pontiac turned blue, a shade that’s still on its body today – minus a few areas where the Iowa winter road treatment and general climate have had a say.
Like all full-size Pontiacs of 1960, this Catalina is powered by a 389 V8, the standard two-barrel high-compression version installed on Catalinas, Venturas, and Star Chiefs. With a 10.25:1 squeeze, the ‘Tempest 425’ produced 283 hp and 413 lb-ft (287 PS, 560 Nm) and was mated to a Hydramatic four-speed transmission (the high-compression two-barrel carburetor variant of the 389-cubic-inch V8 / 6.4-liter was not available on car equipped with the three-speed Synchromesh manual transmission).
Mr. Franklin ordered power steering and power brakes on his car and enjoyed them regularly for 27 years, as his son tells it in the video below. In 1987, the Catalina was shoved in a Garage, with 94,061 miles on the clock (151,376 km, unless it has rolled over). The car is in a rough shape, as the vlogger documenting the revival states, with the left side rocker panel and floorboards gone completely. Also, the soft top is no more, but the rack, and all the lights work.
However, the big surprise comes from under the hood, where the venerable 389 V8 only needs a ten-second sanding of its distributor points to fire right up. Granted, the engine did turn over by hand, but it didn’t crank, and this quick and easy fix prompted it to settle into a nice idle. So, would the unique story of this car and its 64-year uninterrupted ownership documentation be worth a restoration?
After nearly two decades in news television, Răzvan turned to a different medium. He’s been a field journalist, a TV producer, and a seafarer but found that he feels right at home among petrolheads. Full profile
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