Profile of the Pontiac Catalina
Pontiac introduced the Catalina in the late 1950s. The car was an instant success because of its powerful engine, sporty appearance and reasonable price. When first introduced to the public, the Catalina was a hardtop body style. 1959 brought changes, and the name Catalina became a separate model with its own lineup.
The Catalina was the car of choice for enthusiasts of full-size performance cars. It was the lightest and most reasonably priced of all of Pontiac’s full-size convertibles and coupes. In the early 1960s, the Catalina base engine included a 389-cubic-inch V-8 engine rated at 270 bhp and a two-barrel carburetor. With the introduction of the four-barrel version, the horsepower increased to 333 rpm. The three two-barrel version packed 350 bhp.
1961 Pontiac Catalina
In 1961, Pontiac made changes to the midsize Catalina. The overall length was decreased by four inches. The wheelbase decreased to 119 inches from 122. This dropped the weight of the car by 200 pounds. In 1959, Pontiac had introduced a 389 cid V-8. It remained the signature of Pontiac through the 1960s decade. The 389 V-8 came in several forms:
•With a single four-barrel carburetor rated at up to 333 bhp.
•With three two-barrel carburetors, also known as Tri Power. The rating for this engine was 389 bhp.
•With a single two-barrel carburetor, it was rated at up to 267 bhp.
•The Super Duty version was rated at 363 bhp.
Late in the 1961 model year, Pontiac applied the Super Duty hardware to several 421 cid V-8s. These cars were intended for the drag strip. At the same time, the Company offered a wide range of modifications. These included aluminum body parts, front bumpers and radiators. New production items included a dealer installed Hurst three-speed manual and a Borg Warner four-speed manual.
1962 Pontiac Catalina
In order to comply with NHRA rules, Pontiac offered the Super Duty 421 on the Catalina in 1962. This required that body parts and engines for stock class be available options for retail vehicles. In the 1962 production year, approximately 180 were built. Most were installed in Catalinas. About 16 were put in the Grand Prix, which was Pontiac’s new, personal luxury coupe.
These cars were street legal, although they were set up to be race-ready. The Super Duty 421 was rated at 405 bhp. It had forged rods and crank, four bolt mains, NASCAR heads and solid lifters street versions were equipped with Carter 500 cfm four-barrel carburetors, as well as aluminum intake manifolds. The racing versions were equipped with a single four-barrel carburetor. Super Duty Catalinas had exhaust dumps that could be easily unbolted for extra power, and free-flow cast iron headers. Transmissions offered were three and four-speed manuals. The Company’s automatic transmissions were unable to handle the power.
Other options of the Super Duty included a weight cutting modified frame and an aluminum front-end body clip. The modifications decreased the weight of the Catalina by 110 pounds. Pontiac further decreased the weight by 40 pounds by fitting the engine with aluminum exhaust manifolds. A warning was issued that the manifolds would melt if they were run in competitions of over a quarter of a mile.
1963 Pontiac Catalina
All full-sized models received new sheet metal in 1963. This included stacked headlights. 1963 was the year when Pontiac’s full-sized performance reached its peak. Enthusiasts loved the Catalina, which was the lightest of the Company’s full-sized coupes.
The standard engine for 1963 was a 389 cid V-8 rated at 283 bhp. A high output 421-cubic-inch engine with triple Rochester two-barrel carburetors joined the engine lineup that year. It was rated at 370 bhp.
Buyers who wanted the Catalina for serious drag strip use had the option of the Super Duty 421. It was available in three states of tune, and all benefited from an increase in compression ratio to 12.0:1 from 11.0:1. There was also an increase in the shift point to 6400 rpm from 5900 rpm. The mildest Super Duty 421 for high speed use was rated at 390 bhp and had a single four-barrel carburetor.
Another drag strip version had a dual four-barrel carburetor and was very underrated at 405 bhp. It had options of standard or steel exhaust manifolds. Standard was aluminum. The top engine for drag strip use was a dual four-barrel with a compression ration of 13.0:1. Pontiac rated it at 410 bhp.
Pontiac was eager for high performance and offered a few Super Stock Catalinas that were lightweight with Swiss Cheese frames. These had holes the size of grapefruit drilled into the chassis rails, along with aluminum front panels, aluminum axle centers and aluminum bumpers in the front and rear. The weight decrease was approximately 300 pounds. This allowed quarter mile times at 116 miles per hour in the low 12s. At this time, General Motors banned competition activity, and Pontiac was forced to stop installing Super Duty components on all vehicles.
1964 Pontiac Catalina
In 1964, Pontiac mildly revised the styling of the Catalina. They created the Catalina 2 + 2. It would carry high performance for full-size Pontiacs. Only 3% of Catalinas produced in 1964 would carry the optional 2 + 2. Standard engine for the model was a 389 cid V-8, rated at 283 bhp. The elimination of the 1963 Super Duty engines left enthusiasts a choice of three 421 cid V-8s. They were rated at 320, 350 and 370 bhp.
1965 Pontiac Catalina
In 1965, sales for Catalina 2 + 2s increased by 44%. This model sported a new body. The chassis was slightly longer and had a 121 inch wheelbase. The standard engine for the 1965 Catalina was the 421 V-8. It had a single four-barrel carburetor and was rated at 338 bhp. Two other engines were available:
•The 421 HO that was rated at 376 bhp
•The Tri Power that was rated at 356 bhp
Heavy duty shock absorbers and springs were standard, as was a three-speed transmission with Hurst shifter, a performance axle ratio and dual exhausts. Special exterior and interior standard features included:
•Seat belts
•Carpeting
•Pinstripes
•Bucket seats
•Vertical louvers on the front fenders
The old Hydra-matic transmission was replaced by the new Turbo-matic, which increased performance. The Catalina 2 + 2 could go from 0 to 60 in 3.9 seconds and its top speed was 130 miles per hour.
1966 Pontiac Catalina
In 1966, the Catalina 2 + 2 became a unique model. There were a few changes. It had a new two-stage muffler/resonator exhaust system, and the bucket seats had been redesigned. Standard equipment included:
• Chromed air cleaner and valve lifters
• Low restriction exhaust
• Heavy duty suspension
• Bucket seats
• Carpeting
Optional equipment included:
•Superlift air shocks
•Transistorized ignition
•Headrests
External identification included:
• 2 + 2 badges on rear fenders and deck lid
• Twin lens taillights
• Pontiac 421 plaques on the front fenders
• Vertical slots behind the doors
All three engines were carried over into 1966.
1967 Pontiac Catalina
In 1967, after only one year, the 2 + 2 on the Catalina reverted back to an optional package. The standard engine was a new 428 cid V-8, rated at 360 bhp. An optional engine was the Quadra Power 428 V-8, rated at 376 bhp. The body was slightly restyled and vanishing windshield wipers were included. Despite Pontiac’s efforts to keep the public interested in the Catalina, sales plummeted. 1967 was the final year for the 2 + 2 option on the Catalina. The 428 V-8 continued to be available on regular models.
Muscle car era ends
Increasing government regulations brought the muscle car era to an end in the early 1970s. The oil embargo sent consumers scurrying to find cars that were more energy efficient. Public interest in the Catalina declined rapidly, though the model continued to be produced until 1981.
