What is this Pontiac?

[mustang84]

I can not for the life of me figure out what this Pontiac is. I've narrowed it down to a '66, '67, or '68 model and I'm leaning toward a Catalina or possibly a Tempest, but every one has different headlights and taillights from this one. How many models did Pontiac have in the 60s?? I've counted GTO, Tempest, Firebird, Catalina, Beaumont, Laurentian, Bonneville, Grand Prix, Ventura, Parisienne, Strato Chief and probably others I'm forgetting. This is driving me nuts!

The pics

Edited November 13, 2005 by mustang84

[Cory Wolfe]

I think that's a '65 Catalina... :huh:

[LosAngeles]

It's simply called a 2+2....a neighbor of my grandma had one the exact same color. It's a '65, part of the full-sized Pontiac lineup.

[balthazar]

LA's right: it's a '65 2+2, an option package on the Catalina. All full-size '65s (Cat, GP, Star Chief, Bonne) had the exact same headlights, but the GP had unique grilles with grille-mounted running lights. In the rear the Cat had the taillights shown above, the SC & Bonne had lenses about twice as wide, and the GP again got unique full-width grilled-over taillights ('invisible' when not illuminated). The only external differences of the 2+2 option vs. the Cat (besides emblems) were the front fender louvers. Standard mill was the 4bbl Trophy 421.

[ocnblu]

Isn't it cool as hell? Yup, I've always heard it called a Catalina 2+2. For some reason, it comes to mind as Car & Driver magazine's all-time quickest car to 60 mph... something like 3.2 seconds? I know those 421s and 428s had monster torque, but there must have been a prollem with their test equipment that day... or Pontiac loaned them a "ringer". Edited November 13, 2005 by ocnblu

[HarleyEarl]

Sexy as hell....love the Pontiacs of that era....

[Cory Wolfe]

2+2... Catalina... same thing basically as it's just an option package. :P Regardless it's one of my favorite 60's Pontiacs. Other's include the 65 GTO and the 67 GTO.The rest were just alright, though. Generally speaking I like the stacked headlights Pontiacs over ones with horizontal headlights...

[balthazar]

C&D got a '65 2+2 to hit 60 in 3.9 seconds. In subsequent retrospectives, they backpedaled & discounted their own results (an average of 4 runs), but in the like 8 page comparo ofthe Pontiac 2+2 and the ferrari 2+2, there was no waffling or second-guessing. It wasn't a ringer to the extent that C&D's '64 GTO had been (which was equipped with a RPO-unavailable 421), but it did have the nationally available Royal Bobcat tune package on it. With traction, these cars were brutally fast.

[Northstar]

0-60 in 3.9s? That's amazingly fast for a car of this era even if it was a ringer.

[balthazar]

It is, but Pontiac SDs were already quicker than that (again: given traction).

[the_yellow_dart]

I saw a '67 Parisienne 2+2 just recently. It was quite a nice design, one of the few with the really prominent nose that Pontiac had for a while.

You know it's a good design when you can park it next to a new Mustang and make it look weak :)

I can't find a picture of the full car, all I can find are these taillights. Can somebody help?

[Teh Ricer Civic!]

well according to GMs PR department thats a 2008 Pontiac G6

[balthazar]

YellowDart: very tough to find a nice pic of, but hereya go:

[HarleyEarl]

man, that red Catalina is nice....I'm getting aroused again.

[ocnblu]

Down boy! But yes, that red Catalina is a sweetheart. So is the black one at the top of the thread. Sigh.

[mustang84]

YellowDart: very tough to find a nice pic of, but hereya go:

[post="43134"][/post]

I love those big thick chrome grilles that Pontiacs had in the 60s. That is a beauty!

[jmore1276]

I think that's a '65 Catalina... :huh:

[post="42440"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

That makes sense as you can see a bit of impala in the rear quarters. At least I can.

[jmore1276]

You mean a full sized car can be wicked quick straight from the factory? Maybe the current GM management could learn a lesson here.

[post="42851"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

You Rule dude!!!!!!!! BOF lover here, and particularly HEARSES!!! Had a 65 impala, 73 hearse and 79 hearse 425 with factory posi....Your love of that style of impalas is shared by a demolition derby champ I saw on discovery channel (or hist....) He likes them becase they hold up the best. Before that I believe his favorite was a Ford Wagon...Galaxy I believe. He owns a junk yard and has a garage full of 72-75? impalas just waiting to kick butt!!!!! :CG_all:

[balthazar]

That makes sense as you can see a bit of impala in the rear quarters. At least I can.

Not sure why you'd see that; there's no more Chevy in that Cat than there is Cadillac... which is to say none.

[LosAngeles]

That makes sense as you can see a bit of impala in the rear quarters. At least I can.

Not sure why you'd see that; there's no more Chevy in that Cat than there is Cadillac... which is to say none.

[post="43310"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

It's all Pontiac besides that roofline/greenhouse, which is VERY 65 Impala