[coonhunter70]

Excellent ! this car is so cool

[SD455DJ]

Thanks Mike and Coonhunter 70 for the kind words. It's been quite a journey to say the least. These big old cars aren't easy to do and definitely don't have the support like the A & F bodies have in this hobby.

Dennis

[Shiny]

When I went off to school in 1972, I met a guy from Indiana whose parents had given him their green 68 Catalina. We all felt special when he drove us anywhere. Stuck with me. Your car is much cooler but it reminds me of that time and that lucky friend.

[jabgolfcars]

Man that's one bad cat. Love it!

[SD455DJ]

Well, to bring closure to this 7 year old thread, the ’68 Catalina has a new temporary home at the Gilmore Car Museum (Hickory Corners, MI) in the Muscle Car Exhibition room. Room had to be made in the work shop and this was a win-win for both Dan & Gilmore’s since Dan needed to room and Gilmore wanted the Catalina to display. But, unfortunately, the Cat won’t be at MCACN for the next couple years, however, this may entice a few dedicated Pontiac people to finally get over to see the awesome collection of cars that Gilmore’s has, and to see the Catalina up close as well.

It's been quite the journey! Thanks all for your comments and going along for the ride!

Dennis

[Stuart]

Being asked to display at the Gilmore is quite an honor. Well done.

[Ben M.]

You should be proud. This was an incredible restoration of a car most would never have considered anything but a donor for their GTO or Firebird. I'm so glad I got to see it to the conclusion.

[63 Pontiac]

Wish mine looked that good. And had the 428/4 speed.

[Back Channel]

Visited the Gilmore Car Museum in Hickory Corners, Michigan last week. First visit there to explore the numerous galleries displaying hundreds of vehicles in several buildings. Especially looked forward to checking out the 1968 Catalina 2-door sedan. It's a beautifully restored example of full-size Pontiac performance. Fully appreciate the amount of effort, attention to detail, and resources that went into the restoration. The Catalina in Verdoro Green looks subdued but purposeful amidst the eye grabbing colors, spoilers, stripes, and sport wheels of the other cars displayed in the Muscle Car Gallery.

Highly recommend a visit to the Gilmore Car Museum. Easily could spend a couple of full days there absorbing all the cars, which are from every automotive era, and the information about them.

A couple of questions about the Catalina. According to text on an information panel about the car, it's believed to be 1 of 4 1968 Catalina 2-door sedans factory equipped with a 428 H.O. engine, M-21 4-speed manual transmission, and 4.11 Safe-T-Track rear axle. How was this determined?

It appears that a good number of N.O.S. parts were used for the restoration. Were some of these parts included with purchase of the car and some acquired after the purchase? Thanks in advance.

[sjbB112]

Originally Posted by SD455DJ

Well, to bring closure to this 7 year old thread, the ’68 Catalina has a new temporary home at the Gilmore Car Museum (Hickory Corners, MI) in the Muscle Car Exhibition room. Room had to be made in the work shop and this was a win-win for both Dan & Gilmore’s since Dan needed to room and Gilmore wanted the Catalina to display. But, unfortunately, the Cat won’t be at MCACN for the next couple years, however, this may entice a few dedicated Pontiac people to finally get over to see the awesome collection of cars that Gilmore’s has, and to see the Catalina up close as well.

It's been quite the journey! Thanks all for your comments and going along for the ride!

Dennis

I know this thread is quite old now, and hasn’t been active since 2022, but I’d like to potentially add in/ask some information about this car. I believe my father may have been the original owner, who ordered this car in NJ. My dad always told stories of his all time favorite car, a 1968 Pontiac Catalina, 428HO, 4 speed, special ordered 4.11 rear, in Verdoro green. I mean the stories I heard about this car are endless. He raced it locally in NJ for a few years, before he wound up selling it do to starting a family. Now I came along in 1992, my dad was 50 when I was born. I’ve seen one picture of this car, and I’m trying like heck to find it that picture. I’ve noticed in the thread people have said this car was bought out of NJ, and I saw something mentioned of an estate sale from the original owner, which wouldn’t line up, unless that owner was the 2nd owner of the car, after my father who only owned it for a short time. But what are the odds another 68 Catalina 428 HO, 4 speed with 4.11 in Verdoro green was also in NJ. Do we happen to have any information on the original dealership it was purchased from etc? That maybe I missed. This may be a long shot, but if this is my late fathers car, I’d probably legitimately tear up at the opportunity just to see it. Thank you so much!

[SD455DJ]

Originally Posted by Back Channel

Visited the Gilmore Car Museum in Hickory Corners, Michigan last week. First visit there to explore the numerous galleries displaying hundreds of vehicles in several buildings. Especially looked forward to checking out the 1968 Catalina 2-door sedan. It's a beautifully restored example of full-size Pontiac performance. Fully appreciate the amount of effort, attention to detail, and resources that went into the restoration. The Catalina in Verdoro Green looks subdued but purposeful amidst the eye grabbing colors, spoilers, stripes, and sport wheels of the other cars displayed in the Muscle Car Gallery.

Highly recommend a visit to the Gilmore Car Museum. Easily could spend a couple of full days there absorbing all the cars, which are from every automotive era, and the information about them.

A couple of questions about the Catalina. According to text on an information panel about the car, it's believed to be 1 of 4 1968 Catalina 2-door sedans factory equipped with a 428 H.O. engine, M-21 4-speed manual transmission, and 4.11 Safe-T-Track rear axle. How was this determined?

It appears that a good number of N.O.S. parts were used for the restoration. Were some of these parts included with purchase of the car and some acquired after the purchase? Thanks in advance.

Back Channel, The "1 of 4" came from Fred Simmonds and is an estimation based on percentages of options ordered on the Catalina line in 1968. The only way to substantiate the number is to know all the 428HO PHS's. The only other post coupe we know if has a 3.55 (special order) rear gear with an M-20 trans, so not in the "1 of 4" with the M-21/4.11 combo.

Dennis

[tom s]

I swear I bought a 68 Cat brand new with a 400 and a 3 on the tree!Bought it and drove across country and back.Drove it for awhile and sold it to my then girls friends brother.He put a 4 speed in it and lost track of him and the car.Remember it was a first gear syncro car.Tom

[OG68]

Dearborn three speeds were standard equipment in the B bodies from 64 (late 64 model year?) through 1970

[rockys1970]

Pontiac only assembled 177 428HO engines with Manual Trans. Engine code "WF". Those engines could be installed in any B-Body. Pontiac produced over 425,000 B-Body cars in 1968.

Only 5,247 were 2-door post Catalinas. So how many were actually fitted with 428HO engines? Who knows? Surely less than 10.

I actually owned this car back in 2009. The previous owner, who passed away by then owned TWO identical cars. I know this for a fact since I purchased the entire drive train and more parts taken from the second car which was blue. Apparently it was very rusty and sent to the crusher. I have since sold all those parts.

rockys1970