[stuta]

Originally Posted by Ben M.

Still cheaper than a GTO or Trans Am...

You couldn't be more right Ben!

I think I'll just give myself a couple of swift kicks for all the big Pontiacs I passed
by while messing with the "cool rides".
I just forgot how cool the big Pontiacs are !

[Ben M.]

Lest anyone think I don't have any of these cars anymore, I've got:


1968 Catalina\Executive. Getting a 428 & 4 speed.


1971 Bonneville. Guy dragged it out of a field in Kentucky to save it from the derby crowd and I put it back on the road. Has a 350 2bbl, will get a 455 before too much longer. Going to put this car to daily duty.

[stuta]

Originally Posted by Ben M.

Lest anyone think I don't have any of these cars anymore, I've got:


1968 Catalina\Executive. Getting a 428 & 4 speed.


1971 Bonneville. Guy dragged it out of a field in Kentucky to save it from the derby crowd and I put it back on the road. Has a 350 2bbl, will get a 455 before too much longer. Going to put this car to daily duty.

OMG Ben....you're killin me...lol

I took my drivers license test in a gigantic 69 Cat wagon!
I haven't seen one of those things in such a long time...so cool.

btw...passed that test 1st time, with flying colors, in that boat

[77 TRASHCAN]

Looks like something Jake and Elwood would enjoy driving!

[scottydl]

Somehow I just discovered this thread. Long live the Darksiders! I love all the wheel & tire combos represented on these rides.

Has anyone ever found a nice set of 15" spinner hubcaps to replace the OEMs from 1969? I'd really like a new classic-look wheel option for my 69 Executive, and ideal would be wire wheels + spinners someday, but the price of those new has always scared me away.

[turbo69bird]

Originally Posted by Ben M.

Lest anyone think I don't have any of these cars anymore, I've got:


1968 Catalina\Executive. Getting a 428 & 4 speed.


1971 Bonneville. Guy dragged it out of a field in Kentucky to save it from the derby crowd and I put it back on the road. Has a 350 2bbl, will get a 455 before too much longer. Going to put this car to daily duty.

If you street that big beast you should turbo charge it. Turbo love being lugged down with weight. That’s why they are so effective on big rigs. Hate frag race gearing too. 308 to2 gears and lots of weight would make for a nice turbo car can make 700 to 900 Ho w a stock 455 with good rods (could make it without hood rods but it wouldn’t last) and a 2 bolt block. Nothing special needed but maybe a small turbo cam.

I’d like to see a big car Turbo’s for the street.

[camerjeff]

Ben, I like the 71 Catalina also, but I may be a bit biased. After looking thru this thread I see I never posted my 71 or 78 B-Bodies on it. So here they are

1971 Catalina Freeway Enforcer 4-door sedan. 455, auto, 3.23 open gears, HD Frame, Seats. The only other options seem to be Power Trunk release, Full Wheel Covers, & rear window defogger. 37,000 original miles.

And my Fathers old 1978 Catalina Safari, Buick 350 (in the process of being replaced with a 78 Pontiac 400 from a 78 Cat parts car) Auto, 2.73 rear gears (also being replaced with the 3.08 axle from the parts car.

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by camerjeff

1971 Catalina Freeway Enforcer 4-door sedan. 455, auto, 3.23 open gears, HD Frame, Seats. The only other options seem to be Power Trunk release, Full Wheel Covers, & rear window defogger. 37,000 original miles.

Now THAT is a cool car. Was it actually used as a police car? The low mileage would indicate it was never put in service.

[stuta]

Originally Posted by camerjeff

Ben, I like the 71 Catalina also, but I may be a bit biased. After looking thru this thread I see I never posted my 71 or 78 B-Bodies on it. So here they are

1971 Catalina Freeway Enforcer 4-door sedan. 455, auto, 3.23 open gears, HD Frame, Seats. The only other options seem to be Power Trunk release, Full Wheel Covers, & rear window defogger. 37,000 original miles.

And my Fathers old 1978 Catalina Safari, Buick 350 (in the process of being replaced with a 78 Pontiac 400 from a 78 Cat parts car) Auto, 2.73 rear gears (also being replaced with the 3.08 axle from the parts car.

I like your 71 ....I have two 455's just waiting to go into something cool. I pulled them both from a 71, and 72 big cats years ago.

[Ben M.]

Originally Posted by turbo69bird

If you street that big beast you should turbo charge it.

As much as I would love to do something like that, I don't have anywhere near the skills for fabrication to do it. Learning isn't out of the question, but between cancer, chemo, and a ruptured disc in my back from being rear ended a year and a half ago, I feel my days of doing anything more than light work on cars are over. These are the cars I plan on keeping from now on and sadly not acquiring any more. The only reason they are getting what they are is because I have a sympathetic friend of mine willing to trade me some labor for my liquidated parts stash.

[camerjeff]

Originally Posted by Stuart

Now THAT is a cool car. Was it actually used as a police car? The low mileage would indicate it was never put in service.

It was ordered as the Police Chief's Car for the Chambersburg PA PD and used by the Chief from July 71 to some time in 1978. So not a Cruiser so that probably explains the Low Mileage.

Looking at the pictures I see it does have a couple of other options, Custom Cushion Steering Wheel, & in dash Clock.

I have been able to locate this Picture of it in service from the local newspaper dated 10-20-1971 (Strangely the day my wife was Born)

I plan on trying to reproduce the look of it in that picture. So far no luck with the door shield or equipment it would have had. It did come with the back seat divider, and the ticket writing desk for the front seat. Plus a hand held Spotlight that plugs into the Lighter.

According to the info obtained from the GM Heritage center, it is 1 of 21 Freeway enforcers sold in 1971. There were many more Light Duty & Highway enforcers Made that year. No Break down on how many came with a 455 vs 400 or 350 engines. The Highway enforcer required a V8 Engine, the lighter duty cars could be had with a Chevy I-6 if so desired.

[77 TRASHCAN]

I'm sure there were WAY too many of those ordered with the 250 six banger engine...gotta save the tax payers money...

[necdb3]

Picked up this beauty last week. Needs some work but it's all there.

[camerjeff]

Nice Looking 66! Congrat's