69 Cat on BAT

[north]

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1969-pontiac-catalina-convertible/

Nice honest straight and clean one owner car, unmolested but needs detailing.

Apparently one owner since new, never seen this car before. Does anyone know anything about it?

I already have a cat ragtop so I’m not interested but it sure looks virgin, hope it finds the right owner who can freshen it without loosing that originality.

Needs a nose (of course) and decent option count for a car with niceties like AC, Disc brakes and FM radio.

[north]

This car would have pulled high single digits a few years ago, wonder what it’s worth now. I guess we will find out.

[scottydl]

I love it! Similar in almost every way to my 69 Executive hardtop coupe, as far as features and options go that is. Although I wish mine were a convertible.

I also have the original window sticker and manual similar to that listing. I believe sticker price on my Executive me was in the $4500 range, so I’ll have to compare closer and see what this Cat offered that was worth an extra $300.

[north]

Executive versus Catalina basically gets you three extra elements…

1… Executive comes on a longer wheelbase and body, 3” more wheelbase and 3” more rear overhang for a total of 6” longer car. All the extra space is in the trunk though. Interior dimensions are identical.

2… executive came standard with a clock and the decor group (deluxe wheel covers, deluxe steering wheel, bright pedal trim, exterior decor moldings, a bit more sound deadener),

3…executive came with the same upgrade to interior trim as the Ventura option offered on the Catalina. This amounted to fancier door panels with a strip of wood grain and carpeted bottom section along with some bright work on the armrest. Also the seats themselves used a fancier pleated pattern versus a flatter stitching pattern. Also on some models this included all vinyl upholstery while on the Catalina all vinyl was an extra (except convertible and wagon where it was standard).

The decor group, Ventura interior and a clock added up to about $220-240 so you were paying in effect $60-80 for the longer wheelbase and body.

The executive wagon didn’t have the longer wheelbase or body (all wagons, even Bonneville had the same sized body) but you got the wood grain look on the outside.

[77 TRASHCAN]

I was surprised that it has a 400 2Bbl engine??? Wouldn't bother me...if I was willing to purchase it, key word...If...

[north]

Catalina and Executive shared the same standard engine, 290 horse 400 2bbl, premium fuel with a 265 horse regular fuel version optional at no extra charge. To put it in perspective this engine was by far the largest and most powerful standard engine on any lower priced big cars. Chevy, Ford and chrysler all had sixes or much smaller and less powerful standard engines and even cars above Catalina in terms of price like lesser Buicks, Olds etc (88 and Lesabre) had smaller lower output engines too.

[PunchT37]

Catalina and Executive shared the same standard engine, 290 horse 400 2bbl, premium fuel with a 265 horse regular fuel version optional at no extra charge. To put it in perspective this engine was by far the largest and most powerful standard engine on any lower priced big cars. Chevy, Ford and chrysler all had sixes or much smaller and less powerful standard engines and even cars above Catalina in terms of price like lesser Buicks, Olds etc (88 and Lesabre) had smaller lower output engines too.

I had a `70 Executive with that YD 400 motor. That thing ran well.

[Mark Simiele]

Sold for $14,250. Nice ride for a good price.

[north]

I think I need the old car equivalent of AA, that was me who bought it. I had no intention of bidding but the car was so virgin and one owner loved and indoor stored for 53 1/2 years. how many 69 anything is still in the hands of it's first owner. Didn't need it for the collection but when the bidding stayed low I said what the heck, and I won.

I'm blessed with a patient and understanding wife, thankfully!

I've got a minty nose for it and some left over Burgundy paint from my Canadian model 2+2. I'll get the bumper straightened out and go through all the mechanicals for reliability but plan to leave it pretty much alone otherwise.

The only Bee in my bonnet is those skirts. They look nice on Bonnevilles but I never liked them on Catalinas, not sure why. Removing them and adding a wheel opening molding instead is all bolt and screw and 100% reversible.

What is the opinion of you guys on those skirts?

[77 TRASHCAN]

I had to read all of your post to comprehend what your AA stood for LOL!!!

Congrats!!! Glad you an do such!!!

Skirts, seldom have looked” normal” on most cars, to me....

Can’t wait to see what it’s like after you give it the “ once over”!!!

[Mark Simiele]

Wow John, another one. Congratulations to another addition to the "family" You definitely have the fever for sure..

I have never been a fan of fender skirts on any car and never understood the purpose of them on an old car. Retire them and show off the rear wheels. My Bonneville apparently hasn't had them on in decades either nor will they ever be.

[scottydl]

I would love the skirts IF they were lower and matched the chrome trimline. I'm sure someone talented (like you :)) could probably fab up such a thing, but then it wouldn't be factory of course.

Side note: Where the heck do you keep finding these "minty" replacement noses? My '69 Exec is going to need one someday if/when I have the funds to get it painted.

[north]

Thanks guys, funny thing is I like them on my Bonnevilles. Maybe it’s the wide ribbed rocker moldings front to back that create a unbroken line or the extra 6” of length in the quarters.

But on the Catalina it has that “i couldn’t afford a Cadillac but I got some skirts from JC Whitney! for my Chevy” look.

First order of business is to lose the hitch and the exhaust system. I’ll get a Waldron setup for her.

I think I’ll wait and get everything else settled and decide then about the skirts.

The top looks old and faded but not ripped. Maybe we can get some color back with a good cleaning and dressing.

[north]

Those nosepieces came in three varieties from the factory. The first two crumble but they brought out a third version (you can tell them apart with the hood open, the lips were all different) must have switched to the ABS plastic used by the GTO nose, they never crack. I don’t know if the third version was ever factory installed or a later service replacement issued in the early 70’s to address what was already becoming a problem with cracking.

This car will use my last spare. On one car I used an NOS one that was in the trunk in its GM box when I bought it, another my body man (a rodder at heart) fabricated one with sheet metal that looks 100%. The others all have good used ones I’ve found over the years on eBay.

To point out the durability of those later version, the one going on this car that I bought on eBay about 2-3 years ago for $100 (my last one) came off an original paint Catalina 4 door sedan that had been sitting in a Nebraska Cornfield since the early 80’s. It still has the remnant of factory looking Voodoo green on it and it is rubbery like a GTO nose to this day.

[camerjeff]

Congrat's North! Nice to see someone with a worse case of Pontiac AA than I have!

[north]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/284589013257

Here is a much more interesting car than mine…

68 Ventura ragtop, 428 (doesn’t say which one) and a 4 speed. A 2+2 other than by name. Apart from a 69 GTO air cleaner and Walmart hubcaps it looks kinda nice. The ad is a text book case of how not to advertise a car.

[north]

I wonder why the Ventura trim option was dropped on convertibles in 69? Much nicer interior than the regular Catalina guts.

[Mark Simiele]

Unique car and a/c too. Looks like a real nice survivor that was pampered all its life. A set of Rally wheels or eight lugs would really make a difference. Has the typical late 1970's/80's alarm siren under the hood as well.

[north]

Brake master and booster indicates drum brakes. AC looks like an after market (non AC heater box) but with a factory compressor setup. Is it my eyes or is the fender jam near the passenger hood hinge indicating a color change? Engine bay does have that minty original feel though despite the mods.

[Mark Simiele]

Yes, there is a grayish? color at the edge of that fender. Good eye. Color change or poor body work at one time.

[north]

Looking more carefully I think it’s just a black rattle can detailing of the engine bay.

[mgarblik]

Congrats on the car. I don't mind fender skirts . They look kind of sleek on the mid 60's big cars. I had a 66 2+2 convertible I drag raced in NMCA with skirts on. That got allot of snickers back in the day.

[scottydl]

^^ Those sleepers are great! And is that the 8-lug wheels with spinners? Love em.

Those nosepieces came in three varieties from the factory….
This car will use my last spare. On one car I used an NOS one that was in the trunk in its GM box when I bought it, another my body man (a rodder at heart) fabricated one with sheet metal that looks 100%. The others all have good used ones I’ve found over the years on eBay.

Well hit me up if you ever run across another one… that you don’t need for YOUR collection, that is. ;)

[Stuart]

I like skirts on some other years, but I'm ambivalent about them on a '69...either way is okay, just don't throw them away if you take them off.

[north]

Finally got the new Catalina home two weeks ago. 2022 isn’t the year to ship anything!

Car is exactly as expected. Legit clean car, hit free and rust free except it will need a small (half a dollar bill sized) patch at the bottom of the right rear wheel well. No holes or bodywork but some bubbles in the paint indicating some pine holes underneath. Funny that my other Cat convertible had the same thing in identical spot, both right side only (dirty outer side of the road?). Undercarriage and in the trunk are beautiful original with zero rust, obviously garaged all its life and never saw salt.

Interior is really nice and 100% factory down to the carpet. No rips, tears or cracks anywhere. Needs a good cleaning though. Needs the regular electrical service for the clock, radio and rebuild of the speakers. I’ve got the original rear speaker and grille but I’ll have to weld up and recover the left armrest to deal with the aftermarket speaker in there now.

Runs well but will need the regular going through (carb refresh, tune up, etc. I ordered a new Waldron exhaust system to get rid of the “wheelbarrow handles” set up that’s on it now. Tires are new and car sits perfectly so hopefully not too much front end stuff needed.

Top is a very old replacement but is still works well, looks good and fits really well (something I can’t seem to get done properly around here).

Paint is cheap old shoot but body is so straight it will look nice with a good polish. I’ve got a good nose that needs some burgundy paint and I’ve got a straight set spare bumper horizontal supports that should address the wonky bumper on the car now.

Funny how the bumper is bent out on the ends but there is zero body work in the fenders.. must have banged the nose in and they yanked it out but didn’t deal with the pushed out ends. If the frame brackets and the horizontal supports are straight the chrome bumper itself is thin enough that it will conform and be straight.

Overall quite happy with the car.

[north]

Interestingly the brackets for the fender skirts on this car are welded on rather than bolted on like on my other cars. Clearly factory done, wheel opening areas are still factory paint and zero rust.

Perhaps it’s a plant thing? This car is Arlington built and my two other skirt cars are Southgate built. Also the two others are early and this one is late build.

All three are factory installed (other two are Bonnie’s-standard equipment and this car has them on the PHS

[north]

Just completed what I wanted to do with this car and after 18 months, it’s finally got its first wash! Went through the basic mechanicals, it didn’t need much, things, like carb overhaul, brake work, tuneup, and the Waldron exhaust set up.

I remove the front bumper and straightened the bumper under structure and installed a freshly painted nose piece. Otherwise, I didn’t touch anything else body wise. Paint is an old lacquer reshoot. And it was a cheap job probably when I was done but because the body is straight it’s still presents nicely.

I then dug into my spare parts stash and added a bunch of options like I often do. Aesthetically the main difference is that I replace the deluxe wheel covers with a set of custom wheel covers. After that I added an eight track., A tilt wheel with a custom sport wheel and the trio of interior power options. Luckily, I had a set of convertible shoulder belts that I had parted out of a bonnie 30 years ago that finally went to good use.

Car drives very nice, surprisingly solid ride for a convertible.

[SD455DJ]

Very nice North! You have an amazing collection of '69's!

Dennis

[bdk1976]

Awesome - looks great!

[Gator67]

What a great looking car, congrats!

[north]

She’s definitely a 20 footer but in a way I prefer them that way. No door ding stress!

I can’t help but think what a great value these cars are. A GTO in the same condition would have pulled triple the money and even a LeMans or 350 Firebird ragtop would pull nearly double. As a guy who has a few of each A, F and B cars I have to admit the B’s are my favorite. So nice and smooth riding and they have a relaxed demeanor to them that spreads to the driver.

[Mark Simiele]

Nice John and love the added options. Good luck with it.

[north]

The good and bad of Pontiac engineering...

The right front side marker bulb gave up the ghost. Not a fun reach! I did manage to get my arm up far enough to pull the socket down and put in a new bulb. Unfortunately the new bulb slipped out of the socket somehow as I was trying to twist lock it into the housing. Bulb fell into the housing! The only way to get at it was to remove the bumper!! Luckily the valance opening is wide enough on the B bodies (unlike the A bodies) that you can easily get at the lower two bolts and reach the upper 4. Ten minutes to remove and maybe 30 minutes to reinstall (due to fiddling with the fitment). Actually pretty easy but still hard to believe you have to remove the bumper to get at a bulb!