1968 trailer hitch fit 1965?
 

Hi all,

I took some parts off a 1968 Catalina at a local salvage yard and saw that I had a trailer hitch. Will the hitch fit on my 1965 Catalina Wagon? The cat wagon actually has a hitch that a previous owner cut the ball off at the flat stock. I have not looked to see if they both installed the same way... I suppose I could also have a square trailer hitch fitting welded on thesis ting stub on the 65... Advice? Especially regarding the 68 hitch as an easy install on the 65... Thanks!

If both are wagons then I would say you have an excellent shot at it. The gates and many of the wagon body parts are the same. Don't think the frames interchange, but the bolt on hitches may have some adjustment on them.

I dont know if it will help, but I tried to go the opposite direction in adapating a 66 sedan hitch to a 68 vert. I believe you will find that the main cross piece will fit just fine, the problem will be on the brace that runs from the hitch tongue and bolts to the bottom of the rear bumper. The bumper on the 66 is MASSIVE, while the 68 by comparison is only big. How similar is a 65 rear bumper to 66? The 68 valance may also get in the way. I had an old bent up one I cut up to fit the brace. I then bolted the brace to the last cross member on the frame. (That last crossmemember is way too light by the way for any serious weight.)

I removed one from another 68 coupe years ago and on that one, the brace was bolted through the trunk floor and was pretty bent up, so I scrapped the whole thing.

I'd be interested in photos of the 68 hitch, for comparison.

I believe you will be just a happy with welding to the existing hitch tongue. Previous to doing the 66 hitch, I diced and spliced one of the universal reciever type hitch kits to the 68 by modifying the bumper brackets and mounting it to the outside of the frame using the same holes in the frame used for the bumper brackets. Strong, but UGLY.

That's what I ended up doing on my '63.

There is an inverted "U" shaped crossmember at the rear; I cut the end mounting brackets off the hitch and slid it up inside that crossemember, attached with several horizontal bolts.

Not "vintage" or "correct", but I do like the fact that the ball is not always visible, and it allows me to adjust the ball height as I see fit by using different stubs, and I didn't spend a lot of time trying to chase down the right bumper hitch (which I wasn't having much success with).

K

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/...2/DSC00654.jpg

Here are some pics that kind of show the tow hitch on the 66 wagon. Not great for showing exactly what you are lookign for as I was just trying to get some under car photos. I need to get some more. (auction closes soon) but may help?

Looks like it would work to me. Gives me the idea to change my current setup to match this set up with the braces going forward under the car.

By the way, is that a plastic air line for air shocks?

Yea, air shocks. Prior owner, I have not touched any of the underside items on the car.

65 Catalina wagon
 

I have the original HD rear hitch assembly for a 65 Cat Wagon purchased as an option from Pontiac. It was a $1000 option in '65!

Let me know if you want pics. Will take current tech toe hitches (square receiver).

This is a big bad boy. 1st owner had a big heavy trailer I will bet.

I am installing on the wagon again when it's ready.

Are you sure? The whole car was under 4 grand.

Would be great to see the invoice on that.

1965 Pontiace Catalina Safari wagon window sticker $5737.93
 

Your wish is my command...

Invoice is impressive. Hitch must be a beast. Would be great to see pics of it. To compare with current pricing, a so cal custom hitch shop charges around $350 today.

Funny that all the other items had cents (ie. 43.00 for tinted glass) shown on the invoice even when it was an even dollar amount while the "trailer provisions" was listed as 990 (not 990.00) with no cents shown. Maybe this was a screw up on PHS's watch??

Pics please
 

Yes pics!

Bell X-1 and my Catalina wagon connection
 

I'm going to start my own thread as I have some interesting info on the 1st owner of this car!

:jumping::jumping:

HD Hitch asy
 

It's made up of 2 major pieces, from 1/4" - 3/4" steel.

Cool piece. No way they charged $990 for that.

It does not look a whole lot heavier than the factory one I removed from my '66. It was not on the invoice, so mine must have come from the dealer. Same as the one 63GPman posted. The cars did not have much of a weight or tongue capacity according to the chassis manual. IIIRC it is 800 LBs including passengers. When you have the bodiess off the frame, you see how little there really is behind the rear wheels.

$900 1965 in todays dollars would be like paying $6-7K for a hitch today.

I have "63GPman hitch" from my other 65 wagon. That does not come even close to this setup.

I guess my first set of pics do not do it justice.

The "tongue weight capacity" is a function of the frame installed on the car.
With the HD frame on this car it must have increased the towing capacity considerably.
The HD hitch was designed to carry a load leveller hitch. You can set the height of the rear of the car connected to trailer without extra springs. Uses 2 torsion bars connected to the hitch (car side). That's why they have the 3/4" plate steel. To offset the torsion force by the load leveller.

Hitch system Features:
- 5" x 47" - 3/4" STEEL PLATE (hitch receiver arm)
- 2.75" x 2" x 42" - 1/2" angle iron (connection to frame)
- 3.5" x 2.5" x 51" - 1/2" angle iron (connection to rear bumper supports
- 3" x 3.5" (OD) square hitch receiver (never seen one on a 60's car before)
- trailer wiring for lights and trailer brake control
- coil over shocks (cannot confirm if they were stock)
- load leveller hitch (I do not have it)
- 15" HP aluminum front brake drums (stock)
- HD frame
- HD cross member
- HD suspension
- HD brakes (15" front aluminum drums)


The Director of Flight operations, NASA Flight Research Center (for the X-1 projects), special ordered this car from Pontiac in 65'.

See attached pics...

Pic #1 - brake control. Allows you to control braking of the trailer your pulling.

Pic #2 - Rear shot of HD frame

Pic #3 - HD crossover member

Pic #4 - Load leveller hitch assy /w torsion bars

Pic #5 - Load leveller hitch assy /wo torsion bars