[north]

I swear that it wasn't planned! I was enjoying my vacation two weeks ago on the Maine Coast like we do every year when I decided to have a peak at eBay.

Lo and behold there is a 69 Catalina convertible for sale, no big thing, already have one so I'm about to move along when it's location catches my eye... New Hampshire and when I click on the map feature I realize its only 15 miles from me.

What can it hurt, I go have a look... nice car, needs a good clean, paint is cheap and old, a ripped front seat. But zero rust or body work, all original metal! Very odd for a New England car. Anyhow, it was so cheap I made a deal on the spot and picked it up the next day.

I stuffed it in a local 10x20 storage unit and I'll go pick it up with a trailer in the next few weeks and get it home.

I just got the PHS on it today, nothing special but nicely optioned by Cat standards; PDB, PS, AC, Automatic etc, 14 options in all. Car was originally sold in Columbia South Carolina. Don't know the history but I have a few names in some repair bills going back 20 years so I'll dig a bit.

[north]

No sign of any accident repair under the paint either. The only body work looks to be a bit of bondo in the bottom of the nose, likely to address the leprosy these cars tend to develop in their noses.

Car has 100 % original interior (mint dash, really nice original rug etc) and apart from a boombox stereo (mounted underdash thankfully) the only issue is a redo needed for the front seat upholstery (luckily 69 Cats don't have any pleats so it can be built from scratch. The door panels have speakers in them but amazingly the next day I found a set of mint 69 Catalina door panels on eBay so I'm covered there.

Mechanically it runs but it is obviously in need of a go through from end to end as it seems to have had little use or maintenance in recent years.

The car was undercoated in the day and it was also Ziebart type sprayed, will be a messy clean up in the engine bay etc

[north]

Engine is the original standard equipment 400-290 horse, TH400 and open diff (probably the 2.73 ratio they all seem to have).

[north]

One oddity is that it's missing a clock, it has the stock block out plate but the PHS shows a clock on the option list, must of been a factory error. I can't imagine someone would have removed it and installed the correct block out insert.

[north]

I think of Catalinas as cheap cars but this one retailed for $4,723 despite having no fancy stuff. More than most GTO ragtops. The AC is a big bite at $421.

[Ben M.]

Very nice! Hopefully it wasn't too expensive...

[Stuart]

You can't beat that with a stick. Nice car. A/C in a convertible was pretty uncommon (athough if it originally came from South Carolina I guess that makes sense.)

[MCronkGTO]

LOL! I have done that too! On vacation in Asheville NC and some time to kill so I start cruising local craigslist ads. Found a very clean 71 Lemans Sport that came with Honeycombs and an 8 track. Cardinal Red on Parchment. Striking combo. Came back two weeks later to pick it up! I am always on the "look out" for cars when visiting other parts of the country.

MarkC

[camerjeff]

Nice looking Cat! Congrates

[north]

Thanks for the comments guys, I only paid $6k for it. Which seems too good to be true for a rustfree drivable 60's ragtop. I would think with a really good detailing of the underhood, interior freshening and a bit of mechanical upkeep it would be a a mid teens car with only a few thousand needed. Meaningless since I won't be selling it.

MCronkGTO, glad to know im not the only one to have weakened on vacation! I've always had a softspot for honeycomb wheels so I can see why you gave in!

Tires aren't fresh but not dry or worn. It could use a fresh exhaust system. Car seems to sit nice, drives nice (only drove it a few miles below freeway speeds).

[MCronkGTO]

You have captured the essence of the "thrill of the hunt". To me it is like being on a quest to find the "hidden treasure". They have not made cars like these in a long time and never will again. Each year that goes by they are getting harder to find in nice original condition. I too look for the "diamonds in the rough". Cars that are solid, mostly original, and with my skills and talents can be "taken to the next level" with minimum cost and maximum enjoyment. That's why I enjoy it as a hobby and find it therapeutic.

MarkC

[MCronkGTO]

I may have told you about the 69 Bonneville Brougham 2 door 428 HO car I parted out. Wish it had not been such a rust bucket (firewall seam was rusted). At least the 428 motor was used in my 67 Lemans race car. Sold everything else off that car including posi rear end, tilt wheel, and about every power option you could think off. It was dark green with dark green cloth/vinyl interior. This was back in the late 80's.

MarkC

[north]

I believe there are two types of collectors looking for unrestored cars today and they both make compromises when it comes to finding now 50 year old cars to buy ;

First is the guys who are very specific about the desirability (Judges, RAIV etc) of the car, over the years they have had to accept worse and worse condition.

Secondly is guys like me who have compromised on desirability (4 doors, non perf cars etc) in order to still find unmolested originals.

[MCronkGTO]

I agree. I find myself drawn more to the "lesser seen" cars than the more popular ones. Finding a very clean and functional original "anything" is hard these days.

MarkC

[ponchjoe]

North, looks like fun and a cool story.

I have a question, when did the TH375 get used? I was thinking the 2bbl 400 cars were a potential spot.

[north]

I believe the TH375 was a Buick only thing in the early to mid 70’s (later in pick ups as well).

My understanding is that in 69 Pontiac (full-size and GP) there the TH400 was the only auto trans possibility. On F and A bodies with sixes and some 350’s the automatic transmission choices were either the old 2 speed automatic and the new for 69 TH350

[north]

Update on this Catalina, ended up selling it to my friend last year to free up some shop space and he just sold it,. It is now in Germany. Those 2.73 gears and the tall tires should help it keep up on the autobahns!

[Mark Simiele]

Another one! Nice find.