The Pick of the Day is a 1965 Pontiac Catalina, a full-size 2-door, performance car that the GM division nicknamed the “Nimble Brute.”
Pontiac produced the Catalina 2+2 in 1964 and 1965, when it was given a redesign that exemplified the wave of full-size B-body cars from General Motors. Its new “coke-bottle” body design featured signature Pontiac stylings such as a split front grille and stacked headlights with prominent brows.
This Catalina 2+2 advertised by a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania dealer on ClassicCars.com was the recipient of a comprehensive restoration.
“Pontiac performance was at a pinnacle in 1965, and this simply stunning Nightwatch Blue 2+2 is a prime example,” the dealer says in the ad.
The Catalina is equipped with a 421cid four-barrel V8 linked to a Turbo 400 automatic, which was a new transmission for the ’65 model and “the perfect choice for a big car with power,” the dealer notes. This car is one of just 8,815 Special Edition examples equipped with automatic transmissions for the 1965 model year.
“With its 10:5:1 compression ratio, high-lift cam, large-diameter valves and dual exhaust, this mill generates a stump-pulling 459 lb-ft of torque at just 2,800 rpm, along with a healthy 338 horsepower,” the dealer adds.
The body rides on a large steel-perimeter chassis with a 121-inch wheelbase and weighs a hefty 3,748 pounds. It’s equipped with stylish Kelsey-Hayes eight-lug wire-spoke wheels wrapped in BF Goodrich Silvertown whitewall tires.
“The sheer size of this model is an expression of elegance,” the dealer says. “In combination with an interior shade called Blue Charcoal, this 2+2 was well ahead of its time from a standpoint of style.”
The roomy yet sporty interior has two bucket seats up front, an optional center console and floor shifter, and a custom 3-spoke steering wheel. The dash is adorned with chrome accents and features a horizontal speedometer, factory tachometer and Rallye instrumentation.
While the photos show the odometer reading 99,850 miles, the dealer doesn’t note whether this is the accurate original mileage.
The Catalina 2+2 is being offered for $58,500.
To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.
Nice Pontiac! I cant tell you how much I tense up when I see cars parked with wheels turned! Kind of the same as telling a person to prepare for a photo, stand straight, now twist at your waist left or right and HOLD that position while taking photos. Your body is in a bind! Everything is is stress and is not at all comfortable. Cars are the same way! Twisted into a bind! A photos taken like this also distorts the front wheel position and can make it seem as if there is something wrong with the front wheel alignment. ALWAYS roll out straight ahead and unload the chassis!
allot of money for a 100,000 mile car
as a teen,i had many rides in a similar vehicle, 1965 it was 2+2 421 c.u. 3 speed manual transmission. my best friends mother used to drive us to and from our summer job, and it didnt take much coaxing for her to get on the gas pedal! never forget that awesome car.
unfortunatly, she traded up to a 1968 lemans 350 automatic.
Supply and demand my friend. You could probably count the number of these cars available on one hand and have fingers left over.
Agree Mr.Geiger, Agree.
If someone pays that why not ask it. Personally, at that price I wouldn’t want to take it out and enjoy driving it. I don’t have the time or space to maintain it to just let it sit.
I remember that my school roomate’s father had this same car back in 1965. His father was crazy enough to allow us to “borrow” the car and we would cruise Woodward AVe in Detroit looking for rolling drag races. They were easy to find. All you had to do was cruise the hamburger shops and there were plenty of takers. This car was not a sleeper but still most people were not familiar with the 2+2’s or the beefy 421. Let me just say that these cars were really fast in stock form. Just as fast as their halo car the GTO. We surprised the hell out of many a racer in their 383’s and 440’s. The secret to this car’s performance was the ungodly amount of torque available at any time or speed. Mash the throttle and hold on becuase these cars were holy trerror’s.
$58K is a very resonable price for this car because they are rare and still fast in today’s standards. I don’t have a garage big enough to fit this monster but if I did. I would add it to my collection in a heart beat.
Buy this car and all you car buddies will drool… Then you can blow thier doors off pretty much everything.
A beautiful car! I love the mid 60’s Pontiac styling. Some of the best ever, in my opinion.
I wonder how many came with a 4 speed? I suspect a 4 speed is more rare. And did they a come with the 421?
One of my favorite cars. Sadly, I don’t have 59k to go and get it. Still, a beautiful car.
Nice car. The only things that would make it even better would be tri-power and a four speed. Those 8 lug aluminum wheels are not exactly “Kelsey Hayes…wire spoke…”. The 2+2 was also offered in ’67. In ’65 and ’66 Pontiac offered a set of five wall posters of their performance cars for – if I remember correctly – twenty five cents! Wouldn’t they be great to have now.
I used to own a ‘65 Gran PRIX! Love the body & performance on these beautiful automobiles!! I’d LOVE to own THIS ONE AS WELL….
Terms?!?
I had one of these. Same color exterior and interior. 421/4bbl engine and Turbo 400 transmission (except mine had a column shifter and no console). It was a bucket seat car and it was beautiful. I had “inherited” from a friend of my grandfather. He had slightly stuffed it under a flatbed and had messed up only the passenger side fender (didn’t even touch the door). I got it as a 16 year old in 1974. It had right around 64,000 miles on it. I found a replacement fender in a junkyard that was the same color. Bolted it on, got it right and proceeded to redo the exhaust (duals minus resonators). The car was buffed out and Classic Car waxed. It had F70-15 Goodyears, 5 lug black steel wheels and bottle cap hubcaps. I wrecked it 21 days after turning 17 and getting my license. Rolled and flipped it end over end landing on all fours facing the direction we had just come from. Totaled a beautiful car, but no one got seriously hurt. Not bad for just having lap belts AND using them. I am 65 now.