Vehicle Description
1971 Pontiac Catalina Convertible
"It's hard to believe that Catalina's great features aren't the
proud possession of many more expensive cars. The dramatically
convex sides would certainly be welcome. As would the new grille
and rugged front bumper. If it's the convertible like the one you
see here, there's more good news. The top has a brand new inward
folding mechanism that does away with the need for storage
compartments at the ends of the seats. We confidently claim the new
1971 Catalina as the value leader among full sized American cars."
From the 1971 Pontiac brochure
For consignment, a 1971 Pontiac Catalina convertible showing 8,460
miles, but the true miles are unknown. This car has a numbers
matching drivetrain. Just as the 60's made notable reductions in
general car size, the early 70's saw the opposite with big, long,
and heavy cars coming out of Detroit and the Catalina exemplifies
this trend. Here's a diamond in the rough with good bones ready for
some oceanside cruising!
Exterior
This impressive land yacht wears a coat of two stage Emerald Green
Metallic over long panels and an extended overhang past the rear
axle. The face portrays Pontiac's familiar beak design which
extends the center of the grille that comes to a point, capped by
the arrowhead of course, and flanked by dual headlights on each
side. At the end of the wide, flat, and vented decklid are simple
tail lights that vary little from GM's other offerings in this
period, here bookended by extended fenders that hint of fins
without going all out. 15-inch steel wheels are topped with correct
hubcaps and wrapped in 75 series white walls with the thin band of
white common in this era. The black canvas top is in good shape,
but the glass window is loose and subject to some duct tape repair.
Other imperfections include some fading paint around the tail light
bezels, orange peel in the paint, and some bubbling on a lower
panel.
Interior
The car's Ivory interior is where you'll want to target your
restoration efforts as it's in need. Much of the inside, beginning
with the door panels, could use a recoating or upgrade. We note
speakers added to the carpeted kick panel of each door which also
have simulated woodgrain inserts on top and electric window
switches, some loose. The vinyl on the split bench seat is loose at
the corners and mounting points but are otherwise intact and that's
mirrored on the rear bench. The header plate over the rear cabin
will need some attention in addition to the aged components on the
sidewalls. A simple black steering wheel leads to an instrument
cluster based in a woodgrain applique backing and includes just a
clock and speedometer as the main gauges. Vent sliders to the left
and heater and defrost sliders to the right, over an AM/FM/Cassette
player and an added triple gauge pod under the dash. Also under the
dash is a switch panel with a number of toggles. With the shifter
on the column, the floor is wide and open and covered in black loop
carpet while the trunk is well used and houses a tonneau cover and
spare.
Drivetrain
It's not pretty, but it has the numbers matching 350ci V8, rated at
250 horsepower and fueled via a 2-barrel carburetor. The bay is
driver quality with some obvious age, and the engine is mated to
the numbers matching TH350 3-speed automatic transmission sending
power to the 10 bolt rear axle. Power brakes are configured as
front discs and rear drums.
Undercarriage
We hoist the green giant onto the lift and find a used by not
overly dirty underside. There's surface rust, oil on the pan, caked
on grease, and even some rust through on underside panels, but
overall less tired than we expected. The dual exhaust stands out as
newer as the pipes run through stainless steel mufflers and exit
discreetly before the rear bumper. Suspension is made up of coil
springs up front and a 4 link with coil springs in back.
Drive-Ability
The old girl fired right up and slid into Drive as we rolled the
drop top onto the test loop. It tracks straight and has adequate
power while handling is what you'd expect from a long wheelbase car
with 75 series tires. We note the radio and clock are not working
and the right rear window is off the regulator. Beyond those items,
all others work as they should. While Classic Auto Mall represents
that these functions were working at the time of our test drive, we
cannot guarantee these functions will be working at the time of
your purchase.
Big convertible Buicks, Oldsmobiles, and Pontiacs from the 70's
sell with regularity at Classic Auto Mall. This may be the most
underrated category of collectability and a numbers matching car
with good bones seems like a great option! Catalina, the island off
the Southern California coast, was once home to the gum magnate
William Wrigley. Well, it's your turn to chew on this one for a
while and make the call if it piques your interest!
252671P375442
2-Pontiac
52-Catalina
67-Convertible
1-1971
P-Pontiac, MI Assy Plant
375442-Sequential Unit Number
TRIM TAG
ST 71 25267-1971 Catalina Convertible
BDY PON135261-Pontiac Body #
TR 251Z-Ivory Vinyl
PNT 55-Baja Gold, Dark Green Top
05C-3nd Week May
B84-Body Side Moldings
Classic Auto Mall is home to more than 1,000 classic and
collectible vehicles for sale via consignment in a climate
controlled 336,000-square foot showroom (that's more than 8
acres!). The largest single location consignment dealer of classic
and collectible vehicles in the country is located in Morgantown,
Pennsylvania, just 1-hour west of Philadelphia off Exit 298 of the
I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. For more information visit
www.classicautomall.com or call us at (888) 227-0914. Contact us
anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in person.
There is no guarantee of mileage. A $299 Dealer Administrative fee
is not included in the advertised price.
With so many great cars, you know we have a lot to talk about, and
we do that each week on the Classic Auto Mall Podcast with host
Stewart Howden. Stewart discusses new inventory as well as trends
in consignments and car prices, while interviewing celebrities and
automotive professionals about amazing cars and their history. Tune
in each week to the Classic Auto Mall Podcast wherever you enjoy
listening. You can also watch on YouTube!
