Customs Just scored me a 64 catalina!!!!!

Aw come on, sure you don't want a set of 8-lugs?
The '64 was one of the "cars that got away" for me - for six months in the late '90s I was the proud owner of a one-owner '64 Catalina 2+2 convertible. Got it at an estate auction for $3200 in tired but solid shape, white with a white top and black interior. It was sold new at Utter Pontiac on LaBrea in Hollywood. Sadly, I ran into one of my usual financial crises (roommate couldn't come up with rent) and sold it to the guy from Pomona who sold Pontiacs and parts thereof, who sold it to some guy who was going to do a major restoration on it. If any of you SoCal folks run across it, let me know - it was CA license QKP 818 and had an Utter Pontiac license frame on the back. Man, I miss it...

 

Congrats on the 64...

It has one of the best suspensions to ever come on a car, modern or old..
Lee 12 to 1 box, Addco #199 sway bar, a set of Ram Air Restoration spherical rear control arms and your set.. I wouldn't lower it.. That car has an Akerman angle and a camber angle that others would kill to have..

Wide whites don't fit that body style in my opinion...

Get rid of the Slim Jim tranny...

I live, eat and sleep 61-64 big Pontiac's, so I'm a little prejudiced lol..

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/album.php?albumid=25835

 

I am looking at a color scheme like this, this caddy look so sexy!
have you guys herd of rocket wheels they make a replica radir wheel that looks nice still debating on those wheels or chrome reversed steelies?

 

My first car in '84 was (actually...is....it's still in my garage) a 64 Catalina convertible. Man I love that car. Lowered, narrow whites and astros....you can't go wrong. Sometimes wish mine was a 2dr ht just so I could flake the roof.

 

Nice score

 

Ok here is the deal this is gonna be a eye opener but I only paid $2000 for this car!!! hahahaha

 

Too heavy...That says custom all over it.

 

I like your thinking!

 

Bet ya ripped the pocket right off yer pants getting yer wallet out.

 

got that right I couldnt even talk the guy down I just saw it and said here you go have a nice day!

 

I like the big boats, I wish I never sold my 61 Merc ragtop..........

I like your new car..............

 

2 G's - wow - 4 years ago that car would have fetched $7,500 no problem.

kinda like the wide whites myself -

Dave

 

Back to top..

 

Wow! what a great find, like the pictures I would not change a thing, drive and enjoy!!!

 

OK,

I have been a Darsider (full size Pontiac) guy for 25 years. I have had well over a dozen 63-67 full size Pontiacs from a 65 421 3x2 4spd 2+2 to my current daily driver 65 Star Chief 4drHT. They are typically super reliable and since they share their body structure with full size Chevys there are lots of rubber parts and such available.

Their two weakest areas are cooling and transmissions (64 and earlier). Since cooling is fairly straight forward I'll focus on the trans.

The stock trans is the roto-hydro (slim Jim) which is know for being troublesome. I have a friend with a 62 that has never had any trouble with his. The other half dozen 61-64 Pontiacs owned by myself and other fiends have beentroublesome and outright unreliable (side of the road unreliable).

Jack it up, crawl under and look at the driver side rear of the block. It should have a starter mounting pad (the starter should be bolted to the trans).

* If it has the starter pad be happy (most 64's have the pad). If the pad is there then you can replace the slim Jim with a TH350/TH400 with very little work (the tranny tunnel will need to get a little larger but since you have a bench it's not a big deal).

* If the starter is already bolted to the block "YOU WIN" as someone has already replaced the slim Jim with a TH350/TH400.

* If there is no starter pad then it is not quite as easy. To upgrade to a TH350/TH400 you would need to either replace the enine with a 65-74 Pontiac V8 or buy a starter plate.

Having said all that I think your vision (supremes, skinny whites, lowered with a blue top) will look killer!

If you are thinking 8-lugs let me know, I have a full setup on the shelf (been there 20 years) that are complete but need to be cleaned.

Carmak
Riverside, Iowa

 

Thanks for all that info really do appreciate it thats why the hamb is awesome ppl who have been there done that helping out other ppl!
as for the motor and trans i am being told that its a mid 70's motor and trans, the guy i bought it from did confirm that the motor and trans have been switched out... i am going tonight to look at the numbers on the block.... I have buddies who work at tripower automotive here in libertyville il.. and those guys know there pontiacs!! i did get a number off the front of the block on the passenger side. c576446 is the number that i got, but iam being told thats not the engine number. The motor has gx4 heads or something like that. the guys at tripower think it might be a 421 or a 455. I will check on those numbers and let you know what we have for a power plant....

 

Congrats on the newer engine trans swap. That makes it an even better find!

I would bet the head number is 6X-4 which is a 6X head (casting number located on the center exhaust ports) with a "4" stamped onto the far machined pedestal. The 6X is a good stock street head. The 6X-8 is the low compression version and the 6X-4 is the somewhat less low compression version the came in Trans Ams. Neither came on a 421 (64-66 only) or a 455.

You can ID if it's possibly a 421/455 or not by looking for the transfer lug which is easy to see from under the hood. If it does not have a transfer lug then it is a 389/400. If it has a transfer lug then it is NOT a 389/400 (it could be a 326, 350, 421, 428 or 455). The 6X-4 was stock on the Pontiac 350. Check out this site to help ID you engine.

http://ronspontiacpage.com/reference-pages/blockid.htm

Carmak

 

carmak thanks! really do appreciate it. I am going to go get those numbers tonight.....

 

dude thats a smokin deal, have fun with that

 

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=2152924189274
let me know if he link works

 

15 x 7 Rally 2's with thin white stripe 70/225 rubber

 

rallys two's not my style....... I am set on these wheels.... radir look alikes with dime walls.

 

those would look nice, especially in 16" 60 series rubber

 

Heres a Pontiac nice and low.. skinny whites cragars.. no airbags

 

Great score! I have one that I will be finishing after I'm done with my 41 Plymouth. It got me sidetracked.

Cragar SS, Torq Thrust's, Radirs, etc are all great on that car. Don't put 18's or larger. Stick with the smaller white walls, if you are going to have white walls. Keep us posted!

 

16"??? i am doing 15" with skinny whites unless i can come across some actual radirs!!

 

My all-time favorite full-size Pontiac! Great score! If she were mine (and oh, how I wish she was!), she'd get skinny whites and Radirs or S/S wheels, some mild engine tweaks and a 200R4 transmission to give her longer legs. Then, I'd drive the wheels off of her!!!!

 

It is such a shame a car like this 65 Pontiac is not HAMB friendly.

Carmak

 

here in detroit where thr baddest pontiacs in the world came from
a early s/s clone would be cool
packer in detoit swiss cheese car
ace wilsons royal in royal oak home of the
(royal bobcat )
and the GRRRRR plate

 

yeah that 65 looks very nice.... are you sure that thing isnt on air or hyd??? that thing is low!!! I hope to be able to set my car that low!!