1971 Pontiac Catalina

1971 Pontiac Catalina Convertible 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 60s made notable reductions in general car size, the early 70s saw the opposite with big, long, and heavy cars coming out of Detroit and the Catalina exemplifies this trend. Heres 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 Pontiacs 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 GMs 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 cars Ivory interior is where youll want to target your restoration efforts as its 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 thats 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 Its 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. Theres 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 youd 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 70s 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, its 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 (thats 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!