Advertising:
63 Pontiac Catalina. Lavishly Maintained One-owner Black-plate Original! Wow!! on 2040-cars
Year:1963
Mileage:82491
Location:
Cypress, California, United States
|
Thanks for stopping by to take a closer look at
this gem of a 1963 Pontiac Catalina 2-door Hardtop with the Ventura
option.
Here's Some Pontiac Background:
During most of it's earlier years, Pontiac was the
conservative step upward from Chevrolet and treated buyers to an eight cylinder
(L-Head In-line 8) power option and upscale interiors. The face of Pontiac
changed dramatically in 1959, however, with its 'Wide-Track' chassis,
lower/wider stance, iconic split grill, standard 389 cubic inch engine and a
host of performance options.
The 60's were the heady John Z. Delorean (Pontiac's Chief
Engineer) days at Pontiac with offerings like Catalinas, Venturas, GTO's and
Grand Prix's - which, over the years, have become coveted pieces of mechanical
artistry. At the time they captured the public's interest and led the way
to Pontiac's major resurgence in the marketplace.
One needs to look no further than this Catalina to
find a prime example of 60's Pontiac styling. It features a most stylish example of Pontiac's recessed split grill - accentuated by
the vertical dual headlamps and massive front bumper. It has what many consider
to be the best of automotive hardtop designs with its whisper of convertible top bows. This greehouse style is augmented by its lengthy trunk
and capped off by a beautifully sculpted taillamp design. Its clean, lean
lines are in stark contrast to the bulbuous look Pontiac adopted for its full
size cars a couple years later.
History of 3971:
I've referred to this one as an 'All-California' Car.
Actually, it's an all-Southern-California-Car manufactured at GM's South Gate
plant, transported 40 miles to Tate Motors in Pomona, CA and sold to Marvin
Leaman who made a 'have to have it decision' when he saw it arrive on the showroom floor and later returned to purchase it.
Marvin was a citrus rancher a few miles away in Upland
and worked for the State Parole Board. The Catalina's original Black Plates,
original dealer license plate frames, and blue key fob have been with the car
during it's 51 years and its documented 82,000+ miles - an average of about 1600
miles per year.
Because Marvin was provided with a State vehicle, the
Catalina was only used for personal outings which included a couple trips to San
Fransisco. The uncracked deluxe steering wheel, dash cover and unpitted chrome
and its shiny original paint testify to the car having always been garaged. In
fact, there were some years from the seventies through the 90's it was tucked
away under cover of blankets - since Marvin was saving the car for his son,
Larry.
Larry is the good friend for whom I'm listing the
car. To say Larry is a Pontiac enthusiast and meticulous about the upkeep of
his cars would be a gross understatement.
The car migrated from his dad's garage to Larry's in
2003. During that time Larry has easily spent ten thousand dollars maintaining
the car in perfect mechanical condition and thousands more keeping it in weatherproof commercial storage. There is nothing this car needed that it didn't
get. And while he was at it, Larry gathered up all available information he
could lay his hands on - a sort of 1963 Pontiac Library, if you
will.
Cosmetics:
One of this Catalina's prime features is its
still-shiny, Factory Original GM Duracryl Yorktown Blue finish. Another is the absence
of rust. Even the corners of the trunk seams beneath the rear window
molding are corrosion free (see photo).
Every body panel is original. And while it shows some
wear in areas like the top of the driver-side door, some scratches and a few
discolored spots, most are evident only when paint is closely scrutinized.
Interior shows almost like new. Over the years the
headliner, sun visors and carpet have been replaced with original materials.
Seats are original Pontiac Morrokide over optional foam. Optional DeLuxe
Two-color steering wheel is a mint example with no cracks or pitting on the
chrome horn ring. Instrument panel and uncracked dash cover look virtually
new.
Mechanical:
Engine is Pontiac's high compression Trophy 389 with
Rochester two-barrel carburetor rated at 283 HP @ 4400 RPM. It is mated to
GM's three-speed Hydra-Maric transmission. Both function flawlessly and the
transmission throws a crisp 1/2 shift (not always the case with the 'Roto'
Hydra-Matic transmissions). The engine was repainted when out of the car for
the rebuild. Remaining engine compartment surfaces are
original.
Over the years, Larry has treated the car to virtually
everything it needed to function perfectly (and without leaks or drips). Here are some relatively
recent documented examples:
Extras:
Purchase Information:
On an as is/where is, no warranty basis, this car will be sold to the highest bidder meeting the
reasonable reserve during this ten-day auction, but owner reserves the right to end the bidding at any time. The Catalina is available
for your pre-arranged evaluation in the Orange/Santa Ana, CA area. It is highly
recommended that prior to entering a bid, you personally inspect the car and
draw your own conclusions about purchase suitability. Larry will assist with the transporter, if required, and can store the car for reimbursement of his storage costs.
I look forward to and respond ASAP to your questions.
They are encouraged!
Larry can be contacted for any additional
information. Photos of the underside of the car, can be sent to you upon
request.
Bidders outside the Continental US and those without
a solid eBay feedback history MUST contact me prior to submitting a
bid.
A $500 PayPal non-refundable deposit is due within 48
hours and balance can be paid with the instrument of your choice, but the car
will not be released until the instrument is bank approved (includes cash and
cashier's checks).
Associated Hyperbole:
You don't have to remind me that I've been associated
with the old car hobby since 1954 when I bought a 40 Chevy two door sedan for
fifteen dollars. Because I'm both car and eBay conversant, I will ocassionally
list cars for friends. But they have to be gems. What I've learned about cars
over the years is 1) avoid cars with ANY evidence of rust; 2) typically avoid
'restored' cars; 3) buy cars directly from the owner with documented history;
4) match what you see with what you hear; 5) whenever possible, buy cars that
are original and unaltered.
As you can see, this one fits well into the above
categories, has a lot of desirable options and given it's provenance should be a
smart buy for both ol' Pontiac fans and investors alike as the market for pristine examples continues to climb. This Catalina is ready for
touring, showing or just enjoying.
Thanks for wading through all this information. Rest assured I will appreciate
your consideration of this 63 Catalina Ventura. Addendum: A check of the March/April, 2014 'Old Cars Price Guide' lists the #2 value of the 63 Catalina 2-dr Hardtop at $20,300 and this one meets the Guide's 'fine' criteria. A comparison check was made with my June, 2010 issue. Price of a #2 four years ago was $13,300 and offers evidence of significant appreciation in value for pristine examples. GOOD LUCK BIDDING!
|
Pontiac Catalina for Sale
1960 pontiac catalina hardtop running a 500 cadillac engine no reserve custom
No reserve!! 1957 pontiac super chief 2dr ht nascar hot street rat rod barn 1958
Good car to rebuild.
1955 pontiac chieftain 2dr hardtop
1970 pontiac catalina base 6.6lAuto Services in California
Z Best Auto Sales ★★★★★
New Car Dealers, Used Car Dealers
Address: 2304 Mitchell Rd, Ceres
Phone: (209) 538-9800
Woodland Hills Imports ★★★★★
Used Car Dealers
Address: 22055 Ventura Blvd, Calabasas
Phone: (818) 999-3523
Woodcrest Auto Service ★★★★★
Auto Repair & Service, Towing, Emissions Inspection Stations
Address: 18400 Van Buren Blvd, Rialto
Phone: (951) 780-3311
Western Tire Co ★★★★★
Auto Repair & Service, Automobile Parts & Supplies, Tire Dealers
Address: 801 S Victory Blvd, Granada-Hills
Phone: (818) 842-2401
Western Muffler ★★★★★
Auto Repair & Service, Automobile Parts & Supplies, Mufflers & Exhaust Systems
Address: 4123 W Shaw Ave Ste 106, Pinedale
Phone: (559) 277-5667
Western Motors ★★★★★
New Car Dealers, Used Car Dealers, Wholesale Used Car Dealers
Address: 1530 W 16th St, Ballico
Phone: (209) 722-8085
Auto blog
GM recalling over 40,000 Chevy, Pontiac and Saturn models over fuel pump woes
Mon, 01 Oct 2012The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has issued a recall for a number of General Motors cars and crossovers bought or currently registered in the hot-climate states of Arkansas, Arizona, California, Nevada, Oklahoma and Texas. As many as 40,859 units consisting of the 2007 Chevrolet Equinox, Pontiac Torrent and Saturn Ion and the 2007-2009 Chevrolet Cobalt (shown) and its Pontiac G5 twin are being recalled for potential fuel leaks.
This recall is being issued due to potentially faulty fuel pump components that can crack and cause gasoline to leak from the return or supply ports and possibly cause a fire. NHTSA has not indicated how many fuel leaks or vehicle fires have been reported. As a fix, GM will replace the fuel pump modules on all affected vehicles free of charge. Since Pontiac and Saturn have been shuttered, owners will be able to go to another GM-brand dealership to have their vehicles repaired.
While the list of affected cars and crossovers varies by state and model year, if you own any of these models and live in Arizona, California, Florida, Nevada, Oklahoma or Texas, be sure to check the official notice below for more details.
NHTSA could add 1M cars to GM recall
Wed, 13 Mar 2013
The Detroit Free Press is reporting that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration may expand a recall campaign for faulty brake lamps. The agency is currently looking into complaints that certain 2004-2011 Chevrolet Malibu models as well as some 2007-2009 Saturn Aura sedans may have brake lights that do not illuminate when the driver presses the pedal. Alternatively, the lamps may also illuminate without input from the driver. General Motors recalled 8,000 Pontiac G6 models from the 2005 model year for the same problem, and NHTSA is currently investigating whether to add 550,000 more G6 models built between 2005 and 2009 to the list for the same issue.
In addition, investigators are currently examining 97 complaints from Malibu and Aura owners with the same trouble. If NHTSA adds those models to the recall campaign, more than one million units could be covered. GM, meanwhile, says there have been no accidents or injuries as a result of the problem.
This 1988 Pontiac Grand Prix Daytona 500 pace car could be yours
Fri, Jan 29 2021Hopefully, the fans of GM's W-body '80s/'90s intermediates can forgive us, but we had pretty much forgotten — or had never really known — that one of the ways that era's Pontiac Grand Prix bathed itself in glory was by serving as the pace car for the Daytona 500. In fact, the Grand Prix paced NASCAR's marquee race every year from 1988 to 1992, and again in 1997, 1998, 2000 and 2003. That first year, 1988, the Grand Prix was all-new, making its debut on the W-body platform. It was also Motor Trend's car of the year. The 1988 Daytona 500 marked the 17th year in a row that a Pontiac was chosen to set the pace but the first time a front-wheel-drive car was so honored. The '88 Grand Prix followed a spate of Pontiac Trans Ams. This '88 Grand Prix, for sale right now on eBay Motors, is presented as an actual pace car, although fans could order a complete set of pace car decals for their very own GP. The pace car is based on that year's top-spec Grand Prix, the SE. In place of the standard car's 2.8-liter V6, however, the pace car uses a modified 3.1-liter V6, which is hooked to a five-speed manual transmission. This Grand Prix is otherwise largely standard fare excepting the roof-mounted light bar, the switches for which are located next to the radio. The mechanical odometer tucked into the digital instrument cluster shows just over 5,000 miles, and presumably, not all of them were acquired on the high-banked oval. With four days to go in the auction, bidding sits at $4,000 with the reserve unmet. Although the reserve is unknown, one clue is that this Grand Prix had been listed by a classic-car dealership in Pennsylvania for $18,500. Besides the debut of the W-body Grand Prix pace car, the 1988 race is also notable for its final lap: Bobby Allison held off his son, Davey Allison, to take the checkered flag, with the father-son duo enjoying a 1-2 finish. Now, who wants to re-live those Grand Prix glory days? Get on your Pontiac and ride!  This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.