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The Pontiac Catalina was part of Pontiac's full-sized automobile line. Initially, the name was used strictly to denote hardtop body styles, first appearing in the 1950 Chieftain Eight and DeLuxe Eight lines. In 1959, the Catalina became a separate model, as the 'entry-level' full-size Pontiac<ref>Gunnell, John, Editor (1987). The Standard Catalogue of American Cars 1946-1975. Kraus Publications. ISBN 0-87341-096-3.</ref>.

Contents 1 1950-1958 2 1959-1981 3 Laurentian (Canada and Canadian export only) 4 External links 5 Footnotes

[edit] 1950-1958

The name Catalina was first used on the 1950 Chieftain (Series 25/27) Hardtop, Pontiac's top of the line model at the time. Originally referred to as 'hard-top convertibles', these vehicles offered pillarless design in the door and window areas, along with the top-grade convertible appointments. The advantage that these fixed-roof designs offered consumers was in its sporty, airy feeling without the expense and drawbacks normally associated with convertible top vehicles. With the exception of the 1958 Bonneville hardtop, all Pontiac hardtops were designated "Catalina" from 1950 to 1958. Powered by a straight-8 "flathead" engine at the time of its debut, it would receive Pontiac's new V8, the 287 in³ OHV four years later.

[edit] 1959-1981

For 1959, Pontiac dropped the name Chieftain for its entry level model and renamed it Catalina, while demoting the former top-line Star Chief to mid-line status and expanding the Bonneville nameplate to a full flagship series that included sedans, coupes, convertibles and Safari station wagons.

In the lower-priced Catalina line, Pontiac Division advertising placed higher emphasis on the top trimmed two and four door hardtops, convertible and Safari station wagons instead of the pillared two and four door sedan variants despite the fact that the four-door sedan was the bread-and-butter best seller in this line.

The Catalina, though it was the lowest-priced full-sized Pontiac, was still a substantial step up from the Chevrolet Impala in trim and appointments and only a short step below the Buick LeSabre and Oldsmobile 88 in trim and appointments but priced about $100 to $200 less. Catalinas also came standard with more amenities than Chevrolet models and included a larger and more powerful V8 engine of 389 or 400 cubic inches, compared to the Chevy's six-cylinder or 283 cubic-inch V8. Pontiacs also benefited from a much better automatic transmission then their Chevrolet counterparts - the three or four-speed Hydra-Matic or Turbo Hydra-Matic - versus the Chevy's two-speed Powerglide.

For much of its life, the Catalina was the high-volume model for Pontiac, and in the 1960s could be considered a performance car when properly equipped with options such the Tri-Power (three two-barrel carburetor) options on the 389 and 421 cubic-inch V8s, four-speed manual transmission, Safe-T-Track differential and eight-lug aluminum wheels that included integral brake drums. Anticipating this, Pontiac offered the Catalina 2+2 from 1964 to 1967, with performance options as "standard" equipment. As was the custom at Pontiac, nearly every engine and drive train combination was available on all models.

Though the basic Catalina was well equipped with features such as full carpeting, glovebox and trunk lights, dual front ashtrays, cigar lighter, glove compartment snack bar (two cup indents on the glovebox door that could be opened for use at drive-in restaurants), heater/defroster and a choice of cloth and Morrokide vinyl upholstery or expanded Morrokide (all-vinyl trim), Pontiac buyers could add even more trimmings for a few dollars more by ordering the Decor Group which added full wheel covers, deluxe steering wheel, chrome pedal trim plates and more. Also offered from 1962 to 1970 on most Catalina models was the Ventura custom interior (which was a separate model in 1960 to 1961), which included the interior and exterior upgrades offered with the extra-cost decor group option plus a slightly more luxurious interior of cloth or Morrokide trims similar to the costlier Pontiac Star Chief or Executive depending on year.

In 1971 the mid-level Executive was discontinued and replaced with the Catalina Brougham, which offered a more luxurious interior trim than the regular Catalina. The Brougham was dropped in 1973 after its sales failed to meet expectations. 1972 also marked the final appearance of the Catalina convertible.

All 1973 full-sized Pontiacs including the Catalina rode on a common 124 in wheelbase for the first time since 1953, with the exception of Safari wagons which continued on a 127 in wheelbase shared by other GM divisions.

In 1977, Pontiac and other GM divisions downsized their full-sized cars in an effort to lighten weight and improve gas mileage. The Catalina continued as Pontiac's entry-level full-size automobile with a V6 now standard in sedans and coupes (Safari wagons came standard with V8 power) and optional V8s of 301 in³, 350 in³ and 400 in³ displacements.

The Catalina was discontinued after the 1981 model year along with the more luxurious Bonneville as Pontiac sought to abandon the full-sized car market as part of GM's continued downsizing program. When production of the Catalina nameplate ended in 1981, over 3.8 million Catalinas had been sold since 1959.

[edit] Laurentian (Canada and Canadian export only)

When the Catalina became a model name in the U.S., GM of Canada decided to build an equivalent model for Canadians. Called Laurentian, this was initially the mid-priced Pontiac, positioned between the budget-priced Strato-Chief and the de luxe Parisenne. Like all Canadian Pontiacs built before the early Seventies, Laurentians used full-size Chevrolet chassis, drive trains, and other parts, using Pontiac fenders and instrument panels. Thus, the 1964 Pontiac Laurentian has more in common with a Chevrolet Impala, than a U.S. Pontiac Catalina, even though its appearance was almost identical to the Catalina. The Laurentian was available in all the body styles used for the U.S. Catalina, including the hardtops. Laurentians were never sold in the United States; they were built for the Canadian market and for export from Canada.

A number were assembled from CKD kits by GM Holden in Australia and more - SKD assembly this time - in neighbouring New Zealand. These kits were sourced from Canada because, as a fellow Commonwealth country, its cars attracted less import duty than those from the US, particularly when assembled locally in NZ.

These RHD cars had the same dashboards whether Chevrolet (Impalas and Bel Airs also made it to Australia; NZ took just Impalas) or Pontiac and only one dash per bodyshell run so the 64-65 models had the one dash even though it changed annually in Canada and the 65-68s all had a 'transposed' version of the '65 Chev Impala dash. The RHD cars also had 'clap-hands' wipers that met in the middle of the screen rather than the parallel action of the LHD cars. Local radios and heater/demisters were fitted - some Australian cars had local Frigidaire air conditioning.

[edit] External links

• Muscle Car Club Catalina gallery

[edit] Footnotes

Pontiac road car timeline, United States market, 1960s-present - [edit]
		1960s										1970s										1980s										1990s										2000s
		0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
Subcompact																							T1000/1000							LeMans
Compact													Astre						Sunbird					J2000/2000 Sunbird/Sunbird													Sunfire												G5
Compact/Mid-size													Ventura						Phoenix								Grand Am																				G6
Mid-size	Coupe		Tempest												Grand Am					Grand Am										Grand Prix																GTO
	Sedan																							6000										Grand Prix																	G8
Intermediate					LeMans																			Bonneville
Personal				Grand Prix
Full-size		Bonneville / Catalina / Star Chief / Executive																						Parisienne				Bonneville
Crossover																																													Vibe
																																											Aztek					Torrent
Minivan																																Trans Sport									Montana						SV6
Sports										Firebird/Trans Am																																						Solstice
2-seater																										Fiero