Ever see a car that never really caught your interest, but the color was such that you were pulled in? That’s the feeling felt after seeing our Pick of the Day, this 1964 Pontiac Catalina Sports Coupe. It is listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Prattville, Alabama. (Click the link to view the listing)
The full-size 1964 Pontiacs were given a nice facelift after the 1963 debut of vertical headlights. No other manufacturer in Detroit featured such a design element, though many others would follow. While the 1963 Pontiac looked light on its feet, with little brightwork compared to its contemporaries, the 1964 was crisped up a bit, hardening the edges that may have been softer before. The headlight buckets now were enclosed and rounded. Out back, frenched “boomerang” taillights fulfilled what had been hinted the previous year. A strong character line emerged from the taillights and transversed longitudinally towards the doors. The styling was strong, only to pale in comparison to what would follow a year later.
Pontiac’s lineup was the same as before, starting with the value-priced Catalina, which also was available with the Ventura trim package that included tri-tone upholstery. There also was a bucket-and-console package available called 2+2 whose name was inspired by the Italians, just like the GTO, though it wouldn’t become a true high-performance package until 1965. The Star Chief continued the tradition of the bargain-priced long-wheelbase Pontiac, while the Bonneville was the nicely trimmed long-wheelbase model that often went toe-to-toe with more prestigious brands, especially with the fancy, all-new Brougham package. Lastly, there was the Grand Prix, the stylish halo car that sat on the Catalina’s wheelbase and featured uncluttered styling with unique elements, bucket seat luxury, and fine off-the-line performance. After capturing Detroit’s attention in 1963, Pontiac figured out it had a good thing going and merely refined the GP for ’64.
Engine choices were carry-overs for 1963 aside of the discontinuation of the Super Dutys. Truthfully, it was a confusing array of 389s in low and high compression, with power variations depending on manual or automatic transmission. The more performance-oriented engines were a Tri-Power 389 with 330 horsepower, but there also was a 421 in three states of tune, the most powerful being the HO rated at 370 horsepower.
It’s hard to argue that full-size Pontiac styling truly came into their own for 1965, but its predecessors were quite strong unto themselves. Perhaps it takes the Sunfire Red hue on this 1964 Catalina Sports Coupe to truly appreciate what a nice car it is (Cameo Ivory painted top included!). According to the seller, all the body panels are original and rust-free. Power comes from the original 389 backed by a Hydra-Matic automatic, though no mention whether it’s a two-barrel or four-barrel. “The previous owner pulled the engine and transmission and re-sealed and detailed them,” says the seller. “The engine and transmission are as smooth as it gets. It has a new exhaust, power brakes and power steering.”
The seller adds, “This car is formerly from the famous Bryan Frank Collection and was featured in video on Steve Magnante’s ‘Body Double.’” But none of that matters because it’s the Sunfire Red that’s the main feature. For $30,500 (OBO), you can show the world Pontiac’s true colors.
Click here for this ClassicCars.com Pick of the Day.
Source: www.classiccars.com