The Perfect Family Car? 1966 Pontiac Catalina

[@DJ-xl8xh]

The family went to the local Pontiac dealer and my Dad said, “We’ll take that one”. He proceeded to lay down 33 $100 bills, and we drove home a green, ‘66 Catalina with a black vinyl top with a “reverberator” radio …. We ALL loved the car …. As a 17 year old, I couldn’t be happier …. it was FAST!! 👍

[@rmdomainer9042smomsuckscocks]

what happened to it then? did your parents drive it to dea th and got rid of it?

[@KowEffisah-arhin]

Wait $3300 ?

[@amb3cog]

When I was a kid in the 80's my mother's uncle, who was like a grandfather to me, inherited one of these from his aunt. I was so enamored with it! It was fast, and beautiful. It was the same color, or very similar anyway. Everything was so solid! Metal everywhere! The ride was so smooth, like riding on a cloud. I'll never forget that car, and how I felt while riding in it. I hope you enjoy every minute you spend with your car. ✌️

[@MrMikepresley]

I remember these cars from back in the day; just getting inside and going somewhere (anywhere for that fact) put me in a good mood.

[@OutOnTheTiles]

That car is gorgeous.

[@mikemccarty8344]

65 through 67 were the best looking Pontiacs ever. Love them!

[@delrayshaffer6376]

This car was produced when GM really was the Mark of Excellence.

[@durango8882]

Excellence 🤣ours sucked.

[@patcurrie9888]

Mark of Excellence is a Lincoln tag line. GM was large an in charge back in the day, 50s to real early 70s before quality took a dive, too bad GM was asleep as imports invaded. If they stayed on their game, Imports wouldn't have credibility.

[@delrayshaffer6376]

@@patcurrie9888 Perhaps it was a Lincoln tag line. But GM has used it for years. gm-techlink.com/?p=14074

[@adamspitfire]

I would say after the firebird and Camaro ended they lost it but when the LS2 GTO ended they really lost their touch

[@josephfolz7332]

,hes, you aee exactly right. This was right at the beginning of the end of the glory days of GM. And 30 years later the brand was dead and the corporation was bankrupt. The worst mksmanagement in history.

[@billthompson5644]

That is one of the most beautiful cars ever... and it belongs to the master of detail. Your narration is impeccable your wealth of knowledge is incredible you just really have an amazing presentation.

[@RareClassicCars]

Wow, thank you!

[@mikesamra9126]

@@RareClassicCars I live in Saginaw but it's amazing how many clean classic cars you find in Chicago. There are a lot of collectors there. My 71 Torino 428scj came out of Elk Grove village of all places and he was all set to sell it to Vanguard classic cars so I gave him 200 dollars more than they did so I got the car.

[@THROTTLEPOWER]

It is Bill!!!!

[@rickmontgomery3037]

@@RareClassicCars Bill's definitely telling the truth, you're an excellent explainer and definitely know your cars...makes for very enjoyable and interesting viewing!

[@fehlrock]

​@@mikesamra9126 My buddy in HS. Drove his dad's Torino with "428 Super Cobra Jet Police Interceptor" on air cleaner. Was absolutely the fastest car I ever rode in. Faster than 350 Vega I think !

[@davidmaryamonson5224]

The base model is well equipped because Pontiac was a premium brand. My parents had a 66 Catalina wagon in dark blue. They factory ordered overload springs that made it a good hauler. With the rear seat laid down, we could haul sheets of plywood. Best of all, it was a reliable car. It was the first car we ever owned that we could drive from Portland to Wisconsin and back without mechanical problems. Kudos to Pontiac.

[@josephfolz7332]

There were other GM models equally wonderful in those days. My parents would only buy Chevrolets. Why pay. Otr for the same car? Our 66 was an ImpalaSS sport coupe samebright interior moldings. Ermine White, same aqua interior, inyl bucket seats. Beautiful!Today there is no GM car I wojld consider

[@blautens]

That car is stunning. Such a quintessential 1960's color, too - and the interior is very striking in quality and color, too. Thanks for doing one for us GM fans.

[@RareClassicCars]

Will be more. Have plenty of classic GMs; just happened to get more Fords out first this year.

[@paulkirkland1535]

My thoughts exactly. My father had the station wagon version in the similar color. It wasn't new when he had it but strangely this car had the 283 SBC V8 with a 2 speed Powerglide transmission. It was a very strong well made car built like a tank. I learned to drive on this car back in the '70's. Those were fun times. Thanks for the memories of the good old days in the '66 Pontiac Catalina. I'll miss them forever. Stay safe and have a God blessed day.

[@briandufty5081]

Blue light...

[@danielthomas3057]

@@paulkirkland1535 hi; Canadian built Pontiacs had Chevy power trains. 283 power glide, but model would have been Strato Chief, Laurentian or Parisienne. Also, the Grande Parisienne was introduced for 66 but not in wagon till 67.

[@Froghorn_]

I agree it couldn’t be a more 1960s color

[@mannfan12]

I went with my dad to pick up a brand new '66 4 door Catalina from Brownell Pontiac in Birmingham. I was 4 but I remember it well. It was the same color outside and in as the one in this video except ours was 4 door. We even had the same hub caps as this one. Brings back a lot of memories. I even remember the unique sound of the turn signals - THIS CAR STILL HAS THAT ORIGINAL SOUND.

[@larrythumper1559]

My father started working at Pontiac in 1934 in 1965-67 he ran the block line at the Pontiac Foundry so it is possible that he was part of this car. He died in Feb 1967 three months prior to his retirement date and is buried in Pontiac Michigan

[@stepheneddy835]

Motor City Warrior he was..

[@intergalactic4160]

RIP Larry’s dad

[@dawnmetsala3631]

Sorry to hear. Those foundries killed many men before their time. Ventilation and PPE were non existent.

[@michaelorlando6159]

My condolences he was part of a noble and great period in us automotive history

[@larrythumper1559]

@@michaelorlando6159 Thank you all for your kind words.

[@JamesBond-uz2dm]

My dad had one and we drove it to see his family. Boston to Kansas City ,with me in the back seat glued to the window. One of my best childhood memories.

[@danielulz1640]

Beautiful car in a beautiful color. I miss car colors other than Mouse colors.

[@ronleece6893]

my dad had a burgundy ‘65 Pontiac Starchief… was the first family car I have memories of! Pretty similar, but the catalina was a model up in the lineup I believe.

[@brianconyngham4306]

@@ronleece6893 , my Dad had a '64 Star Chief and then a '66 Catalina (both sedans). Loved both as a kid, but am partial to the '65 and '66 models.

[@blackwaterdogs4256]

What a gorgeous survivor you have there ! Makes me homesick for my old `66 Grand Prix, which had the 421 Tri-Power H.O. (376 HP), 4-speed, and 3.42 Posi, with those beautiful finned aluminum wheels. It was impressively fast for such a big car. I still kick myself for letting that one go, I`ll never find another one like that.

[@opera93]

Thanks, great Pontiac & HO,** etc.!! Interestingly, I had a ****1966 FORD GALAXIE **500XL/ 4 *speed/ *Burgandy & BLACK INT/ ps/ PB 362/4 BBL( moderate engine ,at least FAIRLY EXONOMICALfor College Kid & beyond):: Anyways after a little fixing ( MOTORCRAFT STUFF, special,metallic Brakes/ tires/ shocks,etc) was nice CRUISER for many miles!! Interestingly,also, bought the GALAXIE XL @ DODGE DEALERS “LOT “fairly cheap( forgotten now) IN 1967…..my 66:had the EMERGENCEY FLASHERS IN glovebox,NO CoolantnRecovery System( had to use MOTORCRAFT *KIT, only before AUTO PARTS had it, NO AIR CONDITIONING,no Disc brakes, no Cruise). Oddly good &/Solid Caen to,cruise all,over INDIANA/to Pharmacy School ( Purdue):,:……..

[@klwthe3rd]

My father had a 1967 Pontiac Catalina convertible in Tyrol blue. He loved that car so much. Always loved the Pontiac front ends with the headlights stacked vertically. Thought it looked so elegant compared to other GM cars. Gorgeous color.

[@josephlahaie6235]

I agree the front end is gorgeous

[@budlewis721]

I, too, have always been attracted to the Poncho's mid-'60s stacked headlights, and the front end in general. Too bad the attraction of that front end was only skin deep. The parts that beauty concealed may as well have been cast from pot metal for all the durability they held. I know; I replaced most of them at one time or another. The rest of the car was moderately artillery-proof. I bought a '65 Catalina for $300 in 1985 and used it as a driver/family car until 1994...60 miles round trip to work each day; road trips from Central Cali to San Diego, Tijuana, Ensenada; from Central Cali to Seattle; to Yosemite twice. My only regret is not getting my money's worth out of it.

[@josephlahaie6235]

@@budlewis721 Lol, yup a couple more years and you might’ve broke even.

[@dansmusic5749]

@@budlewis721 You should have seen the road testing we gave my dad's '65. As teenagers, we did things that would have made crash test dummies run and hide.

[@budlewis721]

@@dansmusic5749 The folly of youth. If you were anything like me, you _were_ a crash test dummy. A high school friend (still, actually) had a beautiful, fully operational '55 Packard Clipper Custom that we'd take on "death cruises", but we were careful to do it only when safely drunk. Little dents, scrapes, lost hubcaps, broken parts ignored - you know the drill. It was 1970, so even if we hadn't been morons we wouldn't have appreciated a car only 15 years old. That car didn't deserve the slow, painful death we gave it.

[@JLNeis]

BEAUIFUL AUTO, thanks for showing it. This is when a car was a CAR !

[@randyneugent]

Adam, that lucite steering wheel is AWESOME & flawless. I haven't seen one of those since I was a kid & I'm 55 now.

[@olrijamo]

I bought a 1963 Pontiac Star Chief when I was in the service. It came factory 389 with 3 deuces on it. I removed the triple set up and installed a factory 4 bbrl carb and intake. Freshened up the paint job and drove her from California back home to West Virginia. 52 hours of smooth "wide tracking" bliss. This was in 1972. Excellent old ride for a cross country trip. She performed perfectly

[@valuedcustomer9614]

In the fall of 1965 my father brought home a brand new Pontiac Catalina station wagon (in Reef Turquoise) from Totem Pontiac in Seattle. I thought it was the most beautiful car I'd ever seen (I was 8 years old at the time). Years later, it was the first car I ever drove.

[@StevenSmith-pt8rz]

My shop teacher in junior high and I were friends.During summer vacation we did house repair. He taught me how to drive in his own car. It was a 66 Pontiac bonaville. I remember that car fondly it was smooth,powerful, and a dream to drive.

[@fehlrock]

@StevenSmith-pt8rz My shop teacher choked me for interrupted him by jumping up and playing air guitar. He was scared after. I didn't tell anybody. He was proud of me later when I rebuilt a Briggs horizontal shift engine, At 12. 😉

[@JackF99]

I love mid-sixties Pontiacs. It's amazing that you are able to find all your cars such great shape. They don't tend to be collectible models originally purchased by enthusiasts which begs the question: who took such good care of them, and why?

[@michaelsimmons261]

In 1977 got a job as a lot boy drove so many of the now a days classic cars i still remember loving to drive the Pontiacs. My dad was the Mechanic he had me start them up and go around a little to warm them up the 400s were so strong. thanks for the flashback!

[@Froghorn_]

Lucky kid

[@saleen367]

My parents had a burgundy one without the fender skirts. Same engine and bench seat, no cruise, good memories.

[@pjesf]

The way you talk about cars is wonderful - everything from the technical specs to the visual details.

[@Doosterify]

It's absolutely gorgeous. I remember when I was a kid in the 60s and 70s my family had Chevies which were good cars but our next door neighbors and neighbors across the street had Pontiacs. I was envious. They were just a notch above Dad's Chevies. The first car I bought back in 1982 was a 69 Pontiac Firebird. After that I had a 66 Tempest, a 70 Tempest, a 68 GTO and a 70 LeMans Sport and I loved them all. Hopefully I'll get my hands on some more old Pontiacs before I die.

[@davidtemple7373]

I LOVE that color, Marina Turquoise!

I rode in those Pontiacs all my life up in the Fresno area. I still see some on the road. The weather is hot and dry so they have survived. My first car in 1981 was a 1967 Pontiac 2-door Lemans coupe with only 21 thousand miles. I drove for many years! Love them Pontiacs.

[@erichertzen3251]

I am really enjoying your description of your vehicles

[@citibear57]

Beautiful car, Adam! The front-end of your Catalina is classic. GM's full-size sedans in the 60's were incredible...stylish, smooth riding, great powertrains.

[@redwaveofketchup7457]

I was born in 58' and my next door neighbor was my best friend and his father was the owner of the local Pontiac dealer, and every week he would bring home a different car. In the middle 60s it was such an amazing time for cars, and when he drove home the Grand Prix's, GTO's and, especially for me the Firebird 400s, I was in heaven. In high school my first car was a 68 Firebird that I had to have thanks to them. Such great memories.

[@gladtobeopenminded]

This is one of the most beautiful cars GM ever produced! Incredible grille, roofline, skirts - the whole deal. Reliable - smooth, bulletproof design. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your well justified enthusiasm for this gorgeous Pontiac!

[@OutlawCarson]

Had one as teenager.in1970. Very fast after i put a 4 barrel on it. White. Loved it

[@KoldingDenmark]

Beautiful car and color. Love these hardtops. Where I grew up a guy had shipped a 1965 Catalina Hardtop Coupe over from Canada. It was metallic blue. They hardly ever drove it, because gasoline went up to $5.5-6 per gallon back in 1979 when I got my license. When they put it up for sale in 1985, I was not ready. I still was going to school and drove a 1965 Buick Skylark. The car still "lives", but the owner, who bought it back then, changed the color. A shame. The 1966 Coupe was for me the "Matchbox" car for many years. It was not untill after the turn of the century, these cars started to appear at car meets here. Saw a convertible two weeks ago. Absolutely love them low, long, and wide as they are. Amazing how much space there is around the engine. You can practically sit there and work on it. Things have changed here since the 1960's.

[@rager1969]

Gorgeous car.

[@dennisadorno6721]

I loved the foot vent, when I was a kid I would lank that knob back a forth in Mom's 67 Catalina...And the coolest "none politicly correct" accent was the Indian Headress as the HighBeam indicator

[@dennisadorno6721]

Let me add, My mom now 88 would holler at me while I messed with the foot vent knob and every other switch or button, AND we never wore a seatbelt..As a matter of fact, pop would grumble if we messed with the shoulder straps that were tucked NEATLY away...

[@dmiller1000]

@@dennisadorno6721 Our new '62 Catalina was the first car we had with front seat belts - an option at the time. Color coded, but no retractors. They just lay there, or if you didn't put them on, dangled out the car door. My dad forced this bratty 7-year old to wear them. I have been in the habit ever since.

[@dennisadorno6721]

@@dmiller1000 Seat belts??? I was about 5 years old at the time, I remember being in my moms first car, a Pontiac from the mid-50s..I probably didn't latch the front passenger door very well, so when mom made a left I was about 2" from the asphalt before she grabbed me....Thanks Mom...

[@dmiller1000]

@@dennisadorno6721 In our other cars without belts, when I rode shotgun my mom's hand would go out across my lap every time she made what she thought was a short stop. Parents knew instinctively what they had to do before belts were common.

[@budlewis721]

@@dmiller1000 And it wouldn't have done a bit of good in a collision. My mom used to do the same thing, and with such force we probably sustained greater injury than if we'd hit the dash. _THUD!_ A straightarm across the chest and _"WHO-O-O-F!"_ a sharp expulsion of a perfectly good breath we were just about to use. But we were safe - more or less.

[@ds1868]

Apart from everything else what a fantastic colour!

[@GTVAlfaMan]

These beautiful Catalinas were all over the place when I was a kid growing up near Detroit in the 1960’s. I remember riding in my friends’s Dad’s car and how smoothly it rode and how the engine purred.

[@ronaldhenderson4878]

That is Definitely a Classic Beauty. I have owned four 1964 Parisiennes, one 4 Door wagon. Love them ALL!!

[@hcombs0104]

For those of us who are past sixty, these cars bring back memories. I sometimes think I wouldn't mind having a 1962 Pontiac, but this is a beauty.

[@fehlrock]

I love the '62 GP and Bonneville too

[@ohyesitsme]

Hi from the UK. When I lived in the US from 1964 to 70 I initially drove a '59 T-Bird and then moved to a '63 Pontiac Grand Prix. Wonderful cars as is your Catalina, unfortunately those days are gone. When you look at the modern cars parked in your road it says a lot about modern car design. Your video brought back some wonderful memories. Thank you so much

[@rbielarski]

Beautiful Catalina & the color is awesome. What I remember so fondly in these cars is their neat articulated wiper system and how they wiped & cleared the whole windshield to the end. Thanks for posting !!!

[@rickdees2411]

I owned a 66 Bonneville 4 door hardtop, early in the 70s, sold it late 70s, it was a very very beautiful car, all options except pwr windows and seats, had fender skirts, interior was immaculate, I wish I still had it, very solid vehicle.

[@randyluca6339]

When I was growing up my next door neighbor had a shared driveway with his brother, so they lived side by side. They both bought brand new maroon with black Interior 65 Pontiac Catalina 2 doors. I think they were the 2+2 cars.They were beautiful and I always thought that was so cool as a kid. I have always loved cars though. Your 66 is also beautiful. Those Pontiacs of the 60’s were always very stylish. Great video.

[@shawnmcculley2995]

My favorite color of 1966. Beautiful car. Pontiac's were the best looking cars. I'm so jealous!!

[@audieconrad8995]

Man...Pontiac was def in their stride at the time. This is a real beauty.

[@gilbertrangel3668]

My buddy had a 66' bronze Ventura back in high school in 1980. We both worked at Whataburger and played football. That car was so smooth going down the highway. It was an all original car and it was awesome! The car had the coldest air conditioning too! It was truly a pleasure to drive around.

[@edschulhof6303]

We had a '66 Grand Prix in Palmetto Green. It had the 389 engine with four barrel carburetor. Beautiful car.

[@rogermouton2273]

There's just something about American cars of this era. So tasteful, classy and elegant. So many beautiful touches in this one - the colour for one, all those lovely dash details, the wonderful chrome trim, just love it.

[@DSP1968]

Another great tour of a wonderful car, Adam. Thank you. (And the lavalier microphone sounds great.)

[@RareClassicCars]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@markfeldman6509]

Learned to drive and got my license in my dad’s new maroon 4door 1965 Catalina. Incredibly powerful machine and so much fun to drive. Wish I still had it now. I remember driving from Philly to Florida in it with him right after I started driving. What a road trip. Didn’t have A/C and had the vinyl seats. Also had the biggest engine. Rocketship. Huge gas tank and gas was 29.9c per gallon.

[@darnel322]

This car brings back many fond memories. My grandpa had a '65 Catalina 4 door hardtop. It had a few more options than this one, but yours is in impeccable condition and it reminds me of what a beautiful car this generation of Pontiacs were. I can still recall sitting in the driver's seat in Grandpa's garage and thinking how cool those center mounted gauges that were angled toward the driver were. Thanks for the trip down Memory Lane.

[@kenriehl7852]

The 66 four-door in this exact color, with the 389, two barrel, was the first new car my family ever purchased. It was everything that you are describing. What an excellent automobile this was.

[@generalfeldmarschall1827]

Beautiful car. And just by how you can name all the little details show how passionate you are about these cars. Well done! Just one small request for upcoming videos: When you got the engine running, please take us to the rear and let us hear how she sounds. No stupid revving, just calm idling for a few seconds. I would really appreciate it!

[@WayneTheBoatGuy]

The tailpipe sound is always a good thing to provide

[@stephenmanion3418]

haha i agree.....lou's car story drives me nuts....'''give it a rev.!!!

[@geraldscott4302]

I used to have a green 1972 Pontiac Catalina sedan, with a green vinyl top and green interior. It was a wonderful transportation car. It was absolutely HUGE inside, and rode like it was floating on air. I wish I still had it. I now have a 2006 Mercury Grand Marquis. It's big on the outside, but much smaller on the inside than that Catalina was. And while it is fairly comfortable, it doesn't have that floating over the road feeling.

[@charger19691]

Wow this Catalina is well preserved. A beautiful car and built back when General Motors had amazing people running the show.

[@robtodd8829]

Friend had a 1966 Pontiac Parisienne 2+2 convertible. That was one beautiful car. This is as nice for sure.

[@M21L35]

In '65, the T400 trans was a God-send & a huge performance boost for GM's larger-engined cars! I prefer the '65 model which had a straight-across (not tapered) grill design. Pontiac, as an entire Division of GM, was Motor Trend Magazine's choice, as "Car of The Year" in 1965!

[@randyreynolds3245]

Mom had a 66 base model..came w/o ps! Dad installed so it'd be easier to drive... SHE LOVED THAT CAR!! Years later I had a 63 Galaxie XL notchback sold it to a friend so I could buy a 66 Ventura Coupe. Love the style and it had fender skirts. It was a POS, wish I had my Ford back!!!

[@elmoomle4565]

I tested for my driver's license on my father's beautiful '66 Pontiac Parisienne 2 door. Loved that car...velvety smooooooth ... and that front end !!

[@deanwebb4291]

Such a beautiful car, it is great that you have collected so many great cars

[@billchambersmarquez1964]

That car is gorgeous my cousins had a 66catalina station wagon I loved that car!

[@rightlanehog3151]

Adam, I agree, these mid-60s Pontiacs looked great. At 5:23 we see the customer had 15 paint color choices as well as numerous interior hues to choose from when ordering their car. If you get more than 6 color choices on a mainstream car today you are lucky.

[@RareClassicCars]

Yep. Few interior colors today too. It’s a bummer.

[@dmiller1000]

And most of the colors are grey, black, and white, with a red or occasional blue thrown in. I've owned a car since 1974 and I so far have avoided ever owning one that's grey, black or white. All have been either blue or green.

[@rightlanehog3151]

@@dmiller1000 Greater automation in the car building process should give us more choices not fewer.

[@johnlandacre767]

And yet prices continue to climb. Something wrong with this picture.

[@dmiller1000]

@@rightlanehog3151 Part of it is the domination of leasing, which means they have to guess the resale value of the car coming off lease. If you have yellow, orange, or purple cars, it is assumed they tend to be worth less as a resale. Cars have become more of a tool and less of a work of art. Hopefully the worm will turn, but who know?

[@michaelhughes3273]

Beautiful ride, bring back memories of the mid 70 when they were plentiful.

[@soyounoat]

My Uncle Tony had a '66 Catalina in a gold color, that he kept in a separate garage out behind his house. I was a young kid, but I remember how solid and composed that car felt, like it was almost permanent. He kept that car for a long time.

[@Catmom2004]

My family had a 1965 4 door in a similar color when I was a little kid. Thanks for the memories. 💓

[@AyeCarumba221]

Absolutely stunning. Man the colors are wonderful, inside and out. Thank you.

[@ws678ta]

Well done ! Thank you for that excellent walk thru on an outstanding classic machine ! The '66 Pontiac Catalina was my first car in 1972 @ 15 1/2 yrs old, green/black int. 2 dr . I just got my first drivers license in N. Dakota, (No picture on license). My H.S. sweetheart and I wanted to 'run away' and elope in that car. Everything you said about this car is spot on ! I rebuilt the 389 engine and transmission in it also with my grandfather. I also have a black/white picture of my '66. Today @ 65 yrs old, I am still driving and rebuilding classic cars. Wanna trade for my restored '69 Roadrunner?

[@randytim512]

My Mom had one just like it and if she had it her way she would have kept it for life. It was sold in 1982 for something more economical. Totally enjoyed your video. Brought me right back to family trips to Cape Cod and Virginia Beach. !👍👍

[@mikethompson2275]

Barbara Eden car.

[@jimmygrant424]

Dude I don't know how old you are but I applaud your taste in cars and a standing ovation on the car itself!!!!!!

[@jerryking7502]

Missed the colours from the 60s and 70s...Love the Catalina!

[@anthonym8586]

I remember when my Dad bought his 64 Catalina brand new , i still don't know who was more excited , him or me ( I was 5 years old ) . After a year he let go warm it up in winter for him , i still love the cold months .

[@spidyr2k]

I bought a used '65 sedan back in the early '70's. Paid $300 for it, drove the snot out of it for over a year, then sold it for $300. Great riding land yacht.

[@budlewis721]

That's what mine cost, too. I had a '65 Catalina from 1985 to about 1994; it had well over 100, 000 miles when I bought it, so I pulled a valve cover when I got it home. It seems the 389ci engine had a pushrod that had leaned to one side and worn a long groove in the head. From California I called Nunzo the Pontiac Man in Brooklyn, whose ad I saw in a _National Lampoon,_ of all places. He said it wasn't uncommon, and the wear would continue until the rod fell out from underneath the rocker arm and start loudly reshaping things until you shut off the engine. He told me how GM had solved the problem, but, and I quote, "You notta gonna findadoze. Maybe you make-a summa, but I no hava dem." I swear to God! Right out of Central Casting, 1935. When GM switched to the 400ci a year or 2 later, they installed sheet metal rod guides on the rocker studs. I went to our little wrecking yard and pulled a set. They were ⅛" too wide (or narrow?) between stud holes to work on the 389ci, so I decided to make one. If it worked I would make 7 more just to prevent it from happening to the other cylinders. After spending too much time using the wrong tools I managed to crank one out in a little less than forever. It looked rough but it worked. I wasn't gonna go through that again, so I had a local machine shop make the rest for $12 each, and never had a problem with them again.

[@ScottMessina-o2d]

I currently own a '67 Bonneville convertible with the same paint and interior color, 400/4bl. You're dead on regarding the smooth ride of these cars as well as the power from the engine. It's like a boat on the water. I can use my index finger on the inside of the lucite steering wheel to turn the vehicle absolutely effortlessly. Drove my Dad's '66 4dr Bonneville in high school on weekends which eventually became my car. He asked why my friends and I didn't take their parent's cars out cruising on Fri/Sat nights. Three words. Three-Eighty-Nine. It got up and went. Fun note, in my senior year I had 13 people in that car one night. Two of my buddies and 10 girls we picked up while cruising. Snug fit but nobody was complaining. Thx for sharing.

[@barryburkholder4000]

As a kid my family had a 64 bonneville that was about that color (Gulf Stream blue in 64). Your car makes me think of that one. Similar front end, but vertical tail lights in 64 instead of the horizontal ones they had after that. Also with real wood trim in the dash aboard, steering wheel and door panels. There was a light in the trunk you could remove and the retractable cord would let you take it out if you needed light after dark for a flat tire. Good idea and I’ve never seen another car with that feature. We got a 68 bonneville and the wood trim had turned to plastic by that time. I really enjoy your channel.

[@choward5430]

My aunt's boyfriend, Willie McNeil had a '66 dark blue Catalina 2+2 4 speed. I only rode in it once and I loved it! Not only was it fast but no one owned a 4-speed car in those days. So it was a thrill just watching him shift! Most people owned one car and that usually was a sedan or even a wagon, had 3-5 children, and lived simple lives.

[@247jimbo]

Adam where do you find these mint cars? Do you keep them all or re-sell? This Catalina was one of my favorite designs, Pontiac really was special! Beautiful GM color. The illustrations and Ads were done by Art Fitzpatrick, I got to meet him and pick his brain in Carmel Ca - he said he'd work from photos, and cut them up and stretch them to be wider and longer than they even were in real life, which was enormous already! As a kid I saved all the car ads so it was amazing meeting him. I believe he was working till he passed at age 96. Delorean the GM of Pontiac, only wanted illustrations done by Fitz and Van Kaufman for the advertising. Pontiac went from 7th- to third in sales, outpacing Chrysler, so the imagining worked. I enjoy your videos sooo much!!!

[@charlie6629]

I had a 63 for the family car back in 74. We put our playpen in the back for our daughter. It had to be 4' square and 3' or so feet tall. Slid right in the back seat. What a great car with plenty of power. It was 421 Super Duty, great motor. Road like you were in a Cadillac, very smooth and handled great.

[@Jasona1976]

The "reading light" is correctly called a MAP light. Your car is a treasure and I personally like the heating controls.

[@barbmelle3136]

The controls on the A/C cars seemed to be more natural.

[@jimrestaino7763]

I took my road test in my mom's white 66 catalina back in 1974. It was powerful and drove like you said in the video. We had it till around 1984. It was sold for it's 389 engine. Rip. Mom.

[@chuckvan1961]

GM was top notch in interiors back in the day 🇺🇸

[@kevinkoepke8311]

My dad bought a 66 bonneville station wagon with basic options like power steering and brakes, am radio, roof rack and 3rd seat. But it did have the 421 tri-power and automatic. It took our family all over the US. Loved seeing this video. Thanks

[@johnnyohness6610]

One of the beautiful lines of the front is the visor metalwork above and below the headlights. It really set the style off well. Cadillac in 65 I think did the same thing and it was a beautiful touch.

[@codyluka8355]

I couldn't agree more! Love those pontoon front fenders and the stacked headlights. Very classy. The rear valance treatment and the taillights were classy touches as well. They don't style cars like that anymore.

[@modspell]

I would buy this in a second. What a design, gorgeous color and satisfying driver.

[@sasz2107]

Looks like a really nice car, inside and out!

[@ALightInTheForest]

Gorgeous example of Pontiac design - that color! Amazing!

[@grantman64]

Beautiful car!!! Pontiac V8's were known torque monsters -- I remember a late 70's magazine article singing the praises of the Pontiac engine's Peterbilt-like torque curve: "if it's running, it's making torque!" IMO, GM was at its height in the 60's, and Pontiac was the height of GM. I'm not surprised that your Catalina rides and drives better than other 60's GM's you've had.

[@reedburke7762]

Nice car! I miss those days. Great side info too, thank you!

[@jimfraser9898]

mid to late 60's Pontiacs were absolutely works of art. Wish I could own real one. I have quite a few original issue 1:24/1:25 plastic models of these classics including promos and built kits.

[@rwendell0912]

My uncle Ken had this car,great memories.I have owned a 71 Grand Prix since 1987,great shape,all original car,drive it every nice day I can,nothing like kicking in a 400/4br on a beautiful morning.

[@williamgranger5538]

We had a black 4-dr Catalina and still think it was one of the most beautiful cars we ever owned.

[@donayers5925]

I had a 65 Catalina 2 dr.ht.burgandy.bought it new , then got drafted.my dad sold his 63 and took over the 65. He kept it 5 yrs and loved it !

[@paulsheehan789]

the catalina was made and sold only in the u.s. the canadian pontiac parisienne, was pretty much a chevy impala, with chevy drivetrains, built in oshawa, ont. the catalina in 1966 had a 389 c.i.d, with a thm 400 trans. impala/ parisiennes had a 283 c.i.d with a 2 speed (powerglide) auto. with a 3:36 to 1 axle ratio.

[@MrJoedabaker]

Catalina=Strato-chief. Bonneville =Parisienne.

[@KDoyle4]

@@MrJoedabaker Not really, the Catalina and the longer Bonneville had longer wheelbases than the Chevy based Parisienne.

[@garyblanchard8570]

Remember the Laurentian. Also from that era.

[@paulsheehan789]

@@MrJoedabaker wrong! catalina was bigger, with pontiac motors and a pontiac interior and wasn't a chevrolet!

[@MrJoedabaker]

@@paulsheehan789 Huh... I thought that was after '66,when bodystyle changed. Oh well,I was a fan, just not so well informed I guess. Lol,and thanks.

[@douglasradowick508]

My dad owned a '67 turquoise Pontiac Catalina, 2 door hardtop. It had 67k miles on it when he aquired it. 401 V8. I got to drive it twice before it gave in. What a FABULOUS ride! Doug

[@deormanrobey892]

The first car I bought was a well used 64, cost me 300 dollars. What a great car.

[@hopier]

Very nice. As a teen in the 80's I inherited my grandfather's 1966 4-door Pontiac Catalina. It was so huge it wouldn't fit in our garage. This video brings back a lot of memories of that car, makes me miss it.

[@slickone9135]

That front end though!

[@gmzx3]

In 1976 I bought a '66 Bonneville wagon for $100. It was sitting for a long time in a neighbor's driveway and I asked if he wanted to sell it. It had a checkered past and no title. In those days I had to wait until it was 10 to register it w/o a title. It ran very rough and I found the firing order was messed up. It was running smooth 10 minutes after I opened the hood. Same color as this car but black interior which was mint, looked like leather with wood veneer and the exterior had some crash damage, mostly one rear door. Factory air worked too. Being a poor teen, I ran regular gas so could not open the secondaries on the Carter aluminum four barrel or the high compression engine that required premium would detonate loudly. It had a rear end clunking sound when turning after it got hot. I fixed this with new gear oil and GM posi additive. Yes, 4x8 sheets could go in the back. Great car and I gave it to my parents 4 years later as I could not get enough gas every day for my long commute during the '79 energy crisis (it used lots of gas!). I bought a small FWD hatchback and have owned them ever since. I don't remember what happened to the Bonnie but it must have been traded or junked. The horror!

[@jamesburns2232]

My neighbor, Myra, had one of these in the same color. She hardly ever drove it. She said gas was too expensive. She had everyone in my family doing charity work for her. I cut her grass. Mom did her laundry and bought her underwear. My Dad was her handy man. Everybody thought she had very little as she had been a school teacher and never married or had kids. Guess What? When she died, we had all been fooled! She left over a Million Dollars in stocks and bonds and real estate to her niece and nephew who barely even knew her!

[@jmsiii4751]

As a kid growing up our family had a 1963 Catalina in gold and then a 67 Catalina in blue. Great cars. Your 66 is very nice!

[@kevinsteinmiller8115]

My first car was a 1965 Pontiac custom sport which was Canada’s version of the Grand Prix

[@kingkrimson8771]

A shame they put Chev engines in them

[@gerryvandepol7630]

Yup..283’s with glides we’re everywhere n Canada… 327’s with glides and some 3 speed auto’s in higher option cars. I’m in Oshawa… those built cars were essentially Chev’s with Pontiac bodies. Almost never seen a 389 unless it was a U.S GTO….. having a Ford in this town was like having cancer. There was quite the car culture in this town… it was a blast 💥.

[@KM3W]

Stunning body! Really why I've been a Pontiac fan since 1961!