A couple years of ago, I was speaking to a group of employees at work. Amongst the wisdom I was (attempting to) shower upon them was an old saying that misses a key point. People say the only constants in life are death and taxes; I stated change is the third, also unwelcome, constant.
More recently, I walked by a female coworker, one is just a few months older than me, bent over and doing something to her hair. She is a fun-loving individual and I mocked horror when I asked “Kim, are you teasing your hair?”. That was a thing in the mid- to late-80s with female high schoolers, with the result often looking as if the girl had stuck her finger in a light socket. Sometimes it worked for the girl; more often than not, it didn’t.
Once she quit laughing, she said she had evolved from that long ago. We chatted about how we had changed since high school, particularly our hairstyles, and I admitted that back the day I carried a comb in my pocket. Now, I only touch a comb for trimming my eyebrows.
Time marches on and people change.
Travel has also changed. In 1919, a young US Army officer named Dwight Eisenhower was assigned to the Motor Transport Corps convoy. The convoy was 81 Army vehicles ranging from motorcycles to 5.5 ton cargo trucks, with their assignment being to drive from Washington D.C. to San Francisco to determine condition of roads (such that they were) and report on types of vehicles best suited for various terrains.
Most of their path followed the Lincoln Highway, which was the best coast-to-coast road at the time, but still nothing to brag about.
They experienced much along the way, from mud to repairing bridges.
While these convoy experiences could easily be an article unto itself, participation in the convoy made an impression upon Lt Eisenhower about how better highways were needed in the United States. Eisenhower’s vision for better highways was developed further when he experienced the German autobahn in the mid-1940s.
This vision came to fruition with the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956, signed by President Eisenhower, which provided $25 billion for construction of an interstate highway system. The first contracted section of interstate highway was I-70 in St. Charles County, Missouri, just a few miles from where I found this Pontiac.
As an aside, Kansas lays claim to the first paved sections of interstate being around Topeka. However, that is misleading due to work having taken place prior to the Federal Aid Highway Act becoming law. Pennsylvania lays claim to the first interstate as parts of the pre-existing Pennsylvania Turnpike was rechristened as I-70, but that is also misleading. Both opinions expressed here are admittedly biased, though correct as both Kansas and Pennsylvania were turning dirt before the law was enacted!
The initial designation of routes for interstate highways was completed in 1992. Travel had forever changed.
The automotive landscape has definitely changed. Let us remember Pontiac was introduced in 1926 as a companion brand to Oakland. After snuffing out Oakland, by 1968 Pontiac was having outstanding success. This year saw Pontiac near the peak of its overall market share, at approximately 9%, by selling 911,000 cars for the model year. Yet, of that volume, only 5,247 Catalina two-door sedans were manufactured.
Despite Pontiac’s profound success in the 1960s, the two-door sedan body style was in a serious decline. Pontiac had not sold over 10,000 full-size two-door sedans since 1964, when they moved 12,480. Each successive model year saw dwindling sales volumes. Unlike the other body styles, including the convertible, there was no duplicate two-door sedan in another trim level; the two-door sedan had been available as a base model only since the 1960 model year.
Oldsmobile had canned the full-size two-door sedan in 1961; Buick (shown) did so two-years later. The figurative writing was on the wall.
This Catalina is the very last two-door full-sized sedan built by Pontiac. This body style, once so common, was unceremoniously shown the door. When your convertibles are out selling a two-door, and doing so by a healthy margin, that is a sign. The termination should not have been a surprise.
Chevrolet was the last full-sized two-door sedan to leave the General Motors building. Chevrolet axed this body style after 1969.
Things change. Things changed so much Pontiac was gone forty years later, having sadly ridden on inertia for a goodly portion of that time.
Discussion of the interstate highways system was made to reflect societal changes but also due to this Pontiac being found on an outer road to I-70. Somewhere I have heard (perhaps in the movie Cars) that it is possible to drive coast-to-coast in this country and not see anything given the nature of the interstate system. I get the point but beg to disagree. Were it not for the interstate, I may not have found this Pontiac.
For me, this Pontiac is fascinating in ways most of my other finds aren’t. Perhaps it is due to the relative scarcity of the two-door sedans; perhaps it is due to this being the swan song of this body style among big Pontiacs.
While I have heard these tail lights referred to as “hockey sticks”, the overall effect seems to be more of a frowning face, topped off by a Fu Manchu mustache. It’s all subjective.
The front is unabashedly full-tilt Pontiac, Bunkie Beak and all.
Finding a base model Pontiac of this era makes it hard to define expectations on equipment. Sure, the standard engine was a 400 cubic inch V8, but what about other equipment? That’s a wild card but somebody did spring for an automatic transmission on this Catalina.
As time marches on, things do change. Change is that third unsung constant in life. However, it was good to see a rare Pontiac that has remained constant in its existence. About to undergo a change in ownership, as many of my finds tend to be, I anticipate this Pontiac will continue its existence for quite a while yet.
Found May 2025
Wright City, Missouri
Of course, all of the 1977 B and C coupes were pillared sedans with framed door glass. Chevrolet introduced a pillared colonnade B coupe body for 1974 with hardtop style door glass.
The ’77-79 B/C coupes had a distinctly different, more sloped roofline at the C pillar than the corresponding sedans though, making them fit the “coupe” definition. The 1980 and later 2-doors though, despite being called “coupes” by GM, had essentially the same roof as the sedans making them 2-door sedans in all but official name. Not coincidentally IMO, sales of GM full-size 2-doors took a big hit in 1980, although they were already falling everywhere but at Cadillac.
I’m not so certain that’s true, the C pillar is shaped different between the 2 doors and 4 doors but the actual slope of the back window looks remarkably close between 77-79 BOP 2 doors and 4 doors. The 4 door gained a more upright formal roof in 1980 as well, they weren’t formal in the original 77-79 iterations
2 door
I had forgotten that Pontiac kept a 2 door sedan in the lineup as long as they did.
My grandma’s not-terribly-well-equipped 69 Catalina had a 350 – did Pontiac downsize the base engine for 1969? I was a little surprised to see that the 400 was the base engine, but I have been surprised before.
A friend in high school drove a battered ’68 Pontiac Stratochief (the base model here in Canada) with a 327.
One of my Pontiac friends is a fan of the full-size models so I asked him, and he said that without his resources in front of him he’s 90% sure the 350 was the base Catalina engine. Online sources seem to differ between the 350 and the 400, so my suspicion is that the switch to the 350 may have come after some factory material listing the 400 had already been released.
A base two-door sedan with eight-lug wheels? That would be something if they were original to the car.
The ’68 model is the last full-size Pontiac I really like, even though the ’69 isn’t really that much different. The ’70 is interesting because it’s so uncommon, but that nose isn’t quite for me.
Caveat: The following is my opinion only. One’s reaction to car styling is very subjective.
The ’68 is my favourite year of full-size Pontiac. I thought the1969 was not nearly as nice, and that the ’70 was just strange.
In the 1960s Chevrolet styling evolved over the 5- or 6-year design cycle to where it hit a peak in the 2nd-last year of the cycle, followed by unattractive change for the sake of change. (E.g. For the ’59 to ’64 generation, I liked the ’63 way more than the ’64. Likewise, I liked the ’69 Chev way more than the ’70.)
In a similar way here, the ’65 to ’70 Pontiac peaked in 1968, and slid in ’69 and ’70.
Those eight lugs caught my eye immediately as out of place on that particular car yet just right for below.
It’s possible since ’68 was the last year for the 8-lug option. If I was a seriously interested buyer I’d buy the Pontiac Historic Services info for this car to see if they’re listed.
When looking at the first picture of the Catalina I immediately thought of my father’s orangey-brown ’72 Galaxie 500 that had a less extreme bunkie beak. Then I started thinking what happened to brown cars? Times do indeed march on.
In July, 1966 a Pontiac dealer in Houston advertised new Catalinas with NO OPTIONS at $2229. Normal Catalinas with PS, PB, Auto, Air were around $3000. Getting a full sized GM car with a 389 V8 for $2229 would have been attractive for some people. For me, I would be OK with three on the tree but without power steering driving that heavy car would have been a problem.
My dad bought a stripped 1970 Canadian Pontiac Strato Chief in 1971. It sat on the dealer’s lot for months because it had neither power steering or brakes. Dad bought it anyway and steering it was a real bear. In 1969, the diameter of the steering wheel was reduced, making manual steering a real non-starter.
The car was so hard to steer I used to help my mom parallel park it.
I can’t find a reference, but I believe the quote about interstate highways being a way to get from place to place without seeing anything is correctly attributed to Charles Kuralt.
and listening while high and/or wasted throws more changes into the mix.
More rarer than the Catalina 2-door sedan would be the Canadian Laurentian and Strato-Chief 2-door sedan.
https://oldcarbrochures.org/Canada/GM-Canada/Pontiac/1968-Pontiac-Prestige-Brochure-Cdn/slides/1968_Pontiac_Prestige_Cdn-16-17.html
The butt shot featuring the hocky stick tail lights took me down a different path. The nearly symmetrical peeling paint patterns on the trunk lid above the little bit of pin striping almost looks like a really fancy monotoned super fancy custom paint job. Gives it a low rider vibe.
This old survivor looks decent and will make an easy restoration .
Not like you’ll ever see another anywhere you go .
-Nate
When I was about 3, a neighbor of mine had a Black 69 Chevy 2-door post like the one pictured. It brings back memories.
I think two door coupes of this era are amazing and interesting. Thank you for finding and sharing this awesome find!
Ah yes a highway system, theres been talk of a motorway system in NZ since Dwight demanded the US one, theres a stretch between where I grew up and where our Skyliner guy lives so far and a few hills have been tuned up, but thats about all,
I like that Catalina, didnt know they came in 2 door sedan, I saw a coupe version recently but any are a rare sighting now, and actual US versions very rare sightings,
Always a lost brand in NZ the import licence was held by Dominion motors who assembled and Sold Pontiacs with their regular menu of BMC products, go figure.
Nice find! 1968 was also the last year for vent windows in GM’s full-size cars.
My mother always preferred 2-door sedans; her last one of this body style was a 1967 Chevy Bel Air, shown here (photo taken and developed by my cousin). Note that the roof and all windows are essentially the same as on this Catalina.
Agreed about the nearly identical roofline. I had attempted to address that in the piece but it didn’t quite fit.
The sign contains specific wording.
Six of the people involved in one of the nation’s first interstate projects on Interstate 70 in St. Charles, Missouri, pose at the project site in 1956. From left to right are: Dan Cane, superintendent, Cameron, Joyce & Company; Chick Sayles, salesman, Alpha Portland Cement; John Latham, District 6 engineer; Charles Tevis, District 6 assistant chief engineer; and Jack and Tinch Gammon, brothers who owned Cameron, Joyce & Company, the contractor on the project. Photographer unknown. Courtesy of the Missouri Department of Transportation
This was just great. Jason, you’re only a few years older than me, so I’m also very familiar with the hair spray / light socket look that used to be so common in the halls of my high school and various Flint area malls.
A few things stood out for me in this piece, one of which you pointed out – the scarcity of this two-door post sedan in what appears to be some sort of banner year for Pontiac with a 9% market share.
The other is that despite my reference to the “hockey stick” taillights in my adult years, the rear of these Pontiacs did also look to me like the car was frowning or had a stomach ache.
Always happy to see new content from you, pal.
Thank you. This summer has been unconducive for much writing, yet I’m still not sure what I actually accomplished.
I do have something about my old Ford van in the hopper, awaiting scheduling. It’s to celebrate (?) 15 years of ownership. Plus, the VW is about 100 miles from hitting 100k (I’m in Cape Girardeau now and it will hit the mark by this time tomorrow) so I will likely address that in the near future. Plus, I have an early ’70s Matador two-door that needs its moment of fame as does a ’35 Chrsyler Airflow whose owner was in the process of driving it to San Francisco.