Tri-Power V8 Project: 1966 Pontiac Catalina Convertible
This 1966 Pontiac Catalina is likely a rare car. It’s a convertible, it has a 421 V8 with triple 2-barrel carburetors, 2+2-style interior, and factory air conditioning. A lot of restoration work has already been done, especially mechanically, and it’s ready for someone else to take care of the cosmetic issues. Located in Mount Airy, North Carolina (former home of Andy Griffith), this Pontiac is available here on eBay. $12,000 is the top bid so far, but more effort is required to meet the reserve. Thanks to Larry D for another great tip!
Pontiac built more than 254,000 Catalinas in 1966, a car little changed after a major restyle in 1965. The convertible would represent some 15,000 units, but when you drill down to the Tri-Power motor and the car’s accessories, we’re guessing maybe a few hundred examples were built. The drivetrain on this car is said to be numbers-matching, with the engine compartment looking practically new. The YJ 421 cubic inch engine has been rebuilt with new seals and the Tri-Power set-up has been completely refreshed, Add to this a new master cylinder and power brake booster, alternator, and distributor, among other things. We’re told it all sums up to an excellent running automobile.
Work on rebuilding the car didn’t stop with the drivetrain. There is new wiring under the dashboard (which has been repainted), a new windshield for the driver to look out of, and new seals on the vent windows. There is rust present in places like the rear quarter panels, but we’re told these areas have been blasted and epoxy applied in preparation for welding to commence. The seller had both bumpers re-chromed to the tune of $1,500 alone. The Pontiac comes with a bunch of spare parts and trim pieces, some already on the car and some not.
The seller describes the interior as a 2+2 and – while it has buckets seats and console – no specific reference is made to a 2+2 on the reproduction window sticker the seller secured for the car. It has factory air conditioning (which may or may not work), not a common option for a drop-top in 1966. As the story goes, this Catalina was owned by a friend of the seller who recruited him to work on the car before Covid, but work may have stopped after that.
Further work will be needed in the interior including replacing the convertible top, which we don’t see any photos of it in action. Much of the heavy lifting appears to have been done, but the car isn’t out of the woods yet. The remaining bodywork, paint, and interior will not come cheaply, but it will be a fine specimen of a 1960s muscular automobile when completed and ready to show off. Few of these cars are left in a market dominated by GTOs and Chevelle SS 396s.
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Comments
If that’s the spare tire laid out there, looks like it had 8 lug wheels at one time. Interesting someone would order such a muscular engine and air. Growing up we had a 66 Bonneville convertible. Pretty high end car, even had power windows but no air conditioning. These are so pretty when complete, I hope to see this one finished.
Ours met a sad end when it was rear ended in front of the house. We lost a 68 Firebird the same way, then Dad widened the driveway.
Well, since the eight lugs are MIA, a set of Rally II’s would (IMO) look better than those UGH! wire wheel covers! This looks to be a sweet project to complete. GLWTA!! :-)
In high school I drove a 36K mile ‘66 Pontiac Executive 389 but never considered it a “muscle car”. LOL. Neither did anyone else.
If I told them it was a muscle car the taunts would be unbearable.
This definitely isn’t a muscle car haha. I was thinkn the same thing.
Dang know it all’s – to bad we aren’t seeing those quarter mile times for a big old 421 powered Pontiac 2+2 – that shamed a lot of folks back then.
Maybe not a real 2+2 but it’s equipped right…..little off the ET because of the convertible weight.
This 1966 Pontiac Catalina is likely a rare car.
That’s true. You rarely see one with a paint job like this.
Around 1969 I owned a red ’63 Catalina convertible with the 421 Tri Power and four speed transmission and the eight lug wheels. The guy I bought it from raced stock cars and was selling because the car scared him! It was SCARY fast and I once accidentally put my girlfriend and her sister both in neck braces when I first attempted to drag race it and the snap when the tri-power kicked in was impressive! It is the one car I most wish I had never parted with. I was told it was one of a tiny number of prototypes Pontiac made in ’63 as the muscle car thing was growing.
Not a muscle car, but once finished up would definitely be a head turner.
I think it’s strange that people today would call this a Muscle car. It was not a hot vehicle back then. It was a big tank! Today if a certain age group sees a tri-power set-up and a four speed they think its a muscle car.
Sports cars back in the 50s, 60s and 70’s with two sets are a sports car regardless of the size engine. Today people think 4 door cars are sports cars.
Today because of BMW, Mercedes Benz and a few other manufactures relocated the door handles into the C-pillar and redesigned the roof line their four door cars are being sold as coupes.
The seats do not look correct for a ’66, seems to me they should have a 2″ chrome piece across the top of the back.
This style of bucket was used beginning in 66. The ‘flat back’ chrome rimmed ones ended w/the 65 GMs.
Rebuilt with “new seals?” No pistons, rings, main bearings, rod bearings, cam shaft, regrind crank, oil pump?…………BUT it does have “NEW SEALS??????????????????”
While on a family vacation, I drove a ’66 421 tri-power 4-speed. At the time, I was 15 1/2, with a “learner’s permit,” and if anybody told me it was anything but a “muscle car,” I wouldn’t have believed them! It was SCARY fast! But, relatively speaking, what does a limited experience 15 1/2 year old really know? Still, isn’t it possible, “muscle car” could apply to many things in the eyes of the beholder, or in this case, the eyes of the operator?
The 1965 Catalina 2 + 2 421HO – 370 HP held the 0-60 record 3.9 sec. in one Test vs a Ferrari for the longest time even though the car was prepared by Royal Pontiac so were other cars in these tests over the years :)