1950 Pontiac Cataline Project - $3,500 - Not Mine

[B Jake Moran]

(3) Marketplace - 1950 Pontiac Catalina | Facebook

 

For all of you that want to save cars before being hot rodded / street rodded.  

 

 

Seller's Description

1950 Pontiac Catalina 2dr Hard Top. Straight 8 engine was automatic (no transmission) Very clean for the year have the Lighted Indian Head Hood Emblem, Visor, Fender Skirts , all Chrome & Emblems, with extra pieces, 12 volt wire harness with fuse block. New Brake Parts, Hub Caps & Boxes of miscellaneous parts . I was going to street Rod it but found another Ride. $3750. OBO. Delivery available within reason or the right $ I have a 69 Nova front clip & manual steering box that goes with the car.

 

 

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[Hans1965]

I really like the early Catalinas! But I wonder why people dismantle everything and then loose interest and make it so much harder for others to judge on a car. 

[B Jake Moran]

48 minutes ago, Hans1965 said:

I really like the early Catalinas! But I wonder why people dismantle everything and then loose interest and make it so much harder for others to judge on a car. 

This guy wanted to hotrod it.  These are great cars, the 1950 Pontiac 8 cylinder Catalinas.  Styling is about as nice as you could ask for. You could get hydra (hydro)matic which I believe this has.    The Indian hood ornament was very cool.  

 

Shared bodies with the Chevy, but I am not a fan of the splash oil Stovebolt 6.   Plus the Chevy's were a little too simple.  Still nicer than a Plymouth or even Ford.  Not sure Ford had a 2 door hardtop until 1951. 

[supercub]

Too bad old cars end up in bad hands. Maybe he will throw in an Edsel radiator to sweeten the deal.

[B Jake Moran]

I appreciate that sentiment.  There is an old guy - he might have passed away by now - over in Newton, Iowa that was doing one to win the National Hot Rod award -he wanted to beat Chip Foose and all of the other celebrities and chose a 1950 Pontiac Catalina.  I visited him once about 7 years ago and the car - the street machine as they call post fat fendered hot rods - was simply awesome.  Not done, but pretty far along.   I'm just not sure he was going to get it done in time.  Workmanship was awesome. 

 

But I am an original guy, and I worked at an original Pontiac dealership from 1998 to 2005.  I worked on imports.  But the owner and his family had the dealership from 1946 on. 

 

The owner of the dealership, the son of the original owner - collected Pontiacs and had a 1951 4 door 8 cylinder car.  Another mechanic and I used to take it and show it at car shows.  I became very familiar with it.  I also distinctly remember something that has stayed with me all these years.  

 

We drove it over to a huge Pontiac Oakland meet west of Omaha.  It was decent going over, but coming back it was very hot.  My wife and I were in the back seat, the friend and his wife in the front.    Of course, there was no power steering, no power anything.  We rolled the windows down.   The area from Omaha Nebraska to Des Moines, Iowa is hilly.  As it got to be dark, we all looked forward to that slight dip into the bottoms of hills, where the temperature was 5 or more degrees cooler.   Then back up.  

 

I often comment that I want to own old cars for their old car ness.  Many folks state when a "Not Mine" ad is posted - "that car does not have A/C, I am out"

 

I don't want a 65 year old car or any old car for the accessories of modern driving.  I may be crazy but I liked the experience of being a passenger in that back seat.  The 51 Pontiac had low mileage and was all original.  I felt like I was literally taken back to 1951 when the proud new owner was taking his family to the in laws for a 4th of July.  I'm sure the kids were complaining, but that was how it was in 1951.   

[Hans1965]

Great story! Was it a two tone green 51? 

When I saw a 52 two tone green Pontiac Chieftain here for the first time, I knew I had to have a Pontiac of that vintage and my 52 Catalina is really a wonderful car. The only 'upgrades' I am planning to do is changing the hood ornament to a '51 and the gauge cluster to one from 49/50. Then it is perfect to me. 

[B Jake Moran]

51 minutes ago, Hans1965 said:

Great story! Was it a two tone green 51? 

When I saw a 52 two tone green Pontiac Chieftain here for the first time, I knew I had to have a Pontiac of that vintage and my 52 Catalina is really a wonderful car. The only 'upgrades' I am planning to do is changing the hood ornament to a '51 and the gauge cluster to one from 49/50. Then it is perfect to me. 

This car was what I would refer to as a "Wedgewood" Blue car.   A blue with a hint of grey.