Junkyard Gem: 1964 Pontiac Catalina Customized Ventura

Like Impala, Skylark, Malibu and Silverado (amongst many others), the Ventura identify started its profession because the designation for a trim stage or choice bundle used on one other GM mannequin, then grew to become a mannequin identify in its personal proper. Initially a designation for a snazzed-up Pontiac Catalina two- or four-door hardtop, the Ventura identify moved over to a Pontiac-ized model of the Chevy Nova for 1971. Right now’s Junkyard Gem, present in a Northern California automobile graveyard, proudly bears each Catalina and Ventura badging.

Really, the Catalina identify itself began out as a trim stage for the Chieftain and Star Chief fashions of the Nineteen Fifties, simply to confuse all people. By the point this automobile was constructed, the Catalina was the most affordable of 4 Pontiac fashions constructed on the identical full-size B-Physique platform as the large Chevrolets and Olds 88s of the time (the Star Chief, Bonneville and Grand Prix ranked above it on the 1964 Pontiac Status-O-Meter).

The 1964 Catalina four-door hardtop with the Customized Ventura bundle supplied plenty of swank per greenback, with a worth beginning at $3,063. That is about $29,821 when transformed to inflated 2023 {dollars}. The primary good thing about the Customized Ventura bundle was an inside finished up totally in Morrokide upholstery. Morrokide was the identify GM utilized to Naugahyde pretend leather-based when utilized in Pontiac automobiles; when utilized in Buicks, it was generally known as Cordaveen, whereas Oldsmobile Naugahyde was referred to as Morocceen. Naugahyde took its identify from the city of Naugatuck, Connecticut, the place it was invented.

This automobile’s Morrokide is in tough form. The truth is, the whole lot about this automobile is decayed and possibly infectious.

You understand to watch out when a junkyard automobile has warnings about rat feces inked on the glass.

That stated, I could not resist analyzing the 8-track tapes that littered the inside. Here is Lodge California, the 1976 hit album by the Eagles.

Supertramp’s Paris, a dwell album recorded from the 1979 Breakfast in America tour, is right here as properly.

Here is The Better of Carly Simon, from 1975.

The tapes had been performed on this Sparkomatic participant, which most likely lived within the glovebox or below the seat.

The manufacturing unit radio was AM-only, and contains the frequency markings for the atomic-attack CONELRAD emergency frequencies. 1964 was the final 12 months for necessary CONELRAD radios in the USA.

The wretched situation of this automobile urged that it had spent at the very least a number of a long time deserted in a discipline or driveway someplace, however the bumper has a sequence of current parking permits for the busy Westside neighborhood of Santa Cruz. This automobile should have been street-parked and registered, and it might even have pushed on this situation.

There’s loads of the form of salt-spray-induced physique rust you see on California automobiles that park close to the Pacific Ocean.

The bottom engine within the 1964 Catalina was a 389-cubic-inch (6.4-liter) Pontiac V8 rated at 235 horsepower, however that was simply on automobiles outfitted with the bottom three-on-the-tree handbook transmission.

This automobile has the non-compulsory three-speed Hydramatic automated transmission, which meant that the automobile bought a 389 with larger compression and 267 horsepower; a four-on-the-floor handbook was obtainable as properly (and was dismayingly uncommon on full-size Pontiacs).

A 421-cubic-inch Pontiac V8 was non-compulsory, however I am fairly certain it is a 389 (you possibly can’t inform them aside at a look). The true gamers bought the mighty Trophy 421 with triple carburetors and 370 horsepower, bolted to the four-speed handbook.

The primary mannequin 12 months for the well-known Pontiac GTO was 1964, and its money-printing formulation was easy: take the midsize Pontiac Tempest coupe and drop within the 389 from the large Pontiacs. Possibly some NorCal GTO proprietor will rescue this engine earlier than it will get to the crusher.

There was no method a automobile this tough was ever going to be restored, so one of the best we are able to hope for is that a few of its components will dwell on in different automobiles.

Solely the unbelievable agility of the ’64 full-size Pontiac permits you to blow by means of the tollbooth with out paying.