1959 Catalina two-door hardtop 
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- Опубликовано: 7 фев 2025
- Pontiac would offer the Catalina as a hardtop trim option from 1950s through 1958 and then as its own series from 1959 through 1981 and five generations
Find out more on this episode of what it’s like. Also, this car is for sale at classic autumn wall Morgantown, Pennsylvania, where they have this car and at least 1000 other cars currently for sale when recording this episode if you have a classic car that you wish to sell , classic auto help out with that for more information about their consignment program as well as more information pertaining to this very car. We should’ve click the link below after the show.
www.classicaut...
Walking in the Sand by the Shangri-las?
Yes!!! Congratulations you got it =)
@@What.its.like. Finally!😃
👏👏👏 well Done 🍻
Aerosmith or Amy Winehouse is a good second 😉..
Enjoy
Awesome job !
@@hcombs0104 great music!
Wonder-touch power steering. I love the names they came up with back in the 50's.
Hahaha me too
The 50s had always been my favorite decade I wish I lived then
Wander all over the road power steering (although General Motors power steering was not so bad at this compared to some of the competition)
Maybe so but you were part of the driving experience and had to pay attention cars now are so isolated people don't know what speed they are going and are usually on their phones not watching where they are going
@@Vegaswill714 Gresham to go with the Wrondrrbarvcar radios !
I had a 59 Catalina that only had automatic as option. What a great car! I hit 80 so fast and smooth I thought I was floating
Back in the early 1970s, my best friend had a red 1959 Pontiac convertible, he called it the "Negatory Express",
I don't know why, but it was funny.
It was a total land yacht, long and wide. Good times in a fine car.
Not related but, my dad absolutely loved the 1958 Pontiacs, before he passed in 1980, he must have owned 4 or 5 of them (all used).
Another great video, thank you.
I choose the Pontiac in both scenarios although I would prefer it in a different color, thanks
Omygosh,looks like an original paint car.
Pontiac was winning Nascar races which had become very popular across the nation, changing from being an older person's car to something sportier for younger folks. They led the way in losing the excess chrome of the late 50's incorporating the sleeker modern look with the split grille which they became known for through most of the later years. The convertible this year is a stunning beauty which with a tri-power 389 would have been a blast to drive. WYR the Catalina wins for styling and power. Then the Studebaker just because I love them. 1K to go on subs- you deserve that milestone and more 👍
Still makes me want to "Hurry on down to Widetrack Town."
Two amazing cars ! I luv both 58 and 59 's ! I know i dont comment all the time but i never missed a video ! Great in depth evaluation's ! 👍
Thank you so much. It means the world to me that you dig this channel. I put a lot of time and work and energy into it lol I'm excited about this year's potential opportunities.
Yeah, they're both great designs but totally different. I don't think I've ever seen a 58 in person.
This is my favorite 50’s Pontiac!.Love that stylish front end styling.A neighbor of mine had one of these when i was a kid.😎
The year I was born, I remember a picture of my mother holding me right after I was born, she was standing next to a two-tone car, blue and white. As a toddler I'd stand on the front seat when she drove anywhere, I didn't want to miss anything, I got good at catching myself on the dashboard if she had to stop short.
One more fun fact: the guy who runs a car channel on YT owns a 59 Canadian Pontiac. It features a Chevy frame and suspension (no Wide Track here) and a 261 Chevy/GMC inline 6 cyl with a Powerglide.
I heard Adam has one. Why do people talk about him like he's Voldemort or something hahahaha? They're like you know who,I've been trying to work with the guy for years I'm still open to working with them. I don't have any hard feelings against anybody I get it,He's a busy guy, lol
@@What.its.like. I wasn't sure if I should name Adam's channel. Yes, I watch most, but not all of his videos. He did do a collab with Ed, the Dutch guy, and that went well.
I remember seeing that I'd be up for going car spotting with them or something like that =)
RUclips gets weird when you ( not you specifically) but when someone posts links to channels and email addresses it's weird 🤷♂️
@@61rampy65 I think that the 262 cid inline six was a durable and high torque six. Smooth also. Neighbor had a vehicle with that six, possibly it was a Chevy Suburban utility type vehicle for nine people. A long long time ago. It was mint ice cream green with a whit paint on roof. I guess 63 or 64. I was always a car crazy kid.
Plymouth Savoy 😍
Now that's a Battle Ship 😂
Great Episode
Happy Motoring ✌️😎
That Pontiac looks like it is just about optionless! Auto trans, back up lights, AM radio, and heater. No power steering or brakes. Fun fact: all '59 GM cars used Buick front doors. GM had to scramble to completely restyle the 59s after seeing what the 57 Mopars looked like. To save some $, GM mandated that the front doors were to be the same across all the divisions. The chassis carried over from 58, not much else. On the 58 Pontiac, my fading memory remember the gas cap behind the fold-down L/R taillight assy. Another fun fact: Pontiac V8s used a reverse flow cooling system up until about 62 or 63; 35 years ahead of Chevy doing it with the LT1. WYR= 59 Merc and toss up between the Stude or the Poncho. Great video, Jay.
A friend of mine told me his father once owned a 1958 Pontiac. Think he said the gas tank was behind the chrome piece below the left taillight. Also the placement for the optional backup lights.
Thank you as always for sharing that insight great choices
My folks bought a new Pontiac Bonneville 4 door Vista Dome hardtop( Flattop) in 1959. Beautifull car! White w/salmon top and matching interior
Awesome thank you so much for sharing that car with us
Was it as awesome as they look
@What.its.like. EVEN MORE ! I was 15 when they bought the car, and I was in heaven. I loved everything about the car from the wide track stance to the long, sleek body to the double fins above the tail lights. The dash to me, was one of the most beautiful of that era. GM was really on a roll.
I like the 58 Pontiac better. I always for some reason liked the '58 Pontiac styling. I remember the '59 being very popular, I'm probably not in line with most others.
I personally love hearing everyone's opinions both are great designs and both are drastically different
That's a nice driver quality car for $25K. First year of the wide-track X-frame with no side impact protection at all!
OUCH
59 Coronet
59 Studebaker Hawk
The split grille look was the Pontiac styling trademark for many years. IIRC All the way up into the 2000's.
I don't know why they changed it for this 1960 model year but they went right back to the split grill after that year. I actually like the 60 Pontiac I think it's a really nice long lean looking automobile, especially the ragtops. That long look combined with a wide track stance made a Pontiac instantly recognizable. I know they say the 60 grill was a split grill but to me it's never looked like one.
I remember the commercials on TV where they were singing "the pick of the pack is Pontiac" theme song. In retrospect it must have been a pretty successful advertising campaign because here I am at age 73 and I still remember it. Ha ha ha
Friend of mine in high school had a 65 Bonneville with all the comfort options. I remember it was a really smooth riding automobile and fun to drive.
Pontiacs were always a well-made car that looked really good. It's hard to believe that GM let the brand go away along with Oldsmobile who also made really nice looking cars. GM could just never seem to understand that it wasn't the number of automobile brands they were selling it was the quality of the way they were being put together.
Jay did someone happen to comment that the way you demonstrate the size of the steering wheel and how much room there is in the front is creepy. I would suggest to them that if they look at something as simple and benign as that and they believe it to be creepy. They are the problem not you.
One thing that's really nice is that Pontiacs from the '60s are still relatively affordable for someone who wants to get a classic automobile.
Beginning in '59.
Yeah, I had a couple people say that it was creepy and this one guy trolled me on every single video that I ever mentioned it on, but Leno always talks about a thin steering wheel and he has a good point to it, when he does it, it's OK when I do it it's creepy I guess
I don't know we live in a world where creepy stuff or the stuff that used to be creepy normalized and the normal stuff is creepy 🤷♂️ I just like being transparent.
Thank you so much for sharing all the information and insight greatly appreciate it sweet choices
Re the '59 Catalina: Finally, a Pontiac that didn't look like what your retired uncle Stan drove to Mass.
For WYR, it’s the Mercury Monterrey, and the Pontiac Catalina.
I’m guessing this is a survivor car, in which case it’s held up quite well. It’s kind of funny how GM did the styling for the Pontiac for 1958-61. In some ways you’d think the 1960 model should have followed the ‘58 model because of the taillights. The ‘61 model had more in common with the ‘59 model because of the split grille design, and the taillights on the ‘61 Catalina and Ventura were like what you saw on the ‘59.
At any rate, out of the GM cars for 1959, I always thought the Pontiac aged the best. No OTT tailfins, front end nicely done. In my opinion.
Sorry I had to bail on the premier. One fire run turned into an additional two EMS assists.
1958 was the last design under Harley Earl's command. The '58 body shell was supposed to be in production thru '60, but some GM designers caught a look at the '57 Forward-Look MoPars in mid-'56 and knew they had to make a change.
1959 was Bill Mitchell's first lead design, done while Earl was in Europe touring their auto shows [the palace coup].
1959 was a year of firsts for Pontiac and the end of it's dowdy image.
1. Wide-Track suspension, which widened the front/rear track by 6".
2. The first year for Pontiac's split grille.
3. The first year for the arrowhead emblem.
4. The first year for the 389.
Some interior nuggets to enjoy.
1. The high-beam indicator is shaped in the Pontiac indian head.
2. The yellow needle on the speedometer along with the indicator light is the safety-speed sentinal. The driver sets the speed they want to run and when that speed is exceeded, the light lights and a buzzer sounds.
3. The oil pressure and coolant temp warning lights first appeared in '59. The ammeter stayed thru '68 on the full-size cars.
I noticed no power steering/power brakes. Can you imagine trying to parallel park this monster?
WYR #1 Pontiac.
WYR #2 Pontiac.
My mom had a '59 StarChief when I turned 16 and got my license. My bucket-list Pontiacs are a '60 Bonneville 4dr flat-top and a '69 Grand Prix.
Have you forgotten, this model came factory equipped with Armstrong Power Steering!
It's all good thank you so much for what you do
Thank you so much for taking the time to share all that information and insight as well as memories associated with these cars
Sweet choices
In general I don’t like many ‘58 models but , prefer the ‘ 58 Catalina especially the interior to the ‘59 . Of course it’s all very subjective.
The split grille on the 59 is pretty much the trade mark of Pontiac for the next 50 years.
cool video, cool car
=)
A lady that worked in the school cafeteria for years had a 59 Pontiac I think it was a 59 Catalina which she drove up till 1973 which she traded it in for a new 1973 Catalina. I remember that big white Pontiac with that little ole lady like Ms Daisy behind the wheel flying up the street.
cool have you seen the Canadian 59 Pontiac it rides on a Chevrolet frame
I have yet to see the Canadian model
That is interesting
@@What.its.like. ck out Rare classic cars & automotive history YT channel Adam owns one
You've reviewed lots of interesting '59 cars lately, First the Monterey, then BelAir and Catalina. My cars of choice from WYR would be the Coronet and Hawk.
Hahaha I know right it was all by chance
The "Ever-Level Air Ride" wasn't air shocks at all. They were air springs, just like Lincoln used on the Mark VII, at all 4 wheels. The compressor was engine driven. They were a nightmare, and it is highly like that there are very few, if any, 58 or 59 GM cars that still have it. They were often swapped for coil springs. The shocks were just normal shock. Air leaks and lack of mechanic training doomed this idea for 25 years. Even the Lincolns suffered air bag leaks (including my own), and it was common to see an 84-2005 Lincoln going down the street with its butt or front on the ground. The air leaks would then burn out the electric compressor from overuse. Well over $1K to fix if you let it go long enough. I will say this: my 88 Mark VII LSC handled like a Mustang GT, but rode like a... well, a _Lincoln_ !
Thank you for that correction
I said what they add said it said chamber shock absorbers for what ever reason those ads were hard to read
Ah I forgot to mention the compressor
Thank you so much here is the ad like I said I took the ads from here but when I saved the page it got hard to read
www.oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA/Pontiac/1959%20Pontiac/1959%20Pontiac%20Brochure/1959%20Pontiac-14.html
Another great episode, Jay. I like the color of this Catalina. But I'd still take the Mercury.
Sweet choices =) how do you like the beginning no intro just something different
1965 thunder bird tomorrow
@@What.its.like. I liked the beginning, and I see nothing wrong with mixing it up a little once in a while. And I look forward to the '65 Thunderbird episode tomorrow. I many fond memories of a particular Rangoon Red/Red one owned by my grandparents when I was a little kid. To say that car was fascinating to young me was an understatement!
@@What.its.like. Can't get enough of those 64-66 Thunderbirds look forward to that one my older cousin has a black 64 Bird with red interior and cold air conditioning.
The 59 Pontiac then the Stude.
Hi Jay! Those 1959 GM cars were really spacey! Particularly the Pontiac and the Olds. Chevy and Buick went a little more conservative in rear styling, which looked great. Pontiac and Olds went outer space! My favorite of the Pontiacs of that era was the 1960, a GREAT looking car, in my opinion. The 1959 is cool, too, with its split grille, which seemed to inspire the 1960 Edsel styling. And that 389 engine! Great power for such a large car. WYR. . .That 1959 Dodge is so UGLY but COOL! Gotta pick it! #2, Studebaker Hawk.
Thank you so much for sharing that insight great choices as always
looks like there was a speed minder there in the speedometer
WAS MY JOB AT WORMAN PONTIAC IN 1959 TO TAKE CUSTOMERS FOR A DEMO RIDE IN A WIDE TRACK..THEN TURN THEM OVER TO THE SALES PERSON..
Awesome thank you so much for sharing your experience. Do you have any cool stories associated with being at Pontiac?
WYR: All of them.
WYR 1: Torn but I'll go with the Dodge. 2: Torn again, but Catalina. My great uncle had a 59 wide track Catalina.
Just say the steering wheel is ribbed for your pleasure. What's creepy about that? 🤷🏼♂️
Thanks Jay. My 72 Pontiac still had the beak separating the grill.
I don't know how people get creeped out by it, idk I guess we live in a world where what was once considered creepy is now normal and what was normal now is creepy 🤷♂️
@@What.its.like. Define creepy!
Pedophiles are creepy.. Someone watching you go to the bathroom that's very creepy and disturbing.. talking about steering wheel concepts isn't creepy General Motors put crotch ventilators in cars. All I did was say that they're there...
For interior roominess the Savoy. For style The Pontiac
Great looking of one of my favorite Pontiacs Prefer the 59 dash, a little simpler looking than the 58 the Catalina dash has the painted Chevy Bel Air look, the Bonneville has that more opulent chrome look with that cool passenger grab handle. Prefer the whole 59 style in and out over the bulkier 58. The 59 has a better looking roofline, thanks to he 57 Plymouth for the inspiration , and the 56 Ford/Mercury, Lincoln hardtop rooflines before then. First choice, 59 Pontiac, second any 59 De Soto.
I like the 59 dash better, more businesslike, less glare. And the GM copper colors were great back then. Why no copper cars now? 😕 Could hear America singing "A Horse With No Name." Hope that horse got a name eventually. WYR: 1. Dodge 2. Studebaker
Sweet choices
Pops had the 59 ponitac stationwagon, almost bet it was only 6 passenger, med blue non metallic with light gray top. I was born in 59, yup livin the dream. That car is in great shape for its age. just sayin!
Just saying, the 1958 Pontiac had the gas cap located behind the left backup light, of blanking plate if backup lights were not ordered. They were optional on most cars.
That is the first time I er saw the base steering wheel.
I would take the "extra value is what you get, when you buy Cornet" and the Studebaker. My dad had a 58 Pontiac Star Chief and the gas filler is behind the backup light on the driver's side.
Awesome thank you so much for that correction I never saw one in person that's why I said probably behind license plate
Sweet choices
@@What.its.like. As a little kid, I always thought that was the coolest thing, actually even older I think it's pretty inventing.
59 Dodge.
Okay, granted, I'm old, but what is creepy about showing the steering wheel design? And what's Car Wizard in trouble for?
I don't know. I had some troll telling me that the crotch test was creepy as well as calling out General Motors for their crotch, ventilator and talking about thin steering wheels
As far as the car Wizard goes, he did a video on vinwiki last week where he was talking about why he doesn't drink alcohol, there was a guy on there saying that he thought the car wizard was a snitch, and I commented because his story someone in the military took somebody else's card by credit card and maxed it out or bank card and I said something to the effect why would anyone do that Some people don't believe in karma or living by the golden rule it ever since then I get people coming and saying that on here I don't get it. I think they're not real/bots
@What.its.like. Geez! Things just get weirder and weirder. Thanks for responding Jay.
This is the video I don't think you'll be able to find the comment I love watching vinwiki stories, and has become a bucket list thing to go and tell a story in that chair. I got to meet Ed this summer but didn't have the nerve to ask him, would love to interview him.
ruclips.net/video/PLbyur_NZjM/видео.htmlfeature=shared
Sincerely, Macquire Sisters? Just a wild guess
@@allenwayne2033 great guess not that song or band
Wasn't '59 the first year for the famous WIDE TRACK Pontiac???
Does that car have the rather odd and problematic "Slim Jim" automatic transmission that sort of filled in between the tried and true Hydramatic and the not yet introduced "TurboHydramatic" ?
The original hydra matic had 4 gears and I would say it was a great transmission GM sold it to anyone who would buy it
The advertisement pieces said that this one had the four-speed unit
without power steering, this car was probably a handful to drive for the less muscular types. Could be why it's still around in this condition.
I have yet to drive a big car without power steering, but I've driven my truck doesn't have power steering and I actually don't think it's hard to steer at all
I had a 67 Mustang with manual steering it had power steering, but the power steering was so vague that we just disconnected. It made the driving experience so much better.
@@What.its.like. I think its the number of turns lock to lock, ie slow ratio, together with more effort that compounds it. Manual steering usually has a higher number of turns to ease the effort. Your Mustang's PS ratio didn't change so it probably did give more road feel. Ford's PS is naturally pretty vague and rubbery.
The power steering unit was terrible. I mean it was super easy to steer the wheel, but you could not feel where the wheels were... I swear, if you blew on it with any significant amount of force like you were blowing out candles, you could spin that steering wheel. It was insanely easy to turn it's almost didn't feel natural
I had an 88 Lincoln town car and the power steering and that was perfect. It wasn't overly assisted, but it was easy to steer and you could tell where the wheels were. The Mustang was not that lol
59, 58 looks 50's, 59 looks 60's...
59 Dodge, even if I did grow up in a 59 Mercury....
59 Stude!
Not that much legroom in the backseat
@@stickshiftdriver1832 I agree there was enough room to put my fingertips in between my knee and the back of the seat I was just having a really hard time saying that
The 1959 looks much more modern than the 1958!!!
Pontiac - Plymouth
NEW CAR PRICES ...too damned high ? Come on down t'NEW DEAL used CARS !!
Where you'll hear Marshall Lucky and his best friend Toby sayin... "Prices are too
damned high" That is right ...Marshall He's blowin the shit outta HIGH prices !
You all... come on down. "There's a gem just waitin for you t'test drive."...says Toby if he could talk.... YA hear me ? This is Rudy Russo sayin "You ALL come down !"
Roy L. Fuchs, Mgr.
P S Toby coulda showed Archie some great tricks like playin a really dead dog....
" TOBY ! ....I said the PHILLIPS screwdriver ! "
58 Dsh, hands down WYR 1: None WYR 2: Stude
heck, in today's Leno video, he's talking about hookers who can cook. He said, "Well, I wasn't really looking for a sandwich right now...".
Hahahaha yeah I got an email one time for a joke that I used That I took from Leno
He said wooden ships Iron Man, when the men were men and the women were proud of it.. so I wonder how many people wrote to him about that I often wonder how many people message Derek from vice grip garage with different vocabulary words that he uses I love both of their personalities. I guess some people just have to spell everything out for I don't get it
59 Mercury, 59 Plymouth
Sweet choices
Share.
If the Studebaker is available, I have to make it first choice, hands down. Oddly enough Dodge is styled more like in 1950ties that's why it's the second choice. Plymouth is close next for third choice since it's more looking like 1960ties. Sorry, I can't digest the Mercury style. Pontiac has the least desirable style to my eyes.
Sweet choices and great insight behind those choices
I hope to cover a Studebaker Hawk this year. I don't care what kind we got to do a golden Hawk last year. That is a car that I really want to drive/own one day
Harley Earl "Jumped the Shark" with the 1958 Buick, Olds, Pontiac cars. Way too much glitz and chrome. Chevrolet wins hands down in 58 for looks, and Cadillac, minus the Eldorado, looked like a Chevrolet that had plastic surgery and Botox. Pontiac and Buick for 59 were beautiful.
All cars in 58 had quad headlights by government rules roof and glass match the Chevy cars
Not ALL cars had quad headlights in 58. They were allowed, not mandated. Note the Studebaker Hawk in this WYR.
@ yes sll 58 carsssshole
Studebaker hawk never had quad headlights. It was produced until 1961 and then when it was picked back up, it still had single headlights
@@What.its.like.yes, my point exactly. Some people, probably not even born in the twentieth century, seem to think that all cars were required to have four headlights from 1958. I guess that they have never seen a Falcon, American, Chevy ll, Malibu Colonnade, Matador, etc.
@ I was going to add I thought it was an option on AMC cars the Rambler American only has single lights. There's a whole bunch of cars that only have single lights.
It wasn't a mandate as much as it was allowed by the US government by 1958 some 57 cars have dual lights, there are cars in the 30s that have. I don't know if you would call them quad lights but they got accessory lights. They're about the same size as the headlights.