1966 Pontiac Catalina Convertible Revive & Drive!
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- Опубліковано 5 лют 2025
- Some time last summer, we bought this 1966 Pontiac Catalina Convertible and a 1967 Grand Prix convertible from a fella in Illinois. Both of them had locked up engines and the Grand Prix is highly optioned with the convertible top, cornering lamps, bucket seats with head rests, air conditioning, and a bunch of other options I can't recall. This Catalina, aside from being a convertible, didn't get many options checked on it, aside from air conditioning. I have no idea why there's so many convertibles with air conditioning, but whatever. I tried a few times to get the Catalina to turn over with the battery, but no avail. The car sat in my shop for a year and I finally got tired of pushing it around and decided to do something about it. Two years ago, we bought a rough but highly optioned 1965 Grand Prix that allegedly had a rebuilt 389 4 barrel and TH400 transmission. I got that engine running shortly after we got it home, and even drove it around some without brakes. After realizing the car was too rough to justify restoration, I decided it would be a great donor for this Catalina, since the drivetrains were the same, this one was allegedly rebuilt once, and everything should interchange. So in this video, I show the steps that I took to put this Catalina back on the road with the Grand Prix's drivetrain.
My favorite car as a young man was a 1966 Pontiac Bonneville 2 door hardtop. 65, 66, 67 were the best years for Pontiac IMO.Enjoy your videos. Looked like you were using copper for brake lines? Not a good idea if that was the case. Glad to see you get these cars back on the road. Wish I was near you I'd enjoy lending a hand even at my age. Keep up the good work.
I'm with ya there! 65-67s were the meanest looking of the cars
I learned all about cars from a life time of Pontiacs with my dad as me teacher from my first car a 69 Grand Prix , 428 , 66 Bonn conv many gtos and firebirds I’m 64 now but I can follow along your videos and know exactly what your doing , no shop or cars to play with now but you bring back great memories for me .great job doing your videos easy to understand what you’d doing , job well done !!
My mom had this exact car when I was a little kid 66 Red Catalina Convertible black top black interior! Brings back memories
I had a 70 red with a white convert top
I really liked the long video but that's just me. I thoroughly enjoy your content. You do a project from start to finish and always know how to do exactly what may come up. Looking forward to the next video!
Thanks Chad! I often wonder how the long videos are perceived
Love your show! I'm a Pontiac nut,
You and me both! I'll have another video of a "newer" Pontiac up before too long
@ChiefClassics I own my father's original 1960 Bonneville Convertible. It's Maroon in color. 78 k miles it's all original, except for pumps, gas tank, Convertible top ( White ) heater core, all the regular stuff, I also have his 65 Bonneville fastback, has a 421 engine. Same original. I love your 59 and 60 Pontiac Convertible s I've been offered a lot for my 60, you ay want to fix it up. Keep up the good work, thans Mark
Drove her to cemetery 😂 I love it. Subscribed. My daily driver is a 1965 Chrysler Valiant AP6 made in Australia like me
Nice! I'll have a Chrysler video up soon
Love the old Catalina. Well thats a long video but kept my interest. I’ll subscribe 👍🏼👍🏼 Keep up the good work.
Thank you much! It's a peach!
Jeff would love those old Pontiacs especially the LeMans and the catalinas and the Grand Prix and you know the GTOs been a big fan been a big fan of yours thanks for the videos
Thank you much! The 60s were great years for these cars. Power and comfort to no end
I see the 77 Grand Prix in the background ❤❤ hope to see a video of that
Great job on the Bonnieville . You do love be the Pontiac’s Thanks for sharing! 💯👊👍💕
Thanks for the info about the center screw on the carb. That little nugget has solved my carb issues.
Really enjoy your content I generally pick up a tip or trick I can use on my own classic GM cars Thanks !!!!
Hey love the channel I watched you painfully bleed the brakes here's a suggestion and it works great. Take hoes long enough to to go to each bleed screw connect it and run the other end right into the master cylinder this creates a constant loop and any air in the system gets expelled in the master cylinder also put felon tape on the bleeder screws so air doesn't make it past the threads on the bleeder doing it this way is really a game changer. Keep up the good work
It will run until it doesn't. Never worry. Good video.
Amazing video loved it thank you very much!
Loving the content, love from across the pond.
I also like the long vids as mentioned below by Chad. Regards from Sweden (The country).
Great job man have a great day❤❤❤❤❤❤
Excellent finish. Nice ride for the next owner.
It's been a great driver so far! Got the top working. Just needs tires and it'll be off to the races
That was my favorite job on railroad broken off bolts . You did good ,you might think about buying some left handed drill bits for removing bolts. Tom
Great car!
Mr. B. Here ! 🍩☕️👀😎👍. Young man , in those day sore cuts was normal, sad to say . I learned about fluids at the GM training Center in Up State NY all gone now ! Love your videos but. 2 + hour video need to take my honey due list , keep Mrs., happy ! LOL
I appreciate it! Can you confirm what fluid they used in the convertible top systems?
Yes sir , I will go to my factory shop manual will get back to you shortly ! 🍩☕️👀😎👍
Mr. B. Here ! 🍩☕️👀😎👍. Check all the way back to 1958 GM did change things as costs factor ; Hydro-Lectric Fluid ( part #557985 ) this goes back to 1958 . Factory did used their brake part # 11 . Power Steering works as well as Hydraulic Fluid . At the Training Center I was toll never Transmission Fluid in Power Steering because it has clay in it so it may gum up pump . I would recommend Hydraulic Fluid or Power Steering Fluid . The book states top should be half up to check fluid, remove plug oil at bottom of plug . Am going to guess you may have to go thru the hold system. Brake fluid is to corrosive, we come a long way with fluids I do not know the man brake fluid cystic you should look into it ! Keep mind costs witch ever works at a low cost work , and does no damage to repaired system . Good luck ! From Old Oldsmobile guy ! 🌭🍺👀😎👍🇺🇸
Great video. What a great car and a wonderful engine you have put together. I really like your channel. Heard about you from Mortske. Keep it up! Please!
Great content, thoroughly enjoy your videos. Keep them coming, look forward to them!
Thank you much Keith!
I always put a washer down then the nut and fill it full of weld works for me
When you showed the gas tank and gas cap, I noticed that the gas cap was not a vented cap. Prior to evaporative emissions regulation the cap is supposed to have a vent to prevent negative pressure from stopping fuel flow.
Very nice car! Way to go and getting it running...
Hi you need an old Hamilton Emissions Machine. You can shove that probe right up and you’ll know in real time what is coming out the tailpipe. It’s a great diagnostic tool and sometimes you can find one real cheap. Great Videos Thank You 🙏
I used to hate it when a core plug went on the Pinto engine here in the UK I had one go which was situated right inside the bell housing...I was young and thought it was a cracked engine block but luckily an honest mechanic told me it was a 50 pence core plug ...he fixed it for £15 that was over 30 years ago on a Ford Cortina 2 litre
OMG.. you score some nice Pontiacs there.. THAT is a really pretty nice car.. interior, steering wheel etc. is in great shape.. if you can get that zipper window going, you will be styling.. My old 64 Convertible, the top never worked, but I was in my 20's, I used to just lift it up and down on my own.. But that was way before the internet and knowing about all the supply houses...lol That 65 GP is running beautifully.... Damn.. Further into the video.. man do I love a clean shiny engine... I need to do this with my cars, but I don't have any of the skills, but I do have a good bit of the tools... So awesome...How many days/hours did that all take you?? Just got through the last part wow...What a nice job.. I loved the detail on the brakes.. I need that tutorial badly... Nice job...
I'll take the Zappa tape.
Thanks for the great tutorial on the basics for us !
Love long video I am a Pontiac guy to
You can back your adjusters off without taking your drums off by using a slim screwdriver , you put it in the slot in the backing plate and push the adjuster arm off the adjuster and use your brake spoon and turn the adjuster back
Jeff...First time subscriber. Love the content. Do you make a living fixing these old relics and selling them or do you have a shop and do this on the side?
I'm in the process of getting my dealer license, so most of these will be for sale soon, but some of them will just go into the hoard
Thing of beauty
To loosen the zipper spray it with a light coat of silicone.
Hope to see a follow- up video getting the power top and factory a/c working.
My favorite engine color is that Pontiac metallic teal color
You need to show more of your work. Don’t just show us after the work. I love watching motors being undone and lifted out.
You should put the 8 lug wheels on the Catalina convertible. That would look sweet. My brother had a red with white 65 Bonneville Convertible with 421 4 speed and 8 lug wheels.
1966 💪❤️
The damage to that engine didn't happen at regular highway speeds. That happened at extremely high rpm's. As for the 8 track tapes in it, I would say the Roy Rogers tape belonged to the parents and the Frank Zappa belonged to the kid.
good show.....I'm looking at buying a /65 Custom Sport Convertible....same colors ....wish me luck....
65s are darn sharp!
You should put your camera on the camera stand that way you can show all your work
Go to harbor freight and buy you a hand pump vacuum bleeder ,they work great and make your bleeding job a lot easier
Hey,really like you're video's and show. Can I ask you a question? Why aren't you using a tripod for your camera, would be so much better video's and you would have both hands. Just wondering.
I. Needs 67 Grand Prix convertible hood. How. How's the co edition?
Yes I had the dodge toga
Those head bolts are stretched out need new ones.
What bout a compressor andbracketsfor 400ci hmm 67
I'm interested, what is the price are you asking for it?
Why go Thu all that , set of headers,solved that and a little more hps
Headers are expensive and I didn't want to change the exhaust
Having owned a 65 Pontiac 2+2, ax 66 Pontiac 2+2 and a 65 Gran Prix I would really like o know what the story is with that silver 66 2+2 against the wall?
It's a funny shade of green with white and black interior! Bought it from a guy in California. It's a black plate car, so he must have had it many years. It has AC, 8 lugs, and 3 carbs!
@@ChiefClassics there's a guy in my neighborhood who has a light green 65 2+2 and it has dark green vinyl seats
So it's a 2 barrel engine with a 4 barrel carb
hey, i'm not certain if you'll get to reading my comment here, but i have a 65 Catalina convertible that i really want to put factory air into. would you be willing to sell the A.C compressor Bracket and the hoses?
I sure hope not. Working factory air dramatically increases the value of his car.
It's much much easier to put the engine and transmission into the car if you jack up the rear of the car. Baffles me why people jack up the front of the car.
Those a4e asbestos brakes 😮you're not wearing anything over your mouth wow that would have a lot of older people who have seen affects that's more dangerous than bareback with a hooker b4 that brakes clean he'll they need to make it a psa and sponsor your channel but you might just have to with your longer air spray nozzle but 15 -20 years ago I had a entire shop that was going to have a cow because I was doing the same thing on older cars but u do you still have a great channel my grandfather was at Packard Pontiac for 30 years and my dad's had 66 in all bodies back in his teenage years on up to the gran prix last was the body like 70 and 71 Montes I think it is a sj or whatever it known earlier in the day 😅 the best was the dual quads of the 389 grandfather had a 421 tri power Swiss cheese is from the Detroit dealer and he was in Miami raised by grandfather's with each had 50 years in uaw and Detroit diesel was my moms dad my dad's was in Gm for 25 years and in the middle like 10in the insurance companies and they all know that name in every gm parts department if they have any years in he's now 5 years retired and he is in his 80s George at any in Florida so I've grown up with ponchos Glad to be a gen X baby
👍👍
Wrong tools for installing springs and pin retainers
You have a dead cylinder
When you are ever going to show a full rebuild? You stop when the hood is still off and the top is not right and the interior is still a mess and one of the gauges is not working and the tires need replacing
I just unsubscribed from your channel. If you ever decide to finish what you started and show it on video lets me know.
Otherwise you just wasted 1/2 hr of my time. FAIL DISLIKE SEE YA.
Mortske sent me
Love long video I am a Pontiac guy to