In 1959, Pontiac's new design was a tasteful tribute to this country's fascination with rockets, jets, and speed in general. It was a look that brought the division smartly into the modern era with crisp, clean styling. And the public loved it. Pontiac sales were up almost 166,000 units compared to the year before-a more than 40-percent increase!
The futuristic look was enhanced with a "Wide Track" stance along with a unique split grille. Both would go on to become historic design elements within the brand. To sweeten the pot further, Pontiac launched its new look and attitude with the very hot 389 engine. Suddenly, the division was number 4 in overall sales and a force to be reckoned with. It was a year that would set the tone of PMD's personality for decades to come.
This particular '59 Catalina may be the ultimate example of the breed if you subscribe to the "hottest engine in the lightest car" school of thought, and who doesn't? Judging by the numbers found on its engine, this Cat is packing a 420A 4-bolt main 389 powerplant, which produced 345 hp (the highest rating for '59 Pontiacs) thanks to Tri-Power carbs, a hot 886 cam with 283/293-degree duration and .406/.406 lift and hi-po exhaust manifolds. Its block is stamped 532981(AN) and the heads are 531395(Xo) and use 1.88/1.60 valves. The intake manifold carries number 532422 with carbs stamped 7013063 (front), 7013064 (center), and 7013065 (rear). The right side exhaust manifold is number 532215 with a 532216 on the left side.
GM's 4-speed Hydramatic and a Safe-T-Track rear fitted with 3.42 gears complete the driveline despite the fact that the block code is listed as being for a manual trans in the research material we referenced. We can't speak to the original owner to verify if the engine or trans have ever been swapped. The dual exhaust system and suspension are stock and original. Power brakes and steering, although over assisted by today's standards, take only a little getting used to and help make this Pontiac all the more driver friendly.
Another piece of counter-logic relating to this Pontiac is the presence of the 8-lug wheels. As far as we know, they weren't readily available until 1960. Yet, there they are. Just like the engine code, since the whereabouts of the car's original owner is unknown, how they got there may never be revealed.
Nevertheless, this Catalina was purchased new at Wells Pontiac in Richmond, Indiana, by a gentleman who eventually passed it down to his grandson. It stayed in the family for 40 years before it was finally traded in for a more modern vehicle in 1999 at a small used car lot in Mansfield, Ohio. That's where the next owner, David Green, found it.
David owns "Classic Cars" in Lenior, Tennessee, and heard about this 30,000-mile Pontiac through his grapevine. He was trying to find an interesting driver anyway so he headed north, had a look, and snatched it right up. When realizing just how nice this Cat was, he decided it really deserved a safer lifestyle and shouldn't be subjected to the rigors of public traffic. He did, however, put another 20,000 miles on the odometer while he was thinking about it.
Once the Catalina was cosmetically tweaked, it hit the car shows and won its share of awards. David actually met the original owner's grandson at one of those events, and he wanted to buy the car back. The problem was, he didn't seem to want it as badly as the next owner, Dennis McGuire of Canton, Georgia.
Dennis already had an impressive collection of '60s and early '70s-era machines including a couple of Pontiacs. He was actually looking for a '58 Star Chief to match the one he drove in high school...not a '59 Catalina. Obviously, this sleeper is like a magnet to any performance car lover, let alone a serious Pontiac man with the means to pay a premium for a very rare car.
As you can see, this Catalina has become simply irresistible. That's why David Green just had to buy it back from Dennis. And that's why Raymond Fowler, an Atlanta connoisseur of fine GM musclecars immediately bought it away from David. All this transpired before this story was completed! Lest you think Raymond would be willing to sell you this machine, think again. He's strictly a buyer-not a seller. David Green probably said it best, "I buy cars for a living and this is the only one I ever bought twice, and did so with great enthusiasm I might add. Frankly, I'm not sure I'm completely done with it yet." Do you think the designers and engineers had "timeless desirability" in mind when they conceived the '59 Pontiacs?