Pontiac El Catalina Prototype, 1959
Pontiac Catalina I
Pontiac Catalina I•
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Chassis No.: 259P108
Auction: Kissimmee 2019
Auction date: January 13, 2019
Lot No.: S159
$240,000 | High bid
- Exterior: Ivory
- Interior: Ivory
- Body: Prototype
- El Catalina prototype produced by Pontiac for testing, show and consideration for a new El Camino style model for 1960 Pontiac regular production
- POCI National 1st Jr. Gold at Bowling Green, Kentucky July 2007 with a score of 400/400
- Concours Award at POCI Nationals July 2011 with a score of 400/400
- AACA National 1st Junior at Santa Rosa, California August 2011
- AACA National Senior at Oakbrook, Illinois September 2011
- AACA Grand National 1st at Moline, Illinois June 2013
- AACA Grand National Senior at Lebanon, Tennessee June 2014
- Concours of the Americas Otto Rosenbusch Memorial Award-Spirit of the Automobilist July 2014
- 389/300 HP V-8 engine
- 4-speed Super Hydra-Matic automatic transmission
- Power steering, brakes and seat
- Air conditioning
- Sportable AM radio
- Tissue dispenser
By 1959, Pontiac’s image transformation was well underway. In just three years since incoming General Manager Semon E. “Bunkie” Knudsen took over, Pontiac went from catering to a dwindling number of older, more sedate buyers to the division of choice for a new generation of young performance enthusiasts. Meanwhile, there were some interesting developments happening in Dearborn that GM was forced to deal with. An innovative vehicle came to market for the 1957 model year, the Fairlane-based Ford Ranchero. It was a very nicely packaged car/truck hybrid for those looking for a light-duty hauler with the ride, handling and comfort of a conventional automobile.
The Ranchero caught GM with its pants down—they had nothing like it to challenge Ford in the marketplace. There was no doubt that Chevrolet would be getting a “Ranchero-beater,” but was there enough demand to warrant a second division also getting a variant? Knudsen was interested in evaluating a Catalina-based pickup but wasn’t completely sold on the idea. Though parts for as many as four prototypes were allocated for the project, it appears that only two production-spec vehicles were built, the one here and a nearly identical copy allegedly sent for testing to the GM Proving Grounds in Mesa, Arizona.
A third vehicle with a crude flatbed was reportedly built, though it wasn’t considered for production. The project was an intricately executed amalgamation of Pontiac and Chevrolet componentry and was handled by Pontiac Engineering. A white ‘59 Catalina Safari was allocated for the project. It had a red interior, a high-compression 389 4-barrel V-8 and Hydra-Matic transmission. Its body was removed from its Wide Track frame. A 1959 El Camino cab and bed were placed on the chassis. Catalina two-door rear quarter panels replaced the Chevy units, and the Catalina wagon tailgate, tail lamps and bumper were also added.
The Catalina dash was installed in the cab, as were Catalina interior door panels, a Catalina coupe seat and carpeting. With the wagon’s front sheet metal put back on, the transformation was complete. The Pontiac pickup prototype was presented to Knudsen for evaluation. He and John DeLorean were said to be impressed with the execution of the concept, though Knudsen ultimately rejected it. There were two problems: image and market size. With Knudsen trying so hard to change the way people thought about Pontiac, he didn’t believe that a pickup would help the division’s reputation in the performance market.
When the El Camino debuted in 1959, it passed the Ranchero in sales, 22,246 units compared to 14,169. With less than 37,000 units sold between the Ford and Chevy versions, there seemed to be too little demand for a third vehicle in this already limited market segment. Knudsen’s decision was, as usual, on the money. With the project over, the pickup was sent to Pontiac’s retail store, where it was used as a parts chaser for the next 10 years. From there, the pickup was purchased in 1969 by Darrel Lotridge, who lived in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Lotridge had long been intrigued by the one-off and had tried buying it on numerous occasions.
Lotridge had slowly been conducting a body-off restoration of the prototype. After getting about 75 percent of the way through the restoration, he sold it to a collector, who had the restoration completed in time for the 2011 POCI Convention in Bowling Green, Kentucky. It was there that it won a Concours Award with a score of 400/400 points. Since then, it has also won AACA National 1st Junior at Santa Rosa, California, in August 2011; an AACA National Senior at Oakbrook, Illinois, in September 2011; an AACA Grand National 1st at Moline, Illinois, in June 2013; and an AACA Grand National Senior at Lebanon, Tennessee, in June 2014.
It also won the prestigious Concours of the Americas' Otto Rosenbusch Memorial “Spirit of the Automobilist” Award in July of 2014.
https://www.mecum.com/lots/359631/1959-pontiac-el-catalina-prototype/
