Junkyard Find: 1972 Pontiac Catalina
20 years ago, when junkyard parking lots were full of forward-control vans, full-sized GM sedans were as commonplace in self-serve wrecking yards as are Ford Tempos and Dodge Intrepids today. It seemed like the flow of Crusher-bound Impalas, 98s, and Electras would never stop… but that’s just what has happened, save for the occasional appearance of a car such as today’s Junkyard Find.
This car, which I photographed a couple months back in Northern California, has the look of a machine that sat forgotten for decades, maybe behind a plumbing shop in Union City, before being hauled off for scrap.
You don’t see many Pontiac 400s in wrecking yards these days. This was one of the better V8s to come out of Detroit, though its sickly 301-cubic-inch cousin sort of ruined its image.
This car wasn’t worth restoring when it was only half this thrashed, but it still has some good parts to offer.
For example, these taillights. Somehow, they’ve remained intact for 31 years.
You can run into walls, no problem!
Murilee Martin is the pen name of Phil Greden, a writer who has lived in Minnesota, California, Georgia and (now) Colorado. He has toiled at copywriting, technical writing, junkmail writing, fiction writing and now automotive writing. He has owned many terrible vehicles and some good ones. He spends a great deal of time in self-service junkyards. These days, he writes for publications including Autoweek, Autoblog, Hagerty, The Truth About Cars and Capital One.
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These cars sold well enough, were not an "embarrassment". GM still had 50% share, and the car market had record sales in 1972 and 73, despite what myths say. No, the world didn't end when SAE Net HP ratings, which are more realistic, appeared. And no, not every car sold in the 60's was a 'muscle car'. This looks like a project car that got canned. "Honey, either it goes or..." Or, some kid realized it wasn't a 'muscle car', after all?
Demo Derby drivers love 71-76 GM tanks. So much that some derbies will only allow downsized 1977-80+ cars. If this car was further East, would be enjoying a final ride.