[vtwhead]

I hope this is the correct spot for this little story. I have just signed up yesterday so I am still learning my way around here on the forum. I have followed many auto forums and am always amazed at these deals you see where someone finds a real unmolested car stored away years ago. Well, a good friend calls me and says I better come up and see what he has found and has enlisted my help with this new acquisition. What he found was a 65 Catalina and it sure is a nice car. Last registered in '03 here in Vt but never driven much, it has 35000 original miles on the odometer. It had belonged to an elderly woman upstate and she, in her retiring years, sold it to a fellow who sold it to this fellow.....you get the jist of this I am sure. So over the years it has just sat with not much interest until now.
This car is so clean I can't believe it. Has a leak in the rear window and needs a patch in the DS rear quarter. Probably could use a good cleaning of the carpets and some polishing and this thing will shine. Looked like it may have a 389 with a two barrel, power steering and power brakes but no AC. We put a battery in it and shot some gas in the carb and it started right up! The interior is spotless...It looks like no one has ever sat in the back seat.
I am going to pull the data off the cowl tag and will see what it tells us. In the meantime we are going to get it in the shop and go over the vehicle, clean it, fix a few spots and polish it. After that I don't know what we will do with it as of yet. Took some pics but it was 12 degrees with a stiff wind so I didn't take too many.
Will keep you updated on what we are doing.

Walt

[vtwhead]

a few more pics

[mike nixon]

If you're planning on flipping it don't even bother driving. If you do that plan may go out the window.

Looks like a nice old car.

Mike

[Doug Hopkins]

Looks like a very nice ride. Fix the window leak, and install a new package tray, and some carpet. Then just enjoy driving it. A real good find! Doug

[Deadhead]

They are really starting to come out of the woodwork.

That is a car you could actually flip & make $.

All the really expensive parts to replace look to be in great shape on that car.

Excellent score.

[Region Warrior]

Sweet!

[Stuart]

Good looking car! I owned a similar car once, a '65 Grand Prix. It wasn't a barn find but it was still a genuine little old lady car, with around 60k miles on it. They are real nice driving cars.

Take a close look at the front fenders, in the lower section behind the wheels and in front of the doors...in your photo, the lines on the passenger side fender make it look like it's sticking out a ways from the door. 1965's like to rust in that area; mine was really clean overall but I discovered it had had some rust repair in that area.

[65WJ]

Welcome to the Darkside.
I think what Mike is saying is, once you start driving it and finding out how nice a ride the car is, you will not want to sell it.
Really nice car, enjoy
How about some engine compartment pictures?

patrick

[BigCat4spd]

Darn. That NEVER happens to me.

Congratulations!

[Kochtanek]

Hey Walt, I've got a birthday coming up in less than 2 weeks .

Welcome to the Forum, and thanks for sharing the pics!

Walt and I have conversed on another Forum (348-409 site) and I suggested he post his new barn find herein. Thought you guys would like to see what he stumbled into.

Of course, we're all a bit jealous!

Enjoy!
Tom Kochtanek

[carcrazy]

Great find!!!

[66bonne]

STEP AWAY FROM THE CAR !! And repeat after me "I don't need this car; I don't want this car". I will then graciously come up to Vermont [when that strange white stuff all over the ground is gone] and relieve you of that Poncho.
WOW - that is one heck of a find !! Looks like even the steering wheel is in great shape. How is the dash pad ?
What are your plans for it ?
I think I might have that piece of missing trim behind the wheel well.
Good luck and way to go,
Jim

[BigAquaBonney]

Excellent find. Keep it--be a Darksider.

[vtwhead]

After a close walk around of the car, it appears that someone in the past started to think about a restoration. They attempted to remove the front sheet metal and gave up. Both fenders are loose on the bottom....simple fix. Got to get it in and on the rack to see what the bottom looks like and to check all the other stuff then we are going to fire it up so it can be driven.
The interior is flawless, the steering wheel is in excellent shape and the dash looks new which is quite surprising to say the least. I will keep you posted and will have more pics as we move along.

[Keith Vrabec]

Drive it.

Stick a big ADDCO sway bar up front, get some gas shocks and radials, dual exhaust. Do the brakes maybe convert to a dual system, add a little gear and have some fun. Can even leave the 2bbl, it'll run quite well with it up to 85mph.

[Ron Landis]

an inside job...kept inside...that is! Might want to finish removing the doghouse...just for a good detail job. Then again...maybe not! Seriously...the condition of the chrome and interior tell the tale. That Morrokyde [sp?] wears like iron! Funny how these old folks liked to wrap themselves with plenty of Detroit iron! Feels like you are sitting in your living room when driving one of these. Good find! Ron

[Txbobcat]

It will go a lot faster than 85 with a 2bl. Excellent find if 66 Bonnie doesnt have that part I do.

[stevensonDNL]

That sure is a nice car. Great find! Such nice condition. It reminds me alot of my first '65 Catalina Sport Coupe in the '70's, which had that exact same style and color interior. Mine also was a 2bbl 389 column shifted automatic, and yes, even the 2bbl 389 could peg the speedometer, as I recall.

Dan

[65 Cat 2+2]

Nice score. Once you go Darkside, you'll never go back.

[vtwhead]

While I was away playing in the florida sun my friend got the car into the shop and has managed to get the car put back together and running. Put a plate on it and drove it up the road. I went up this morning and at 20 degrees outside the car started right up and came down to an idle. Impressive running engine. We took the back seat out as I had a suspicion that the build sheet might be tacked to the back and sure enough it was. Took a pic of it and will try to upload it.
After kicking it around now for several weeks it appears that he is going to sell the car. He is into muscle cars real big and has a bunch of money tied up in a pro street Nova that he wants to finish. So it looks as if he is going to let the Catalina go. I may be putting an add on the site. Would be nice if this could stay with the darksider crew. In the meantime I will upload the build sheet. Walt