When we write about a Pick of the Day on The ClassicCars.com Journal, our team delves deep into the tens of thousands of listings on ClassicCars.com to bring you the most interesting collectible vehicles out there. So why am I writing about a car that seems to be a facsimile of the 1969 Catalina convertible I wrote about last week? Read on to learn more about this 1969 Pontiac 2+2 convertible listed for sale by a dealership in Hilton, New York.
There are two overlapping stories in the saga of the Pontiac 2+2 — American and Canadian. Let’s start with the good ol’ Red, White, and Blue: the $290.52 2+2 Sports Option was introduced for 1964 on the Catalina Sports Coupe and Convertible. The purpose was not performance but sportiness, as the 2+2 gave the Catalina two front bucket seats, console, and the requirement of automatic or four-speed transmission, plus nylon-blend carpeting, and Custom steering wheel. A 389 two-barrel was standard, so clearly it was not a performance package, though options went up to a 421 HO with Tri-Power.
However, that would be rectified for 1965 when Pontiac repurposed the 2+2 to be a big brother to the GTO. Still available on the two Catalina body styles, the 2+2 Sports Option now cost $397.04 to $418.54 (depending on body style) thanks to a standard 338-horsepower 421, floor-mounted three-speed manual transmission, front fender louvers, heavy-duty suspension, buckets and “carpeting all over,” wheel covers, and pinstripes. For 1966, the 2+2 became its own model, only to revert to a performance package for 1967. For this final year, a Catalina hardtop or convertible equipped with the 2+2 Sports Option included the new 360-horsepower 428 and much of the same equipment as before. However, poor sales in a mid-size and pony car performance world resulted in the discontinuation of the 2+2.
However, in Canada, things were a bit different. As you may know, full-size Pontiacs were based on Chevrolet chassis, so from the outset, the 2+2 model was more in line with the SS package for the Chevrolet Impala (in other words, something similar to the original 1964 2+2). Standard equipment included Strato bucket seats and floor console, front fender louvers, and either the Astro-Six 250 or Strato-Flash 283 V-8 with a three-speed manual. Engine options ran up to the 385-horsepower 427.
Aside from a restyle and shuffling of engines, this Midnight Green 1969 Pontiac 2+2 convertible (Pontiac ditched the Parisienne name from the model after 1968) was mostly the same sporty full-sizer as before, including fender louvers (now on the rear) and longitudinal stripes (missing on this particular vehicle). Standard was an Astro-Flash 350 two-barrel, but this example features the 300-horse 350 four-barrel backed by a console-shifted TH350 automatic. “The power convertible top operates with ease, making this the perfect car for sunny weekend drives or show appearances,” says the seller. “This 2+2 … is equipped with a heavy-duty suspension, reinforcing its performance heritage.” The odometer reads 38,000 miles. Note the Rally II wheels, which were not a Canadian Poncho thing — Chevrolet Rally wheels would have been the factory mag.
Pontiac built only 639 2+2 convertibles for 1969, so they are not often seen, even in Canada. That should be enough for you to suspend your disbelief and understand this 2+2 is as real as Rush with a female drummer. In fact, for $24,500, it’s affordable enough for you to spread the world to les Américains that there is such thing as a post-1967 2+2.
Click here to view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com
