Welcome to Hooniverse Two Wheel Top Down Tuesday. Yes, I was going to do a Two Wheel Tuesday posting – OK that’s a load of crap, as I almost never contribute a Two Wheel Tuesday posting – but I decided to rename Two Wheel Tuesday to Top Down Tuesday in honor of the three drop dead georgous 60s convertibles I found at a local car show. So, sit back, relax, and take in all that is Two Wheel (Seriously, I should just cut that out) Top Down Tuesday….
Our first drop top is a stunning 1962 Pontiac Catalina convertible. It looks similar to the Black Grand Prix I ran yesterday, only a bit shorter in overall length, and the convertible had an Automatic, and a lesser engine in the form of a Pontiac 389 CID V-8 producing 215HP. The Catalinas received a new 3-speed Roto Hydramatic automatic in place of the old 4-Speed Hydramatic still offered in the Bonneville. One other thing when you look at these images… The dealer emblem is from a dealer that is still in business today selling Cadillac, Buick, and GMC cars and trucks!
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This is a 1965 Oldsmobile 4-4-2 Convertible, and was Oldsmobile’s answer to the successful Pontiac G-T-O. This car is stunning with the red paintwork that is in contrast to the white interior. Remember white interiors – I used to own a car with an all white interior – great for the summer, but a bitch to keep clean. Standard equipment for this option package included a 400 CID V-8 that produced 345HP. The transmission in this car is the 2-speed Oldsmobile Jataway automatic, which I’m not entirely convinced that it isn’t just a renamed Powerglide. This car also had the optional console and tachometer. It’s a beauty!
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And this is a 1965 Buick Skylark Gran Sport, which was Buick’s answer to the Pontiac G-T-O. Another stunning red convertible, with a beautiful white interior, and a few luxury touches like power windows, just to make sure you knew you were in a Buick. The Gran Sport had the Buick 401 CID V-8 Nailhead producing 325HP, that also produced a stump pulling 445 lb/ft of torque. This car had a proper 4-Speed manual, which makes this particular car of the three a true “Muscle Car”
So what do you think of Top Down Tuesday?
Hooniverse Top Down Tuesday – Three Revealing Red Drop Tops
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For some reason, I can't get excited about '62 or '64 Pontiacs. They're by no means ugly but I find other years in the early-mid '60s to be more attractive. I'd be more excited if the convertible was a '61 or '63. As for the Olds and Buick, I really prefer the '66-'67 look to the '64-'65. Again, not ugly by a long shot but not my personal preference.
The '65 Skylark has the distinction of being the first car with a full-width taillight. Even the Electra featured yesterday didn't have a true car-wide light – the center section over the gas cap was just a reflector. By '66, the Electra had a true full-width taillight, along with Charger and Thunderbird. The Skylark dropped it, however. -
I like Top Down Tuesday quite a bit.
It is a real toss up between the 442 and the Skylark for me. I adore all 442s, but this Skylark, oh man. -
But it's still illuminated enough from the sides to give the impression of a single bar of light. I've seen these cars at night.
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The B-O-P 2-speed wasn't a Powerglide. My dad's '68 Cutlass S has the Super Turbine 300 2-speed and we thought at first it was a 'glide, but then we checked the late-'60's Chilton all-brands shop manual and it is indeed different from a Powerglide.
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The 2-speed in my '62 Catalina was known as a Roto-Hydramatic.
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