The 1960 Pontiacs set the stage for the GM division’s rise to the top as the youth and performance brand of the ’60s.
Although it can appear that way, Pontiac didn’t really become the youth, styling, and performance brand at General Motors overnight. It was more of a process, performed under the direction of Semon “Bunkie” Knudsen, who came to Pontiac in 1956, and his two lead engineers, Pete Estes and John DeLorean. They went to work, and in 1959 the division’s V8 was opened up to 389 cubic inches. And for 1960, the 389 was available in nine different states of tune with up to 363 horsepower.
Catalina Hardtop Coupe
For economy-minded drivers, there was a 215 hp Trophy 425E package with an 8.6:1 compression ratio and two-barrel carburetor, running on regular gasoline. From there, the performance options were plentiful: They included both four-barrel carburetor (Carter AFB) and 3×2 Tri-Power combinations with up to 318 hp. Off-the-menu choices, if you will, included the Super Duty 363 hp dealer kit, sold over the counter to assemble a combination with a 10.75:1 compression ratio, Tri-Power, and the McKellar no. 7 solid lifter camshaft, named after Pontiac engineer Malcolm “Mac” McKellar. A 363 hp Catalina won Top Stock honors at the 1960 NHRA Nationals in Detroit, driven by Pontiac ad man Jim Wangers.
363 hp Catalina at the NHRA Nationals in Detroit
Early in 1960, Pontiac added the Borg-Warner T-10 four-speed manual transmission to the regular production option list, joining the three-speed manual and four-speed Hydra-Matic. This was essentially the same gearbox offered in Chevrolet passenger cars with a 2.20:1 first gear. That year, Pontiac also introduced its eight-lug aluminum wheels with integral brake drums, manufactured by Kelsey-Hayes. (See our feature here.) The division’s direction was coming into full view: Now there was a special emphasis on performance.
Bonneville Vista
On the styling front for ’60, GM design vice president Bill Mitchell gave lead designer Joe Shemanski and crew free rein to redo the complete exterior from the greenhouse down, preserving only the roof and glass of the ’59 platform. Fair to say it’s a totally different look, cleaner with fewer gadgets and gimmicks. Reportedly, the fine-toothed grille was inspired by the Miller Indy cars of the ’20s, at the suggestion of Mitchell. In 1959, Pontiac had introduced its twin-grille theme, but then reverted to a single full-width grille for 1960. The twin grilles returned in 1961, and they remained in play through the life of the division.
Bonneville Convertible Coupe
Among the key elements in Pontiac’s growing appeal, it’s often noted, were the beautiful interiors, featuring multi-toned Morrokide in a variety of color combinations. Morrokide was Pontiac’s trade name for a durable, high-quality cloth-backed vinyl material manufactured by the U.S. Rubber’s Naughahyde division that was noted for its fine finish and seeming inability to show wear. A new trim level, the Ventura, was introduced in 1960 to offer buyers a Star Chief or Bonneville-grade interior in a Catalina-size car, at closer to a Catalina price.
The U.S. auto market experienced phenomenal growth in 1960, rising 25 percent to more than seven million units. However, Pontiac sales rose only 3..4 percent that year to 396,000 cars. There were other factors at work at work in the market, including the rise of compacts and imports. Still, Pontiac was laying the groundwork for its rise to the top of the youth-performance market in the ’60s. The pieces were falling together.
Not mentioned, “Wide Trackin” was the sales gimmick. The drawn ads always portrayed the wider stance exaggerated, the width was only a couple inches wider, but claimed it handled better. Pontiacs were great road cars, the 1960 no exception. I heard that GM assembly was so poor then, 2x4s had to be slammed in the doors so they would close. The demand for cars was so great, they didn’t have time to repair it properly. Full size Pontiacs had a short life at the drag strip, it was the Tempest with full size Pontiac motors that changed everything.
Wide-Track was devised for the 1959 models because, on the original platform, someone commented the new body looked like “a football player in ballet slippers.” It was interesting that, by 1965, all five GM divisions had developed what Chevrolet billed as a new “wide-stance chassis.” It is also ironic that there was a twin-grille design in 1960…on the Edsel. Ford’s chairman Ernest Breech ordered the front end of the new Edsel be redesigned to resemble what he felt was the hottest car on the market: The 1959 Pontiac!
We devoted a feature to the Wide Track story here. mcg
https://macsmotorcitygarage.com/year-of-the-wide-track-the-1959-pontiac/
Those killer Royal Bobcat Ponchos certainly ruled the strip circa 1959-60, until the Rumchasers committee unleashed their legendary sonoramic nightmare called the Great White Hope during the ’61 Nationals at the Double-D. The “world ‘s fastest” Pontiac driven by M/T hisself got gapped, just like Dyno Don did in the 409 that “could walk on water” during eliminations at the “Most Important Drag Race” in Chrysler Corporation history…
The one year loss of the instantly iconic split grille makes the ’60 Pontiac the poster child for the downside of the annual model change, designers were working blind with a model that needed to be finalized and sent to tooling before the public had seen the previous one.
The worst Pontiac from years 59 thru 70. Every other year was iconic.
WHAT A BEAUTIFUL AUTOMOBILE! Brings BACK MEMORIES OF WONDERFUL TIMES FOR AMERICA! 🇺🇸
I had a 1961 Catalina Convertible, Maroon With a White Top !!!
The 62′,63’64’ Catalina’s with the 389 or 421 Bigblocks were Just Awesome back then. 389cu.in/365-H.P. or the 421cu.in/425-H.P. Stock 389 did mid 13’s in the 1/4mi. & the 421 did low to Mid 12’s in the 1/4 mi. That’s Fast today. 110mph. And the 421- 125mph. Respectfully.
Enjoyed the article. At age 15, I vowed to someday own a 1957 Pontiac, after first seeing one in a showroom. Five years later, at 20 years old,
I shopped many Chicago area used car lots. I made an offer on a 1957 Star Chief that was accepted, but while I was getting permission from my dad, the dealer closed a deal to another customer. Bad news? NO, GOOD NEWS! A few days later, I bought a 1957 Bonneville Convertible from Beranek Pontiac in Cicero. ILL! My first car and I loved it! If I hadn’t been drafted in 1966 for Vietnam, I might STILL have it!
JM
Jim McFadden i bought a 57Pontiac from my cousin it was my first car it was built for street and strip loved it had to sale it when i got drafted in 1966 only had it for 3 months.
The 1959 Pontiac 389 V8 was the first US production engine that offered four bolt main bearing caps on the three center caps on the Trophy engines.