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Several
members of the Cimarron Starlite Cruisers Car Club went to Tulsa on May 3 to
attend the Pontiac Nationals hosted by the Indian Nations Chapter of the Pontiac Oakland Club International. The Pontiac Nationals are held each year at
the fabulous Tulsa Raceway Park located at 3101 N Garnett Road, Tulsa, Oklahoma. This
event is billed as a Buick, Olds, and
Pontiac Challenge which includes a great car show and lots of drag racing. The event attracts vehicles from several states.
Upon arriving at
Tulsa Raceway Park we notice this outstanding 1951 Pontiac Catalina owned by
Jim Roberts of Glenpool, Oklahoma in attendance and ask if he would be willing
to share his classic Pontiac with our website followers. Jim’s Pontiac
Catalina is truly a gem!
Jim
has owned the classic Pontiac for the past thirty years. He found the Catalina back
in 1984 while driving around Tulsa looking for parts for an old Chevy he was
working on. Jim had just purchased the Chevy for $750 and was not looking for
another project. But there it set in a drive way with a For Sale sign on it.
Jim’s heart did a flip because he had not seen a 1951 Pontiac two door hardtop
since he graduated from high school in 1959! The classic Pontiac had no rust
was in pretty good original shape. Jim
put on his car trading face so the owner
did not know he was very interested in the car. After several walks around the
car and lots of looking Jim paid the owner $1200 for the old classic, which was the beginning of another Pontiac love affair.
Notice
the newly acquired 1951 Oklahoma license plate
with the correct 2 for Tulsa County. Also, notice the correct
Pontiac bagging in the center of the grill, rare indeed to see one of these.
When
Jim was in high school his sister owned a Pontiac just like Jim’s pride and
joy. Jim’s sister would let him drive
the Pontiac on Saturday evenings to “Drag Main” in his home town of Stillwell,
Oklahoma.
The
engine of this 1951 Pontiac Catalina is a Pontiac 268
cubic inch straight eight flathead which produces 120 horsepower and 220 pounds feet of torque. The Pontiac 268 was produced
from 1950 thru 1954. The power is
applied to the rear end through a Pontiac Hydro-matic automatic transmission.
The electrical system is the original six volt system with all the original
type wiring and connections.
The
dash in Jim's classic is just wonderful, just like it left the Pontiac assembly plant so many years ago.
As
you can see, the interior of this Pontiac classic is just beautiful.
As
with most classic car lovers, Jim’s Catalina has been a steady work in progress
and he is never happy unless he can upgrade this beauty with quality original
parts.
Jim
has done a lot of restoration work himself and with
friends. He has purchased parts from all over the USA. He worked with Glenpool
Body Shop to do the wonderful Teal over Malibu Ivory paint and body work for
this Pontiac classic.
This
classic Pontiac Catalina rides on a set of 710
fifteen inch white wall tires.
Jim
says he is looking for a cemetery that will let
him be buried in his pride and joy!
The
Cimarron Starlite Cruisers sincerely appreciate Jim Roberts for sharing his beautiful
classic 1951 Pontiac Catalina, a real string of pearls!
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