1960 Pontiac Ventura

The new Ventura was a premium model that shared its full-sized platform with the highly regarded Catalina. Like its 1960 stablemates, the Ventura wore cleaner, less-cluttered styling that was both elegant and sporty. The trademark split front grille of the previous year was replaced by a one-element grille with horizontal bars and a V-shaped center extension flanked by quad headlights. Above the grille was a crease that wrapped around the hood's leading edge and flowed back into the doors, briefly disappearing into the body side to re-emerge into chrome-edged horizontal tail fins ending in quad bullet taillights.

The 1960 Pontiac Ventura rode on Pontiac's shortest wheelbase, measuring 122-inches, which it shared with the Catalina and the Bonneville Custom Series. The overhead-valve V8 engine displaced 389 cubic inches and (depending on configuration) produced 215 or 283 horsepower. There were two body styles available, a four-door Vista Hardtop and a two-door Hardtop. The production figures were nearly identical, with a few more Vista Hardtops being produced, with 28,700 units created, compared to 27,577 examples of the 2-door.

The Ventura was a Custom trim level that had special belt moldings, front fender scripts, and the name 'Ventura' in block letters on the trunk latch panel. They included all of the Catalina features plus an electric clock, Deluxe wheel discs, special decor moldings, custom steering wheel, full carpeting, and triple-tone Morrokide seats.

By Daniel Vaughan | Aug 2010

On June 16th of 1960, Glen Harris ordered this 1960 Ventura from Prince Pontiac in Manassas, Virginia. The car was ordered with the 425a motor and the new 4-speed transmission, along with 32 other options. Mr. Gilbert Ray was the salesman that delivered the car on July 22. Pontiac did not offer bright red paint in 1960. However, Pontiac accepted Mr. Harris's special request for the car to be painted with 1959 Pontiac Mandalay Red. This is verified by the paint code 'SPECIAL' on the cowl tag. The car spent most of its life in Northern Virginia, and in the early 1990s was found and restored. The current owners purchased the car around 2015, and in 2019, the car was restored again.