1961 Pontiac Ventura

Pontiac introduced the Ventura in 1960 as a higher priced model on the standard full-size 122-inch B-body wheelbase, available as the Vista four-door hardtop and the two-door Sports Coupe hardtop. The 122-inch wheelbase was shared with the Catalina and the Bonneville Custom station wagon. The slightly longer 124-inch wheelbase was reserved for the Star Chief and the Bonneville. The Catalina, Ventura, and Star Chief were powered by an overhead-valve, 389 cubic-inch V8 with five main bearings, hydraulic valve lifters, a Rochester two-barrel carburetor, and delivering 215 horsepower at 3,600 RPM with the standard synchromesh transmission. With the optional Hydra-Matic installed, the compression and raised and horsepower increased to 283 bhp at 4,400 RPM.

Standard equipment on the 1960 Ventura included triple-tone Morrokide seats, electric clock, custom steering wheel, full carpeting, turn signals, oil filter, tubeless tires, special decor moldings, and right-hand ashtrays. The Vista Hardtop had a base price of $3,050 and the hardtop listed for nearly $3,000. Both body styles had similar production figures, with 28,700 examples of the Vista hardtop produced and 27,577 of the hardtop.

1961 Pontiac Ventura
The entire Pontiac model line was downsized for 1961 due to a new perimeter frame design, resulting in smaller and lighter vehicles. The Catalina, Ventura, and Bonneville Custom resting on a shortened 119-inch wheelbase. The Bonneville and Star Chief now had a 123-inch platform, and the newly introduced entry-level Tempest was the shortest, at 112-inches. The 389 CID V8 delivered 215 hp with the synchromesh and 267 with the Hydra-Matic. Standard features remained similar to the previous year, and the Vista (meaning four-door hardtop and sometimes called 'bubbletops') now listed at $3,050 and the hardtop at $2,970. Ventura sales fell significantly for 1961, with 13,912 of the Vista hardtop and 13,297 of the hardtop.

Unique design cues included Ventura side-spear, split-design grille, bubble-styled roofline and rear window, and upswept rear bumper chrome. The overall design was youthfully aggressive yet elegant, appearing comfortable at home on a dragstrip or a posh valet line. The Pontiac Wide Track gave the Ventura an aggressive stance, pushing the wheels to the edges of the wheel wells to enhance ride quality and handling. Pontiac also mounted the engine lower and further back in the engine bay to provide additional handling prowess. It was among the most modernly style cars of the era, reflecting closely the management's desire to shed its stodgy roots and instead lead the performance pack.

Pontiac's role in American performance began prior to the legendary GTO, including numerous victories during the late 1950s on the NASCAR circuit and local drag strips. Pontiac was regarded by many as the performance division of General Motors, especially following the introduction of its famous 'Wide Track' chassis layout in 1959. Cars riding on this chassis were often credited as being the best-handling full-size cars in the industry.

Pontiac's motorsport success continued in 1960, earning four NASCAR Grand National victories, Mickey Thompson's quadruple Pontiac V-8 Challenger land-speed record car, and Jim Wagners' NHRA Top Eliminator drag racing title. An additional 21 NASCAR Grand National victories followed in 1961, and the full-size Catalina Super Stock drag racing car was unleashed later that year. The performance persona was helped along by the Ventura bubble-design hardtop with the Wide Track and a wide range of performance engines. Optional eight-cylinder engines included a 215 CID, 389 CID in various states of tune with horsepower ranging from 230 to 348 hp, and a 421 CID V8 with 11.0:1 compression, two four-barrel carburetors, and 405 horsepower at 5600 RPM. Performance upgrades included a four-speed Super Hydra-Matic, a four-speed manual with floor shift controls, various rear axle ratios, a Safe-T-Track differential, Tri-Power induction, Heavy-duty springs, 8-lug alloy wheels, aluminum hubs and drums, and bucket seats.

The 421 variant of the standard factory 389 Trophy engine became available late in the 1961 model year as what was essentially a dealer-installed competition engine upgrade. It shared basic external dimensions with the production-line mill but was available in either NASCAR 4-barrel trim or with a special intake manifold and dual four-barrel carburetors. The 405 stated horsepower is believed to be drastically lower than its true rating. Since the NHRA moved to limit racing eligibility to factory-available options on cars available to the public, Pontiac made the SD 421 a factory option for 1962, and most of the approximately 164 SD 421 engines were installed in the Catalina, with another 16 being installed in the upscale Grand Prix.

The Ventura hardtop was a premium, high-style two- and four-door hardtop that received upscale trim and brightwork, an airy greenhouse with excellent visibility, and elegant proportions. Many of the top drag racers in period selected the Ventura for their lightweight and sleeker aerodynamics. Period road tests of the Ventura with the 348 horsepower V8 revealed a zero-to-sixty mph time of 8.2 seconds and did the quarter-mile in 15.5 seconds.

In 1962, the Ventura became a trim package on two Catalina body styles, and its presence within the Pontiac model lineup had been replaced by the Pontiac Grand Prix. The Ventura served as a trim option from 1962 through 1965 on Catalina models. In 1970, it returned as a custom trim option on the Catalina. The Ventura II appeared in 1971 and remained in production through 1977, although the 'II' suffix was dropped after 1972. In 1978, the Phoenix was introduced as a replacement for the Ventura.

by Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2021