From 1950 to 1958 the Catalina name was used on such models as the Chieftain and pretty much any car from Pontiac not named Bonneville, which was the top of the line flagship model. The Catalina name was only used on the hardtop versions of those Pontiac cars.

The Chieftain name was dropped in 1959, which opened the door for the Catalina to become its own model line. They were sold as 2 and 4 door hardtops, a station wagon with the Safari name attached, and as a four door sedan, which was by far the most popular.

Although the Catalina was the economy model of the Pontiac line, it was more upscale than the Chevy Impala, its sibling at Chevrolet.

There was a complete restyling in 1961. These models would be sold until 1964. The Catalina would become the 3rd highest selling fullsize car in America, behind the Impala and the Ford Galaxie.

The coke bottle styling was introduced in 1965 and sold until 1968. These cars were bigger than the previous models, and they had bigger engines to get them down the road.

There was another restyling for 1969 and 1970, although the basic platform remained the same. The 428 four barrel remained the top engine option.

The Catalina Brougham was introduced in 1971 as part of another new design. This was the luxury model. This generation of the Catalina would last until 1976. The car was losing much of its muscle in favor of more luxury and better fuel mileage.

The Catalina was downsized for 1977 to 1981. The 231 Buick V6 was now the standard engine, and buyers had to pay extra for a V8.

There are lots of Catalinas out there on the used and collector car market. Anything prior to 1971 has a legitimate shot at being considered a classic car. The later models are not so desireable. You can get the best prices by using eBay, the popular online auction site.