Pontiac Catalina Engines by Year

The Catalina was Pontiac's full-size series from 1959 to 1981. Its 389 and 421 V8s came in a long list of carburetor and transmission versions. Ratings are gross through 1971 and SAE net from 1972; dealer and race-only engines are marked.

Pick a year to see every engine offered that model year, with its code, rated horsepower and the trims it came in. Each engine links to its full specs.

Jump to a year

1959–1960: 1959 · 1960

1961–1964: 1961 · 1962 · 1963 · 1964

1965–1970: 1965 · 1966 · 1967 · 1968 · 1969 · 1970

1971–1976: 1971 · 1972 · 1973 · 1974 · 1975 · 1976

Downsized (1977–1981): 1977 · 1978 · 1979 · 1980 · 1981

1959–1960

The 389 in many versions.

1959 Catalina engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
389 V8	215 hp gross	Catalina (no-cost option w/ Hydra-Matic)
389 V8	245 hp gross	Catalina (standard, manual)
389 V8	260 hp gross	Catalina (optional, manual)
389 V8	280 hp gross	Catalina (standard, Hydra-Matic)
389 V8	300 hp gross	Catalina (optional, Hydra-Matic)
389 V8	315 hp gross	Catalina (optional)
389 V8	330 hp gross	Catalina (optional)
389 V8	345 hp gross	Catalina (optional)

1960 Catalina engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
389 V8	215 hp gross	Catalina (standard, manual)
389 V8	230 hp gross	Catalina (no-cost option w/ Hydra-Matic)
389 V8	235 hp gross	Catalina (optional, manual)
389 V8	283 hp gross	Catalina (standard, Hydra-Matic)
389 V8	303 hp gross	Catalina (optional, Hydra-Matic)
389 V8	318 hp gross	Catalina (optional)
389 V8	333 hp gross	Catalina (optional)
389 V8	348 hp gross	Catalina (optional)

1961–1964

The 389 and 421, including the Super Duty.

1961 Catalina engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
389 V8	215 hp gross	Catalina (standard, manual)
389 V8	230 hp gross	Catalina (no-cost option w/ Hydra-Matic)
389 V8	235 hp gross	Catalina (optional, manual)
389 V8	267 hp gross	Catalina (standard, Hydra-Matic)
389 V8	287 hp gross	Unclear
389 V8	303 hp gross	Catalina (optional, Hydra-Matic)
389 V8	318 hp gross	Catalina (optional)
389 V8	333 hp gross	Catalina (optional)
389 V8	348 hp gross	Catalina (optional)

1962 Catalina engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
389 V8	215 hp gross	Catalina (standard, manual)
389 V8	230 hp gross	Catalina (no-cost option w/ Hydra-Matic)
389 V8	235 hp gross	Catalina (optional, manual)
389 V8	267 hp gross	Catalina (standard, Hydra-Matic)
389 V8	283 hp gross	Star Chief standard (Hydra-Matic)
389 V8	303 hp gross	Catalina (optional, Hydra-Matic)
389 V8	318 hp gross	Catalina (optional)
389 V8	333 hp gross	Catalina (optional)
389 V8	348 hp gross	Catalina (optional)
421 V8	405 hp gross	Catalina (optional)

1963 Catalina engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
389 V8	215 hp gross	Catalina (standard, manual)
389 V8	230 hp gross	Catalina (no-cost option w/ Hydra-Matic)
389 V8	235 hp gross	Catalina (optional, manual)
389 V8	267 hp gross	Catalina (standard, Hydra-Matic)
389 V8	303 hp gross	Catalina (optional, Hydra-Matic)
389 V8	313 hp gross	Catalina (optional)
421 V8	353 hp gross	Catalina (optional)
421 V8	370 hp gross	Catalina (optional)

Race-only (not street legal): Super Duty 421, 405 hp gross

1964 Catalina engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
389 V8	215 hp gross	Catalina (standard, manual)
389 V8	230 hp gross	Catalina (no-cost option w/ Hydra-Matic)
389 V8	235 hp gross	Catalina (optional)
389 V8	267 hp gross	Catalina (standard, Hydra-Matic)
389 V8	283 hp gross	Star Chief standard (Hydra-Matic)
389 V8	303 hp gross	Catalina (optional, Hydra-Matic)
389 V8	306 hp gross	Catalina (optional, manual)
389 V8	330 hp gross	Catalina (optional)
421 V8	320 hp gross	Catalina (optional), 2+2 (Catalina option)
421 V8	350 hp gross	Catalina (optional), 2+2 (Catalina option)
421 V8	370 hp gross	Catalina (optional), 2+2 (Catalina option)

1965–1970

The 389 and 421, then the 400, 428 and 455.

1965 Catalina engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
389 V8	256 hp gross	Catalina (standard, manual)
389 V8	290 hp gross	Catalina (standard, automatic)
389 V8	325 hp gross	Catalina (optional, automatic)
389 V8	333 hp gross	Catalina (optional, manual)
421 V8	338 hp gross	Catalina (optional), 2+2 (standard)
421 V8	356 hp gross	Catalina (optional)
421 V8	376 hp gross	Catalina (optional), 2+2 (optional)

1966 Catalina engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
389 V8	256 hp gross	Catalina (standard, manual)
389 V8	290 hp gross	Catalina (standard, automatic)
389 V8	325 hp gross	Catalina (optional, automatic)
389 V8	333 hp gross	Catalina (optional, manual)
421 V8	338 hp gross	Catalina (optional), 2+2 (standard)
421 V8	356 hp gross	Catalina (optional)
421 V8	376 hp gross	Catalina (optional), 2+2 (optional)

1967 Catalina engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
400 V8	265 hp gross	Catalina (standard)
400 V8	290 hp gross	Catalina (standard, automatic)
400 V8	325 hp gross	Catalina (optional, automatic)
400 V8	333 hp gross	Catalina (optional, manual)
428 V8	360 hp gross	Catalina (optional), 2+2 option (standard)
428 V8	376 hp gross	Catalina (optional)

1968 Catalina engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
400 V8	265 hp gross	Catalina (optional)
400 V8	290 hp gross	Catalina (standard)
400 V8	340 hp gross	Catalina (optional)
428 V8	375 hp gross	Catalina (optional)
428 V8	390 hp gross	Catalina (optional)

1969 Catalina engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
400 V8	265 hp gross	Catalina (no-cost optional)
400 V8	290 hp gross	Catalina (standard)
400 V8	340 hp gross	Catalina (optional)
428 V8	360 hp gross	Catalina (optional)
428 V8	390 hp gross	Catalina (optional)

1970 Catalina engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
350 V8	255 hp gross	Catalina sedan/coupe (standard)
400 V8	265 hp gross	Catalina (optional; Safari standard)
400 V8	290 hp gross	Catalina (optional)
400 V8	330 hp gross	Catalina (optional)
455 V8	360 hp gross	Catalina (optional)
455 V8	370 hp gross	Catalina (optional)

1971–1976

The 350, 400 and 455.

1971 Catalina engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
350 V8	250 hp gross	Catalina (standard)
400 V8	265 hp gross	Catalina (optional), Catalina Brougham (standard), Safari (standard)
400 V8	300 hp gross	Catalina (optional)
455 V8 (L66)	280 hp gross	Catalina (optional)
455 V8 (L75)	325 hp gross	Catalina (optional)

1972 Catalina engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
400 V8 (L65)	175 hp net	Catalina (standard)
400 V8 (L78)	250 hp net	Catalina (optional)
455 V8 (L66)	185 hp net	Catalina (optional)
455 V8 (L75)	250 hp net	Catalina (optional)

1973 Catalina engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
350 V8	150 hp net	Catalina (standard)
400 V8 (L65)	170 hp net	Catalina (optional), Safari (standard)
400 V8 (L78)	230 hp net	Catalina (optional)
455 V8 (L75)	250 hp net	Catalina (optional)

1974 Catalina engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
400 V8 (L65)	175 hp net	Catalina (standard)
400 V8 (L78)	200 hp net	Catalina (optional)
455 V8 (L75)	250 hp net	Catalina (optional)

1975 Catalina engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
400 V8 (L78)	—	Catalina (optional)
400 V8 (L65)	170 hp net	Catalina (standard)
455 V8 (L75)	200 hp net	Catalina (optional)

1976 Catalina engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
6.6L / 400 V8 (L78)	—	Catalina (optional)
6.6L / 400 V8 (L65)	170 hp net	Catalina (standard)
7.5L / 455 V8 (L75)	200 hp net	Catalina (optional)

Downsized (1977–1981)

The 301, 350, 400 and 403 V8s, the 231 V6 and a diesel.

1977 Catalina engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
3.8L / 231 V6 (LD5)	—	Catalina (standard)
4.9L / 301 V8 (L27)	135 hp net	Catalina (optional)
5.0L / 305 V8 (LG3)	—	Catalina (California)
5.7L / 350 V8	—	Catalina (optional)
6.6L / 400 V8 (L78)	—	Catalina (optional)
6.6L / 403 V8 (L80)	—	Catalina (optional, California/high altitude)

1978 Catalina engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
3.8L / 231 V6 (LD5)	—	Catalina (standard)
4.9L / 301 V8 (L27)	—	Catalina (optional)
4.9L / 301 V8 (L37)	—	Catalina (optional)
5.7L / 350 V8	—	Catalina (optional)
6.6L / 400 V8 (L78)	—	Catalina (optional)
6.6L / 403 V8 (L80)	—	Catalina (optional, California/high altitude)

1979 Catalina engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
3.8L / 231 V6 (LD5)	—	Catalina (standard)
4.9L / 301 V8 (L37)	—	Catalina (optional)
4.9L / 301 V8 (L27)	135 hp net	Catalina (optional)
5.7L / 350 V8	—	Catalina (optional)
5.7L / 350 V8 (L34)	—	Catalina (California/high altitude)
6.6L / 403 V8 (L80)	—	Catalina (optional)

1980 Catalina engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
3.8L / 231 V6 (LD5)	—	Catalina (standard)
4.3L / 265 V8 (LS5)	120 hp net	Catalina (optional)
4.9L / 301 V8 (L37)	—	Catalina (optional)
5.7L / 350 V8 (L34)	—	Catalina (California), Catalina Safari (optional)
5.7L / 350 V8 diesel (LF9)	—	Catalina Safari (optional)

1981 Catalina engines

Engine	Rated	Offered in
3.8L / 231 V6 (LD5)	—	Catalina (standard)
4.3L / 265 V8 (LS5)	120 hp net	Catalina (optional)
5.0L / 307 V8 (LV2)	—	Catalina (optional)
5.7L / 350 V8 diesel (LF9)	—	Catalina (optional)

Working on one of these engines?

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