ELDON CRUMP, OUR VERY ACCOMPLISHED USED CAR SALESMAN AT OAKLANDON SALES CHEVROLET PONTIAC, CONTACTED ME. I WAS OUR SALESMAN OF THE YEAR. HE SAID, THIS IS A NON-SMOKER, HAND POLISHED, GARAGE KEPT, ONE OWNER, LOW MILEAGE TRADE IN FROM ONE OF OUR MOST LOYAL OWNERS. TWO DOOR POST COUPE. BONE STOCK, 2 BBL 389 V-8, HYDRAMATIC, POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. IN ORDER TO MAKE A DEAL ON HIS NEW PONTIAC, WE HAVE TO PUT ALMOST RETAIL IN THIS CAR. I WILL DO SO IF YOU ARE A BUYER AT THAT FIGURE. CAN YOU HELP? YES I DID AND I OWNED THE CAR FOR FIVE YEARS SELLING IT TO A COLLECTOR IN AUSTIN TEXAS IN 1974.
THIS CATALINA COUPE WAS IN STUNNING CONDITION. NO BLEMISHES INSIDE OR OUT. 1959 WAS THE FIRST YEAR FOR THE IMPRESSIVE SPLIT GRILL WHICH WAS PONTIAC’S HALLMARK. WE DID GO TO A HORIZONTAL GRILL IN 1960 ONLY AND BACK TO THE SPLIT GRILL IN 1961 WHERE IT REMAINED A THEME FOR YEARS.
I DROVE THE CAR TO AUSTIN TEXAS AFTER SUCCESSFULLY SELLING THE DEALERSHIP IN 1974. I LEFT IT IN THE CUSTODY OF A FORMER BANK PRESIDENT AND CLOSE FRIEND. HE HAD SUFFERED SOME CATASTROPHE FAMILY HEALTH EXPENSES SO I TRIED TO BE GENEROUS AND TOLD HIM TO GO AHEAD AND SELL MY CAR AND PUT THE MONEY IN HIS POCKET. HE SOLD IT AND I WAS HAPPY FOR HIM.
I ALSO SOLD MY 1973 GRANDVILLE CONVERTIBLE PACE CAR IN AUSTIN AND MY NEW 1974 CADILLAC COUPE DEVILLE THAT I PURCHASED FROM CLEVERLY LOCKHART CADILLAC. IT WAS THE GORGEOUS COLOR #96 PERSIAN LIME FIRE MIST METALLIC COUPE DEVILLE WHITE TOP WHITE LEATHER. 
SEVERAL OF MY AUSTIN FRIENDS THOUGHT I HAD LOST MY MIND WHEN I PURCHASED A NEW CUSTOM HOME IN AUSTIN FOR $80,000 AND GAVE A DEPOSIT. I WAS APPROACHED BY A WELL KNOWN AUSTIN COUPLE WHO OFFERED ME A SIZEABLE CASH ACCOMMODATION TO RELINQUISH MY DEPOSIT AS THEY DID NOT WANT TO WAIT FOR ONE TO BE BUILT. WE ALL WENT AWAY HAPPY.
NOTE I DEVELOPED A LONG TIME FRIENDSHIP WITH THE MAN I HOLD IN HIGH REGARD, CHARLES MUND, AUSTIN TEXAS OWNER OF CHARLES MUND CADILLAC. HIS TOP SALESMAN WAS A DEAR FRIEND – RETIRED SHERIFF NAMED L. T. GUNN.
