Vehicle of the day 4-20 1962 Pontiac Superduty 1 of 1

[clonelark]

When i read the listing i didn't think it was true, I knew they had aluminum front ends but didn't know an aluminum engine existed. But well beyond my bank account.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1962-Pontiac-Catalina-4-Speed-Rare-Aluminium-Engine-/370501289277?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item564399053d

[Bob Andrews]

Oh my. I've always had a rule never to buy toys on credit, but this one would really be tempting. Good for me that I doubt I could get financed

[BobPalma]

Watch the video in the e-bay link.

They take the car on a run in what appears to be a more industrial section of "old" St. Louis. The result is very period; exactly the type of terrain in which a car like this, or slightly lesser-powered bretheren, would have been doing street racing in the day. I don't know if they intended to have that effect, but it is very cool to see the car operating on what would have been its typical turf in 1962.

'Reminds of a cool scene I saw in the late 1970s when still gainfully employed by Bobbs-Merrill Educational Publishing. I was sent to a Community College in Cleveland OH to interview some potential book authors and had a rental car to drive. 'Thought I'd find the Ford Cleveland engine plant in a gritty part of town just to see where all these famous "Cleveland" engines originated, and I did.

Bordering one side of the Ford Engine Plant was a derelict "main drag" that had obviously seen better days. A block down the street from the engine plant was the long-abandoned remnant of a specialty used car lot that had been in business during the neighborhood's heyday. The car lot's old sign was still hanging by thin, rusty chains on an equally-rusty pole out front. The car lot's name was Four-Speed City.

It was easy to close your eyes and imagine what must have been their front row of cars in 1964 or 1965...possibly to include a Catalina bubble-top similar to this e-bay offering, although black was a rare color on those cars.

OK, call me a nostalgic old fool, but I miss those days! BP

[jclary]

Having owned one of the huge Pontiac behemoths with the heavy cast iron 389, I know the power potential that was too often not recognized or under-appreciated for the day. You could give one of those big cars a slight rolling start, floor it, and that four speed hydramatic tranny would drop to first and give you an unexpected G-force thrill.

The set up in this one must have been a real treat back in the day. If you are old enough, you may recall that Fireball Roberts and a few others were tearing up the NASCAR circuit with Pontiac back then. In my opinion, this pre-Firbird era was the real heyday for Pontiac. That was the days when the cars were put together with real chrome and stainless trim, and interiors upholstered in such a way as to make you feel that you were riding in style.

[Kurt]

Love those 8 bolt wheels!!

These early Pontiacs and their racing success ushered the way for the GTO in 1964. The car that started the muscle car craze.

[studegary]

I owned a 1962 Pontiac Catalina Ventura two door hardtop in 1963-1964. It was a very nice car until it hit a state plow truck head-on in a snowstorm with 14K miles on it.

I am familiar with Super Duty Pontiacs, but this is something different. I thought that all 1962 Pontiac Catalina hardtops had the phony convertible top shaped top. 1961 Pontiac Catalina hardtops used the bubble top. Perhaps this car is an early factory prototype (or built up by someone). It appears to have a 1961 body section with 1962 front and rear clips.

[sweetolbob]

Interesting BIN when you realize the 63 Lemans Superduty brought $226,521on Ebay in the as found condition without engine and Aluminum front end in Harrison, Mi in 2008.



Bob

[BobPalma]

I thought that all 1962 Pontiac Catalina hardtops had the phony convertible top shaped top. 1961 Pontiac Catalina hardtops used the bubble top. Perhaps this car is an early factory prototype (or built up by someone). It appears to have a 1961 body section with 1962 front and rear clips.

I'm with Gary on this; I would like to see a whole lot of documentation as to this being a legitimate 1962 Pontiac body style.

I've sent the link to Dan Jensen of Pure Stock Drags fame and quite the Pontiac expert, asking for his opinion. 'Will post when I hear back from him. BP

[Invalid User Name]

I don't ever remember a 1962 Pontiac running in NASCAR with the 61 style roof. Jr. Johnson and Fireball Roberts both had the phoney convertible type top new for 62 if I remember right.

[Flashback]

This is nort a factory hot rod. Soo it's really only a clone of what "might have been". And
as for as the 1 of 1, it's really a 1 of none. Really nice car with some rare parts, but the
dollar value is overated. And there is a aluminum block 421, less than an hours drive from me.

[BobPalma]

I'm with Gary on this; I would like to see a whole lot of documentation as to this being a legitimate 1962 Pontiac body style.

I've sent the link to Dan Jensen of Pure Stock Drags fame and quite the Pontiac expert, asking for his opinion. 'Will post when I hear back from him. BP

9:00PM Wednesday evening, April 20: Here's Dan Jensen's entire response:

Hi Bob,
The bubble top Cat is a made up car. It sure is good looking, and too bad that Pontiac never made them. I always liked the bubble roof line better than the fake convertible style. The whole car is a "what-if"!
Take care!
Dan

So there you have it from someone who probably knows Pontiacs better than any ten of us on the SDC Forum. BP

[DEEPNHOCK]

Those wheels/hubs have been re-popped, and Jack Roush makes hubs (adapters?) to run them on modern spindles...
What is old is new is old....
Jeff

Love those 8 bolt wheels!!

[bezhawk]

The parts man, for the dealership owner,( I'm restoring the R3 for).....(whew)....anyways, he ran the swiss cheese pontiacs way back when.

Appologies to grammarians everywhere.