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1962 Pontiac Catalina

Pontiac quickly rose to prominence among America's automakers, reaching third in the ranking and holding that position for eight straight years, from 1962 through 1969. This success was attributed to Pontiac's exciting range of automobiles and marketing efforts led by Jim Wangers. Its commitment to performance was rewarded with NASCAR and NHRA drag racing successes during the 1950s and early 1960s. With the AMA's self-imposed racing ban of 1957 defiantly ignored, the success and popularity of drag racing helped spawn the full-size Catalina with a 368-horsepower Super Duty 389 V-8 at its heart in 1961, the brainchild of Pontiac's chief powertrain engineer, Malcolm 'Mac' McKellar. The SD 389 and later SD 421 engines were initially dealer-installed options, they became factory-available options for 1962 in line with new NHRA requirements, making it possible for buyers to buy a race-ready machine directly from the showroom floor.

The SD 421 V-8 was underrated by the factory at 405 horsepower and were the first from Pontiac to be fitted with a solid-lifter racing cam bearing 'Mac' McKellar's name. It had forged aluminum pistons, forged steel connecting rods, a forged crankshaft, aluminum intake manifold mounting dual inline Carter AFB 500 CFM four-barrel carburetors, high-flow/big-valve cylinder heads, and cast-iron exhaust headers with three-inch outlets feeding dual exhaust pipes. Designated Code 13U, this engine helped Glenn 'Fireball' Roberts to NASCAR victory at the 1962 Daytona 500 and made Mickey Thompson, Arnie Beswick, Hayden Proffitt, and Pontiac ad Jim Wangers virtually unbeatable on the dragstrip in AHRA and NHRA events. It was capable of 12-second ETs at nearly 115 mph over the ¼-mile. 14 lightweight 'Swiss Cheese' Catalinas and a few 421 Tempests left the factory before GM implemented the racing ban in 1963.

The SD 421 Catalina, hand-built at the Pontiac factory in compliance with NHRA rules, was installed in a high-strength chassis and backed by a Borg-Warner T10 four-speed manual transmission, and 4.30:1 Saf-T-Track rear end. A total of 162 examples were built in total, plus 16 421 SD Grand Prix cars.

Among the exciting lineup of automobiles was the Catalina, officially aimed to buyers who were seeking usable passenger accommodations and dynamics and cutting-edge styling. The Catalina name first appeared in 1950 to denote any hardtop style but eventually became a separate model. Initially, it was an entry-level, full-size offering powered by a variety of 389 cubic-inch engines.

The 1962 Catalina wore a newly designed grille and understated side spears. Following an overall downsizing of the full-size, 'Wide Track' Pontiac Catalina for 1961, the length was extended an inch-and-a-half for 1962, and styling now featured a V-shaped twin grille and curved tail lamps. They had small hubcaps, Catalina front fender scripts, five tubeless tires, a heater and defroster, sun visors, a cigarette lighter, oil filter, and windshield wipers. The 389 cubic-inch, overhead valve V8 engine had five main bearings, hydraulic valve lifters, a Rochester two-barrel carburetor, and developed 215 horsepower with a synchromesh gearbox and 267 bhp with the Hydra-Matic. Depending on the configuration, the engine could be tuned to produce over 400 horsepower.

Body styles included a two- and four-door sedan, four-door Vista Hardtop, a two-door hardtop, convertible, and a 6- and 9-passenger station wagon. Prices ranged from $2,725 for the two-door sedan and rose to over $3,300 for the 9-passenger station wagon. With over 204,650 examples of the Catalina produced for 1962, it accounted for nearly forty-percent of Pontiac's total production. It was a very important and successful model line for the company, combining performance, style, and commanding presence. Spurred on by General Manager Bunkie Knudsen and Chief of Advanced Engineering John DeLorean, Pontiac engineers under Malcolm 'Mac' McKellar continued to design and create increasingly powerful V-8 engines and heavy-duty drivetrains capable of delivering this increasing output with enhanced durability. While the 421 Super Duty cars were highly successful at the nation's drag strips, they were not street-friendly. For those applications, Pontiac offered the 'Tri-Power' 389 CID units that combined high performance with ease of operation and maintenance. No fewer than 32 variations of the 389 V8 – Pontiac's core engine offering – were available for 1962. Along with the Super Duty 389, Pontiac had six high-performance 389 V8s listed as 'Special Equipment – 425A' units for 1962, so-named in recognition of their 425 foot-pounds of peak torque. The single four-barrel version was rated at 333 horsepower, and with tripe-car intakes, it produced 348 horsepower. With 10.75:1 compression, free-flowing cylinder heads, a modified cam, and specially engineered 'Long Branch' header-type exhaust manifolds, these powerplants were also known as 'Trophy 425A' engines in Pontiac literature.

The Pontiac Catalina firmly establish Pontiac's performance image for the 1960s, thanks in part ot Super Duty engines, lightweight body panels, and other modifications. It was the least-expensive model in the Pontiac catalog and the lightest, offering a full line of body styles from coupes to convertibles and even station wagons.


by Daniel Vaughan | Sep 2020

Related Reading : Pontiac Catalina History

The vehicle of choice for full-size performance aficionados, the Pontiac Catalina was the least expensive and the lightest of Pontiacs full-size coupes and convertibles. Strongly establishing Pontiacs performance image, the Catalina featured light-weight body panels, Super Duty engines, and other innovative modifications. Part of Pontiacs full-sized automobile line, the Catalina name was originally....
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