Hands down, the 62 Catalina SD is one of the most beautiful cars ever designed. The body lines on this car are amazing and while many people still don't know about this car today, it still remains one of the best sleeper cars ever sold.
I remember these bad boys well. A buddy of mine had an uncle that was the chief mechanic at Packer Pontiac in Detroit. One night he stopped by my buddy's home with a '62 Dark metallic blue with light blue interior 421 4-speed posi-rear end Catalina with the 8-lug wheels. Oh mama, what a gorgeous beast. I still remember the "brag sheet" that the factory had listing all the goodies posted inside the driver's side rear quarter window. It was over $5,000 & to compare my Dad just bought a new '62 Ford Wagon for $2,800. Pontiac could do no wrong back then with some awesome cars. My buddy's brother mustered out of the Marines in early '64 & bought a new maroon 389 tri-power 4-speed '64 GTO. Another beast. Thanks for some great memories.
PONTIAC was s 'different league / next level player' during 1960s, especially the early 1960s. Truly special cars that had it all; Looks, performance, style and street presence were total wins for PONTIAC. Thanks for capturing that moment in history.
We had a '62 Grand Prix with 389 Tri-Power and Super T-10 4speed, 8 lug aluminum wheels. That engine was absolutely sloppy drunk with torque. Got the year I started high school and got me hooked on Pontiacs. Thanks for another awesome review, Semper Fidelis!
My father drag raced semi-pro from the 1950's to 1980. He was a mechanic at a Pontiac dealer. The first "new" race car he bought was a 1962 421 Super Duty, that he bought with his employee discount. He then bought a new 1965 GTO, that he used the 1962 421 Super Duty engine in. Then he bought a new 1968, that got the 82 421 SD and then he ordered a new 1970 GTO Ram Air IV. Some weeks later, Pontiac contacted him and told he GTO RAIV had been discontinued, but they would sell him a GTO 455 for the same price. At the time, the RAIV engines that were supposed to be for 1970 GTO's were being used in 1970 Firebirds. Between my father and the dealer negotiating with Pontiac, Pontiac agreed to assemble one last 1970 GTO RAIV for my father. That was likely the last GTO RAIV made. My father used the RAIV cylinder heads, intake and carb on the 421 SD. He then switched from the 70 GTO back to the 68 Firebird, for its lighter weight and port matched a Holley intake with a Holley 850 on it. The parts originally from the 421 SD were the crankshaft and connecting rods. In the late 70's he switched the 4-speed to an automatic, for bracket racing. Sitting for extended periods in the racing seat started to bother the veins in his legs and he quit racing in 1980.
The year before this, Pontiac started using a "Torque-Box" perimeter frame with side rails on the Catalina, permanently ending GM's terrible "X frame" design. Chevy also switched the Impala to the "Torque-Box" frame instead of the "X". Two weeks after these started rolling off the assembly line, the 1962 Impala SS 409 followed and was its only close competitor in that market. I know there's an argument about the definition of a "muscle car" but in my eyes, the '62 Catalina S.D. & '62 Impala SS are the first. Although, if someone wanted to argue that it was the 1949 Oldsmobile "Rocket 88", I wouldn't put up much of an argument.
Back when you were safely wrapped un elegance and much beauty in a vehile of this statuer and such character. We've devolved beauty, I love sculptors of these years , great job .
So I wonder why the 64 GTO is widely considered the first muscle car when this beast obviously predated it? BTW those Catalina tail lights are epic! Thanks so much for sharing!
@@karltonmiller4697not true. They just weren’t allowed to be ordered by domestic dealers. I serviced and eventually marketed and sold a 1962a 421 GP superduty HiPo with a 4speed Muncie- it’s got the crazy NASCAR manifolds and heads- we dynoed it at over 550hp- it had paperwork showing that it was sold to Gam’s Republic of China distributor with an fob address for delivery at port of Long Beach. Obviously, the car missed its boat trip.
There was also a 421 tri power in 62 you could get there were less than 17 Grand Prix equipped with them i’ve seen one in real life and heard the story about it. Catalina had more of them it’s a bucket list car for me to get my hands on one of those or a Catalina with one
1962 Grand Prix with Tri Power 421 would be epic. Especially if it had all the luxury items like AC, power windows and doorlocks, full console with real wood surfaces, wood also on door panels and dashboard. They made quite a statement when new.
@@MarinCipollina they exist. There are just very few of them. They were all custom ordered cars. I know somebody that owned one of them. How do you think I heard of the story it was a four speed car aqua exterior aqua, and white interior no air-conditioning center console tachometer, eight lug wheels, power steering power brakes. It was a gorgeous car. Eventually it had to be sold because the owner was a friend of my parents ended up passing away and his wife had to sell it at the time. If I had the money I would’ve bought it because of knowing how rare the car was. Car was never restored. It was a Texas car. The only bit of touching up it needed was up under the hood with the carburetors valve covers intake, etc. because the paint was beyond worn out and chipped off just to clean up the engine bay. It just needed it badly but after the engine bay got cleaned up, it was near perfect
If the hood scoop on the Super Duty Catalina looks familiar, its because Pontiac bought them from Ford! They were mainly intended for large Super Duty trucks, although Ford installed them with the vent opening facing the driver. It's cool that one scoop design was successful on two completely different Super Duties!!!
My parents purchased a 62 Catalina from owner many years ago from Cerame Pontiac Paramus NJ ,replacing 59 Plymouth surban wagon, that 1962 was great Catalina best looking vehicle I liked so much as older and driver's license I ebquard a 64 Grand prix 389, tri power I miss quality American vehicles
I’ve wondered for a long time what might have been if the other divisions of GM might have been like if they truly had the kid gloves taken off and were told build the meanest thing you can.
Pontiac appeared to be the only division that era with a division general manager that was accustomed to getting his way on everything. That was John Z DeLorean. He was really one of a kind. He had an innate feel for Pontiac and the soul of the brand. Youth was a very big part of the appeal of PONTIAC. Young people liked them a lot. PONTIAC was a NOW kind of a car.
@@MarinCipollina Watch a interview of John he says youth was #1 Bunkie got Pontiac going and he got a lot of what he wanted all those guys at Pontiac were car guys before bean counters started creeping in.
@@rarecars3336 hard times for him and he was young.... The car met a lot to him even back then. Hard to of realized at those times what it would've been worth these days. He bought the car from Mike Salta Pontiac in Long Beach. Aqua marine blue. Would be quite something if the car was still around and could find it.
He was in hard times and young. Hard to of known back, then what it would've been worth these days, although he knew what he had was special. He bought the car from Mike Salta Pontiac in Long Beach. It had the all aluminum front end, but with steel wheels. Aqua marine blue. Would be awesome if the car was still around and if it is to locate it. He does know who he sold it to. It was a friend of his.
My mom had one but in a Grand Prix, that's what happens when you buy off the show room floor. Really fast but my dad had it in the shop to much and traded in on a Olds 98 in '65.
I wish the days were still here when I could chose the car body, engine, trans, trans gear ratio, differential gear ratio . Ford chevy did this . Chrysler ??. I am not a mopar guy.
@@GarageSpaceshipexactly, for its size it’s very light… for prospective a C4 corvette weighs 3400 lb and look at how small it is and all the lightweight materials used to make it
Hands down, the 62 Catalina SD is one of the most beautiful cars ever designed. The body lines on this car are amazing and while many people still don't know about this car today, it still remains one of the best sleeper cars ever sold.
I remember these bad boys well. A buddy of mine had an uncle that was the chief mechanic at Packer Pontiac in Detroit. One night he stopped by my buddy's home with a '62 Dark metallic blue with light blue interior 421 4-speed posi-rear end Catalina with the 8-lug wheels. Oh mama, what a gorgeous beast. I still remember the "brag sheet" that the factory had listing all the goodies posted inside the driver's side rear quarter window. It was over $5,000 & to compare my Dad just bought a new '62 Ford Wagon for $2,800. Pontiac could do no wrong back then with some awesome cars. My buddy's brother mustered out of the Marines in early '64 & bought a new maroon 389 tri-power 4-speed '64 GTO. Another beast. Thanks for some great memories.
PONTIAC was s 'different league / next level player' during 1960s, especially the early 1960s. Truly special cars that had it all; Looks, performance, style and street presence were total wins for PONTIAC. Thanks for capturing that moment in history.
We had a '62 Grand Prix with 389 Tri-Power and Super T-10 4speed, 8 lug aluminum wheels. That engine was absolutely sloppy drunk with torque. Got the year I started high school and got me hooked on Pontiacs. Thanks for another awesome review, Semper Fidelis!
Way back when, I had a 62 and a 63, loved those old sleds
My father drag raced semi-pro from the 1950's to 1980. He was a mechanic at a Pontiac dealer. The first "new" race car he bought was a 1962 421 Super Duty, that he bought with his employee discount. He then bought a new 1965 GTO, that he used the 1962 421 Super Duty engine in. Then he bought a new 1968, that got the 82 421 SD and then he ordered a new 1970 GTO Ram Air IV. Some weeks later, Pontiac contacted him and told he GTO RAIV had been discontinued, but they would sell him a GTO 455 for the same price. At the time, the RAIV engines that were supposed to be for 1970 GTO's were being used in 1970 Firebirds. Between my father and the dealer negotiating with Pontiac, Pontiac agreed to assemble one last 1970 GTO RAIV for my father. That was likely the last GTO RAIV made. My father used the RAIV cylinder heads, intake and carb on the 421 SD. He then switched from the 70 GTO back to the 68 Firebird, for its lighter weight and port matched a Holley intake with a Holley 850 on it. The parts originally from the 421 SD were the crankshaft and connecting rods. In the late 70's he switched the 4-speed to an automatic, for bracket racing. Sitting for extended periods in the racing seat started to bother the veins in his legs and he quit racing in 1980.
i saw them at indy in 1962 ..and they were so good so fast so quick it was like going to heaven for a 18 year old kid ...
The year before this, Pontiac started using a "Torque-Box" perimeter frame with side rails on the Catalina, permanently ending GM's terrible "X frame" design.
Chevy also switched the Impala to the "Torque-Box" frame instead of the "X".
Two weeks after these started rolling off the assembly line, the 1962 Impala SS 409 followed and was its only close competitor in that market.
I know there's an argument about the definition of a "muscle car" but in my eyes, the '62 Catalina S.D. & '62 Impala SS are the first. Although, if someone wanted to argue that it was the 1949 Oldsmobile "Rocket 88", I wouldn't put up much of an argument.
Back when you were safely wrapped un elegance and much beauty in a vehile
of this statuer and such character.
We've devolved beauty, I love sculptors of these years , great job .
So I wonder why the 64 GTO is widely considered the first muscle car when this beast obviously predated it? BTW those Catalina tail lights are epic! Thanks so much for sharing!
GTO was little brother to the big brother 421 Super Duty big Catalina 2 + 2.
Muscle Cars used to be intermediate-size cars with large engines.
Not large cars or pony cars…
The GTO's big brother 2+2 had several 421 versions available, but none were the Super Duty 421.
The cat was a full size and the tempest was mid size.
@@karltonmiller4697not true. They just weren’t allowed to be ordered by domestic dealers. I serviced and eventually marketed and sold a 1962a 421 GP superduty HiPo with a 4speed Muncie- it’s got the crazy NASCAR manifolds and heads- we dynoed it at over 550hp- it had paperwork showing that it was sold to Gam’s Republic of China distributor with an fob address for delivery at port of Long Beach. Obviously, the car missed its boat trip.
Those 1962 Catalina's look good from every angle!!! Thanks for the video!!!
Grew up with Pontiac...
I will always love and want a 62 Tempest..
This is a great channel👍🏻
There was also a 421 tri power in 62 you could get there were less than 17 Grand Prix equipped with them i’ve seen one in real life and heard the story about it. Catalina had more of them it’s a bucket list car for me to get my hands on one of those or a Catalina with one
1962 Grand Prix with Tri Power 421 would be epic. Especially if it had all the luxury items like AC, power windows and doorlocks, full console with real wood surfaces, wood also on door panels and dashboard. They made quite a statement when new.
@@MarinCipollina they exist. There are just very few of them. They were all custom ordered cars. I know somebody that owned one of them. How do you think I heard of the story it was a four speed car aqua exterior aqua, and white interior no air-conditioning center console tachometer, eight lug wheels, power steering power brakes. It was a gorgeous car. Eventually it had to be sold because the owner was a friend of my parents ended up passing away and his wife had to sell it at the time. If I had the money I would’ve bought it because of knowing how rare the car was. Car was never restored. It was a Texas car. The only bit of touching up it needed was up under the hood with the carburetors valve covers intake, etc. because the paint was beyond worn out and chipped off just to clean up the engine bay. It just needed it badly but after the engine bay got cleaned up, it was near perfect
If the hood scoop on the Super Duty Catalina looks familiar, its because Pontiac bought them from Ford! They were mainly intended for large Super Duty trucks, although Ford installed them with the vent opening facing the driver. It's cool that one scoop design was successful on two completely different Super Duties!!!
I had two 62 Catalinas & one 62 Grand Prix super duty cars until 1990s
My parents purchased a 62 Catalina from owner many years ago from Cerame Pontiac Paramus NJ ,replacing 59 Plymouth surban wagon, that 1962 was great Catalina best looking vehicle I liked so much as older and driver's license I ebquard a 64 Grand prix 389, tri power I miss quality American vehicles
I’ve wondered for a long time what might have been if the other divisions of GM might have been like if they truly had the kid gloves taken off and were told build the meanest thing you can.
Pontiac appeared to be the only division that era with a division general manager that was accustomed to getting his way on everything. That was John Z DeLorean. He was really one of a kind. He had an innate feel for Pontiac and the soul of the brand. Youth was a very big part of the appeal of PONTIAC. Young people liked them a lot. PONTIAC was a NOW kind of a car.
The 303 and the 366 Pontiac engines. The RA V.
@@MarinCipollina Watch a interview of John he says youth was #1 Bunkie got Pontiac going and he got a lot of what he wanted all those guys at Pontiac were car guys before bean counters started creeping in.
That Pontiac was a beautiful car !! ❤
Channel is getting some momentum!
The INFAMOUS Catalina - Pontiac Fans check in 👇
More like "famous".
421 S.D. all the way! I've never met one I didn't like!
@@alanblanes2876, Exactly!!!!
@@gearmeister, more like didn’t LOVE. 😂
The 421 was not really a stroked 389. It had beefed up lifter bores.
So cool!
My dad bought #19 in 61' from the dealer for 5.8k Sold it few years later for 3k. Wonder what it would be worth in fair condition today.
WOW no way that is awesome, why did he sell it?
@@rarecars3336 hard times for him and he was young.... The car met a lot to him even back then. Hard to of realized at those times what it would've been worth these days. He bought the car from Mike Salta Pontiac in Long Beach. Aqua marine blue. Would be quite something if the car was still around and could find it.
He was in hard times and young. Hard to of known back, then what it would've been worth these days, although he knew what he had was special. He bought the car from Mike Salta Pontiac in Long Beach. It had the all aluminum front end, but with steel wheels. Aqua marine blue. Would be awesome if the car was still around and if it is to locate it. He does know who he sold it to. It was a friend of his.
Also, he never knew it was called a super duty or didn't remember that it was called that he said it was known to him as a factory experimental
Finally someone says foot-pounds like we used to do.
👍🇦🇺
My mom had one but in a Grand Prix, that's what happens when you buy off the show room floor. Really fast but my dad had it in the shop to much and traded in on a Olds 98 in '65.
Love Pontiac
My next door neighbor had a 62 Catalina super duty in the 60s
IMO the 1962 Pontiac had the best styling. Clean and straight, the 63 and up got to bloated.
I prefer the '63 GP. Cleaner, straighter, and no fake convertible roof line. Also love the taillights and rear window.
The good lord drove a 62 super duty when visiting
They made another drag car, a bit more extreme the following year.
You can't tell me mikey tompson did not add modifications, closer to 3,000 lb on the car, and 550 hp
I wish the days were still here when I could chose the car body, engine, trans, trans gear ratio, differential gear ratio . Ford chevy did this . Chrysler ??. I am not a mopar guy.
What was wrong with the Pontiac 389 that made it infamous? People keep using that word; I don't think they know what it means.
GM pulled out of racing from 1963 to 1973 .
High Performance "DogDish" Hubcaps - lol
😀
Swiss cheese catalina
OH for the good Ole days !!when politicians just got rich and left the rest along of us to have a litte peace of mind !!❤
Deskbound films made with UA-cam videos and Instagram photos. Don't watch them.
Super heavy 💩
3,325 lbs really isn’t that heavy
@@GarageSpaceshipexactly, for its size it’s very light… for prospective a C4 corvette weighs 3400 lb and look at how small it is and all the lightweight materials used to make it
You're thinking about the Heavy Chevy.