Developed for maximum performance,...
Developed for maximum performance, the Super-Duty 421 was factory rated at 405 hp and contained such features as an 11:1 compression ratio, forged internals, a McKellar No. 10 mechanical camshaft, and high-flow induction and exhaust. The block is the Catalina's original (code 13B) and it was bored to 434 ci during the rebuild. An aftermarket camshaft was also added to increase performance.
When Riotte arrived on Thursday and looked the Catalina over, he found it had been repainted a color much darker than its original Aquamarine. "It was definitely a Super-Duty, and even though it had 110,000 miles on its odometer and clearly needed a restoration, it appeared complete. Gary knew the previous owner's widow, so we stopped to visit with her before leaving the area. She told us that her husband owned the Catalina for several years and that he used it for daily transportation," he recalls.
The Truth Emerges
During the return trip to Oklahoma, Riotte stopped in Tennessee and called noted-researcher Pete McCarthy. "Pete was working on his book Pontiac Musclecar Performance-1955-1979 at the time, and he was gathering information on the Super-Duty cars. I told him of our potential find and he suggested I contact Fred Simmonds at Pontiac since he had access to the original manifests. I called Fred and he went to Pontiac on a Sunday to find the Catalina's original paperwork as we drove back."
In their next conversation, Simmonds confirmed what Riotte had deduced-his Catalina was indeed the test vehicle that Wangers drove in Huntington's Motor Trend article, but that's not all they found out. He also told Riotte that the Catalina was not only the first sold by Royal Pontiac, but it was built on December 22, 1961, and was likely the first Super-Duty Catalina to roll off the Pontiac, Michigan, assembly line.
Original are the 14-inch 8-Lug...
Original are the 14-inch 8-Lug aluminum wheels. The center-cap spinners were added by Royal Pontiac and are visible in the Motor Trend article. It seems the previous owner traded them to a friend, but he was able to relocate them for Riotte. The 8.50x14 BFGoodrich Silvertown tires are reproductions.
With the Catalina home safely, an elated Riotte took inventory of his acquisition. "I found that it was about 98 percent complete and that all its numbers matched. With it came two boxes. One was filled with what seemed like every original part that was replaced over the years, including fuel pumps and its original ignition coil. The other contained a few new parts and, to my surprise, the original window sticker," he says.
While removing the carpet, Riotte discovered a folded paper on the driver side. "I opened it and was shocked to find it was the original bill of sale from Royal Pontiac. It stated that Lloyd Quesenberry of Max Meadows, Virginia, purchased the Catalina on January 30, 1962, as a new vehicle despite its use as the Motor Trend test car, and he paid just under $4,500 for it. I was able to speak with him before he passed and he confirmed its original paint scheme and the equipment it had when he took delivery."
The Restoration
The restoration of Riotte's Mandalay Red '62 Catalina was put on hold as the historical Pontiac took precedence. Taking precise notes as he went, Riotte disassembled the Catalina and separated its body shell from the frame. "We bolted the body to a rotisserie, completely blasted it, and repaired the rust holes in the shell. It then went to Cuba Bodyshop in Wichita Falls, Texas, where Greg Cuba applied the Ditzler Aquamarine basecoat/clearcoat combination and white accents to replicate the Royal Pontiac paint scheme. The finish was then wet-sanded and machine buffed."
The Catalina's original cast-iron...
The Catalina's original cast-iron Super-Duty exhaust manifolds were in decent shape, but the owner replaced them with a pair he felt were better. He often leaves the collectors uncapped when cruising around show fields.
During disassembly, Riotte found traces of black paint on the Catalina's underside in areas not exposed to the elements and, because of this, he elected to refinish it in an identical shade. "I don't know how many were originally black instead of red-oxide primer, but this Catalina definitely was," he says. "I also added a N.O.S. gas tank and reproduction fuel lines that I made in the process."
At some point in the Catalina's life, a previous owner welded a pair of large tow hooks on the front of its frame. "I don't know when they were added, but it took days of grinding to get them off," Riotte recalls. The frame was then stripped to bare metal and repainted semi-gloss black. The suspension was completely rebuilt using a plethora of N.O.S. and stock-replacement components.