1962 Pontiac Catalina - Super Special Super-Duty

Though this Aquamarine '62 Super-Duty Catalina may be most famous from its appearance in the May '62 issue of Motor Trend magazine, few are aware that it was the first production Super-Duty ever built. Eugene Riotte of Ardmore, Oklahoma, purchased the historical Pontiac in 1988 and completed its frame-off restoration in 2007.

The Super-Duty Catalina is symbolic of Pontiac's early-'60s dominance of NHRA's dragstrips and NASCAR's high-speed ovals. Super-Duty engine components were initially sold through the Division's dealership parts departments, but the NHRA soon mandated that in order to be eligible for competition in stock classes, complete engines must be factory installed. Pontiac countered by offering the Super-Duty 389 and 421 in its '62 midsized models.

Production records suggest that 179 total Super-Duty Pontiacs were built during that model year, including 16 Grand Prixs and 162 Catalinas-one Super-Duty remains unaccounted for. The SD-389 was installed into 7 Catalinas while the remaining 155 received the SD-421. Limited production numbers notwithstanding, the early Super-Duties are regarded by many as Pontiac's ultimate performance vehicle, which might be best exemplified in the May '62 issue of Motor Trend magazine.

The Motor Trend Test
Arguably the most famous Super-Duty Pontiac performance review ever published, journalist Roger Huntington penned the article showcasing the Catalina's performance prowess. Said to be among the first Super-Duties released to the public, the staff at Ace Wilson's Royal Pontiac in Royal Oak, Michigan, prepared the vehicle prior to testing and, according to the author, did nothing mechanically beyond checking the engine's spark-advance and valve-lash settings.

The side cove on a typical '62 Catalina is body-colored while the aluminum trim is accented in white, but Royal Pontiac gave this Catalina its Royal Bobcat treatment and painted the otherwise-Aquamarine cove white, adding body color to the aluminum trim and a white stripe above the side windows. The subtle contrast is very appealing. The "Royal Bobcat" emblems are originals that Riotte sourced from hobbyist Bill Shultz of Royal Oak, Michigan.

Pontiac advertising executive Jim Wangers piloted the Catalina as Huntington rode along. Testing took place during the winter, in less than optimal conditions. A set of Goodyear tires and 150 pounds of ballast were utilized to maximize traction, but the efforts proved futile. Wangers still managed to run the quarter-mile in 13.9 seconds, at a trap speed of 107 mph. Zero to 60 mph occurred in 5.4 seconds.

Huntington wrote that even though the SD-421 was factory rated at 405 hp at 5,600 rpm and had 425 lb-ft of torque at 4,400 rpm, he believed the mill's actual output was closer to 465 and 510 respectively, when calculated from performance data. In optimal conditions, it might propel the Catalina from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.5 seconds with quarter-mile times in the mid-12s at speeds nearing 115 mph.

Power Of The Press
Eugene Riotte of Ardmore, Oklahoma, has been a Pontiac fan his entire life. The 66-year-old proprietor of Performance Coating Service tells HPP that the Motor Trend article fueled his hopes of owning a Super-Duty. "I went to McCarley Olds-Pontiac in Sulphur, Oklahoma, to place my order, but the salesman told me the package was for professional racers and the dealership couldn't get one. I ordered an Ensign Blue '62 Catalina with a 425A engine and a four-speed transmission instead."

Though much of the original brightwork was polished and reused, the front and rear bumpers are rechromed originals. Items like the grilles and taillight bezels and lenses were among the myriad N.O.S. pieces that Riotte sourced for the restoration.

Years passed, but Riotte's desire for a Super-Duty Pontiac didn't waiver. "I finally purchased a Mandalay Red Super-Duty '62 Catalina in 1987 and immediately started its restoration," he says. "Once underway, I found it needed a few engine parts, so I placed want ads in some publications. I received a letter from Gary Wheeler of Roanoke, Virginia, in October 1988. He owned a '62 Catalina with the parts I needed and the car was for sale. He even enclosed pictures of it."

Riotte immediately contacted Wheeler to determine if the Catalina was, in fact, a Super-Duty. "It had all the correct characteristics, so I knew it was real. During our discussion, Gary mentioned that it was equipped with a rear antenna and I recalled that the Catalina in the Motor Trend article had one. That evening, a friend and I discussed the possibility of this being that test car. We decided that it could be, but we had no way of knowing for sure. I knew that it was at least a Super-Duty, so I called Gary and told him that I'd take it. I hooked up my trailer and left for Virginia the next morning."

With an airflow capacity in excess of 500 cfm each, these Carter AFB carburetors (Nos. 3433S and 3435S) are originals. They were completely rebuilt and reside atop a No. 542991 cast-aluminum Super-Duty intake manifold. The fuel lines are reproductions that Riotte made using the originals as a template.

No. 540306 Super-Duty cylinder heads were rebuilt and ported by a noted Pontiac racer and flow around 260 cfm at 28 inches on the intake side, while exhaust flow is roughly 75 percent of that number. A set of stainless-steel Dart intake and exhaust valves measuring 1.97 and 1.625 inches, respectively, replaced the original 1.92/1.66-inch units. Comp Cams supplied the valvesprings.

Identification markings found on the upper and lower radiator hoses were hand-applied by a former GM employee during the restoration who revealed to Riotte that manual application was used in the '70s before the process was automated.