The exterior chrome and bright...
The exterior chrome and bright trim was sent to Advanced Plating in Nashville, Tennessee, for replating and polishing.
After determining the Catalina had only minimal rust, he welded new metal in the lower rear quarters and along the back of the roof. Bodywork followed, beginning with spraying the naked metal with PPG DP40 epoxy primer, filling the high and low spots, and sandwiching the filler with a second layer of DP40. In preparation for paint, Tiemann applied polyester high-build primer, followed by more blocking, and finally, several coats of PPG K38 High Build primer surfacer.
Next came the color. Ronzello takes the credit for choosing the Catalina's vintage-cool Coronado Red that Tiemann sprayed using five coats of PPG DBC basecoat and five coats of PPG DCU 2002 clear. "I think the color was special to that period," Ronzello says. "So many of the cars were either white or blue back then, and I wanted the color on my nostalgia Super Stocker to be different from all the rest."
For a swirl-free finish, Tiemann wet-sanded the Catalina using progressive grits of 600-2,500 sandpaper, and, adding a vintage touch, he applied period-correct graphics: NHRA "S/SS" class designation and Royal Racing decals.
Scott Tiemann of Supercar...
Scott Tiemann of Supercar Specialties deleted the heater and added a block-off plate to the firewall. Note the assembly-line markings painstakingly reproduced by Tiemann during the restoration.
The interior was restored vintage-style, too, with a one-off "deluxe" interior that was never offered by Pontiac. It was designed by Ralph's wife, Lynn, using N.O.S. cloth and vinyl, and sewn and installed by LA Trim of Lowell, Michigan. To accentuate the Super Stock theme, radio and heater deletes; a Sun tachometer; and period Stewart-Warner water temp, amp, and oil pressure gauges were added to the cabin.
Drivetrain
The original 389 had been rebuilt but never fired up before Ronzello bought his Catalina, so he chose to limit the engine work to new rings and gaskets. It also came with both four-barrel and Tri-Power setups. "The choice was obvious," Ronzello says. "Scott installed the Tri-Power, replacing the original vacuum-activated linkage with a '65 GTO-style progressive linkage in the process."
Other engine necessities include a factory-style ignition system with a Pontiac points-type distributor, Packard solid-core Super-Duty 7mm wires, and AC 44S plugs. To give the exhaust gases a unique twist [literally], Tiemann installed Firebird long-branch exhaust manifolds mated to custom-bent 2.5-inch aluminized head pipes, an x-style crossover, Flowmaster Series 40 mufflers, and 2.25-inch tailpipes.
"Since the '61 Catalina Batwing...
"Since the '61 Catalina Batwing sedans are rarely seen today, we wanted it to be not just a vintage race car, but perhaps one of the best in the country," says owner Ralph Ronzello (shown). I asked Scott Tiemann to make sure that it really appeared period-correct."
Pushing the power to the pavement is a four-speed conversion installed by Tiemann that features a Centerforce dual-friction clutch, a BorgWarner Super T-10 trans, a Hurst linkage with stock shifter, a steel driveshaft, and the original Safe-T-Track rearend, upgraded with a new ring-and-pinion, and 3.90 gears.
Conclusion
Upon Ronzello's request, Tiemann displayed the just-completed Catalina at the '08 Detroit Autorama where it won First Place in Factory Nostalgic. When Ronzello arrived to see it for the first time since its restoration, a buyer had been waiting patiently near the car for three hours to make an offer. "I hadn't even driven it, and he told me that he had to have the car," Ronzello says. "I think that speaks highly to the quality of the restoration that Tiemann performed. The Catalina is everything we set out to achieve. It's a vintage race car that will remind you of your youth and of early factory musclecars, and it's a concours vintage race/show car that has proven itself as a national show-winner."
Whether you plan on restoring your Pontiac as a nostalgia Super Stock show car as did Ronzello, or you intend on keeping your ride factory original, remember to make your decision before you begin, and work with a restorer who's comfortable with your goal. In the end, you'll find that you've restored a Pontiac that pleases you and-if you did the job right-others as well.