With a compression ratio of 11.0:1, the combination was factory-rated at 405 hp at 5,600 rpm and 425 lb-ft of torque at 4,400 rpm. A heavy-duty clutch disc and pressure plate assembly and a Borg-Warner T-85, heavy-duty, three-speed, manual transmission backed the powerful mill. A Borg-Warner T-10, four-speed, manual was available at extra cost. The rear differential housed a 4.30:1 gear set.
Don Gay's '62 Catalina
With his son's success after Hayden's tutelage, it was only logical that Carl equip Don with the most potent Pontiac the Division had produced to date. Carl ordered an Ensign Blue '62 Super-Duty Catalina sedan with No. 221 Blue interior to be raced under the dealership's banner. Its list of optional performance equipment included the No. 13B Super-Duty 421, No. 511 Dual Exhaust, and No. 691 Safe-T-Track limited-slip differential.
Assembled on June 12, 1962, at the Pontiac, Michigan, assembly plant, the Catalina was fitted with several aluminum body panels aimed at reducing overall race weight. Carl flew into the Division's hometown to accept delivery of his latest acquisition, which retailed for $4,099. He then drove the 405hp beast back to Dickinson, where James Osteen finely tuned the Super-Duty engine, added tubular headers, and removed the exhaust system.
Just 15 years old when he slid behind the steering wheel of the Super-Duty Catalina for the first time, Don dominated A/Stock classes, consistently turning the quarter-mile in the mid-12s with a trap speed around 113 mph. He took top honors at a number of local, state, and regional tracks, regularly leaving with class trophies.
Pontiac Engineering slightly improved the Super-Duty cylinder head during the '63 model year, and Osteen, who doubled as crew chief, installed the No. 980 castings. Don chipped away at the '63 race schedule and eventually worked his way into the NHRA National Championship Drag Races at Indianapolis Raceway Park in Indiana on Labor Day weekend, September 1963.
At 16 years old, Don was the youngest driver entered into the field. Though competition was fierce, hot-shoe Gay mowed down the A/Stock contestants, taking the win in the final round over Ralph Swain's '62 Chevy with an elapsed time of 12.81 at 112 mph. With that, he became the youngest champion in NHRA history. Proving it wasn't a fluke, he followed that feat the following February, taking top honors in the A/Stock class at the '64 NHRA Winternationals.
Don progressed into Top Fuel racing and though it remained A/Stock race-ready, the Catalina sat idle. He advertised its availability in National Dragster magazine in 1967, and Don Visovatti of Virginia, Minnesota, became its next owner for the paltry sum of $1,800. Visovatti raced the Catalina in its Gay livery that year before repainting it a lighter shade of blue and naming it "Rainmaker" for the '68 season. The Catalina was retired from competition in 1972.
Herb's Encounter
With so many Chevrolets and Pontiacs roaming his town during the '60s, Herb amassed quite a collection over the next several decades while the Catalina hibernated. "Chevys were always cheap and plentiful, so I bought as many as I could. I started buying up Pontiacs, too, and presently own 18. I always wanted a '62 Super-Duty but it had to be just the right one. I started my search in 1999 and passed on three different Catalinas, and even a Super-Duty Grand Prix."
Herb received a call from friend Jeff Dypwick of Chaska, Minnesota, in September 2007. "Jeff learned of a Super-Duty Pontiac in nearby Virginia from another friend, Dewey Miller," says Herb. "It was an old '62 Catalina racecar that was part of Don Visovatti's estate, and was for sale. I didn't know until after a bit of research that it was the same Catalina originally campaigned by Gay Pontiac. At that point, I was determined to purchase it."
This push-button mounted on...
This push-button mounted on the grille support sits just forward of the radiator. It's connected to the starter and was used to bump the engine over while lashing the valves on the McKellar No. 10 camshaft.
The original three-speed Hurst...
The original three-speed Hurst shifter was removed when Visovatti added an M20 Muncie four-speed and modern Hurst Competition Plus shifter. It transmits power from an aftermarket steel flywheel and Hays 11-inch diameter clutch disc and pressure plate to the original rear axle with 4.30 gears.
While a race-worn exterior...
While a race-worn exterior finish is quite common on an unrestored car with its original paint, current-owner Herb Patton of Crete, Nebraska, had E-3 Restorations in Lincoln apply a fresh Ensign Blue finish that boasts an aged patina. The weathered graphics were applied by Jim Hetzler of JC Hetz Studio in Muscatine, Iowa. Beyond the exterior, the car is otherwise largely unrestored. According to mechanic James Osteen, he replaced the Catalina's original aluminum rear bumper with a traditional steel one to enhance weight transfer. The original aluminum bumper's whereabouts are unknown. The 15-inch steel wheels, which Gay painted gold, are complemented by 26x5.5-inch and 28.75x7.5-inch reproduction Hurst tires, front and rear, respectively. Heavy-duty finned aluminum brake drums safely draw the Catalina down from the triple-digit range.
Here's the trophy Don received...
Here's the trophy Don received for winning the A/Stock class at the NHRA Winternationals in Pomona, California, in February 1964. The trunk was obviously used to haul spare parts during travels to other events. The original spare tire and jack assembly were removed by Gay to save weight.
The No. 221 Blue interior...
The No. 221 Blue interior with bench seat is completely original. Convenience options are limited to a Custom Steering Wheel and a Foam Cushion Front Seat. Gay added the gold seat cover shortly after the purchase to preserve the original seating surface for resale value. According to Patton, it's never been off.