The lightweight package used...
The lightweight package used on this car even extends to the rear, including the differential housing, the bumper, and the ultra-rare aluminum decklid, which is purported to be the lone original unit left in existence.
It’s a surreal experience seeing a famous, long-lost vehicle for the first time. There’s a certain radiance of the moment—that instant you realize it’s the very same machine that was in those grainy black-and-white photos in a copy of some yellowed magazine from a half a century ago. The historic significance can leave you scratching your head, thinking of the complete unlikelihood that this car somehow beat the odds. For whatever reason, it didn’t end up as some rusted-out, forgotten and recycled chunk of metal that was melted down and is now running around as a new Ford Focus.
When showgoers came to the 2010 Ames Performance Tri-Power Pontiac Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio, they were treated to a special display of original Super-Duty Pontiac racecars in the area between the showfield and the midway. It was organized by Merle Green, owner of the ’66 Knafel Pontiac Tin Indian GTO.
Arlen Vanke (left) and Jim...
Arlen Vanke (left) and Jim Schultheis signed autographs and spoke with fans in the Super-Duty Reunion tent at the Ames Performance Tri-Power Pontiac Nationals in 2009.
Many Super-Duty fans, especially those from Ohio, thought they were seeing a ghost—a Firefrost Silver ghost. There it was, in living color, as beautiful as the day it rolled out of Pontiac Engineering in May of 1962—the original Anderson Pontiac Big Bear, the A/Stock 421 Super-Duty Catalina lightweight record-holder piloted by the legendary Akron Arlen Vanke, and now owned by Bill Hemperly. Better yet, Mr. Vanke was sitting right next to it—talk about a reunion!
The 421 Super-Duty is still a standard-bore block. It was rebuilt by Frank Kolbl and features all the good stuff, including the late-’62 “980” heads, McKellar No. 10 camshaft, and high-rise dual-quad intake, which mounts a pair of 625-cfm Carter AFBs. Exhaust gasses are expelled through original cast-aluminum headers.
The 421 Super-Duty Cat has...
The 421 Super-Duty Cat has been repainted in the original Firefrost Silver, and the livery from Jim’s racing days was replicated by Ellsworth Auto Body under the watchful eye of shop foreman Stan Schlagenhauser. BFGoodrich G78-14 tires and M/T 9-inch-wide slicks are mounted on 14-inch steel wheels.
This car has a pretty interesting story. Originally built in Pontiac Engineering, it had all of the best late- season performance upgrades, such as the 980 heads and high-rise dual-quad intake. It also featured the complete array of lightweight aluminum sheetmetal and driveline components, including aluminum front and rear bumpers, hood, front fenders, inner fenderwells and radiator support, a super-rare aluminum decklid, aluminum differential housing, cast-aluminum exhaust manifolds, and an aluminum alternator support—pretty exotic stuff for 1962, and today, highly prized and extremely rare.
Interestingly, the Catalina was built with a three-speed manual transmission, which was often picked over the four-speeds by racers of the era. The idea was that the three-speeds, while not as smooth shifting, were more durable, and only two shifts had to be made during the course of a run.
Though the hardtop body was...
Though the hardtop body was preferred by NASCAR racers for its slight aerodynamic edge, drag racers often opted for the two-door post-sedan body for its lighter weight and greater structural rigidity. The addition of Grand Prix grilles was a popular modification with ’62 Pontiac racecars, as they were lighter than the Catalina grille bars.
The Catalina was originally owned by George DeLorean, who obtained it directly from Pontiac Engineering. After a short period of ownership, it was sold to Akron Arlen Vanke, who raced it with some sponsorship from Anderson Pontiac in Akron, Ohio. Anderson later became Knafel Pontiac. At the time that Vanke bought it, the Catalina came to him with a 389 four-barrel in it. Arlen then built a correct 421 Super-Duty and began racing it.
The Catalina proved to be a successful mount, and it managed to set an NHRA National Record in A/Stock and won the 1962 A/S Points Championship in York, Pennsylvania. Vanke moved on to building and racing the Running Bear ’63 Anderson Pontiac-sponsored Tempest. Having no need for the Catalina, he put it up for sale.
Note the chrome shiftball...
Note the chrome shiftball and patina on the arm of this Hurst shifter from Vanke or Schultheis (no one remembers which one) heating it up to bend it to a position that he found more comfortable.
As it turned out, the Catalina’s history after Arlen retired it was a pretty pampered one. He sold it to Jim Schultheis of Canton, Ohio, on February 24, 1964, for the sum of $2,900. Jim raced for two years after that with quite a bit of success. He was the Pittsburgh International Dragway class winner in 1964, and that year went on to rack up a Magnolia Dragstrip season championship, Norwalk class win, Detroit Raceway season championship, a pair of Timing Association wins at Quaker City, and a Dragway 42 class win.
This ’62 SD 421 Catalina sedan has been a part of Hemperly’s life, a consultant from Massillon, Ohio, for as long as he can remember, as his stepdad was Jim Schultheis. As a child, he knew it was a neat old car that he and his father would take out and occasionally exercise. In his teens he learned the storied history of this old Cat.
The Sunpro tach that Jim installed...
The Sunpro tach that Jim installed on the column was retained for the restoration.
The Stewart-Warner gauges...
The Stewart-Warner gauges that Jim added are still with the Catalina.
With the exception of the...
With the exception of the carpet, the interior is factory original. Note that the stock three-speed shifter handle was left on the column, even though the Hurst shifter actually controls the transmission. That’s Jim’s vintage Hurst Swifter Shifter glove on the seat.