This is my 1962 Pontiac Catalina two door hardtop. It has a 455 with a single quadrajet. Its painted in black primer with a candy red metal flake roof. All the work was done by me and my dad. I hope to soon have a dual quad intake new wheel and tire combo (radirs in front with wide whites and black steelies in rear with spider caps a black wall tires) and maybe a straight axle some day. I mostly drive this car everyday I think its pretty rad. Ill post more pics soon.
Pretty rad? NO... VERY RAD! I like it - from another Pontiac nut here in Jersey. Good stuff, great ride. Wait on the straight axle... I think she's just fine as is.
I like it. Please don't wreck it by putting a straight axle in it. It will drive and ride like a POS.
Thanks man glad you like it. Ill be driving like this for awhile the straight axle will be far far down the road haha.
Wow, after seeing the cut outs you put on the full picture shows a really nice ride, with tons of potential. Hope that you rethink the tire/wheels that you plan to put on. Wide whites are better on earlier cars. Maybe run chrome bullet type lug nuts in rear rather than spider caps since it seems to be a race car look you are after. Try to find someone with a home built big street car and a straight axle and see if you can (try) to drive it. OK for going straight, not so much for a daily driver. Check out some early 60's Hot Rod magazines to get ideas. Lucky that your Dad helps you out.
Great car! Tire combo sounds great but if you plan on driving it I'd sure stick with the front suspension as is. I'd love to have on of these.
Have to agree with the others. Straight axle is not going to be great. No many Cats of that year had them... so not a notalgic correct. The ride will kill it. You have a very nice car on your hands. You will get a lot of respect for the way you have done it. Ever hear of the Pontiac Nationals in Norwalk? Would love to see you there with that nice car !!!! .
Nice ride, I really like the tail lights. I agree on skipping the straight axle if you want to keep it a driver.
Thanks for the advice man, the underside really doesnt reflect the whole cars overall appearance. I am very lucky my dad helped me or it wouldn't have turned out half as good.
I brought the car to the last one. It is such a great show I had a great time racing and I will definatly be there this year.
Sixty-two Pontiacs are awesome. I had a two-door post car back in the early '90s that I drove daily. I drove it out to California and foolishly sold it when money got tight. I came back to NJ with a California car ('74 Ventura) but it wasn't the same. Here's a picture of me and the '62 at the Cadillace Ranch in Amarillio, TX.
exactly what yellow wagon says above.... - and just think yourself out of a straight axle. You'll be very dissappointed with the results - esthetically and mechanically. dj
i 2nd the bfgs on the front, blackwall of course on radirs, steelies (black?) on the rear with the cokers is cool looking but this car will spin them on the track. see you boys at atco.
Love the big Cats great car man I would also stay away from the solid front just me drive it until the wheels come off
Call me a traditionalist, but now that you've got the top painted, how about painting the rest of the car to match? Might as well add some chrome reversed rims (about the only things we called rims "back in the day"), spinner caps (fake knock offs, two or three pronged), and narrow white walls. Few if any cars back then would have been in primer black any longer than it took to get the money saved for a paint job. Pick up just about any Rod and Custom, Car Craft, or Popular Customs magazine published from 1961 through 1964, you'll see what I mean. A pair of plain steel wheels painted body colour carrying cheater slicks thrown in the trunk, and you're all set to do a little racing on occasion. Instead of dual quads, I suggest finding a 65 or 66 TriPower (to fit the later 67 up style heads a 455 uses). Use the large twin snorkel air cleaner (available on ALL years TriPower was offered and was better flowing than the three little ones) and the factory manual progressive linkage (the best linkage offered by anyone) used on stick shift models. Along with being as reliable as an anvil (just like running a two barrel), it will put out as much or more as a four barrel, and very nearly as much as the dual quads, and look like a stock 389 doing it! Don't let the small base center carburetor 65 unit put you off if that's what you find, the small carburetor actually has a larger venturi and carries the same horsepower rating as the 66 one that replaced it.
I am most likely to listen to your intake suggestion. The three carbs will probably look even more badass anyway thanks man.
I like the idea of narrow Radir wheels on the front and wider steel wheels on the back, I might go for redline tires on the front though over wide whitewalls. Either way is a step in the right direction over the wheels that are on it now though.
Nice Darksider. I would go Rally II's all around - 70 series. I switched to 225/70 Generals and it rides very nice.