1962 Pontiac Super Duty
The Pontiac Super-Duty is symbolic of Pontiac's early-'60s dominance of NHRA's dragstrips and NASCAR's high-speed ovals. Rare indeed, Production records suggest that 179 Super-Duty Pontiacs were built during the 1962 model year, including 16 Grand Prixs and 162 Catalinas.
The 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.
The '62 Super Duty 421 was officially rated at 405 bhp, but real output was closer to 460. Though street-legal, they were race-ready engines with four-bolt mains, forged rods and crank, solid lifters, and NASCAR heads. Stock-car-racing versions used a single four-barrel, but street/strip Super Duty 421s had twin Carter 500-cfm four-barrels and an aluminum intake manifold. Free-flow cast-iron headers were fitted with easily removable exhaust dumps. Only three- and four-speed manuals were offered; Pontiac's automatic wasn't strong enough.
Reinforcing the division's hard-nosed performance attitude were a host of Super Duty options, including aluminum front-end body clips and a weight-cutting modified frame (the famous drilled "Swiss Cheese" frames wouldn't come until '63). These saved about 110 pounds. To shave another 40 pounds, the factory would fit aluminum exhaust manifolds. They were intended only for quarter-mile competition; Pontiac warned that subjected to more heat, the headers would melt.
Super Duty 421 Pontiacs were feared muscle cars on the street, and could easily hit into the 13s at more than 100 mph in the quarter -- superior numbers for a regular-production car of the day.
For more info in the 1962 Pontiac Super Duty visit OldRide.com You might even find one for sale.....
http://www.oldride.com/library/1962_pontiac_super_duty.html
Here is a great example of one currently for sale!
http://www.tntclassiccars.com/super.htm
The Pontiac Super-Duty is symbolic of Pontiac's early-'60s dominance of NHRA's dragstrips and NASCAR's high-speed ovals. Rare indeed, Production records suggest that 179 Super-Duty Pontiacs were built during the 1962 model year, including 16 Grand Prixs and 162 Catalinas.
The 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.
The '62 Super Duty 421 was officially rated at 405 bhp, but real output was closer to 460. Though street-legal, they were race-ready engines with four-bolt mains, forged rods and crank, solid lifters, and NASCAR heads. Stock-car-racing versions used a single four-barrel, but street/strip Super Duty 421s had twin Carter 500-cfm four-barrels and an aluminum intake manifold. Free-flow cast-iron headers were fitted with easily removable exhaust dumps. Only three- and four-speed manuals were offered; Pontiac's automatic wasn't strong enough.
Reinforcing the division's hard-nosed performance attitude were a host of Super Duty options, including aluminum front-end body clips and a weight-cutting modified frame (the famous drilled "Swiss Cheese" frames wouldn't come until '63). These saved about 110 pounds. To shave another 40 pounds, the factory would fit aluminum exhaust manifolds. They were intended only for quarter-mile competition; Pontiac warned that subjected to more heat, the headers would melt.
Super Duty 421 Pontiacs were feared muscle cars on the street, and could easily hit into the 13s at more than 100 mph in the quarter -- superior numbers for a regular-production car of the day.
For more info in the 1962 Pontiac Super Duty visit OldRide.com You might even find one for sale.....
http://www.oldride.com/library/1962_pontiac_super_duty.html
Here is a great example of one currently for sale!
http://www.tntclassiccars.com/super.htm
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