Project "I Left the Bowtie Reservation" 62 Catalina

[bbbentley]

WHERE WERE YOU IN 62? (Am. Graffiti).
Yes, off the reservation, but joined the tribe of Chief Pontiac!
I like to check out the classifieds and the eBay sections when I log on this site. I drool over several finds and usually dismiss all the drool worthy rides because of lack of funds or the car is too far away. Besides, I have a slew of unfinished projects and do not need anything else. I can't explain why I was mesmerized by this car. Maybe it was the fact that it had a lot of cool features wrapped in one package. Tony (Scuncio) posted the ad, I took the bait, bid, and won. The cool features include: This was an untouched old school drag car. It has not seen the light of day in 40+ years. It is a convertible! It raced in North East Ohio.
Primarily at Dragway 42 in Salem, Ohio. I am the 4th owner, I think?
It has a interesting, neat, history. The car was born a 389 4 bbl. automatic with Selmar Red exterior and tri-tone red interior.
THE RACE HISTORY
In 1963, a fellow in Ravenna, Ohio, I will refer to as G.V., bought this car. G.V. is still alive. He dismantled the whole car, he said, and proceeded to do several modifications and fabrications to compete in stock class racing. I won't list all the mods. now, but they are numerous. He primed the car in Rustoleum Red Oxide primer and had "some kid" lay on a heavy metal flake paint job. It resembles a racing helmet or boat type metal flake. This was a new kind of paint in 63. The "kid" laid on the paint thicker than a las Vegas whore. Now, the paint is falling off and very fragile. G.V. raced this car from 1964-'74. He had several combinations of Pontiac power and ran a stick early on, later going automatic. His last combo was a 400 with TH400. He blew up the engine in '74. He told me that is when he decided he was finished with racing. He pulled the drive train and sold both, engine & tranny, along with all the engine racing goodies. He put the rolling body away in a garage.
NEXT OWNER #3
As said, the car was put away in 74. But in 1977 the car was sold to George M. (or G.M.) G.M. had bought a 62 Catalina convertible new. When he retired his car, he put it in a dirt floor shed on one of his rental properties. His son was turning 15 in 1977 and he thought it would be nice to fix up his Catalina for his boy. Upon pulling the car out in the light it became apparent that the harsh Ohio environment had taken it's toll on this car as it was literally rusted away up to the doors. G.M. knew of this other car body, the race car, and struck a deal along with parting out the rusted car keeping any usable parts for this race car body. I was told that the drive train from the rusted car, sans rear end, was put in this race car. The engine was built by the famous Oties Speed Shop in Akron, I was told. The car as bought, has a 389 Tri-Power with manual 3 speed and a locked 4.10 Olds /Pontiac rear. For reasons not clear, but I suspect that putting the car back to road worthy condition was daunting and the project was abandoned. The son got a new Trans Am and the Catalina was put in the back of a 4 car dry garage. There it sat untouched and not run for the next 40 years.
2017
I buy this car that has not seen the light of day since, essentially, 74. I have had this car about a month now. I have it running now! I also put the floor shift Hurst Dual Pattern w/ Syncro-Loc, back in the car. I have also been replacing decals that were gone/missing and added a few discreet embellishments, but basically interested in preserving the car. The car still has the dirt on the body as found, I did clean the carpet and area behind the rear seat of a zillion mouse turds, yuck! And I did evict a few rodents with poison. I am not cleaning anything else. I am leaving the chrome, paint, engine, '64 Keystone Kustomags, and everything else, as found. I did fabricate a brass fuel log, and replaced the radiator and water pump, hoses and belts. A little brake work and fuel line to tank I want to replace (it is 1/2 in. copper!). Car has no mirrors. Now, I still love my Chevies , but the inability to move forward and the inability to find paint and body people have frustrated and depressed me. The hobby is supposed to be fun and it has not been for quite awhile. I thought this may get me enthused again. And it has.

[bbbentley]

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[markinnaples]

Amazing find, and what a great backstory. You win.

[cook_dw]

Awesome car and story. Congrats!


BTW we need a walk around video of the thing running!!

[mockingbird812]

Nice sore Bentley. Love the looks of the big cat '62s! Congrats!!

[1967Z28]

Way to go, Bentley! That's awesome!

[Tenney]

That thing's cool!

[427TJ]

Cool! I saw this car on eBay. Yeah, the "hobby" can get you down at times so something off the wall like this can bring back the fun!

[bbbentley]

Originally Posted by 427TJ

Cool! I saw this car on eBay. Yeah, the "hobby" can get you down at times so something off the wall like this can bring back the fun!

Yep, sometimes I am so close to getting a car done, but can't make it happen. Then, I start thinking about getting rid of everything. But I hang in there. This car had a lot going for it, I felt. It was a good bodystyle, a plus. A convertible, plus. Ex drag, plus, at least to guys like us. Untouched time capsule, plus and did not take much to get it going (lucky?). Pontiacs had a killer reputation during this timeframe, especially in North East Ohio. I hope to make it to its 1st show October 1st.