By Jeff Glucker
Colin Chapman is famous for the idea of “adding lightness”. His Lotus vehicles were quick and nimble sports cars that are still a scintillating topic of discussion for any auto enthusiast. In 1963, Pontiac decided to try their hand at “adding lightness” as well. They punched 120 holes into the frame rails of a Catalina, and thus the 1963 Pontiac Catalina Swiss Cheese drag racer was born.
It was a record holder for many years, and in May of this year it’s your chance to own it.
This piece of Americana racing is being offered for sale in the upcoming Dana Mecum’s Original Spring Classic Auction, which runs from May 19th to the 23rd and is now in it’s 23rd year.
From the black-out wheels to the drag-racer stance, this Catalina is all business. Under the hood sits a 421 with such goodies as lightweight valves, high-compressions Micky Thompson pistons, and an aluminum manifold. The engine was rated at 410 hp and 425 lb-ft of torque. This is ample power to propel the 3,308 lb beast to a 12-second quarter-mile run.
What will it sell for? What would you do to own it? Could the police catch you? And finally, would the sound of this vehicle at idle cause a sudden and intense need to find some private time?
For more information and a few more photos of this 1963 Pontiac Catalina Swiss Cheese, head over to the Mecum Auction site.
Kamil Kaluski
They could have also cut off the acres of sheet metal behind the rear wheelarches, but that wouldn't have looked as good, would it?
Nonsense! Those state-of-the-art leaf springs gotta bolt up to something back there, you know?
As far as I know, the Catalina (and other B-bodies of the same vintage) had coils in back, with four trailing links to locate the axle.
To say one word: BELIEVE.
The big tail doesn't hurt, actually. I've been reading We Were The RAMCHARGERS while watching curling this week, and on their cars they kept scooting the rear axle forward within the bodyshell to help the weight balance.
Add a straight front axle, move it forward, and you have one of the famous A/FX cars, the precursor to Funny Cars.
In terms of old American muscle the original Goat is my favourite. This just turns it up to eleven. Why do they always paint the block such awful colours though? Baby blue? When does that look good?
I think the blue would assist in spotting any leaking oil, I do not mind the colour but agree they are better alternatives. I am a fan of the Chevrolet orange and I think GMC used to use a nice red on their engines.
They could have also cut off the acres of sheet metal behind the rear wheelarches, but that wouldn't have looked as good, would it?
By "adding lightness" they also loaded it up with badass. I'd love to have a Super Duty Pontiac from the early sixties. That 421 was legendary.
A steel frame with a bunch of holes in it? I'd give it two months in Snow Country.
Where have I been? I just discovered your site on Google. Fantastic article! Thanks for taking the energy to share this.
fuzzy: you realy dont know anything about physics at all, do you ?
any traverse or bridge construction uses this prinziple to a. leighten weight and b. stronger construction, any plane and all over the world this is usec today. cause cross bar construction with less material does carry MORE then full material does… so.. it will hold more years in your snow country then any full frame would do… still in school ? learn bevore post.