My 1962 Catalina Convertible build thread
 

I went down and picked up the 62 catalina last weekend. It took 7 hours to get there with no trailer. The last 2 hours of the drive there is not much to look at but the desert climate is kind to old cars.

They advertised it as having red interior, trim tag I now know says maroon which is OK by me.

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m...psgbyb3ubg.jpg

Motor turns over by hand, and I also discovered it still has the original Packard wires from 1962, along with delco remy "patent pending" distributor cap and (brown) coil.

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m...pswxx3tvmi.jpg

Odometer shows 29,570 - can that be right? Maybe, since it hasn't ever had its wires changed, and maybe not even the plugs. Still has the green lettering AC plugs in it too, and all factory plug wire looms, and a vintage 60s looking Hastings oil filter with way too happy looking service station caricature.

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m...pswzezidgq.jpg

I am not sure how to find out if it has the original engine, since I have read it may or may not have the vin number stamped on the block. The best stamp I can read on the pass side of the block is 62S11231, based on that number it does not match the last 5 numbers of my VIN. (11105) Heads are 538177, block is 538181.

I haven't had a chance to do anything to this yet, except get it in my garage. I have some extra rust free sheetmetal I need to get rid of since I have no room. First tasks will be to replace the rot at the bottom of the LH rear 1/4 panel. Also looks like someone attempted an amateur patch job on the RH 1/4 panel so I need to figure out what they did, undo & redo it. The green metal was donated from a parts car.

Need More Pics of the Car!!

I don't have many more than what I took in that other thread, it is pretty much a "pile o' parts" until I get some work done! Anything you'd like to see in particular?

Is it a hardtop or convert?

Also, maybe the block is a possible early failure replacement?

I would sure like to see more photos of that car....the first photo documents the top of the cowl was painted black over the body color. I have heard this for some time but was never sure, Chevrolet did not do this, their entire cowl was painted body color until mid '63.

The car is factory starlight black, so that would explain it!

Here's the original "considering a catalina" thread, with lots of pictures.
http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...d.php?t=758535

Yeah, feel kinda silly, I looked at the rest of his pictures and see the entire firewall is black.

I am having a 'duh' moment, too... the "1" in the color code is that of a ragtop.

I wondered what the 1A meant since most of the codes are "AA", etc. What does the 1-17 in the "ACC" denote?

"This Car Finished with Magic Mirror Acrylic Lacquer" - thats cool. Until what year did the plates say that? Never looked closely at mine.

I had to order some shocks for this thing, the rear was way too bouncy with just the coils! Went with KYB KG5438 based on info I found on the board.

Getting ready to get that lower 1/4 patched, but first I will have to patch my patch. The swiss cheese in my repair panel is in a place where this is doable. I am noticing the spotwelds on these earlier cars appear to be quite a bit smaller than on my GTO, (and a LOT harder to see!) so I think I will try just drilling them out as opposed to using a spotweld cutter. We'll see.

Jacked the rear up and confirmed I have a posi. Was also reading that these things use a 9.3" ring gear and a 1.875" pinion diameter, jeez! I wonder why GM ever went away from the removable center section used on these rears, I did not know that about these until I got this one.

Me, too. Probably because it was over-designed.

Keep this place in mind for parts for that differential: http://fabcraftmetalworks.com/

Time to attack the rust. Found a bit more than I had hoped, but when isn't that the case? Anyway, doesn't look like a difficult repair. Going to have to patch my patch panel prior to use too, and have some metal bent for the bottom edge of the trunk extension.

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m...psvwlj2cjc.jpghttp://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m...psvwlj2cjc.jpghttp://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m...pshsaogkxp.jpg
The holes are mostly from me punching through in a few places. I'll just replace the whole bottom edge anyway, then blast away as much as I can. Seems like maybe this one sat a while without a trunklid, as there were leaves in the bottom which is probably why it rusted.

Is it considered good darksider fashion to use GTO metal to repair a 62 catalina? Cuz that is what I'm about to do.

Whatever gets you thru the nite.

But before you do, I would call the Steves: Barcak in AZ (pontiacheaven.org) or Snyder in IN (indianapontiacs.com)

Good luck!

It is actually best if you take one off the road completely and use all of it to patch a big car. :lalala:

Nice.

Is it common practice to not replace the upper rear coil spring retainer and use one of the rubber insulators instead? Going to be enough fun getting it out, I can't imagine getting it back on unless I pulled the body off the frame. (Which I might have to do to install new fuel lines anyway.) speaking of fuel lines, would this car have used a return line?

Noticed your comment on the engine -- looks like it is for real. Pontiac did not match engines to cars until later in the '60s. The motor is a unit number from the plant, would just go into a carousel waiting for a black convertible with a tri-red interior to come sailing down the line!

The more I look at the tri-color interior, the more I like it. I have read on the boards that the only way to duplicate this look is by ordering material from SMS and having someone make them which would cost about a grand or more. I am thinking of having it redone in leather in a pattern which closely matches the original.

I got new shocks and springs in, and now the rear sits nice and firm. Going to put an order in with Fabcraft for the clutch pedal and a few items to freshen up the rear. Found a guy semi-local selling a muncie which has been rebuilt recently and hurst shifter for $600. All I need to do is find a shift lever that works with the "tilted" bell. Was looking at 5384078, not sure if it is too big or not and if it will even fit that particular shifter.

I also ordered the scarebird disc conversion bracket, and will be ordering the brake rotors soon.
http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m...ps5b1b876d.png

How much of a pain is it to install new fuel lines with the body on the frame? The tank is currently out. There is still fuel in the tank, maybe old leaded stuff.

Sure looks nice under here!
http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m...psdgxps51m.jpg

You can put the lines on with the body on, but you have to have the engine out. At least that is my experience.

+1 I have no drivetrain in my car but I was able to get the hardlines into my '62 Bonneville pretty easily with the body on.

Picked up a Muncie today, 3000 miles on a rebuild, looks perfect inside. Included an almost new looking hurst shifter and linkage for 600. I was also reconsidering the hydraulic throwout bearing for a slave and master cyl setup and came across this, which I believe is the answer. http://www.novak-adapt.com/catalog/clutch/kit_hcrb.htm

Are flywheels specific to 61-62s for some reason? (Seems to be the case with everything else.)

Ok, so it says it can be used on all except the ones with the starter pocket on the drivers side, which I'm assuming they mean the ones where the starter bolts to the bell. Do these earlier blocks use the same bolt pattern as the ones where the starter bolts to the block? If so I'm guessing it would work with some modification.

"Are flywheels specific to 61-62s for some reason?"
Crank flange diameters vary. I don't have the numbers handy.

"Ok, so it says it [hydraulic slave] can be used on all except the ones with the starter pocket on the drivers side, which I'm assuming they mean the ones where the starter bolts to the bell"
I would also assume the same.

"Do these earlier blocks use the same bolt pattern as the ones where the starter bolts to the block?"
Not sure specifically which bolt pattern... bell housing (block to transmission interface) bolt pattern is the same.

I'm assuming the fitment issues have to do with this part on the bell I have circled, which I won't be needing anyway with a hyd setup. Could probably have this milled off.

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m...ps3f2df661.jpg

I'd ask Novak "why?"

webfoot, the circled area is for the "Z" bar that the clutch linkage pivots on.

I interpreted your earlier message as being the larger bulge below the circled area in which the starter mounts.

Yeah, I looked at some earlier (50s) pontiac bells and the starter provision would probably interfere with that bracket, but given the shape of it I don't see it being an issue since it is well clear of the slave cyl provision. The clutch linkage pivot appears to be another story.

The novak bracket will need to have about 5/8" of extra length welded into it, but it will work once I have that pivot boss milled off.

I ordered some wheels/tires & hubcaps for the front today. 15x7 wheel vintiques 12 series "smoothie" wheel, plain "cop car" style hubcaps, and Mastercraft (made by Cooper tire) 235/75/15 tires so I would have room for the front discs. Seems like a good tire and only about $80 bucks each.

I believe I have found a way to patch the bottom of these rear 1/4 panels. I was looking at other cars which might have the same shape as this. Then I took the patch piece I have out to my chevelle and the slope of the wheel cutout is the same, and the bottom will match up, and it has the exact same angle at the rear. Only thing I will have to do is remove some material from the lower front of the panel as the chevelle is angled here and the cat is of course rounded. I will also have to add the flange. Piece of cake with a panel flanger.

Pics in case you thought I was crazy.
http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m...psrj5nknli.jpg
http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m...psx3gsiig0.jpg

Chevelle patches worked good! Got this one from rockauto for 35 bucks shipped.
Still going to get a panel flanger and see how it matches up. Not that anybody would ever see it..
http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m...psjgmsmur7.jpghttp://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m...psqc9wt2qa.jpg

Nice progress! ...but I am having a hard time visualizing exactly where on the car this is.

I was trying to figure that out too. My guess is the bottom rear corner of the trailing edge of the driver's side quarter panel, where the bottom of the rear bumper fits up against there. Pic looks like it's rotated 90 degrees. Kinda looks like you can see the trim piece in the cove at the upper corner of the original pic.

Or I could be way off......

Alan

You are spot on!

Lucky guess!

webfoot, I'm glad somebody is doing this car. I watched it for a while on craigslist and thought it looked like a pretty cool project. Looking forward to seeing how this one goes.

Alan

Wow, that would have been a long way to bring her home!

Yes, it would! I like looking around to see what cool stuff is out there. You never know what's gonna pop up around the country.

Alan

A little light suspension work. Front lower a-arm bolt was rusted to the sleeve, my ears are still ringing from the hammering that took! Other than that, everything came apart without incident.
http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m...pstvjubh6j.jpg

Got all the old bushings and ball joints out. Ball joints rivets went pretty easy after I got a set of (4) Craftsman air hammer bits, one was specifically for chiseling rivets off (flat on one side) and another bit was round and tapered for hammering rivets out. I cut an X into each rivet head with a cutoff wheel prior to chiseling off. Ready to blast/paint/reinstall once I can get over to use my buddy's big bead cabinet.

Got those 2 wheels painted, looks very nice. Tcp global base and southern polyurethanes clear plus some tcp urethane hardener.
http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m...psk7hiz5uw.jpg

More cool old stuff from eBay:
http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m...psfsayjb8w.png

I guess I have not done much on this for a while! Soon the front suspension will be done, and disc brake conversion started. All I need on that is a booster and master.

I have all but decided to ditch the 4-speed conversion idea. I already have 2 vehicles with 4-speed, and this would be cool as an auto.

scarebird disc brake conversion, new bushings, ball joints and coils on.

I think next I'll start beating on some fenders and doors til I feel like fixing that lower quarter panel rust.
http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m...pspt9sfyhi.jpg

Easiest way to get this blue stuff off? Or leave it til it's a driver?

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m...ps2jcghz6w.jpg

All you need is some soap and water, and a soft scrub brush. It comes off easy.

Busy beaver today. Both fenders are mostly ready for epoxy primer. The passenger side one is virtually flawless. I think I'll do the doors next and prime them all at once?
http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m...pszzbbekhe.jpg
http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m...psix7zjmhr.jpg

Good progress!

Specifically what brand and size tire is that?

Mastercraft AS4 235/75 15.

It appears the mastercraft AS4 is no longer available with whitewalls, which is super awesome since I only bought 2 tires to hold up the front. It looks like the next best bet are Cooper Trendsetters which is a similar tire and also available with whitewalls.

Both doors are now in epoxy. Gonna weld in those holes in the fender and they're next.

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m...psl89ext1n.jpg

So the motor (and heads)in this is tired and I don't know if I want to put any money into it.

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m...psuof60c30.jpg

Turns out this is the same casting they used to make the 421, just different machining. It was pulled, stripped, and is at the machine shop now getting checked out and sonic checked. Thinking of going with a hyd roller build using some later heads.

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m...psqo5b1qw1.jpg
http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m...psqh7w81f2.jpg