"Aluma Chief Rides Again"
 

The following is taken from Colin Comer's OPGI newsletter (Volume 1, Issue 11), regarding the restoration of Kenny Colacino's '63 Super Duty Catalina.

It's a great car, cool documentation and a great article, so I wanted to capture it here so it wouldn't get lost and for easy future reference.

K

Aluma Chief Rides Again

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/...alina-main.jpg

An aging warrior is restored to glory.

by Charlie Morris

By turning a blind eye to the infamous 1957 Automobile Manufacturers Association ban on factory participation in racing, the folks at Pontiac had gained a leg up on the competition when the factories jumped back into the fray in 1960. Hired to save the faltering company in 1955, Pontiac General Manager “Bunkie” Knudsen had turned a team of engineers, known as the Super Duty Group, loose to develop Pontiac engines into world beaters. Combining their own talents with those of established manufacturers such as Mickey Thompson, the Super Duty Group transformed Pontiac into a force to be reckoned with on the dragstrip. And by the early 1960s, Pontiac became practically unbeatable in NASCAR competition.

Pontiac had also pioneered the use of lightweight components on their drag cars such as aluminum bumpers, fenders, and hoods in 1961. But by 1963, the competition had also developed lightweight cars and unitized vehicle construction. The big Pontiacs were saddled with a nearly insurmountable 300+ pound weight disadvantage. On top of that, Chrysler’s 426 Max Wedge engine made its debut...but back to that weight thing: While our feature car with all creature comforts deleted and a prodigious use of lightweight parts still comes in at 3636 pounds, the Plymouths and Dodges of the time barely tickled the scales at around 3300 pounds.

So as the sun began to set on full-sized factory drag cars, it was obvious that Pontiac’s days at the top were numbered. But even more ominous were rumblings within the division of another racing ban. That rumor came true in January, 1963, when General Motors officially ended corporate support of racing.

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/...lina-main2.jpg

Prior to the racing ban, Pontiac had rolled out some very hot offerings for 1963. This included the famous Swiss cheese Catalinas powered by the top-of-the-line 421 cube, 405 horsepower Super Duty engine and 14 similarly equipped Catalina two-door sedans...of which our feature car is one.

It’s pretty obvious that our feature car was built to race by virtue of the optional 421 Super Duty engine, electronic ignition, aluminum case Borg-Warner close ratio 4-speed transmission, Saf T Track aluminum differential (carrying 4.67 gears), aluminum front and rear bumpers, front fenders and inner shields, radiator support, and hood. The car is also absent the radio, heater, and seam sealer... but, the build date is March 1963 -three months after the corporate ban! Somehow this hot cat escaped scrutiny from the suits responsible for the racing ban, and was delivered to Cal Wible Pontiac in Medina, Ohio wearing a MSRP sticker of $4275.84.

After plunking down his hard earned cash, the potent Pontiac’s first owner took her to the very place she was designed and built to dominate, the dragstrip. Although the historical trail of this rare racer is somewhat vague, it’s known that it called Dragway 42 in Ohio home, and picked up the very appropriate moniker “Aluma Chief” along the way.

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/...lina-main3.jpg

The 421 Super Duty package included a four bolt main cylinder block, Mickey Thompson forged pistons, heavy duty connecting rods, a McKellar #10 camshaft, heavy duty valve springs, deep sump oil pan, special oil and fuel pumps, special harmonic balancer, air cleaner, flywheel, clutch, exhaust manifolds and a dual point distributor. Machine work on the Catalina’s current engine was performed by Nunzi’s Automotive and camshaft is a custom reproduction grind of a McKellar #11. Engine assembly was done by the owner.

Another interesting fact is that the dealer sponsor of record was not Cal Wible Pontiac, but Jack Shaw’s East Side Pontiac. Upon closer examination, this makes perfectly good sense since the Jack Shaw logo appeared on many winning drag cars of the time, including both Pontiacs and the Chevrolet of “Fast Eddie” Schartman. It appears that the Aluma Chief enjoyed a two year career as a drag car exclusively before being converted to street use and the anonymity it brings. The good news is that this rare and unique example of factory involvement in organized competition was not destroyed in a racing or towing accident, as were so many of its contemporaries. Having a relatively short racing career meant it was not extensively modified or cut up, and best of all, survived life in the Ohio rust belt throughout the decades.

The Aluma Chief was purchased by current owner Kenny Colacino in 1992. Being a long time Pontiac man and drag racer himself, Kenny kept the old warrior safe and dry until 2003 - all the while accumulating the parts necessary for a first class restoration. And one look at the results of Kenny’s labors reveals that he has turned the former drag car into a Best of Show winner, while showcasing the car’s racing roots by outfitting it with some of the rarest factory performance options ever to roll out of Detroit.

On a recent bright spring day I marveled at the Catalina’s flawless black paint gleaming in the sun, and watched this now seemingly huge car roll along with a period correct nose high attitude and seven inch wide “Cheater” slicks. I was transported back to 1963, and in my mind’s eye the Aluma Chief was on the starting line at Dragway 42 - preparing to dispatch yet another in a long line of lesser factory hot rods brought out to face her.

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/...lina-main4.jpg

The basic Catalina Sport sedan has a Spartan yet tasteful interior. Simple two spoke steering wheel, vinyl bench seat and lack of radio and heater helped shave off pounds


http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/...lina-main5.jpg

The Aluma Chief’s build sheet contains notations for assembly line workers to delete dum-dum insulation and install aluminum front sheet metal. Body in aisle informed workers where this special body was located when the chassis assigned to it came down the line.

It has been said that necessity is the mother of invention, and never was that statement more accurate than during the horsepower wars being waged between the auto manufacturers during the 1960s. It seemed like every week Ford, GM, or Chrysler was introducing another performance option to either lighten their cars or increase the horsepower output - and Pontiac was no exception. In spite of realizing great success with their 1962 aluminum-nosed Super Duty cars, Pontiac’s counsel in charge of performance recognized the need to step up the program even more if they hoped to stay on top in 1963. One area addressed was overall vehicle weight. Of course, in the case of drag racing, getting weight off the front end was most advantageous. So, in an effort to maintain parity with the cars being fielded by the Chrysler Corporation, Pontiac shed additional pounds from the ’63 Cats by stamping even thinner aluminum panels for the fenders and hoods (than they had for the ’62 models). Pontiac also built 14 all-out racing versions of the Catalina with radically lightened frames in 1963. Due to the factory having drilled large holes throughout the chassis, these cars came to be known as “Swiss cheese Catalinas”.

Another area that received improvement (not that it appeared any was needed) was in the 421 Super Duty engine for 1963. It received cylinder heads with larger ports, lighter valves, and improved valve springs. These were topped off by an improved intake manifold - while the beauty of it all was the fact that the advertised horsepower rating remained the same. All part of the game being played out on the street, dragstrip, and circle tracks by the Big 3 during those wonderful times when horsepower was king.

Charlie Morris is a noted author and historian with a particular interest in factory race cars.

He is the author of "Factory Lightweights" and was kind enough to include mention of my car (Dad's car) in his book.

K

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...GTO/img001.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...GTO/img006.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...GTO/img007.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...GTO/img008.jpg

Awesome Keith,... absolutely outstanding!!

Thank you

I remember Mr. Gonzer telling me about the SD cars way back when I was just starting my venture into the Pontiac hobby. He stated that Most of the SD cars were 2dr post cars. Surprisingly very few survived compared to the hardtops. I believe he sent me a pick if the car mentioned here many years back. Shame I didn't buy it then.

Forgive me if this was covered in the article, Keith, et al, (I only skimmed over it), but...

- Is Kenny Colacino they guy from New York (sorta resembles Vin Diesel) who had the black '62 SD-GP at Norwalk this year?

- Is this car the same car that was at Mecum in Fall of '06, billed as the last SD produced?

ALUMA CHIEF RIDES AGAIN
 

Thanks Keith, great reading. In the book they mentioned Jackshaw Cheverolet and Pontiac. Walter Jackshaw owned both dealerships, Walter ran the eastside store on E.185 st. Euclid Ohio, and his brother ran the Pontiac store on w. 118st. and Detroit ave. Lakewood ohio. known as Steve Jackshaw westside Pontiac. Schartman drove and a lot of people in the background built these fantastic cars. "Doc" Santore (still working) built the 1963(Chevy) f/x for Jackshaw at that time. "Those were the days" Thanks again Keith

Ken is from NY, although I can't comment on his appearance...

;)

I don't have any notes from the Mecum Auction, but there is another car: the Grenadier Red Tommy Mauro car that was built for Pikes Peak racing came off the line in May of '63.

K

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...rix/img020.jpg

I beleive this car is in Wastington state now, in the Roger Sortina collection.

I think that red PikesPeak car is supposed to be the absolute last SD car by build date.

Here is a youtube video on the car from Musclepalooza. Watch to end because Kenny does fire it up!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oI6DloAGifk

I know I saw a few vids on youtube of Kenny driving it in a parking lot at one of the shows, but can't seem to locate them.

Mark

After watching the viddy, that's him. Very cool guy.

Thanks Keith and BVR for the feedback on the last SD.

Great write-up on a very cool car!

Hey Guys, Thanks for all the complements on my car, and I guess I`ll take the Vin Diesel thing as a complement also. Ken.

Ya, you look like him Ken...

And the car's beautiful. Now about the GP.....

Welcome to the PY board, Ken! Careful, you may find yourself hanging out here quite a bit... ;)

An absolute incredible car! The January 1963 Racing Ban is just so depressing signaling the end of these awesome factory drag cars, including the '63 Z-11 Impalas. Can you imagine what would have been offered in 1964 and 1965? I think Pontiac and Chevy would have gotten away from the full-size cars and put their efforts into the A-Bodies instead. I've read before that Pontiac even stamped out several sets of aluminum front ends for '64 GTO's and that Arnie Beswick even had one on his famous blown, injected White 1964 GTO. Yeah, it would've been neat to see how how GM would've countered the Ford Thunderbolts and Race Hemis. A Chevrolet collector has discovered a factory dual quad aluminum intake manifold that was intended for the Daytona Mystery Motor (dual quads weren't legal for NASCAR, so it was obviously intended for drag racing) so it's not too hard to imagine an aluminum front end '64 Chevelle with a dual quad 427 Mystery Motor and maybe Pontiac would would have offered an aluminum front '64 GTO with that OHC 421 CID engine. Now when 1965 rolled around with the Altered Wheelbase Chryslers, I can't even begin to imagine what GM would have came back with but I'm sure it would have been wild!

Last SD...
 

Found it! It's for sale on the left coast:
http://www.parkplaceltd.com/inventor...rent=1&size=50

...ehh, anyone have three-and-a-quarter that he can lend me?

Crap. I guess I'll have to tell my firstborn that his days are numbered....

(lol)

My history may be somewhat tied to this red car: when Wangers' car was damaged in a towing accident, the obvious solution was to go to the warehouse and find the extra set of aluminum that was put away in case something like that ever happened. The only problem was that the aluminum wasn't there.....so they ended up pulling the aluminum front end off our '63 at Royal to fix Jim's car.

I have long suspected (since the 1980's, when I learned of its existence) the reason the aluminum wasn't in the warehouse was because it was used to build this last car, the Pikes Peak racer.

K

The article above states that the aluminum '63 front clips were stamped of thinner aluminum than the '62 aluminum pieces. Anybody know the exact gauge or thickness of the two years?

Welcome aboard Ken Keith great article.