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.