[Brian Baker]

Great stuff, Steve. To expound a little more on what you said I'll try to more completely answer the "swiss cheese" question.

Keep in mind Poison' that back in those days, manufacturers would release new cars for sale typically in late summer or early fall. In other words, the 1963 models would have been available for sale to the general public usually by sometime in September 1962. This is how Pontiac managed to manufacture 1963 model year "race" cars. By 1963, through Pontiacs SD (Super Duty) racing program, they were not only offering up the horsepower, they were trying to find ways to make the cars lighter for competition. Factory race cars back then were for the most part full size cars, like the Catalina, Ford's Galaxie, etc. Using intermediate sized cars (which in latter years were cars like GTO, Chevelle, etc.) hadn't really been done before Pontiac stuffed a 421-SD engine into the little Tempest.

Back on the "swiss cheese" cars. By the 1963 model year, many manufacturers were building factory prepped "race" cars and making them as light as possible. They were doing things like installing lightweight seats in them, no sound deadener in the body and sometimes no carpet (just a rubber mat), and the greatest weight saver of all, aluminum body panels. Pontiac was no different, offering Catalina's with aluminum front fenders, hoods, bumpers, etc. Pontiac took it one step further and built (if memory serves correctly) 12 "swiss cheese" Catalina's. The term "swiss cheese" was dubbed by a well known automotive journalist from the time, his name being Roger Huntington. Roger was referring to the cars frames. The factory had drilled many holes, some of them quite large, along the entire length of the frames in these cars in an effort to cut more weight. Roger commented in an article he penned that they looked like so much "swiss cheese" and the term stuck and is still used today to describe these rare cars. The idea was a flop, as the frame frequently broke and never in the same place twice after they were rewelded. By January 1963 when GM laid down the racing ban, it didn't matter anymore. Few of these cars survive today.

The other arrow in Pontiacs quiver was the '63 421-SD Tempest. Pontiac built 12 of these, 6 coupes and 6 wagons. They were quite unique in that they had a 4-speed transaxle in the rear of the car, with the flywheel and clutch out back, fed by what weas dubbed as a "rope" driveshaft from the engine. You had to use the clutch to launch these cars, but once underway they were shifted without the clutch, just like an automatic. They also had aluminum front ends on them, just like the bigger Cats. The pinnacle of Pontiac engineering in 1963, and in my opinion, these cars were the pinnacle of Pontiac racing. A few of these cars exist today as well.

If you'd like to learn more about Pontiac history, I would suggest getting a copy of Pete McCarthy's books on Pontiac's 1955-1981.