Saturday, May 10, 2014

1963 Pontiac Catalina Swiss Cheese The Most Famous of Only 14 Cars Ever Built

 S158 1963 Pontiac Catalina Swiss Cheese The Most Famous of Only 14 Cars Ever Built Photo 1

As the 1962 drag season drew to a close, it was obvious that Pontiac’s position at the top of the Super Stock hierarchy was weakening. Ford, Chrysler and Chevrolet were gaining on the Chiefs with bigger engines and an ever-increasing supply of special parts, including weight-saving aluminum components and body panels. Pontiac engineers knew they had to have a lighter, more powerful car for 1963, and it came in the form of a special Catalina bearing some serious modifications. First the chassis was altered by cutting the inside section away from the boxed rails, leaving a U-shaped section. Then approximately 120 holes were drilled in the sides of the frame rails, removing as much material as possible while maintaining a semblance of structural integrity, resulting in the “Swiss Cheese” moniker that remains today.

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