A - Starlight Black	C - Cameo Ivory	D - Silvermist Gray
E - Ensign Blue	F - Yorktown Blue	H - Kimberly Blue
J - Silverleaf Green	L - Belmar Red	M - Bamboo Cream
N - Burgundy	P - Aquamarine	Q - Seafoam Aqua
R - Yuma Beige	T - Caravan Gold	V - Mandalay Red

All late 421 engine blocks were produced with a .030-inch overbore, technically giving the engine 428 cubic inches. Cylinder heads are the 1960-1961 high-performance type with 1.92-inch valves and 1.66 exhausts, undercut valve heads and 1.65-to-1 rocker arm ratio to give it high valve lift without excessive acceleration of the lifter-pushrod mass. The cam was a No. 10 McKeller solid lifter giving it 308 degrees intake duration and 320 degrees of exhaust. Factory recommendations state a maximum of 5500 rpm with the standard dual valve springs.

Lower engine components include special heavy duty connecting rods, Moraine aluminum bearings, Mickey Thompson forged pistons giving it 11.0-to-1 compression, four bolt main bearing caps, heavy duty oil pump and special six-quart oil pan, light weight flywheel with heavy duty clutch and clutch counter-shaft.

Typically the engines were setup loose from the factory for minimum friction. Pistons were .009-.013 inch skirt clearance, .002-.003 bearing clearance, with .030-.035 side clearance on the rods. Piston Slap sounded like a boiler factory when started cold and improved only slightly when warm!

Carbs included two big Carter AFB four-barrel carbs mounted on an aluminum manifold, which did not include a provision for exhaust heat in cold weather. Carter AFB carb numbers were 3433S FRONT and 3435S REAR, manual choke style system was provided, throttle linkage was straight mechanical style.

Special dual-point distributor had no vacuum advance and uses allot of spark advance. Factory recommendations include an initial setting of 10 crank degrees with another 27 degrees in the distributor achieving a healthy 37 crank degrees advance on the top end.

Exhaust system used the unique "Pulse-Flow" dual-outlet cast-iron exhaust headers with huge 3-inch outlets, two on each side. Special casting which bolts to the header outlet flange with a 3 inch opening on the side and an adapter for a 2.25 inch exhaust pipe on the back. Side openings can be uncapped to free the exhaust during a drag race. When capped exhaust flows through dual low-restriction mufflers that give a maximum of quieting with minimum backpressure.

1962 Pontiac Super Duty Engine Codes

Click for larger Picture

I found this great old picture of Arnie Beswick and his race ready Super Duty. Arnie is one of the famous Pontiac Drag Racers from the 1960s, that helped bring Pontiac to the top, and won numerous awards and records. To view more information about Arnie Beswick and his pontiac drag racing history visit his web site at www.arniebeswick.com.

On many early Pontiac Models Wheel Studs are reverse thread on the drivers side and standard on the passengers side of the vehicle. Pontiac Motor Division tested this system for a couple of years as some sort of safety feature.

To check if your lug studs are reverse threads look for an 'L' stamped in the center of the stud. Previous owners commonly replaced broken studs making them standard threads.

After many folks broke studs trying to remove a lug nut they had no idea was actually reversed Pontiac dropped the silly "Safety Feature"