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Karl R. Josker | all galleries >> Galleries >> Fender Emblems > Pontiac 421
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Pontiac 421

The Pontiac 421 was a seemingly under-appreciated engine. Unless you came up against one at a stoplight. I don't think any manufacturer offered more induction options than Pontiac. 2 barrels, four barrels, three two barrels, and two four barrels; all but the single two barrel offered on this engine. I came up against one one night and all I saw was taillights.


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bill pogue 04-May-2008 17:32
imagine my surprise when in april 1965 my father came home with a 65 2+2 conv! 338 hp- with directions to drive it all week to 'break it in' for our family trip to florida. i was real careful with it until that speedo hit 500mi and then- holy crap. i was a senior in HS at the time and my brother was only 15, but we both raced that car in the street in florida and on woodward in Michigan until it had 120k miles on it. it would stay right with the 442's and tripower gto's. it was surprisingly quick. if you stomped it in drive, it would burn rubber all the way through 1st, half way through 2nd, and squawk going into 3rd at 92mph. there's no way that car had only 338hp. the good news is that i still own it.maroon with black. been painted twice ,reupholstered, and the original motor put on a stand and an HO clone put in its place. a convertible with automatic air and tripower and an extra (original)engine is hard to find. so when it's finally for sale ,it will be up there
Jim Davis, 29-Jan-2008 02:58
I also owned a 1965 421 2+2 and it was an amazing car considering its size and weight. I traded in a 1964 389 GTO on it. The GTO was one of the quickest cars around in its day and I swear that 2+2 was its equal.
Dean 14-May-2006 16:57
I actually owned one of the 421 Catalinas. It was a 1965 2+2 convertible 4 speed car with the Tri-Power option. It also had 3.73 gears in the rear end from the factory. The car was all stock but the performance was incredible. As big as it was it was a red light terror. The 421 produces so much torque it is hard to compare it to much. The flywheel in the car was all steel and easily weighed 60 pounds. The end carbs were mechanically controlled and the car had a factory Hurst shifter. It was a piece of work. Bucket seats, factory tach, am-fm reverb radio, and about 50 interior lights(seemed like about 50). A truely great car. It left many a Chevelle and Mustang stunned at the redlights.