How did the Z11 make it to production?

[models916]

I read somewhere that Pontiac couldn't get the 63 SD into production because of the GM ban on racing in 63. Yet Chevrolet got the Z11 out there. Even got a few mystery motors to the NASCAR guys. What happened to Pontiac in 63?

 

[Tom Kochtanek]

Didn't we see the Swiss cheese frame in '63? Must have been before the ban?

Cheers!
TomK

 

[63 dream'n]

They were just as involved as Chevy until the ban,actually they were already ahead of the game with the big motor in a mid size car (Temest,LeMans)leading to what some refer to as the first muscle car the GTO

 

[63 dream'n]

I read somewhere that Pontiac couldn't get the 63 SD into production because of the GM ban on racing in 63. Yet Chevrolet got the Z11 out there. Even got a few mystery motors to the NASCAR guys. What happened to Pontiac in 63?

In a book titled Extreme Muscle Cars,they say 85 1963 SD catalinas were produced,and13 SD tempests were produced.The 13 were built over the Christmas holidays 1962 and delivered just prior to the March 1963 Chevrolet corporate racing ban.This would be in the same time frame as the Z-11 as they were built and released on the 1st of December 1962(25 units)with the others being released early 1963.