Among classic car restorers, the "good ol' days" of the 1950s provide some of the best classic cars to work on. One such vehicle is the 1957 Ford Thunderbird. 
Many great classic cars and muscle cars begin as an option for an entirely different car before proving their worth in the auto industry. For some, it can take years to show just how popular the option could be as its own model, but for others, it becomes obvious very quickly that it should be much more than an option. The Buick Gran Sport is just one example of a car which originally began as an option, and in this case, the classic car 
1962 Catalina
Although factory racing had been effectively banned starting in 1957, Pontiac’s late ‘50s and early ‘60s revamping included racing as a major component and the 1962 Catalina was a big part of that move. In the late ‘50s General Motors’ Pontiac brand began to feel a little old and tired. The cars were big, boring, and slow and not many young people were interested in them.
Pontiac engineers made a turnaround of the brand by ignoring the racing ban and creating parts and packages that helped Pontiac models succeed in NHRA and NASCAR racing. The 1962 Catalina was a prime example of Pontiac’s cars that could be outfitted for racing and which helped to bring the cool back to the brand.
