In 1964, Pontiac promoted the Tempest from compact to mid-size to join other General Motors products in the “new” intermediate market. Ford had started the ball rolling in 1962 by downsizing its Fairlane into a slot between the Falcon and Galaxie. The seller offers a quite nice ’64 Tempest in the base 2-door “post” coupe. It comes with a small six-cylinder engine, so no sleeper GTO here. Located in Madison, Kansas, this survivor is available here on Facebook Marketplace for $22,000 OBO.
Pontiac, Buick, and Oldsmobile rolled out “senior compacts” in 1961, joining the unorthodox (for GM) Chevrolet Corvair. After three model years of okay sales, all three moved into mid-size territory, dropping unibody platforms for conventional body-on-frame applications. The Tempest was the entry-level Pontiac offering, the LeMans was the swanky one, and the GTO was a muscle car. In ’64, Pontiac sold 6,365 “regular” 2-door post coupe Tempests and 25,833 “deluxe” ones. We’re not sure which of these the seller’s car is.
Since the interior on the seller’s Tempest is original and quite nice, we could assume the same of the burgundy paint job. Corrosion seems to have skipped over this 61-year-old car, and its low mileage (67,000) implies a fair amount of time in a dry garage. The standard engine displaced just 215 CI and produced 140 hp, so a rocket ship this isn’t (especially with the under-the-dash air conditioning). The 2-speed automatic is Pontiac’s version of the Powerglide automatic.
We’re told this potential grandmother’s car “runs out good,” so it should be turn-key from the time you pick it up. Some buyers may look at this Pontiac and see a future GTO clone, but I hope not. They’re only original once, and they don’t make them like this anymore. It would be a shame to pop open the hood and see a 389 Tri-Power thumping along. Thanks for the cool vintage tip, T.J.!
I’m with you, Russ. Keep it stock, and enjoy it for what it is. Like first-gen six-cylinder Mustangs, too many have already been resto-modded.
Frankly, I’m all for keeping it original 99% of the time, and that goes double for clean examples as this one appears to be. If I want upgrades, I want to add them myself, not have to deal with someone else’s sometimes-ham-fisted work.
And in this instance, I can see plenty of enjoyment showing it off just as it is.
That thing would be a blast. Keep it bone stock- 100% agree.
Same here. Keep it original. It would be fun to lift the hood and show people the 6 banger. And then explain to them how cars optioned like these probably outnumbered the muscle car versions by quite a large margin. Unfortunately many cars like this Tempest were sacrificed to restore a GTO.
So to see this, in original condition is a huge treat for me.
Leave it be this one is unmolested and a very clean survivor.
As others have already stated, so many of these base coupes were either turned into GTO clones or sacrificed for parts for a GTO. To find one like this, still with the original six, is pretty cool. I agree with everyone else, keep it the way it is as it is far more unique.
Another sharp looking Pontiac, this one is really a looker. I am kind of surprised it has a six banger. I didn’t know Pontiac had a straight six in the 60’s until the SOHC which I thought used a Chevy block? I’ve heard of the 194c.i. 4cyl. but the 215 is new to me. Canadian maybe?
The Pontiac 215 OHV L6 was based on the Chevrolet 194 and 230 L6s.
The Pontiac 230 OHC and 250 OHC L6s were also based on the Chevrolet L6s, but the Pontiac engine used the B-O-P bellhousing bolt pattern, whereas the Chevrolet engine kept with its own pattern.
Nice looking car but way over priced I think. More like around 12,000 would be a fair price.
for that price I’d expect a 389 “thumping along”
Agreed. I wonder where the seller got that number. Do they actually think it’s worth that? Do they not really want to sell it, but figure if someone wants it that bad they can live without it? Or is it a “serious buyers only” sort of thing, trying to keep the tire kickers and hot rodders away? Regardless, it’ll probably do the trick to keep anyone and everyone away. :/
This is another I wonder if there was any remorse.This car was probably ordered in late ’63, before all the GTO hoopla surfaced. While the GTO came out Sept. 3, 1963, for the ’64 model year, few, especially granny had no idea of the mega sensation that was around the corner, and all with Granny’s little lackluster Tempest. I got news for ya’, granny hid this car well, and amazing it wasn’t found and cloned. The 215, I read, is a 194 on steroids, apparently the OHC got all the thunder. I never saw one either, or they were covered in oil and couldn’t tell anyway.
Sorry, but I realize “keep it original” is the theme here, and I agree, but let’s face it, this has GTO clone all over it. The greed is tough to ignore and riches await.
My first experience with a straight six and a 2 speed powerglide was with an all original ’66 El Camino I purchased in 1984. I was pleasantly surprised with how well it ran, so I agree with everyone that this should be kept as is. This would be a nice addition, if the price was a little more realistic.
I’m sure not gonna rock the boat. Keep as is. I saw a similar Tempest at a car show last summer. I spent more time looking at it and talking to the owners than I ever did with the somewhat ubiquitous GTO version. GLWTS.
My dad bought a new 1964 Tempest wagon with the 215 6-cyle engine. Gutless wonder.
Yep be a shame to open the hood and see a 389. Be better to open the hood and see a 455 RamAir 4 backed by a nice 4 gear tranny.
Except there isn’t a 455 Ram Air IV… but I get the gist of it!
If it were mine, I’d drop a SBC and a Tremec 5 speed in it, keep the steel rims (although a bit wider ones) and surprise a lot of folks with my ‘grandma’ car.
As stated above, only original once. The six is unique, only two model years for this baby. Besides, in this day and age, it’s all about simply cruising along effortlessly, not winning races with a car like this.
One of two of these I have seen with the 215. Nice Tempest. Definitely would not change.
Looks like a base Tempest to.me. The chrome “wind splits” on the lower front fender and lack.of an upper trim strip from front to rear, hub caps, and no “Custom” badge beneath the “Tempest” scriot support that it’s just the base model (lack of chrome windows surrounds too). Would’ve had rubber floor covering instead of carpeting.
Nice base Temoest with a dearth of options.
Except there isn’t a 455 Ram Air IV… but I get the gist of it! The grille should also be all silver, not blacked out like the LeMans/GTO grille.