Pontiac joined the compact car movement in 1961 on the heels of the success of the Chevrolet Corvair. Though there were some common traits, the new Tempest stuck with the water-cooled, front-engine layout of other GM products. However, there were some differences, such as with the engine choices and an independent suspension. The LeMans was the top-of-line offering and became its own series in 1963. The seller’s well-kept beauty has the one-year-only 336 cubic inch V8, marketed as a 326. Located in Springfield, Ohio with the same owner of 27 years, this Pontiac is available here on eBay. $15,750 is the opening bid (no takers as yet), a reserve is in play, and you can cut to the chase by producing $23,750.
John DeLorean, Pontiac’s then-general manager, was tasked with developing a “senior” compact car that was different from both the Corvair and the upcoming Chevy II (which would be purely orthodox by the design standards of the day). The ploy worked as the new Tempest won Car of the Year honors from Motor Trend in 1961 and Road & Track also gave the car high marks for roominess and roadworthiness. Unique to the Tempest was the entry “Trophy 4” engine which was derived by taking one-half of Pontiac’s 389 cubic inch V8. Buick’s aluminum V8 was optional, and in 1963 the “326” V8 came into play.
Rumor has it that Chevy pressed GM to limit other divisions from having a small-block V8 any larger than the Corvette’s 327, so the new 336 was labeled a 326 until 1964 when they lowered the displacement to match the marketing. The Tempest/LeMans also differed from the pack by use of a rear-mounted transaxle paired with a torque shaft that enabled the Corvair’s flat floor pan to be employed. The compact was almost perfectly balanced in terms of weight distribution, 50/50 front and rear.
With a styling update, Tempest/LeMans sales topped 131,000 units in 1963. More than one-third of production was the LeMans Sports Coupe like the seller’s car. Also, more than half of output that year comprises the hot new “326” V8 engine. The seller has owned this LeMans since 1997, having added 35,000 miles to the 85,000 on it when he/she acquired it. The paint (Yorktown Blue) is the original color, but it was touched up by the previous owner. It’s not perfect, but presentable enough to collect 2nd place in its class at one car show.
The GTO was still a year away when this car was built, but the V8 should have provided plenty of zip in a relatively small auto. The Tempest/LeMans would graduate to mid-size status the next year, joining the new Chevy Chevelle in the marketplace. The seller’s car is well-equipped with bucket seats and a floor-shifted automatic transmission with a console. The tires are good, and the front brakes have been converted from drums to discs.
This seller is very straightforward in acknowledging the work that should be done to this automobile. The engine and transmission both have little leaks, the radio is acting goofy, some of the gauges are jittery, the heater controls require coaxing, and there’s a small tear in one of the seats. But all of this sounds reasonably minor, and you might end up ignoring all of it except the leaks (might need new gaskets). All in all, this may be one of the nicer ’63 LeMans Sports Coupes you’re likely to find, assuming you believe the price is right.
This is a beautiful find and a great well researched write up too, thanks Russ. Just to add to the new things I’ve learned on Barnfinds today ( Russ got the award) I had no idea that in ’63 the “326” was actually 336 cubes. I always thought that the 326 was…… Well…… a 326. ( I think they were thumbing their noses over at Chevy next door) I also like the shifter on this Lemans too very unique. Notice the old style shift patern reverse all the way back towards the driver. Beautiful color combination too. This is a very unique Lemans. You’d be the only one at a Cars and Coffee for sure.
Oh, DeLorean was a bad boy, and pushed the limits. It’s hard to believe a car like this would become one of the most iconic musclecars. I knew a guy in N.Wis. that btook a ’63 Tempest and dropped a 389 Bonneville motor in, making, in effect, the 1st GTO. I’m sure others did that too. DeLorean knew what shade tree mechanics wanted. While the transaxle is mentioned, it should be noted this car had what was called “rope drive”, and was a flexible driveshaft, like a giant speedometer cable, that was supposed to eliminate U-joints. It was surprisingly tough, but not used on the GTO. Someone sure loved their Tempest.
I always liked the look of the ’63. Thought it looked better than the ’64s.
If I had an additional bay to keep it in, I would make a run at it.
I never knew about the 336/326. Thanks, pretty neat info. I guess you are never too old to learn new stuff (or in this case, new to me, old stuff)
The engine color does not look correct to me, but it just could be the lighting. I think I’m right and am fine with it as that means possibly the engine has been out of the car and rebuilt.
I had a 63 Lemans with this engine a 3 speed manual, but it was rough. I have loved the body style for years. I am unfortunately on the left coast, and this car being in Ohio is just a bit too risky for me to try and win this auction. I tremble at rust haha. It think the opening bid is a decent price, and the buy it now price seems pretty optimistic. With no bids and closing Friday morning, I imagine the owner will have this beauty for a while longer.
My Cousin Vinny! Any fans?
Mona Lisa Vito: The car that made these two, equal-length tire marks had positraction. You can’t make those marks without positraction, which was not available on the ’64 Buick Skylark!
Vinny Gambini: And why not? What is positraction?
Mona Lisa Vito: It’s a limited slip differential which distributes power equally to both the right and left tires. The ’64 Skylark had a regular differential, which, anyone who’s been stuck in the mud in Alabama knows, you step on the gas, one tire spins, the other tire does nothing.
Juror #1: That’s right.
Vinny Gambini: Is that it?
Mona Lisa Vito: No, there’s more! You see? When the left tire mark goes up on the curb and the right tire mark stays flat and even? Well, the ’64 Skylark had a solid rear axle, so when the left tire would go up on the curb, the right tire would tilt out and ride along its edge. But that didn’t happen here. The tire mark stayed flat and even. This car had an independent rear suspension. Now, in the ’60s, there were only two other cars made in America that had positraction, and independent rear suspension, and enough power to make these marks. One was the Corvette, which could never be confused with the Buick Skylark. The other had the same body length, height, width, weight, wheel base, and wheel track as the ’64 Skylark, and that was the 1963 Pontiac Tempest.
Vinny Gambini: And because both cars were made by GM, were both cars available in metallic mint green paint?
Mona Lisa Vito: They were!
Vinny Gambini: Thank you, Ms. Vito. No more questions. Thank you very, very much.
[kissing her hands]
Vinny Gambini: You’ve been a lovely, lovely witness.
When my brother first saw this movie in the theater, he said he found me the perfect girlfriend in Mona Lisa Vito, LOL!
When my brother first saw this movie in the theater, he said he found me the perfect girlfriend in Mona Lisa Vito, LOL!
OH I TOTALLY AGREE: A “FOUL MOUTH, BALL BUSTER (WHICH IS WHAT I ALWAYS ATTRACTED), BUT ONE WHO WAS BOTH “CUTE” AND “HOT” (THAT I NEVER WAS ABLE TO ATTRACT) WHO ALSO KNEW “EVERYTHING THERE IS TO KNOW ABOUT CARS” WHAT MORE CAN ANY MORTAL MAN ASK FOR ?
BUT YOU LEFT OUT THE BEST LINES FROM ‘MY COUSIN VINNY” WHICH OF COURSE ARE.
Vincent LaGuardia Gambini: “IS IT POSSIBLE THE TWO YOUTS”
Judge Chamberlain Haller: “WHAT?”
Vincent LaGuardia Gambini: “WHAT? ”
Judge Chamberlain Haller: “DID YOU SAY YOUTS?”
Vincent LaGuardia Gambini: “YEA, TWO YOUTS”.
Judge Chamberlain Haller: “WHAT’S A YOUT”:
Vincent LaGuardia Gambini “OH SORRY YOU HONOR, THE TWO YOOUTHS.”
SHORT PAUSE
Vincent LaGuardia Gambini “IS IT POSSIBLE THE TWO DEFENDANTS?”
Right here Rudee, but one minor bloop. The 1963 Tempest is totally different from the 1964 Skylark used in the movie, wheelbase and all.
Blast from the past. My college roommate owned one. If I remember correctly, and I think I do, it was exactly like this one. I love the styling, crisp and purposeful, and it could scoot. I had a 62 Buick Skylard with the V8 and we would admire each other’s ride. When I come across rides like this one it reminds me of the movies, tv shows, music, and cars. We were really blessed in the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s with the variety, colors, looks, engines, and reasonable prices for our time. That is why my son and two daughters love this era and have borrowed my rides since they could drive, and still do!
Great post.
Nice Lemans. . I had a 64 with a 421 in it. I flipped and rolled it one night near Ravenna , Ohio.one night. In front of a deputy sherrif. He clocked me doing 108 mph. The rear axle caused it. It was a nice car. Except for the rear end. I ,d like this one,but the price is too much. . The first thing I would do is change the rear-end. Nice Pontiac.
Hey Johnny!
108 MPH!! You were flying!
I know Ravenna, Ohio very well! I volunteer for the Portage County Department of Health.
This is a nice looking LeMans, I always wanted a convertible 61-63 LeMans, but then, I wanted a lot of cars LOL. Put a ‘GTO’s Pappy’ badge on the grille ;)
My LeMans has a Cali pink slip, 326, AT, buckets with console, and AC, tempting to make a GTO clone but I have a 350 from a 69 Firebird to drop in it.
Nice clean car, but $24,000 seems like a lot of money for a car with those problems.
The 336 is the same engine that came in ‘59 GMC trucks, as Pontiac built the V8 for the ‘55 through ‘59 GMC trucks. The ‘59 GMC 336 V8 was based on the 389
Beautiful ‘63. Big fan of these even with the Trophy 4 (I mean those are just cool). But this, with the 326 (336), really must scoot. Quite rare, I believe.
If I keep saying I would buy it if I had room in the garage, I might just have to do something about that…
I prefer the 215 with the four-barrel carburetor, but I’m prejudiced, my Mom’s ’61 Buick Special had a 215 V8 in it, but only had the two-barrel. Rats!
Still kick myself over the factory drag car on ebay back in 2013 or so
When I first encountered on ebay the buy it now button was in play for 500 until everybody started asking questions. Went out of my league for over 230K! Big mistake on my part for not slamming that button like I was on family feud!
Johnny, I am puzzled by your comment. In 1964, the larger Tempest had a conventional solid live axle with a 4-link suspension, not a swing axle used on the 1962 models., The swing axles were prone to rollover. Are you talking about a 1964, or a 1963?
THE 1963 PONTIAC TEMPEST STILL USED THE INDEPENDENT SWING AXLE SUSPENSION LIKE THE 1961 AND 1962 MODELS. THE MAJOR CHANGE BETWEEN 1962 AND 1963 WAS THE INTRODUCTION OF THE PONTIAC 326 OHV V-8 IN THE TEMPEST/LeMANS, WHEREAS PRIOR TO 1963, THE ONLY TWO ENGINES WERE THE 194 C.I. OHV, INLINE 4 (WHICH WAS LITERAL ONE HALF OF A PONTIAC 389 OHV V-8) OR THE 215 C.I. OHV ALUMINUM V-8 THAT WAS MADE BY BUICK, WHICH AT 215 C.I. WAS HARDLY A “POWERHOUSE” CAPABLE OF LEAVING TWO EQUAL LENGTH TIRE MARKS. SO THE MOVIE “MY COUSIN VINNY” DID GET IT RIGHT. THE CAR LEAVING THE ‘SAC ‘O’ SUDS” THAT LEFT THOSE EQUALLY LENGTH TIRE TRACKS HAD TO HAVE POSI-TRACTION, AN INDEPENDENT REAR SUSPENSION AND MAKE ENOUGH POWER AND THAT WAS THE 1963 PONTIAC TEMPEST LEMANS WITH THE 326 C.I. V-8 WHICH DID HAVE THE SAME LENGTH, WIDTH, HEIGHT, WHEELBASE AND WHEEL TRACK AS THE 1964 BUICK SKYLARK.
Still kick myself over the factory drag car on ebay back in 2013 or so
When I first encountered on ebay the buy it now button was in play for 500 until everybody started asking questions. Went out of my league for over 230K! Big mistake on my part for not slamming that button like I was on family feud!
Google Stan Long super duty lemans
The auction ended and the reserve isn’t met, so maybe the price will come down when it gets listed again. Yes, the price was a bit high for a car with issues, but it still has a lot going for it. A reserve of $10k might result in a sale. I’ve seen worse examples, for close to the same money. The “326” V8 was a significant upgrade from the aluminum block 215 previously offered and the only way this car could be better was if it was a convertible!
Yes. No substitute for cubic inches = hp. However, the 215 weighed 200 lbs. less than the 326. On a 2,800 lb. car, 200 lbs is a significant weight savings, especially considering the Buick/Olds version of the 215 was rated at 215hp vs 285 for the heavier 326.
You are correct, Sir! I always liked the 215 V8, despite its “checkered” history, but apparently, Pontiac decided they needed more power than the 215 could provide, even in four-barrel form, so they added the “326” to the option list in ’63, despite the weight penalty. The 215 was no more by ’64, having been sold to Rover, who proceeded to finally fix the issues that GM was unwilling or unable to fix. Olds got even more power from it by adding a turbocharger, so we knew that the 215 could make good power, but it also cost significantly more to make than the cast iron 326, so it was history.
Only the turbocharged Olds Jetfire version of the 215 ci V8 was rated at 215 SAE gross hp. The standard 2-bbl 215 was 155 hp.
How many production cars could u buy with a white dash?! Can’t be many. Maybe the only other is a late ’70s corvette?
A couple of random thoughts. What might have happened if GM had stuck with the 215 aluminum V8 and worked all of the bugs out by the time the F-Body pony cars (Camaro & Firebird) had hit the streets? Then when the fuel crises came in the 1970’s, GM would have been well positioned to use a small, lightweight and fuel efficient engine in its lineup. Add the four-valve per cylinder technology that Olds had developed for the 455 but never put into production, and the mind boggles! Thirty-two (32) valves using pushrods, so the block stays narrow, with the option for future electronic ignition and EFI! Instead, the Asian car companies ate GM’s breakfast, lunch and dinner, and the rest is history! Oh, well!
I often wonder what would happen if GM decided to build a modern version of the “rope drive” Tempest, with a fully independent rear suspension using modern CV joints in place of the Tempest’s swing axles hanging from a cruciform U-joint? Add a modern aluminum engine, with double overhead cams and electronic engine controls and stand back!
Oh, wait, GM already did that! they called it a Corvette, LOL! The seventh-generation Corvette (2014-19) used a rear-mounted transaxle with an aluminum V8 mounted in the front of the car!
Robert, great thought. I think the challenge is that between a two-liter 4-cyl, and a 6-cyl version with common dimensions, turbocharging, and 7-speed transmissions, you can cover a lot of ground. Case in point: A current BMW x1 small SUV, all-wheel drive, with the optional “M” engine, 2 liter, rated at something like 312 BHP, and a 7-speed duel clutch trans weighs about 3800-3900 lbs. It will run the quarter mile in the mid-13 sec range, and has a top speed of 155 MPH. It will do over .9G on a skidpad on the base all-season tires. The comparable X3 with a 6-cyl turbo should run the quarter mile in the mid-12 sec range. Yes, it’s full of surveillence telemetry, and in any kind of a serious accident, they are way more likely to total it out than the old days. But the performance is pretty hard to argue with, and I wish it wasn’t true.
It’s amazing what modern electronic engine controls and turbocharging allow the engineers to accomplish. Ford’s Ecoboost lineup, with a 2.3L four puts out 300 hp and 300 lb.-ft. of torque! The original 2.3L four in a Pinto could barely make 100 hp! The same engine in an SVO Mustang, with a turbo, inhaling through a carburetor was good for about 150 hp or so. But now, four cylinder engines make as much power as a V8 did in the ’60’s, V6’s can be had that put out over 400 hp, and V8’s, well, can you say Hellcat? Sure you can! 700 hp on street gas! Numbers like that were once only the domain of racing engines that cost well over $10k. Now, you can pick up the phone or tap a few keys on your computer keyboard, give a credit card number, and have a crate motor shipped to your front door that is good for 500 hp and costs about $3k! Sweet!
What if chevy put the off the shelf bulletproof 153 4 cyl from the nova into the vega instead & used better sheet metal! The powerglide offered was already bulletproof.
& with all the beautiful cars from the ’60s & many becoming futuristic with hidden wipers & headlites & stylish bumpers, imagine what cars would look like today if there were no bumper, safety, emissions or mpg standards!
& car makers were free to style like they wanted!
Rob, the Hellcat has a supercharger & costs a ton of money. I’m still much more impressed with the now 50! yr old sd-455 motor that can turn high 13s on regular gas with low energy pts & condenser ignition, quadrajet & 3 speed heavy turbo hydromatic 400 trans & 1 restrictive quieter sideways muffler.
Big performance gains are simple wrench turns away, espec if your bird has no heavy p/w or a/c, meaning a ton of empty space under the huge hood for ez access to everything.
True, but as I pointed out, even normally aspirated examples, like an LS or LT series motor, can put out more than 500 hp. While it may be possible to tune a fifty (50) year-old motor to make similar power, it will be much heavier due to the cast iron block than a modern LS, LT or Ford “Modular” or Coyote V8, which are all made almost entirely of aluminum, and spend about the same money to upgrade the old technology as you would on a brand new crate motor that comes complete with the control electronics and wiring harnesses.
Car is relisted with a “Buy it Now” price of $19250 I find it odd to do that since nobody bid at the auction, when the starting bid was $15750 but you never know I guess. Hopefully someone local in Ohio buys the car, or at least gives it an extensive inspection.