Every auto company seemed to be getting in on the compact car craze in the early sixties. Some manufacturers went with the traditional “large car” layout and just shrunk everything. Chevrolet tried to emulate the VW “Bug” with their Corvair. Pontiac took a different approach with the Tempest, a sorta half-in/half-out design that proved unique. And today, for your review and courtesy of Zappenduster, we have a 1962 Pontiac Tempest convertible – a not terribly common variation. Greenfield, Indiana, is where you’ll find it, and it’s listed here on Facebook Marketplace for $7,000.
Introduced for the 1961 model year, the Tempest employed a longitudinally mounted four-cylinder engine, connected to a torque-tube that in turn spun the rear-mounted transaxle, a combined transmission and differential. That unit, available as a three or four-speed manual, or a two-speed automatic, employed independent half-shafts to drive the rear wheels. This independent rear suspension is what set the Tempest apart from the similar Oldsmobile F-85 and Buick Special, which utilized a standard live rear axle. Body styles included two-door coupes and convertibles, as well as four-door sedans and station wagons. Pontiac produced approximately 140K Tempests in ’62, including the LeMans trim level. As for the convertible, 6,600 were assembled, with 5,000 Tempests and the remainder wearing the LeMans badge. Our 92K-mile subject shows well. The finish is consistent, with some shine still evident. I don’t see evidence of rust, though the images were taken at a distance. The chrome and trim look fine, as does the black folding convertible top. It’s nice to find the original wheel covers still on the job.
Under the hood, you’ll find what started as Pontiac’s renowned 389 CI V8 engine before it was sawed in half, leaving us with a “Trophy 4” displacing 194 cubic inches and generating 115 gross HP. The power rating assumes it’s the standard four-cylinder powerplant; more powerful versions were available. That rear-mounted transaxle is a two-speed automatic, and the seller states, “runs good.”
The interior is pretty standard GM fare with black vinyl upholstered bucket seats – the same models used in other GM cars. The instrument panel is a simple layout with a horizontal speedometer, a typical GM design. The entire environment looks good to go and requires no attention – always a welcome discovery in a convertible. Of note is the optional stand-up clock perched on the dash top.
By 1964, Chevrolet introduced its new mid-sized Chevelle and joined the Tempest, Oldsmobile F-85, and Buick Special as they became upsized on GM’s new, mid-sized A-body platform. And this is where Pontiac really shone, as the Tempest begot the famous GTO – but that’s a story for another time. I guess the takeaway here is the evolution that led to Pontiac’s mid-sized success, and this Tempest convertible is a fine example of that progression. So tell me, has anyone owned a first-gen Tempest, and if so, what was it like?
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