They built about 100 63 Tempests with 389 engines, they were built to be raced. I seen and talked to the owner of one in 1964. It had a few modifications from my 63 with 4 cyl.
This 1963 Tempest Le Mans was built in very limited numbers. It was a sort of Pontiac's Division parallel alternative to the Chevrolet Corvair Monza Spyder. It could be had with the Trophy 4 4-cylinder engine or the 389 V8. Both were Super Duty prepared models. This was the immediate predecessor to the GTO, introduced next year.
63 had a 326 (actually 336) but not 389. Also "Super duty" was only a 12 car production made specifically for NHRA buyers. This is a 63 but not a "super duty"
Well mine came with the 326V8. Nowhere on/in the car including the "Title" was the word TEMPEST mentioned. It was basically the same body but a deluxe version of the Tempest. I purchased mine in Savannah Ga right off the showroom floor. In 1964 I purchased a rebuild kit for the 2 brll carburetor and rebuilt it just for fun. I knew very little about cars at the time.
The 1963 Pontiac Lemans was the first brand new car I purchased. Traded my '57 Pontiac in for it. It was a red convertible with a white top. The 326 V8 had a little "tick" but never gave me trouble. The 326 was based on the 389 but the block was thin wall cast to reduce weight. I blew the rear end in it while in Denver Colorado and the dealer replaced it for free. The 2 speed automatic transmission was junk.
Ive had a couple early Tempests and I can tell you the 389 's and 421's are not a direct bolt-in because of the rope/transaxle flywheel is 8 bolt vs 6 on the bigger engines
See, this is the fun part about the muscle era cars (they were called super cars back in the day, the muscle moniker started somewhere in the '70's) - lots of BS to wade through. With a proper muncie and a solid live axle rear these were little rippers (but that was a lot of work and expense vs. just buying a conventional factory hot rod). I honestly think this one sounds like a stock 326 with a loose exhaust, doesn't sound beefy at all - and definitely a bondo sled. Still, I kind of like it. I'm sure that now 7 years later it is a whole different car, probably been slowly restored.
super duty was a factory build up engine,not so much what ever body it was used in.the first of these engines,started in 1955 with a 287 cid.went to 455cid.with many sizes inbetween.also half sized 4 used in the 1961 to 1963 tempest .they made their mark in auto history.
I had a 63 convertible Lemans and the transaxel would never have been able to take the guff of the 389. It barely coped with the 326. That car was made best with the 4 cylinder. Anyone who stuffs a 389 in one is asking for trouble. The 63 Super Duty Tempest/LeManns had a proper solid rear axle. That car shown is a fake all Super Duty Tempests were closed cars not convertible.
I was the sad owner of a 1963 Pontiac Tempest LeMans, 326 cid, transaxle in 1966. It was THE biggest piece of automotive crap I have EVER owned. The engine clattered (valve lifters), the paint failed, the brakes would never stop self-adjusting (I had to set them down regularly or the car would stop moving), the transmission leaked, the heater leaked, the fuel gauge was horribly inaccurate, and that stupid transaxle was a crash waiting to happen. Luckily for me, I was hit, head on, and the POS Tempest was destroyed. The crash was, actually, a blessing. My next car was 1963 Pontiac Catalina Ventura - reliable and the most beautiful car I've EVER owned.
I thought that was odd right off the bat .... a super-duty hood scoop on a convertible! Obviously not original and kind of an odd tribute car. Nice car though.
You say that but in fact in 1963 a tempest sporting a 421 Super Duty and transaxle won Daytona. So the transaxle wasn't nearly as wimpy as you claim and could be beefed up pretty good.
They didn't come with a 389 cu. in. It was a 326 instead because a schoolmate of mine had one. He blew up three of the weak sister transaxles so being under warrentee Pontiac converted it to a standard four speed and standard rear end.
@@retro440 It was from the Corvair as was most of the chassis. It was designed for a 80hp six but stood up behind a ~280hp 326 just fine so I wouldn't call it junk. The torsion bar torque tube driveshaft (aka 'rope drive') absorbed a lot of the abuse.
@@maddpeanut6313 Everyone has an opinion, good or bad, on vehicles that they have owned. I had a 326 transaxle '63 Tempest in 1965. Maybe, it was unusually bad, but, it is the largest pile of automotive junk I've ever owned. Only five years later, I bought a brand new '68 GTO, the dream car of my youth. Sadly, it turned out to be the second largest pile of automotive junk I've ever owned. In the interim, I had a '63 Pontiac Catalina Ventura. It was reliable and the most beautiful car (white with an auburn interior) I've ever owned. I guess, we have all had our sweet rides and our piles!
They never put a 389 in a tempest . The corvair base transmission was not strong enough. So they were limited to a 326 with 260 horsepower. Only 6 super duty tempests were built six coupes six wagons no convertibles they all had dual quad 421 Super duty motors. They also had custom-made 4-speed automatic transmissions. If they had made a super duty convertible it would be worth about $250,000 today or more only six are known to exist all in museums. This isn't even a super duty clone because it's a convertible.
Never heard of a 389 in a 63 tempest. I did not think the 389 was available until the 1964 model with the GTO option. Is this just a ‘dropped in’ 389 in a ‘63 model?
For those commenting on legitimacy of a 63 Tempest 389 Super Duty... ah....where to begin..obvious that either someone dropped in a 389 with really loud exhaust, or the guy has no clue what he owns and it's really a 326 with really loud exhaust....I am betting the latter....in any cast obviously no Tempest 389 "Super Duty" was EVER made...And good luck with that braided steel driveshaft and playdough transaxle gears holding up it is a 389!
There was a lot of putty in that car. And exhaust sounded like crap sounded like it was leaking at the exhaust manifold. Why would you try and sell something like that?
Those were strange cars! Transmission in the back with a “rope drive” driveshaft! Not for me! This is a rough car that looks like it’s full of bondo and a bent rear bumper!
Sorry, sounds like a Massey -Fergesson, body work by a blind guy and any mention of Super Duty is hogwash. 389 emblems, really. This car was best equipped with a 326 4bbl. Connected to transaxle via "rope drive". This vehicle is a pos and deserves ownership by my mother in law.
With a swing axle rear end, dropping to the ground is not a good idea. Same with going with larger wheels. (Causes rear camber and toe in alignment issues.) Go study up on rear swing axle tuck under or jacking during cornering. An issue most of the period rear swing axle suspension cars suffered from. There were ways to compensate for the issues, but most people did not understand how you dialed these suspensions in for performance. And often did adjustments or modifications which made their behavior worse. What you propose is exactly what is the wrong thing to do unless you make specific modifications to accommodate bigger wheels and tires and alignment changes.
There is no such thing as a 63 tempest "super duty"....The 389 in any form,meaning 2bbl 4bbl and the "tri-power" never left the factory with a 389... This car is easy to see that it is full of bondo and has been "improved" to someones taste which ruins it. It is probably worth the awful sounding engine that is in it but no much more. this is just another example of a car being shown by someone that has very little if any idea of what they are talking about.
There were most certainly some '63 Tempest Super Duty cars built by Pontiac. 6 of them were coupes and 6 were wagons and all had the dual quad 421 engines rated at 405 horsepower but actually made closer to 500 hp. Both body types had all aluminum front ends and a specially made 4 speed automatic transmission (rear mounted) which didn't always hold up so some were converted to conventional rear ends. Arnie "The Farmer" Beswick had a wagon he named "The Grocery Getter" which was one of the most successful of the Pontiac race cars. You had to be a professional drag racer to get one.
Problem is, the cost of such a restoration is way more than the restored value of this car. At best, this car needs both rocker panels , rear Lowe quarter panels, rear valance, lower front fenders and front valance, a new top, totally new exhaust system from the exhaust manifolds back. And that’s just what I see in the video. That being said, I still like the car.
![CHILE vs. BRASIL [1-2] | RESUMEN | ELIMINATORIAS SUDAMERICANAS | FECHA 9](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/5ObJt_71AYc/mqdefault.jpg)
![VENEZUELA vs. ARGENTINA [1-1] | RESUMEN | ELIMINATORIAS SUDAMERICANAS | FECHA 9](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/SJfoPdeOPCQ/mqdefault.jpg)
The genuine ancestor of this car caused a sensation at Daytona in 1963 when it lapped Ferraris and race-prepped Corvettes to win on the big oval.
Yep. And I have one
I don't know about that sound, but almost sounds like a diesel. Sounds like an exhaustive really bad
They built about 100 63 Tempests with 389 engines, they were built to be raced. I seen and talked to the owner of one in 1964. It had a few modifications from my 63 with 4 cyl.
This 1963 Tempest Le Mans was built in very limited numbers. It was a sort of Pontiac's Division parallel alternative to the Chevrolet Corvair Monza Spyder. It could be had with the Trophy 4 4-cylinder engine or the 389 V8. Both were Super Duty prepared models. This was the immediate predecessor to the GTO, introduced next year.
63 had a 326 (actually 336) but not 389. Also "Super duty" was only a 12 car production made specifically for NHRA buyers. This is a 63 but not a "super duty"
Well mine came with the 326V8. Nowhere on/in the car including the "Title" was the word TEMPEST mentioned. It was basically the same body but a deluxe version of the Tempest. I purchased mine in Savannah Ga right off the showroom floor. In 1964 I purchased a rebuild kit for the 2 brll carburetor and rebuilt it just for fun. I knew very little about cars at the time.
The 1963 Pontiac Lemans was the first brand new car I purchased. Traded my '57 Pontiac in for it. It was a red convertible with a white top. The 326 V8 had a little "tick" but never gave me trouble. The 326 was based on the 389 but the block was thin wall cast to reduce weight. I blew the rear end in it while in Denver Colorado and the dealer replaced it for free. The 2 speed automatic transmission was junk.
shift on the dash.
Wow I would love that car forever. Sounds sweet
That car deserves better wheels and tires!!
Ive had a couple early Tempests and I can tell you the 389 's and 421's are not a direct bolt-in because of the rope/transaxle flywheel is 8 bolt vs 6 on the bigger engines
See, this is the fun part about the muscle era cars (they were called super cars back in the day, the muscle moniker started somewhere in the '70's) - lots of BS to wade through. With a proper muncie and a solid live axle rear these were little rippers (but that was a lot of work and expense vs. just buying a conventional factory hot rod). I honestly think this one sounds like a stock 326 with a loose exhaust, doesn't sound beefy at all - and definitely a bondo sled. Still, I kind of like it. I'm sure that now 7 years later it is a whole different car, probably been slowly restored.
super duty was a factory build up engine,not so much what ever body it was used in.the first of these engines,started in 1955 with a 287 cid.went to 455cid.with many sizes inbetween.also half sized 4 used in the 1961 to 1963 tempest .they made their mark in auto history.
Sounds like my '58 Ford Workmaster tractor idling.
I had a 63 convertible Lemans and the transaxel would never have been able to take the guff of the 389. It barely coped with the 326. That car was made best with the 4 cylinder. Anyone who stuffs a 389 in one is asking for trouble. The 63 Super Duty Tempest/LeManns had a proper solid rear axle. That car shown is a fake all Super Duty Tempests were closed cars not convertible.
I've seen My Cousin Vinny.
I was the sad owner of a 1963 Pontiac Tempest LeMans, 326 cid, transaxle in 1966. It was THE biggest piece of automotive crap I have EVER owned. The engine clattered (valve lifters), the paint failed, the brakes would never stop self-adjusting (I had to set them down regularly or the car would stop moving), the transmission leaked, the heater leaked, the fuel gauge was horribly inaccurate, and that stupid transaxle was a crash waiting to happen. Luckily for me, I was hit, head on, and the POS Tempest was destroyed. The crash was, actually, a blessing. My next car was 1963 Pontiac Catalina Ventura - reliable and the most beautiful car I've EVER owned.
I thought that was odd right off the bat .... a super-duty hood scoop on a convertible! Obviously not original and kind of an odd tribute car. Nice car though.
You say that but in fact in 1963 a tempest sporting a 421 Super Duty and transaxle won Daytona. So the transaxle wasn't nearly as wimpy as you claim and could be beefed up pretty good.
Member 3665 - Better check your facts: Tiny Lund won 63 Daytona driving a 63 Ford 427...pretty far off there.
They didn't come with a 389 cu. in. It was a 326 instead because a schoolmate of mine had one. He blew up three of the weak sister transaxles so being under warrentee Pontiac converted it to a standard four speed and standard rear end.
Wrong, yes they did have the 389, My 1962 and 63 had 389 and tri-power. Then I got the GTO....
Good move, the transaxle was JUNK.
@@retro440 It was from the Corvair as was most of the chassis. It was designed for a 80hp six but stood up behind a ~280hp 326 just fine so I wouldn't call it junk. The torsion bar torque tube driveshaft (aka 'rope drive') absorbed a lot of the abuse.
@@maddpeanut6313 Everyone has an opinion, good or bad, on vehicles that they have owned. I had a 326 transaxle '63 Tempest in 1965. Maybe, it was unusually bad, but, it is the largest pile of automotive junk I've ever owned. Only five years later, I bought a brand new '68 GTO, the dream car of my youth. Sadly, it turned out to be the second largest pile of automotive junk I've ever owned. In the interim, I had a '63 Pontiac Catalina Ventura. It was reliable and the most beautiful car (white with an auburn interior) I've ever owned. I guess, we have all had our sweet rides and our piles!
My 1st car was a 1963 Le Man's with a V326. I have no idea about the bigger motor in these. The 6 was actually the V8 cut in half, I believe.
I thought this was a 64 Buick Skylark.
Those only come in metallic mint green :P
@@giantsean lol! Thank you.
Starting didn't sound not too good. 😮 exaust leak? Glass packs?
I love this car
They never put a 389 in a tempest . The corvair base transmission was not strong enough. So they were limited to a 326 with 260 horsepower. Only 6 super duty tempests were built six coupes six wagons no convertibles they all had dual quad 421 Super duty motors. They also had custom-made 4-speed automatic transmissions. If they had made a super duty convertible it would be worth about $250,000 today or more only six are known to exist all in museums. This isn't even a super duty clone because it's a convertible.
needs lots of work. still for sale? how much$
one of the original muscle cars... thank you for not revving it. its all about the idle.
Never heard of a 389 in a 63 tempest. I did not think the 389 was available until the 1964 model with the GTO option. Is this just a ‘dropped in’ 389 in a ‘63 model?
Yes, he said he swapped the engine in the video.
the convertible one was a fail, since it was a unibody, It had no roof which made the engine to powerfull for the car, the first unibody
For those commenting on legitimacy of a 63 Tempest 389 Super Duty... ah....where to begin..obvious that either someone dropped in a 389 with really loud exhaust, or the guy has no clue what he owns and it's really a 326 with really loud exhaust....I am betting the latter....in any cast obviously no Tempest 389 "Super Duty" was EVER made...And good luck with that braided steel driveshaft and playdough transaxle gears holding up it is a 389!
But it has chrome valve covers! LMAO!
What is that rolling noise 😮
sounds like a tractor, exhaust leak??
Headers with cherry bombers. No pipes, to loud for the microphone to pick up properly
Used to have a hood scoop just like that one. Don't think it's from Pontiac.
Loos more like one off of an early 70's medium duty Ford truck.
Pillsbury dough guy?
There was a lot of putty in that car. And exhaust sounded like crap sounded like it was leaking at the exhaust manifold. Why would you try and sell something like that?
Some '62 came with a 389
How much
You can keep that one
Those were strange cars! Transmission in the back with a “rope drive” driveshaft! Not for me! This is a rough car that looks like it’s full of bondo and a bent rear bumper!
Sorry, sounds like a Massey -Fergesson, body work by a blind guy and any mention of Super Duty is hogwash. 389 emblems, really. This car was best equipped with a 326 4bbl. Connected to transaxle via "rope drive". This vehicle is a pos and deserves ownership by my mother in law.
Drop it to the ground and bigger wheels
That was cringy
With a swing axle rear end, dropping to the ground is not a good idea. Same with going with larger wheels. (Causes rear camber and toe in alignment issues.) Go study up on rear swing axle tuck under or jacking during cornering. An issue most of the period rear swing axle suspension cars suffered from. There were ways to compensate for the issues, but most people did not understand how you dialed these suspensions in for performance. And often did adjustments or modifications which made their behavior worse. What you propose is exactly what is the wrong thing to do unless you make specific modifications to accommodate bigger wheels and tires and alignment changes.
There is no such thing as a 63 tempest "super duty"....The 389 in any form,meaning 2bbl 4bbl and the "tri-power" never left the factory with a 389... This car is easy to see that it is full of bondo and has been "improved" to someones taste which ruins it. It is probably worth the awful sounding engine that is in it but no much more. this is just another example of a car being shown by someone that has very little if any idea of what they are talking about.
There were most certainly some '63 Tempest Super Duty cars built by Pontiac. 6 of them were coupes and 6 were wagons and all had the dual quad 421 engines rated at 405 horsepower but actually made closer to 500 hp. Both body types had all aluminum front ends and a specially made 4 speed automatic transmission (rear mounted) which didn't always hold up so some were converted to conventional rear ends. Arnie "The Farmer" Beswick had a wagon he named "The Grocery Getter" which was one of the most successful of the Pontiac race cars. You had to be a professional drag racer to get one.
THE BODY WORK IS ATROCIOUS. A CAR LIKE THAT SHOULD HAVE A PRIMO RESTORATION
Problem is, the cost of such a restoration is way more than the restored value of this car. At best, this car needs both rocker panels , rear Lowe quarter panels, rear valance, lower front fenders and front valance, a new top, totally new exhaust system from the exhaust manifolds back. And that’s just what I see in the video. That being said, I still like the car.
I knew this guy. He couldn’t afford the gas let alone a restoration.
To bad it's not a hard top..
Oh to bad it's not a stock engine
YOU GUYS ARE JOKERS.
Missinformation.