I've been lurking long enough, I thought I would share my new project with the community. I am looking forward to seeing what feedback I can get, and perhaps some leads on what can be done with performance parts on the 'ol trophy 4. (in particular an odd ball intake of some form, and a cam choice) The car was originally from the San Fernando Valley and I have receipts that show it was on the road with the original owner for over 24 years. I purchased it on RacingJunk.com and had it shipped to Southern Indiana from Utah. I'm sure it isn't everyone's cup of tea, and I have to wonder who would have ever thought 30 years ago that ANYONE would want to invest time and money in such a car, but I think it is one cool old ride. I've had the car one week tomorrow and so far I've looked it over real good, checked the compression, changed the oil, added new plug wires and drove the car about 15 feet. It is missing like crazy, and I've bought all the usual ignition parts to try to get it in tune. That should happen this weekend. I've never worked on a car that is this virgin. I can't find anything on it that has been altered or hacked. You don't know what a rough idle is until you've sat in a poor running tempest 4cyl! It's like a bad coin operated bed in a cheap hotel. At least I shouldn't have to worry about kidney stones...
Find a log style intake for a V8 potiac, and only use one side! Then you could have 2x2's or a tri power Greatr looking car....a 421 would also be awesome!!!! Are those the rear transmission cars??
I second that find an old log manafold or the rare factory 4 bbl. intake. yes they do make cams for them for recources look here. http://forums.performanceyears.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=427 These guys are VERY knowlageable on these cars.
Is that one of THESE?????????? That's a cool little mofo right there, but cant you put in a small V8?????
It does have a rear transaxle and swing arm independent rear. I have already had other comments very similar to fleetside's, recalling other family member and friends that had Tempest experience. Odd how most of them involve women or elderly. Of particular interest to counteract all the grocery getter vibes... Ray Nichels fielded 4 of these cars to go road racing in the first endurance race at the still new Daytona 500 and the 12 hours of Sebring in 1962. I don't think they had much success, but it is a cool bit of history that I have had a hard time finding much listed about on the web.
I've had the car one week tomorrow and so far I've added new plug wires and drove the car about 15 feet. It is missing like crazy, and You don't know what a rough idle is until you've sat in a poor running tempest 4cyl! It's like a bad coin operated bed in a cheap hotel. At least I shouldn't have to worry about kidney stones...[/quote] And you absolutely didnt put the plug wires back on in the wrong order????????
The plug wires are on right, this engine is notorious for running rough, especially if it is out of tune. It is half a V8 and at 194 cubes it's a big 4. They cut corners on the engineering and manufacturing and didn't include any counter balancing. I had seen in multiple sources that it could really shake, but until I experienced it I didn't fully understand. They actually did upgrade the timing chain to a heavy duty unit and install some rather large "floating" engine mounts to help this. The flexible "rope drive" also was a "fix" for the unbalanced engine.
thats a cool car. did you see the one in hotrod or car craft with the big block chevy? it would be tuff to yank that 4 banger you never see them, but a rover v-8 would be a great swap.
I think there was a pretty nice article about the Tempests at Daytona in Hemmings Muscle Machines. The article talked about the fact that the cars ran really well up high on the banking and it might have had something to do with the track getting rained on. Problem is, I don't remember which issue it was. Here is their back issues order site: http://www.hemmings.com/store/backissues.html?publication=MUS
that would be one baaaad, mutha' with a 4.71 blower and some big tune! Mickey Thompson had one in a sports car and turned a 9.50 ET @ 163 MPH.[with some alky] Also put it in a dragster.
Mickey Thompson for sure did some work with these engines... http://www.thompson-motorsports.com/econ.html The photo of the slingshot with 2 hilborn injected 4's - makes me all warm inside...
when its running pull the plug wires one at a time and see if their is a change. if you don't detect any spray carb cleaner around intake and carb to see if you have vacuum leak. 1-3-4-2 is firing order and make sure your going in the correct rotation,pull dist. cap and watch rotor turning. post your results
Neat little car! two door Tempests were pretty uncommon in 1961, they didn't start building them until sometime mid-year. Is it an auto or a manual transmission? The Pontiac-Oakland Club International (POCI) has a chapter devoted to 1961-1963 Tempests and Lemans; you should look into joining, I'll bet they'd be a lot of help in getting it running well again. Also, get yourself a copy of the factory shop manual, they are fairly easy to find (there is a specific manual for the Tempest in 1961, so don't get a big car manual by mistake.)
And that would basically be converting it to a factory v-8 car in a way. 61-62 had the aluminum 215(Buick engine) and was bought out by Land Rover.
That's a great article. Thanks for the post. I'm also looking into the hemmings article. I know the V8 swap would be cool, but I really like the idea of the oddball 4cyl. My car is the auto, basically a 2 speed powerglide of course it does have the torque converter at the rear and if you look up under the car when it's running you can see it spinning.
That would be a early corvair to be more specific. I would like to know about the 5 lug brake setup, they just don't make any cool 4 lug wheels.
I bought one new when I got out of the Army. It was a great little car. But, due to the 180 degree firing, or some such, the timing chain took an awful beating. The factory put two little plastic bumpers on sheet metal holders to keep the timing chain from whipping. At 25,000 mine got so sloppy I pulled the cover and sure enough both steel mounts had broken and the chain was really loose. I replaced the chain and bumpers. In 10,000 miles I started hearing a fimilar noise. Again one bumper was broken. After that I just changed them at 10,000 intervals. Other than that I loved it. My first new car.
My old Man bought one of those brand new as a work Car, It was awesome it's actually half of a 389 (Daytonna 500 winner and first GTO's) which is and was an awesome motor Good luck with it I would run the four banger until it doesn't run or can't be fixed any more then transplant a big block Pontiac into it. There was lots of race stuff made for that motor.
There is one of the tempests in town here Its a bad mother ..Bad ass Pontiac motor, big tires on it I see it sitting outside a shop behind a chain link fence with a for sale sign on it ? Makes me wonder if the guy that had it died, or .. but it was nice Now its laid outside for ..like 3 years maybe ? Sad
I had the olds version. pulled the 215 and stuffed a 400 horse 350 with an m-21 in it. This car got 15 miles to the gallon and turned a consistant 12.90 in the 1/4. Man I loved that car.
I had a 62 Lemans with the 4bble and a 4 speed, it was a blast! Swing arm rear makes it squirrely with tall, skinny radials, get some bias plys, you'll be happier
in 63 tempest had a Pontiac 326 V8.I had one in a 63 1/2 tempest Lemans convertable.326 power glide. I liked everything about that car BUT those Damned spindly half shafts for axles.I got real good a swapping tose things because any horsing around even with the powerglide would snap those damned things right at the root of the splines.That is the only thing I had go wrong with mine in the year I had it The front end stands up well in 50 mph head on collisions with drunk drivers.Thats what ended mine!Wish I had another
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