America's Rare FORGOTTEN 4 Cylinder Muscle Car - The 1961-1963 Pontiac Tempest

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!

The '63 Tempest w the 326 was no joke. On the street it was a serious runner. Biggest issue was breaking half shafts in the IRS. The Super Duty 421 Tempests did not get the trans axle. They might have shipped that way, but were immediately transitioned to standard front mounted 4-speed and solid live rear axle narrowed down from the Catalina. I raced back in the day when these things were running and it was not a car you wanted to draw in the other lane. They were one of the strongest running S/S cars out there. They sort of defined what S/S was really all about 😁

Excellent video! DeLorean didn’t stop trying to make Pontiac the sophisticated GM. He also pushed for the OHC six cylinder that made it into later Tempests and Firebirds.

I had the misfortune to own a '63 Tempest with the half a V8 Slant 4. Yet, it was the car that made me realize lousy cars offer the best opportunities to develop solid diagnosis and repair skills.

Man that 63 Tempest top trim line .. can you imagine if they developed that concept. These videos sometimes make me sad for the unrealized potential. Thanks for creating this one, this car flew under my radar. Very nice. #Salute And Happy Fathers Day to all the dads out there doing dad things.

My first car was a 1961 Tempest, four door with the straight 4 cylinder. As your video stated, the four cylinder was half a V8. When the timing chain went, we bought the same parts as the V8 to fix it. It had the automatic transmission with shift knob on the dash. It was a great car for around town and driving to school. I always tell people that if I tried to put $5 of gas in it, I would have had $3 worth of gas on the ground. My Dad bought the car from a buddy whose parents had owned it. Thanks for the memories and sharing the video!

Thanks for sharing. This sparked some fond memories of my youth. My father was a Pontiac man. Started with a 56 before I was born, I don’t know what model, but I rode in it as an infant/toddler. My Mother told me a story about sliding off the road with me onboard into a snowbank during a snowstorm ’60 or 61 when I was tyke. I have no memory of the experience, but she said she was pretty scared when it happened. As a toddler I can remember holding on to a ropelike thing attached to the rear of the front seat while standing up between my older brother and sister. The rear seating area was huge. My older brother has memories of Napping on the rear deck of the rear window on trips. Yeap, no car seats or seat belts available. In ’62 Dad bought a Tempest wagon with a V8. This one I remember well as I frequently rode in the rear cargo area. It was my personal playground when traveling. I also remember it had a push button transmission. A year later I had an uncle who bought a White ’63 Tempest 2d sedan with the 326. Growing up I always thought that car was cool looking. My uncle was a volunteer fireman and had the big blue bubble light on the dash. At the time State troopers were using blue lights as well. My uncle would like to toy with other family members on the highway sometimes. Dad traded the ’62 in for a ’68 Tempest Wagon which was bigger. This was the car I learned how to drive and was tested on when I first got my license, paper version, no picture back then. It became my car in my senior year but died shortly after I graduated. The last Pontiac he bought was a “74 4d Lemans with the 250 straight six, The Jackrabbit starts of the V8 were gone. I never cared much for the Lemans. Despite the lack of power of the 250 it was the car I received my first speeding ticket in with my parents in the car. Missing the power of the V8 Dad picked up an Oldsmobile Cutlass with the 350 Rocket Motor. Now this car I liked. It was fun to drive. Dad stayed with Oldsmobile the rest of his driving days and purchased Mom a 2005 Buick LeSabre that she still has at 92.

I had the '63 Tempest with the 4 cylinder. Impressive pickup with that engine. But, the back of the magnesium bell housing for the clutch had this round plate with a sleeve mounted from it's middle to guide the driveshaft extension to the clutch bearing in the flywheel. Mine broke at the base of the sleeve in the mid 80's and being magnesium could not be easily or affordably repaired and every one I found in the many local junkyards had the same break or was gone. I parked it for a year or more and then finally sold it to one of those junkyards. Got $400 which was about $300 more than one normally got for their cars from them. I asked why and they said that some guy had been bothering them for a couple of years for parts. It occurred to me that I was that guy. I just kept my mouth shut and counted the money again : ).

Great story! When I was 16 my dad bought a 4 door, 3 speed stick, white, basic economy, 1961 Tempest. I loved it immediately and he actually let me take it out a few times, which I immediately raced with my friend who had a 1961, 6 cylinder, 3 speed stick, Ford Falcon. The Tempest just edged it out. It seemed to have a little more torque although the Falcon was quicker out of the hole. As mentioned in the movie "My Cousin Vinnie", the 1961 Tempest did indeed have independent rear suspension and a Positraction transaxle. It was nice and clean inside and had a decent looking body. It would get near 30 mpg if you kept your foot out of it. Would love to have that car today.

This was to the GTO what the Falcon was to the Mustang. I have a greater appreciation for the early Tempest now! Thanks for the history!

My Grandfather & Grandmother on my Mother's side had an early Tempest with the slant Trophy 4-cylinder, rear transaxle and torque rod. There were 9 siblings, so the flat floor pan meant they could get a large number of the family members in the car at one time on the 2 bench seats! I also think it was a Safari wagon model which also would've helped in hauling the kids around, but I'm not completely sure of that point. According to "How Stuff Works", it was Pontiac's general manager at the time, Semon E. "Bunkie" Knudsen, who did not want a tarted-up Corvair (to be named Polaris) as a Pontiac, and also wondered how to justify the extra $500 to $1,000 added to the price to sell it with a Pontiac nameplate. It was Pontiac's Director of Advanced Engineering John Z. DeLorean's job to have the new Tempest properly styled within the "Wide-Track Pontiac" theme, and he was eager to accomplish this. Thanks for pointing out another rare gem! Well-Done.

My first car was a '63 Tempest with the 4 cylinder motor, which I bought used in 1966. Had that car until I went into the Marine Corps in 1968. It had the 3-speed on the floor, seatbelts and was fun and cheap to dive. The only issue I had with it was the bushings holding the drive shaft at the rear by the transmission kept falling out.

Truly a unique and very driveable car to this very day. I can speak to the '63 model only , I've had three, down to just one now. 326 2 spd auto 2 dr coupe. A great performer ( not necessarily at the drags) and surprises a lot of people with its cornering ability. The four wheel independent suspension and nearly equal weight distribution front to back make it a cornering king compaed to other North American cars of the age. And I noticed somebody said the transaxle is the same as a Corvair, just turned around . I can assure you this is not the case. Similar designs, but the Pontiac verrsion is considerably heavier duty . I have both in my garage (61 Corvair Rampside)... I'm a sucker for oddities. Now, if only i could afford a '63 Iso Rivolta.

I actually had a 62 Tempest with the 4 cylinder. Great little car that got the best gas mileage. It was just an interim car that I bought because I had a 90 mile round trip to college. I eventually sold it to buy a 67 Ranchero 500 with the HI PO 289 and factory 4 spd. A real Tire shredder.

My very first car was a 1963 Pontiac Tempest. I paid $125 for it in 1972 and it barely made it home under its own power. After extensive rebuild and restoration it was a great car. The base slant 4 engine was great but I kept having to drop the box that contained the flexible driveshaft and have it welded. After the fourth or fifth time in 3 years I sold the car. Wish I hadn’t.

I owned one, but it was even more unique than what the video showed. It was a 1963 Pontiac Tempest LeMans. The manual said it pushed 197 horsepower and had an automatic transaxel. Plus it was a convertible. I junked the car because the ball joints were bad and the mechanics told me that the repair was more than the car was worth in 1968. I do wish I had repaired the car, because it was extremely fun to drive.

A high school friend of mine had a black 63 convertible with the 326. A teacher at school made him pissed off about something so on a weekend with nobody around, we backed up to the entry doors of our high school. My friend laid a couple of the nicest black burn marks you’ll ever see. We had so much fun in that thing......

Not forgotten here, my parents had the '63 model of this car when I was growing up. Handling was really good and gas mileage was great. Thanks for the look.

Very cool! I just acquired a 63 Oldsmobile f85 convertible that has the aluminum 215 V8. I'll be doing videos on it soon when i bring it home.

In 1964-1965 I was a high school student and drove a '62 Tempest. Green. 4-Dour. 3-Speed on the floor. Bench seats front and back. I truly miss that car: it was perfect for a 16-year-old. In 1966 it was traded for a '65 Tempest Custom Convertible with the 326. Again, a great car for a kid in high school. 1967 headed to college. The '65 Tempest was traded for a '67 Firebird. Yes, I was spoiled but I knew it and greatly appreciated each of those cars. I would gladly take any one of them today!